Student Affairs

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Many of the services available to students are coordinated through identified programs, offices or organizational units. While referenced elsewhere in this catalog and in other institutional literature, the following are some of the offices/programs where students may receive information or assistance.

Admissions and Records - The Office of Admissions and Records oversees activities relative to student admittance, enrollment, grade reporting, academic standards, transcripts, and graduation. The Admissions and Records Office is located in the Pierce Administrative Building, Room P203, telephone 423.323.0253.

Bookstore - The bookstore at Northeast State is operated under contract for the convenience of faculty, staff and students. The bookstore stocks textbooks and educational supplies. The store also maintains a supply of other items such as caps and shirts imprinted with the college name/logo.

Business Office - Fees, tuition, bills, and fines can be paid in the Business Office, Pierce Administration Building, Room P107. Normal hours of operations are 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The Business Office will close at 4:30 p.m. each day that classes are not in session. Extended hours on registration days will be noted in the class schedule. For further information, contact 423.323.0258.

Campus Information Center - The Campus Information Center is centrally located in the Pierce Administration Building Lobby and its staff provides general information to students, visitors, and employees of the college. Students can obtain copies of their schedules and other important forms. To schedule a tour or for more information, call 423.323.0243.

Campus Tour Guides - This program is open to all students who have an interest in providing tours to prospective students, parents, and visitors to Northeast State’s main campus. Applications to be a tour guide are accepted for a limited number of positions. More information, including eligibility requirements, may be obtained by contacting 423.323.0243.

Career Services - Career Services assists students in the selection of a college major, the development of job search skills such as letter writing, resume preparation, interviewing, employment search methods, and the utilization of the internet in employment searched. Career Services also serves as a liaison between the college and employers by maintaining information about the availability of employment opportunities, operating and ongoing program to acquaint employers with Northeast State and its academic programs, arranging interviews for current and/or former students, and posting job opportunities in the Career Services Office. For further information please call 423.354.5160.

Community Relations and Marketing - Northeast State’s Community Relations and Marketing Offices are the primary media contact for the campus and also serves as the coordinating office for campus publications and promotional materials and activities. The office produces the semester Schedule of Classes and other major campus publications such as brochures, viewbooks, business cards, and flyers. For additional information, visit the offices of Community Relations and Marketing in the Print Shop/Maintenance Building, Room N111 or call 423.323.0259 or 423.282.0800, ext. 3259 or 3307.

Counseling and Testing Services - Counseling and Testing Services provides short-term counseling, referral, and resources for college students and coordinates the administration of college testing. The office also provides GED testing services to citizens in the college’s five county service area.

For more information, contact 423.323.0211, or email: Counseling@NortheastState.edu, or Testing@NortheastState.edu. Visit Room A205 in the Student Services Building for immediate assistance.

Emergencies - Students may want to share the telephone number where a family member or other individual may call in case of an emergency. This number is:

Office of Police and Safety – 423.677.7927

Enrollment Services - The Office of Enrollment Services is responsible for the overall recruiting efforts of the college. The office routinely visits area middle schools, high schools, and businesses in the service area. New student orientation is coordinated by this office. During orientation students are given essential information regarding college policies and procedures. The Office of Enrollment Services is located in the Pierce Building, Room P201. For more information, call 423.323.0229.

Evening and Distance Education - The Evening and Distance Education division offers quality higher education programs, serves evening and off-campus students, and provides opportunities for lifelong learning through distance education, professional development, and the Weekend College. The Division of Evening and Distance Education facilitates services for the evening students and faculty on the Northeast State campus and offers classes at the off-campus sites in Elizabethton, Gray, Kingsport, Mountain City, and Unicoi County.

The Office of Evening and Distance Education is open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Call 423.323.0221 or visit the office for assistance.

Financial Aid - Financial assistance is available to students who qualify. Information about types of assistance and the criteria for receiving aid is found in the Financial Aid Office (F102), or online at www.NortheastState.edu. For further information contact 423.323.0252.

Financial Aid Help Center - The purpose of the Financial Aid Help Center is to assist students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online, as well as providing resource information for additional sources of institutional scholarships and external assistance programs.

The Financial Aid Help Center is located in Room F103 of the Faculty Office Building on Northeast State’s main campus in Blountville. Contact 423.354.5157, 423.354.5153, or FAHelpCenter@NortheastState.edu to schedule an appointment.

Food Service - Food service in The Courtyard cafeteria is provided by SUBWAY, a private vendor offering a breakfast and lunch menu of different types of sandwiches, subs and salads. Neither the college nor SUBWAY offers any type of meal plan for students. Vending machines with snack foods and drinks are available at various locations on campus.

