By Karen Gavis/se news editor
TCC students interested in earning additional income may want to consider becoming note takers.
Disability support services needs students to fill note-taker positions for the fall semester. The opportunity provides an altruistic avenue for students to extend their college budget while improving their skills.
“Being a note taker enables one to preview instructors as well as the subject matter,” said Pamela Oliver, administrative assistant at SE’s DSS office. “Sometimes, just a little help on our part can make a huge impact on the lives of others.”
Oliver said those who need help the most are students whose hands do not work, are visually impaired or are hearing impaired.
DSS work assistant Courteney Clark began as a note taker and works on SE Campus. Clark described being a note taker as beneficial to the person taking notes because it requires them to be astute and work harder since they are working to benefit another.
“It is a great way to become aware of others and disabilities and things like that,” Clark said. “And it forces you to become a more effective student.”
Students who have completed one college semester and are hired can select from a list of classes and time slots available.
Ideally, notes may be needed for classes the student already attends. DSS offices provide note takers with notebooks and copies, if needed.
Students may also choose a subject and reap the course information while avoiding tuition cost. However, credit would not be given for the course.
During Learning Skills Week, SE Campus will present a Note-Taking Skills seminar in the North Ballroom. Designed to promote student success, the event will be 8:30-9:50 a.m. Sept. 20.
Bill Lace, former vice chancellor of administration, said the college does what it can to help students get notes for their classes.
“If a student needs help, what they would need to do is get a diagnosis and bring it to DSS. And based on that diagnosis, they will prescribe accommodations to suit the specific disabilities involved,” he said.
“What people have to remember is that things are very different in college than public schools. The same laws do not apply in higher education.”
