Services for Students

Introduction

Bay College attracts a student body with vast differences in age, abilities, and social backgrounds. As a result of this setting, the successful instructional program must be complemented by learning resources, developmental courses, student counseling and advisement, career services, financial assistance, and extra-curricular activities. Students, in addition to learning academic or vocational skills, need to learn to relate to and communicate with other people and to make intelligent choices in a society marked by complexity, change, and constant decisions.

Our central goal at Bay College is to keep the student at the heart of the educational system. All programs, services, and facilities exist because of students. Learning is a vital process, and the goal of this college is to create an environment which will facilitate learning.

Bay College provides a variety of resources and services to assist students in taking full advantage of the total learning process.

Academic Advising, Career Services and Personal Counseling

ACADEMIC ADVISING: Faculty advisors and Student Services staff will help students to schedule classes each semester and provide information concerning transferring to other colleges and universities. They are also available to discuss academic program requirements at Bay, as well as the many transfer programs.

CO-ADVISORS: Every student has a co-advisor in addition to their faculty advisor. They are available to assure your academic success. Co-advisors can assist with any academic question you may have. This would include academic advising, tutoring services, personal concerns, financial questions, non-academic needs, etc.

CAREER SERVICES: Bay College provides a variety of services to assist students in finding meaningful, career-related employment. Services provided include assistance with cover letters, résumés, and portfolio building. Occupational information, self-assessment inventories, career exploration, and decision making assistance are available to students. Job postings from local, regional, and national employers are posted on the Bay College website.

PERSONAL COUNSELING: Personal counseling is also available to students. A licensed counselor is available on a limited basis to work with students on a variety of concerns. All services are provided on a confidential basis.

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center (SSC) is home to the Bay College Academic Support Department working within multiple programs to provide diverse and robust support services to students. The SSC houses the TRIO program, the Office of Accessibility, the Supplemental Instruction Program, academic success coaching, tutoring, study groups, and placement preparation. In addition to these formal support services, the SSC provides study tools, resources, and many study areas for use on an as-needed basis, in addition to several amenities in the SSC student hospitality room. Students should stop by the SSC reception desk for help with any of these services. The Student Success Center exists at both campuses.

What students can find in the SSC in Escanaba:

• Study area options for individual or group study
• Lecture capture room
• Computers
• Printers
• Reference and study materials for all subjects
• Calculators, headphones, and other tools to check out
• Social areas
• Hospitality room with kitchenette
• Coffee, tea, and snacks

Located in HUB building, rooms 800 - 841. Staffed Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8am - 5pm; Friday, 8am - 3pm

For more information, call 906-217-4230 or visit our web site at www.baycollege.edu and click “Academics” > “Academic Support.”

Supplemental Instruction

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an internationally recognized academic support program that targets traditionally difficult courses. In SI, students come together in regularly scheduled study sessions to compare notes, discuss course materials, develop creative study tools, practice problem solving, and prepare for exams. These sessions are facilitated by trained SI Leaders that attend the course sessions and prepare study materials for use during sessions. The SI program is housed in the Student Success Center at both campuses.

For more information, call 906-217-4175 or visit www.baycollege.edu and click “Academics” > “Academic Support” > “Supplemental Instruction.”

TRiO Program

The TRiO Student Support Services program provides the following services to students: tutoring in math, science, writing, general education courses, reading comprehension, and study skills; mentoring; career exploration, portfolios and resumes; academic planning; workshops; grant-aid; TRiO Club and social opportunities; and a First-Year College Experience (FYE) program and Transition Experience to 4-year colleges including applications, college visits, and academic transfer assistance. The program is designed to assist students who are either first-generation (neither parent has a four-year degree), and/or of limited income, and/or physically or learning disabled. Interested students should ask about this program during the admission process or come in to the TRiO HUB Office 815 anytime to schedule an appointment to learn more about our services.

Office of Accessibility

The Office of Accessibility (OOA) is the first stop for information and assistance to support students with disabilities. The office is located in HUB 811 on the Escanaba campus and provides services to all Bay students anywhere they are taking classes. The Office of Accessibility is supported by the following Bay College Board Policies: Policy 1060: Non Discrimination and Anti Harassment Policy and Policy 1061: Accommodations for Disability Policy. 

Students with Disabilities

It is the policy of Bay de Noc Community College Board of Trustees to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, as well as other applicable federal and state laws and regulations that promote full participation of individuals with disabilities. No otherwise qualified individual with a disability, including students, employees, and other program participants, shall be excluded from or denied access to participation in, or the benefits of, any program, activity, employment or service offered by the College, or otherwise subjected to discrimination, by reason of disability.

Definitions

• Disabled: means having a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life activities; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.
• Functional limitation: means the functions or acts a person cannot do, resulting from a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity.
• Fundamental alteration: means a significant modification that alters the essential nature of the services, programs, activities, facilities, privileges, advantages or courses offered.
• Grievance: means a complaint alleging a violation of any policy, procedure or practice prohibited by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or Bay College’s Disability and Discrimination Policies, as well as other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
• Major life activities: means functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, sitting, reaching, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, mental and emotional processes, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, interacting with others, and working.
• Modifications: means modification or changes to the course, program or educational requirements as are necessary and appropriate, so that such requirements do not discriminate or have the effect of discriminating on the basis of disability. Academic requirements that are essential to the course, or to the program of instruction being pursued by the student, or which relate directly to licensing requirements will not be regarded as discriminatory within the meaning of this section. Potential modifications that may be considered include, but are not limited to, changes in the length of time permitted for completion of a degree, substitutions of specific courses required for the completion of degree requirements, extended time on an examination or paper, and other appropriate accommodations which do not unduly burden or fundamentally alter the essential nature of a course or instructional program.
• Qualified student with documented disability: means a disabled person who meets the standards required for admission and participation in the educational program or activity.
• Undue burden: means a significant difficulty, financial or administrative burden, or expense.