General Education Development (GED) Department - The GED Testing Center administers the GED examination to residents in the service delivery area of Northeast State. For more information, call 423.323.0211, or 423.282.0800, ext. 3211.

Health Services - The purpose of Northeast State’s Health Services is to enhance the educational process by modifying or removing health-related barriers to learning, promoting optimal wellness, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about health-related concerns, and empowering students to be self-directed and well-informed consumers of health care within the community.

Services include, but are not limited to:

• First Aid for accident, injury, or illness
• Student Health Insurance information
• Health information and brochures
• Some over-the-counter (non-prescription) medicines
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Flu vaccine
• Referral information for community health services
• Selected health and wellness education and screenings
• Confidential health counseling
• A rest area

For information about hours of operation for each of the Northeast State sites, services provided, and self-help resources, visit online at www.NortheastState.edu/HealthServices. For more information, contact 423.323.0212 or visit the Student Health Clinic in Room C2113 of the General Studies Building.

Insurance - Students are encouraged to obtain student health and accident insurance. Information on student accident and health insurance is available from the Office of Health Services, Room C2113 of the General Studies Building, or online at www.NortheastState.edu/HealthServices.

Learning Center - The Learning Center, located on the first floor of the Wayne G. Basler Library, provides drop in tutoring and online resources in a wide variety of subject areas. Professional and peer tutors assist students as requested. For information about hours of operation and services provided or to view the tutor schedule, visit http://www.northeaststate.edu/TLC/ . The Center can also be reached by calling 423.323.5112.

Learning Support - The Learning Support Program is designed to meet the educational and counseling needs of under-prepared students and to provide instruction in English, mathematics, reading, and study skills to prepare students for college-level work. For more information, contact 423.323.0219.

Library - The Library makes available to faculty, staff and students a variety of multimedia materials and services for educational purposes, research and reference interests, career studies, personal enrichment and recreational reading. The Library has a fully automated public access catalog and numerous databases. Additional resources are available. The Library is open to all students, staff, faculty, and any members of the community from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, visit the Basler Library.

Scholarship Programs - Scholarship Programs creates, promotes, and administers scholarship opportunities for students while offering a range of services to enhance the scholar’s collegiate experience. Students are identified for campus scholarship programs as well as for national competitions and are provided individual mentoring to produce competitive applications.

The Office of Scholarship Programs works closely with the Northeast State Foundation to support academic, community service, educational scholarship, and other programs offered by the college. This includes sponsoring the Northeast State Scholars Foundation. The Scholars Foundation supports the activities of the Northeast State Foundation through student-driven initiatives that promote private giving and service learning.

Visit the Office of Scholarship Programs in Room F100 of the Faculty Office Building or contact the staff at 423.279.7637 or Scholarships@NortheastState.edu.

Services for Individuals with Disabilities - It is the goal of Northeast State Community College to assure equal educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, the Center for Students with Disabilities provides services and academic accommodations for students with disabilities who self-identify as having a disability and who provide appropriate documentation of the disability. Documentation guidelines are available upon request. Any student with a disability wishing to arrange or obtain approved accommodations must contact the Center for Students with Disabilities, General Studies Building, Room C1102.

According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a student with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment; has a history of impairment; or is believed to have a disability that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities; such as learning, speaking, working, hearing, breathing, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, or walking.

Services provided by the Center for Students with Disabilities - Services and accommodations for individuals with disabilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Distribution of book vouchers from the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Assistance with pre-registration and registration
• Tutoring services for Vocational Rehabilitation Clients
• Wheelchair accessible tables and ergonomically correct chairs
• Extended time on tests, quizzes, and in-class writing assignments
• Note-takers, scribes, readers, interpreters
• Adaptive equipment/technology
• Testing in alternative locations
• Tape recording of class lectures

Appropriate accommodations are determined on an individual basis as per disability and/or diagnostic documentation. It is the student’s responsibility to provide appropriate documentation. To obtain accommodations, students must schedule a needs assessment with the coordinator. After receipt and review of required documentation, a letter will be prepared by the Center for Students with Disabilities, as requested by the student. Students will distribute their letters to instructors and discuss their disabilities privately with each instructor. Students must sign a written release in order for instructors to receive accommodation letters. Students are encouraged to speak with their instructors the first week of the semester relative to accommodations needed in each class. Instructors are not required to provide accommodations for students prior to the receipt of accommodation letters from the Center for Students with Disabilities.

