Support Services

Academic Support

Returning to or beginning a college education is an exciting endeavor. Adding classes, reading, research, and writing to what may already be a busy life can present some interesting challenges. Developing efficient study habits and skills is essential to your success. Granite State College is committed to seeing you achieve that success.

An array of academic support is available at all of the college's local Centers. We have Academic Resource Centers with computers, books, and study sheets, academic resource coordinators, librarians, computer tutorials, and much more. Call your local Center to see what resources are available for you.

Students with Disabilities

Granite State College will provide qualified individuals with disabilities the same educational opportunities available to persons without disabilities. When an individual's documented disability creates a barrier to educational opportunities, the College will attempt reasonable accommodation to remove the barrier. Conditions such as physical limitation, illness, or learning disability do not prevent an individual from being a productive learner. The College, however, does not have supplementary services or programs for special audiences.

Services are provided to individuals with disabilities in order to:

• help overcome obstacles
• provide opportunities for academic success
• increase self reliance
• encourage independence
• create self-advocacy
• foster/encourage self-esteem
• encourage participation in educational opportunities

If you need assistance, it is important that you make contact early to ensure that your requests can be reviewed prior to the start of each term. If you wish to apply for accommodations, contact your academic advisor or the dean of learner services in the Administrative Offices in Concord.

Accommodations for Disabilities:

• Decide if support is needed. Talk with your advisor to determine if your work at the college may require seeking support services.
• Apply for Services. If you anticipate requesting accommodations, complete an application for support services
• Request documentation. Documentation of your disability will be required for most accommodations. Complete a "Release of Medical Information" form and send it to your medical and/or testing provider along with "Guidelines for Documenting Disability" available on the web at www.granite.edu/services/ disabilities.htm. Evaluations and testing must be current (within the past three years). High School IEP's or testing results are not accepted for documentation at the college level.
• Review of documentation. Complete an "Authorization to Review Documentation" form and send it to the Dean of learner services. All materials will be reviewed and summary materials will be prepared which suggest accommodations. These will be sent to you for endorsement.
• Plan ahead.   Determine your academic plan with your advisor. Four to six weeks prior to each term, begin the process of reviewing the outcomes of the course(s) you intend to take. Decide if you need to request specific accommodations.
• Meet with faculty - You may need to meet with the faculty member before the class begins. Contact the faculty member and work together to identify reasonable accommodations and resources based on those approved by the college. There is an agreement form that will be used to identify and agree upon accommodations. These will be mailed to you from the Learner Services Office once the documentation regarding your disability has been reviewed.

Placement

The academic success of our learners is a priority at Granite State College. In order to ensure that you have current skills in basic academic subject areas, decisions about course selection when you begin your program will be based on an assessment of your skill level in reading, writing, and mathematics. Determination of placement will include review of past academic performance, writing ability, and if appropriate, skills assessment. If it is determined that skills
assessment is required, it must be completed prior to the second term of enrollment after degree application. An advising hold (AH) will be placed on a student’s registration if the required skills assessment is not completed within the specified timeframe. This will prevent online registration. However, with advisor approval, appropriate courses can be selected and registration can occur in the Center.

Skills Assessment

Skills assessments help you choose the right courses. They are tools for you and your advisor to use in planning your academic studies. Granite State College uses Accuplacer™, a computer-based product with assessments in sentence structure, writing, arithmetic and algebra. Each takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. There is no charge for Accuplacer™.

You can brush up on your skills before taking Accuplacer™. The following websites provide various ways to refresh and polish skills.

Writing:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/index.html
http://cctc.commnet.edu/grammar
http://www.sandhills.edu/english/writingguides.html

Mathematics:
www.mathwizz.com
www.mathpower.com
www.mccc.edu/~kelld/page200.html
www.mymathtest.com
www.math.com
www.mathforum.com/dr.math

Writing and Mathematics:
www.onlinecollegeprep.com/

Based on the results of your skills assessment, you may need to brush up on basic math or writing principles. Each Center has an array of services available, ranging from computer-assisted tutorials, workshops and private tutoring to developmental courses. Centers regularly schedule skills assessment sessions. Contact your local Center for more information.

Another option for learners is the use of an online, web-based product called A+dvancer. Geared for concentrated review and mastery of the skills needed for Accuplacer Assessments, A+dvancer provides individualized, self-paced instruction that is targeted to each student's learning needs.

Online Resources

Student Information and Registration- “WebRock”
Online and self-help services are available through MyGranite, the college’s portal, which is available to all students enrolled in credit-bearing coursework at
https://blackboard.granite.edu. Login once and access WebROCK, your student information source for grades, financial aid information, online registration, E-Payments, library resources, online courses, transcripts, academic history and your own Granite State College email account.

Textbooks

Textbooks can be purchased from MBS Direct. You can buy them online and save 20% on shipping costs. Books are also available via mail, fax or telephone. Visit http://www.granite.edu/current-students/online-bookstore-and-merchandise.aspx for more information.

BlackBoard
MyGranite and the online courses are powered by Blackboard®. Each term orientations to Blackboard® are offered at no cost in various centers. These 2-hour
orientations provide a hands-on introduction to all the tools available in Blackboard®. In addition, students may take the orientation online at their own convenience. For information about the orientations go to: http://www.granite.edu/oic/orientation.

MyGranite Technical Assistance
For general information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the MyGranite Help site at: https://blackboard.granite.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp.
To request assistance, submit an online help request form on this help site or call 1-888-372-4270. (Hours: M-F, 8:30-5:00, on weekends messages are checked daily)

Advising for Totally Online Students

There is a dedicated advisor for online degree programs. To contact her visit http://www.granite.edu/academics/online-programs/ or call 603-627-2010. She is available to answer questions and work with you from your initial inquiry through graduation. You will receive support as you progress through your degree program.

Workshops

Centers sponsor special topic workshops throughout the year, to help support you as you participate in the college's programs. Contact your local Center to see which workshops are planned. Topics range from professional focus (how particular degree programs can lead to job opportunities) to personal support (effective time management or how adults can balance the demands of home, family, jobs, and college).