Counseling and Advising

Advising Process

Academic Advisors are available to assist you in the development of meaningful educational plans to help you achieve your goals, whether it is to continue your education at a four-year college or university, to prepare for immediate entry into the job market, or to develop skills for career advancement or personal growth. Advisors can assist you with the selection of appropriate courses and advise you about your curriculum reinforcing your self-sufficiency and self-direction.

New students will be advised by counselors in the Student Services 1 Stop (lower level of Bland Hall) during the first semester they enroll.

After that, all curricular students will be assigned a faculty advisor who will assist them in scheduling classes, making schedule changes (add/drop) and completing withdrawals from classes. 

The faculty advisor may also assist students with academic, vocational, educational and/or personal concerns, but will refer students to counseling as needed.

Students should maintain regular contact with advisors. The advisor completes the graduation certification for his or her advisees, so regular contact is of the utmost importance.

Handling Academic Problems

On occasion, students may have conflicts with instructors regarding grades or other classroom policies. Should a student have a complaint, he or she is responsible for following the Grievance Procedure found in the Catalog & Student Handbook:

1. The student will first meet with the faculty member or other college person with whom the concern is related and try to resolve the problem at that level. However, if a satisfactory resolution is not achieved, the student will proceed to step two. The student has five (5) working days to proceed to step two.
2. The student will meet with the other party’s Dean or supervisor in a personal conference. The Dean or supervisor has five (5) working days, after this meeting, to render his/her decision regarding the matter to the student and the college employee involved. If satisfactory resolution of the concern does not result from the conference, the student may file a written grievance within five (5) working days of the Dean’s decision with the Dean of Student Services.
3. The Dean of Student Services will refer the unresolved grievance, together with all supporting statements and the aggrieved student’s written request, to the College Judicial Board.
4. The College Judicial Board shall hold a hearing within five (5) working days after the Dean of Student Services’ referral for hearing. Judicial Board hearings will be conducted as specified in the Judicial Board bylaws.
5. In reaching its decision, the Judicial Board shall consider only the evidence presented at the hearing and such oral and written arguments as the Judicial Board may consider relevant. Within five (5) working days after the hearing the Judicial Board shall make recommendations based upon the hearing and submit such to all parties involved.
6. If the decision of the Judicial Board is not satisfactory to the student, he/she may request in writing within five (5) working days that the President review the findings of the Judicial Board. The President has five (5) working days to render a final decision. The decision of the President is final.

Counseling

Counselors in Student Services are available to assist students with educational planning, career development, and academic concerns.  They can help you explore your interests and identify career and life goals. Counselors work directly with faculty and administrators to provide accurate information to students as they make decisions about academic plans and maintain current information on transfer opportunities. They can help you address issues related to career indecision, academic difficulty, time management, and other obstacles that may be hindering your academic and personal success.  WCC Counselors are an excellent resource to increase your awareness of college support services.

WCC cares about our student’s emotional and physical well-being, as well as their academic success.  We are committed to taking a proactive approach to helping our students succeed while maintaining a safe community.  The counselors at WCC are available to help students with personal problems that may hinder them from becoming successful in their academic careers, unless their behavior may pose a threat to themselves, to others, or the community.  While WCC does not provide mental health services, we do provide appropriate referrals to faculty, staff, and students through our local Mount Rogers Community Services Board (CSB). 

Pre-College Counseling

WCC career coaches work with area high schools to help students transition from high school to college.  In addition, WCC counselors and TRIO program staff visit high schools to assist students with staying in school and to keep them informed about WCC programs.