By Ashley Wood/south news editor
The communication line between administrators and students can be unclear at times, so South student development services vice president Larry Rideaux held a Q&A with students to get their input.
“I think it’s important that I have some sense in terms of what students are thinking with regard to their experiences here at the college,” he said.
Making sure the administrators know what the students need, what they want or what they desire is a big part, Rideaux said.
Administrators and faculty often think they are doing best for the students, but until the student voice is heard, that is not always true, Rideaux said.
“As administrators, we have to understand that we don’t know everything,” he said. “I think it’s important to do better by our students.”
Rideaux said they are looking for ways to turn the high percentage of part-time students into full-time students, and that can only be done with student opinions.
Instead of students taking five years to complete an associate degree, administrators want it to take two or three years, Rideaux said.
“When registration rolls around, students are saying, ‘I’m taking six or nine hours now, and I know what that workload is.
How can I possibly take on more?’” he said. “What do we need to do to fix that and meet them in the middle?”
Another question asked was what could TCC have done better in the beginning to make the college experience easier?
South student Crystal Compton said she thought perhaps the advisors could have been more helpful.
“Being out of high school for 15 or 16 years, I felt like I could have had more guidance,” she said.
South student Trenton Rose said the registration process could have been easier. The complicated step-by-step process is challenging for students fresh out of high school, he said.
Rideaux asked what was the one thing TCC did that made it easier in the beginning.
Rose said it was WOW week for him because it made him feel very welcome on campus.
Compton said she liked that she could go back to an adviser after the registration period and get correct information for classes she needed to take.
Students were asked what their most positive experience has been at TCC.
Compton said it was the people at South being so friendly and helpful.
It was the chance to join clubs and organizations, Rose said.
“One positive thing is them making sure you get involved on campus, and they have many different avenues for that,” he said.
When asked what advice they would give a first-time student, the answers all varied.
Rose said he would tell students to get to know their professors and make connections.
Compton said to use all the sources.
“If the instructor says, ‘Hey, I’m in my office these hours if you need to come by,’ use that. Email the instructor, get to know the advisers and people that are there,” she said.
