New Tools Enabling GCC Student Success

College Scheduler Program Provides Another New Resource for Course Registration

Batavia, NY (12/13/2017) — In the past four years, nothing short of nine new digital opportunities have been introduced by Genesee Community College to help streamline the course registration process and assist students and/or their success coaches and advisors in creating the best possible academic schedule. The College's Board of Trustees was given a demonstration of the latest online tool, College Scheduler on Monday night. GCC assistant registrar Tara Conrad showed the Trustees how the new software program can reduce a typical 45-minute registration process down to 15 minutes, and how it helps ensure students are following the best pathway for the most effective, timely degree completion.

College Scheduler joins a host of other empowering course registration utilities that have been introduced by GCC, such as Banner Mobile (2013), DegreeWorks (2014), Student Educational Planner and Axiom (2015), Student Outcome Tracking (2016), Student Advising Profile and Credentials Solution Transcripts Plus (2017). Together, this new technology or software programs have changed the way students can manage their academic progress.

"The days of standing in a long line to register for classes with a printed course catalog are long gone," Conrad said. "College Scheduler is our ninth new element for student success." An admitted 'data and software junky,' Conrad's enthusiasm for the new program is compounded by its reporting structure and data collection capabilities. In the coming year, she is very excited about the new intelligence College Scheduler will reveal including term over term persistence rates.

Equally as impressive, however, is the user-friendly interface. Students can use the program independently without the oversight of a success coach, and they choose their own parameters-from campus location to term of enrollment, favorite instructors to preferred class times. College Scheduler also allows students to factor in their personal break time for things like athletic practice, work-study employment and even registering for a particular section to be with a friend. In Conrad's five minute demonstration, the sample schedule started with more than 275 spring schedule options, but was quickly reduced down to less than six options as she clicked through a variety of preferences.

"By streamlining the entire registration process, we are enhancing the student and the success coach experience," James M. Sunser, president of GCC said. "Reducing 45 minutes to 15 minutes is huge! Low value time gives way to engaging students in something more meaningful. Automation allows the success coaches to ask the students how things are going and talk about things that are much more important rather than of hunting and pecking for the right course."

To watch a short, 1:21 minute video about College Scheduler go to https://youtu.be/rGvN7WobdC0.

In other business, the Board of Trustees:

• Announced that GCC is again accepting nominations for Honorary Associate Degrees that would be conferred at the College's fiftieth Commencement Ceremony on May 20, 2018. Any person is welcome to make nominations. Nominees should be associated with the College and have achieved business, professional, civic and scholarly accomplishments; made extraordinary contributions to the life and the growth of the College; or notable leaders in the academic disciplines taught at the College. Recipients of honorary degrees are individuals whose accomplishments, contributions or leadership are well beyond ordinary standards, and serve as an inspiration to members of the College community and as role models for students and citizens of the region. All nominations are due by February 1, 2018 to Cathy Costello, Executive Assistant to the President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Genesee Community College, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020. For further information, please call Cathy at 585-345-6812 or email: cecostello@genesee.edu.

Previous Honorary Degree recipients include Alfred C. O'Connell, Neil Burns, William W. Stuart (posthumously) in 2007; Anthony T. Zambito (posthumously) in 2008; Eva L. Bohn in 2011, John C. Dwyer in 2014 and Norbert J. Fuest in 2017.

For Honorary Degree guidelines and the nomination form go to: https://www.genesee.edu/home/about/administration/trustees/honorary-associates-degree-nomination/

• Approved the granting of degrees and certificates to 287 students for January 2018 pending the successful completion of academic requirements. GCC anticipates awarding 133 Associate in Applied Science degrees (AAS), 128 Associate in Science degrees (AS), two Associate in Arts degrees (AA), and 24 certificates.
• Approved the updated language in Policy #1032 for GCC Computing Policies, Policy #2012 for Family and Medical Leave, and Policy #6008 for Alcohol Use during College events or functions.
• Approved the appointment of Samuel DiSalvo as student advisor for the Upward Bound Program. His temporary, grant-funded position continues through August, 2018. A former math teacher at Urban Choice Charter School in Rochester, DiSalvo holds two bachelor's degrees from SUNY Oswego in Mathematics and Creative Writing. He was a substitute teacher for the City of Batavia School District, where he also resides.
• Approved the retitling of two management positions to be aligned with SUNY professional service classifications, specifically Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment (formerly Director of Admissions), and Associate Dean for Student Support Services (formerly Dean of Students).

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