Advising and Counseling Centers
The mission of the Advising and Counseling Center is to provide professional advising and counseling services to support our diverse student population in achieving educational, career, and life goals. Three primary types of services are offered: success coaching, advising, and counseling. Success coaches are available to provide First Time in College (FTIC) students with support in completing the registration process and transition into college. Success coaches connect students to campus resources and assist them throughout their first year by offering workshops that will increase students’ successes.
Academic advisors are available by appointment to assist students in the selection of coursework for specific degrees and educational objectives. Academic advisors are also available to assist students who are undecided about their academic direction and can provide information, identify appropriate options to consider, and make referrals for additional assistance. Academic advising appointments may be made online through Web Advisor. Online Advising for students is available six days a week. Students can chat and receive responses to questions within 24 hours.
Counselors specialize in assisting students in coping with personal problems such as anxiety, depression, or other issues. They can also help students investigate strategies to achieve academic success through developing effective study habits, enhancing communication skills, minimizing test anxiety, improving time management, and exploring opportunities for the further development of critical and independent thinking.
Career Services
Career Services empowers students and alumni with identifying career pathways and employment opportunities that may benefit their career and educational goals. Current and former students seeking full-time, part-time, or temporary employment are encouraged to use this service.
Career Services professionals offer the following:
- Career assessment
- Information regarding career exploration, employment trends, and salary needs
- Resume and cover letter assistance
- Mock interviews
- Job search assistance including current job openings (both part-time and full-time, on- and off-campus)
- Information regarding on-campus job fairs, employment recruitment and employment interviews
- Workshops on career-related topics
- Career development assistance
Student Accessibility Resources
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Student Accessibility Resources (formerly Disability Support Services) provides access to College programs, services and activities for qualified students with disabilities.
Requests for accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and are determined based on the functional limitations caused by the disability and the supporting documentation provided.
For additional information and eligibility requirements regarding Student Accessibility Resources, refer to the TCC website at www.tccd.edu.
Health Services
An integral part of Health Services is the promotion of a balanced lifestyle to enhance the collegiate experience. Each TCC campus provides a health center staffed by Registered Nurses who provide first aid and emergency care for students. Opportunities for health education, health counseling and referral information to an appropriate healthcare agency or provider are available. Students are encouraged to use the campus health center, which provides confidential services free of charge. NOTE: Students are financially responsible for any health services needed outside of the campus health center, such as ambulance transport or physician visit.
New Student Orientation
Tarrant County College is committed to supporting students in meeting their educational goals by requiring all First-Time-in-College (FTIC) students to complete New Student Orientation (NSOR-0010). Offered as a one-time four-hour interactive session, NSOR is designed to prepare students for successful entry into the college environment and connect students to the college campus, faculty, staff and support resources. All FTIC students are required to register a session, generally held the week prior to the beginning of the 16-week semester.
Student Development Services
The Office of Student Development Services provides opportunities for co-curricular learning activities and campus involvement. Through a Student Activities/Student life program, students have the opportunity to participate in events and activities that are designed to encourage campus engagement along with personal, educational and professional growth.
The following programs and opportunities are available through the Student Activities/Student Life offices:
- Student Organizations
- Guest Lecturers and Performers
- Campus Activities and Programs
- Community Service and Outreach
- Multicultural Events and Activities
- Leadership Development
- Educational and Co-curricular Programming
- Personal Development Workshops
Student Handbook
A Student Handbook is available on the TCC website at www.tccd.edu.
Support Services
TCC provides support services for students who need assistance reaching their academic goals. These services are available to all students. Each campus has designated tutoring and learning labs. Information is available in the campus directory and from the Advising and Counseling Centers.
Retention programs on all campuses are administered to help students successfully acclimate to the college environment. Students needing these services should first contact the Advising and Counseling Center on the campus attended.
Students Targeting and Reaching Success (STARS) is a federally funded Student Support Services TRIO Program. The goal of the program is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and facilitate the process of transition from one level of higher education to the next. The STARS Program provides academic support for first-generation students and students who meet certain income guidelines. The Program coordinates a variety of educational support services such as academic advising, transfer advisement, college transfer trips, cultural enrichment activities, FREE tutoring, financial literacy training, assistance with identifying and applying for scholarships, student enrichment workshops and mentoring.
Campus CARE Teams
The Campus CARE Teams are available for consultation with campus community members regarding students whose behaviors are of concern because they may pose a threat to themselves or others. You may report concerning behaviors at www.tccd.edu/care.