All documentation is confidential and should be submitted to:
Coordinator, Center for Students with Disabilities
Northeast State Community College
2425 Highway 75, Box 246, Blountville, TN 37617- 0246
Fax: 423.279.7649
Phone: 423.279.7640 (Phone/TDD)

Student Activity Fee - The purpose of the Student Activity Fee is to provide and promote programs to assist in the development of educational, social, cultural, vocational, athletic, and leadership skills of all students. The fee, as approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents, is collected from each regularly enrolled student per term during the regular academic year. Such fee shall be collected in addition to the regular maintenance fees and out-of-state tuition fees. The Student Activity Fee Committee is a standing committee appointed by the President of Northeast State Community College and is responsible for the allocation of all student activity fees. The committee hears requests for allocations and recommends the allocation of funds to the President of Northeast State Community College through the Vice President for Student Affairs.

All activity fees collected are state funds and as such, are subject to all procedures, rules, and regulations relative to state funds, including collection, disbursement, and audit. Ultimate authority for the use of the activity fee rests with the President of Northeast State Community College pending approval by the Board. Primary consideration will be given to those programs that are available to all students.

No funds shall be allocated to student programs not officially sanctioned by the college or to student organizations not meeting the conditions of annual renewal of registration.

No funds shall be allocated to programs limited to special interest groups, unless such program is open to the entire student body and the Student Activity Fee Committee recommends approval based on a determination that the program will benefit the entire student body. No funds shall be used to finance instructional activities, charitable causes, or partisan political activities. Northeast State prohibits the expenditure of allocated Student Activity Fee funds on charitable causes that include, but are not limited to, monetary or item donations to an individual or individuals and/or monetary or item donations to an organizational entity.

A detailed statement on the policies and practices of the Student Activity Fee Committee is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (P315).

Student Development - The Division of Student Development implements and manages a variety of support services that enhance the overall satisfaction of students with Northeast State Community College and that increase their persistence to graduation. These include the college’s counseling and testing services, health services, institutional honors, scholarship programs, and student life programs. Contact the Dean’s Office at 423.354.5120 or visit Room C2110 in the General Studies Building.

Student Life - Student Life promotes and supports co-curricular campus activities and leadership development opportunities that enhance the student’s collegiate experience. Northeast State is committed to the concept of total student development and support by encouraging participation in co-curricular activities that lead to the development of individual and team skills. The college sanctions various student organizations, programs, and academic/co-curricular committees in support of student life. Student life programs and student organizations are coordinated through the Office of Student Life, which serves as a clearinghouse and resource center for campus programs designed to promote student involvement. For more information, visit the Office of Student Life in Room A212 of the Student Services Building or contact 423.354.2416.

Student Success Center - The Student Success Center provides a wide variety of services to both prospective and currently enrolled students. Included are: assistance with registration, academic advising, transfer advising, and career planning. Students who are uncertain about their academic major can work with advisors to complete interest inventories and computer-based career research to form an academic plan. The Student Success Center is located in the General Studies Building, Suite C2407. For further information, call 423.323.0214.

TRIO Student Support Services - TRIO Student Support Services is a federally funded grant program that is designed to provide an array of free services to 180 eligible participants each academic year, to enable them to achieve their educational goals. Eligibility is established by the U.S. Department of Education and all students served must meet qualifying criteria. Students may meet qualifying criteria based on being a first-generation college student, meeting low-income guidelines (based on household income), and /or having a documented disability.

The goal of TRIO Student Support Services is to provide the necessary support for our participants to be successful in completing a college degree. Our services include academic support (individualized tutoring, study skills, test taking, dealing with test anxiety, etc.), career planning (for students who are undecided about a major, and/or those who need additional information about their career choice), transfer advising (to assist students with planning and process of transferring to a four-year college or university), and personal support to help students deal with the challenges that arise while enrolled in college.

Students interested in applying for the program should see a staff member in the TRIO Student Support Services Office, General Studies Building, C1107.

Note: Students interested in working as paid peer tutors are encouraged to apply in the TRIO Student Support Services Office, General Studies Building, C1107.

Students may choose to become involved in a wide variety of student life activities at Northeast State based upon their individual interests. The college’s commitment to the concept of total student development and support is evidenced by these student life programs that are designed to enhance the individual’s collegiate experience. Assessment starts with what matters most: you, the student. You may be asked to cooperate in various surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other data-collection efforts by the college. Northeast State is a member institution of  the National Council on Student Development.

For a listing of Student Organizations please go here.