TCC Police Department
The Tarrant County College Police Department is charged with the responsibility of protecting the life and property of individuals who comprise the student body, faculty and staff of the TCC community. The primary responsibilities of the TCC Police Department are to provide campus security and to provide students with a safe and secure learning environment.
The TCC Police Department is staffed with certified Texas peace officers, who are assigned to each of the College’s five campuses and the May Owen District Center to enforce rules, policies and state law. Any law enforcement matter occurring on campus is handled by the TCC Police Department. Each campus has concurrent jurisdiction with a municipal police agency that supports and backs up the TCC police.
Crimes should be reported to the Police Department by calling central dispatch at 817-515-8911 from phones outside the college system or ext. 58911 from college phones.
These phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All emergencies, including police matters, medical, fire, traffic accidents, and others, should be reported to these phone numbers. When medical emergencies are life-threatening, 9-1-1 (9-911 from a campus phone) should be called first, and then the TCC Police Department should be notified at one of the dispatch numbers listed above. 9-1-1 callers should provide the operator with the location of the emergency.
Police Assistance
In addition to law enforcement matters, the TCC Police Department provides various courtesy services. Contact police dispatch if assistance is needed for vehicle unlocks, jump-starts, room unlocks or any after-hours assistance.
Clery Act
The Campus Annual Security Report containing the Clery statistics and campus crime information may be viewed on the TCC website at www.tccd.edu. A printed copy of this report is also available upon request from any campus police department.
Drug Free
Tarrant County College is dedicated to providing a safe environment for students, employees, and visitors. This includes ensuring the college is a drug- and alcohol-free zone. For more information, please refer to the student handbook at www.tccd.edu.
Parking Permit Information
Only the students enrolled in classes at Trinity River Campus (TRC) or Trinity River East Campus (TREC) will be required to display a parking permit in their vehicle. Only Trinity River Campus will issue parking permits. If a student has a class at any other campus and has no classes at TRC or TREC, the student does not need a parking permit. If the student has a class at TRC or TREC and another campus, the student must obtain a parking permit at TRC. Hang permits from the rearview mirror with the permit number side facing the window.
Students enrolled in college credit courses may obtain their parking permits at the Trinity River Campus police department during the fall and spring semesters from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and at Trinity River Campus Business Services from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. When summer hours are in effect (mid-May through the end of July), students enrolled in credit courses may obtain their parking permits Monday through Thursday at the TRC Police Department from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at TRC Business Services from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Students receive the first parking permit at no cost after registration for credit or noncredit classes. A permit is valid until the expiration date printed on the front and it should be kept until the expiration date to avoid a $5 permit replacement fee. Permit is a one-time replacement. Issuance of third-time permits are not allowed.
The following documentation is required to obtain a parking permit:
- TCC student schedule and fee statement (available on Web Advisor after registration and payment of course fees)
- Colleague/Student ID number
Persons who have obtained disabled permits or license plates from the Texas Department of Transportation are not required to have a student permit to park in parking areas designated for the disabled.
Temporary Parking Permits
Temporary parking permits are available at each campus Police Department. A temporary permit may be issued if a student fails to bring the permanent parking permit to campus. It is usually valid for one day only; however, it can be valid for a longer period of time if the student’s vehicle is in the shop for repairs. Temporary permits are placed on the lower right corner (passenger side) of the front window or placed on the dashboard on the passenger side where they can be read through the window.
Parking Information
Student parking is designated by white painted (striped) lines, and students are restricted to parking between the white-painted (striped) parking lines. Signs are not posted to mark every parking space, so the color of the painted lines must be observed. Students are prohibited from parking in faculty/staff parking (yellow painted/striped lines) and from parking in the visitors’ lot (blue painted/striped lines). Parking in the visitors’ lot is not permitted when on a different campus from the one usually attended. Enrolled students are not visitors and will be issued citations for parking in the visitors’ lot.
Backing into a parking space or pulling through to another space, which puts you in a backed-in position, is prohibited on campus.
Parking Rules and Citations
Safe and courteous driving is required on campus. The speed limit on campus is 10 miles per hour in the parking lots and 20 miles per hour on campus roadways. Parking and traffic regulations are set forth in detail in the Campus Motor Vehicle Regulations brochure, which is issued when parking permits are obtained, and students are expected to abide by the motor vehicle regulations outlined in this brochure. The rules and regulations are enforced at all times, including evenings and weekends.
TCC police officers are authorized to issue both college citations and municipal citations. College citations are handled by the individual campus police departments and municipal citations are handled through the municipal city court in the city that the citation was issued. The Campus Motor Vehicle Regulations brochure contains a list of parking and moving violations and the citation fees for these violations. All college citation fees and replacement permit fees are paid in the Business Services office or paid online through Web Advisor. Students should allow three business days for citation fees to be entered in the College’s computer system.
Traffic Violation Appeals
Students have the option of appealing their TCC citations. The time limit for an appeal is the semester in which the citation was issued. As with municipal citations, once a fee is paid, the violator has pleaded “no contest” and the citation cannot be appealed.
Appeal forms are available in the Police Department. The completed appeal form and the pink copy of the student’s citation should be turned in to the Police Department so it can be presented to the Traffic Appeals Board. The appeals board decides if a citation fee is voided or retained. The Police Department notifies the appellants of the board decision by mail.
Student Conduct Tobacco Use
TOBACCO USE FLBD (LOCAL)
The use of tobacco products shall be prohibited on College District grounds and in College District buildings, facilities, and vehicles. This prohibition shall also apply to spaces leased by the College District. The use of tobacco products shall be permitted in private vehicles parked on College District property provided any residue be retained within the vehicle. Violation of the College District’s policy on tobacco use may result in disciplinary action.
Citations are issued to violators of the Student Conduct Tobacco Use FLBD (LOCAL). The citation fee for the first offense is $5.00, and the fee is increased to $10.00 for each additional offense during the school year, September through August. Officers can also issue municipal citations to violators of this policy in certain campus jurisdictions.
Testing Centers
A Testing Center on each campus administers the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSI-A), a computer based placement test that measures writing, reading and mathematics skills. Information on the TSI-A is available in the campus Testing Centers and on the TCC website at www.tccd.edu.
Testing Centers also administer the College’s program of credit-by- examination/experience (CBE), the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and interpret test scores for advanced placement (AP).
Students should contact the campus Testing Center for additional information and appointments.
Proctored Exams in TCC Connect Online Courses
Faculty who teach online TCC Connect courses can require students to complete proctored exams. A proctored exam can be taken off-campus but must be supervised, just as it would be for a course taken on campus. Simply stated, a proctor supervises a student’s exam. It is up to each student to find a qualified proctor. Faculty can require students to complete their proctored exams using any of the options listed below:
- TCCD’s online proctoring service (currently ProctorU)
- TCCD testing center
- College or university testing center
- For-profit testing center
- ISD high school teacher, staff member or administrator (dual credit students only)
- Military Education officer
Faculty should provide their students with clear instructions about the proctored exams options available to them. A faculty member’s proctoring policy should be communicated to the student at the time of registration within the Instructor’s Course Requirements (ICR). A faculty member’s ICR should include specific information about the number of proctored exams and when they should be completed during a given semester.
The modality of the exams varies by proctoring option. Currently, faculty can only schedule the completion of pencil-and-paper exams at TCCD testing centers. Testing centers at other college, university and for-profit testing centers will differ in their ability to administer pencil-and-paper and online exams. If a student requests to complete a proctored exam at a non-TCCD testing center, a high school or with a Military Education officer, the student should contact the TCC Connect Campus or visit its website to obtain a copy of the eLearning Proctor Agreement Form.
Faculty should allow students to use the college’s current online proctoring service (currently ProctorU) to complete proctored exams if the exams can be administered using the college’s learning management system (LMS) which is Blackboard or a similar tool (e.g., textbook publisher LMS). Faculty and students should visit this site to create a ProctorU account. Faculty will use their account to register their exams with ProctorU and students will use their accounts to schedule exams. Note that students must schedule their exams no later than three days prior to the last day to take their exam.
Students will need access to a computer with a high-speed internet connection and a web cam. There is no cost to students to use ProctorU as long as they schedule their exams at least three days prior to the last day to complete their scheduled exam. Students should use ProctorU’s site to test their equipment and internet connection prior to their scheduled exam. For more information, students can visit http://www.proctoru.com/faq.php.
Transfer Centers
The Transfer Center’s goals and expectations for students are to become proactive in their university search, selection, admittance, and continuation of a bachelor’s degree. The Transfer Centers offer transfer information sessions each semester and provide information to help students make smooth transitions to their universities of choice. Students will discover all they can about universities; the new and different college life they have not yet experienced as a community college students.
Transfer Center Coordinators work closely with academic advisors on each campus to help students plan for transfer to four-year institutions. Representatives from area universities set up tables monthly to meet with students. Transfer Center Coordinators plan Transfer Trips so that students may visit major universities and get the experience of talking directly to students at the universities. Transfer Centers provides information about admissions requirements, programs of study, transferability of courses and scholarships.
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