Procedure for Requesting an Accommodation

Academic Accommodations will be provided to afford equal access for qualified students with documented disabilities in compliance with state and federal laws. For each student, these accommodations will address those functional limitations of the disability which adversely affect equal educational opportunity. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the College that they have a disability and that they are requesting an accommodation. Students must contact the Director of the Office of Accessibility (OOA) to request an accommodation.

Office of Accessibility
Student Success Center
Escanaba Campus, HUB 811
906-217-4017
ooa@baycollege.edu

Students seeking an accommodation must also complete, and submit to the above individual, the online Request For Services form and provide appropriate documentation of the history and functional implications of the impairment. This form can be accessed from the College’s website at https://mybay.baycollege.edu after the student logs into their myBay account or obtained from the Office of Accessibility. The diagnostic documentation submitted must adequately verify the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards and techniques, and it must clearly substantiate the need for all of the student’s specific accommodation requests.

For students with a learning disability, appropriate documentation may include:

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for adult normed (WISC-R) - include sub-test scores
• Current achievement test result
• Current psychological report
• Most recent Triennial report including all pertinent testing data

For students with other health impairments, physical or psychological disabilities, appropriate documentation may include:

• A doctor’s report providing the diagnoses or impairment and any permanent symptomology that relates to the student’s academic performance
• Diagnosis, prognosis, and medications
• DSM V-R Diagnosis (Axis I, II, III)
• ACCES report (Adult Career and Continuing Education Services)
• Current psychological assessment or discharge summary

If the original documentation is incomplete or inadequate to determine the extent of the disability or reasonable accommodation, the College has the discretion to require additional documentaion. Any cost incurred in obtaining additional documentation when the original records are inadequate is borne by the student. It is not acceptable for such documentation to include a diagnosis or testing performed by a member of the student’s family. 

An academic accommodation is any reasonable modification or adjustment to the learning environment that makes it possible for a qualified student with a disability to enjoy an equal learning opportunity. The College is not required to make an accommodation that constitutes an undue hardship. The College is also not required to, and cannot, make accommodations which fundamentally alter the academic requirements for the degree, course requirements or basic pedagogy.

The College also does not guarantee success or bear responsibility for making students succeed in their courses. The College also does not pay for or provide items or services of a personal nature such as personal care assistance, personal purchases, personal medical equipment, private transportation, or educational supplies used by all students (pens, paper, computer supplies, etc.). These are the responsibility of the student.

If it is determined by the Director of the Office of Accessibility that a student may be denied a modification to an academic requirement (except as permitted by the Section 504 regulation at 34 C.F.R. § 104.44, for the reason that the requested modification would fundamentally alter the nature of the program at issue or lower or waive essential program requirements), then prior to refusing any requested academic adjustment on that basis, the Director of the OOA shall convene, and chair, a committee, which shall be known as the Student Accommodation Committee, which shall be comprised of persons knowledgeable about the student’s disability, and about the program, such as faculty and department chairs. The Student Accommodation Committee shall engage in a careful, thoughtful deliberation of the program/course requirements at issue; whether such requirements are essential; the feasibility, cost, and effect on the program of the requested academic adjustments; and any available alternatives. The Student Accommodation Committee, only after engaging in the above deliberative process, will make a determination of whether the requested academic adjustment would fundamentally alter the program or lower essential academic standards. The Student Accommodation Committee’s decision will be communicated to the student in writing. The student may request an alternative accommodation, which is subject to the review described above. The student may also appeal the Student Accommodation Committee’s decision in accordance with the procedure outlines on the College’s website.

Library

The Bay College Library provides services that are designed to meet classroom-related and general information needs of students, faculty, staff and the community. The Library’s primary goal is to provide resources that will enhance and expand an individual’s learning experience. Materials in the Library include laptops, iPads, books, movies, audiobooks, CD’s, periodicals and microforms. In addition to over 30,000 printed books including popular fiction and graphic novels, the Library also has over 30,000 eBooks, 20,000 streaming videos and several full-text periodical databases with access to millions of articles.

The Library’s electronic resources are available for student use 24/7 with Internet access. Library patrons have access to a microfilm/fiche reader/printer, photocopy machine, printing, faxing, and DVD/VCR players. The Library’s computer workstations provide access to the Library’s website and online catalog via the Bay College website at http://www.baycollege.edu by clicking the “Library” link under “Academics” in the main menu.

You can visit the Bay College Library website at http://library.baycollege.edu. The Library’s knowledgeable and friendly staff is always available to provide assistance in using the Library’s materials and resources. Reference, inter-library loan, and library instructional services are available upon request. Special collections include Michigan history and Project Pioneer (An oral history of Delta County). All currently registered Bay College students (Including online, Manistique, and West Campus) may receive materials and services via phone (906-217-4055), Email libraryhelp@baycollege.edu, or delivery (call the library for details).

Bookstore

Bay College provides bookstore services for students, faculty and staff. The college bookstore is located in the Student Center on the Escanaba campus. The college bookstore strives to keep costs down by maintaining an appropriate supply of used textbooks available for student purchase. Students may purchase textbooks, study aids, reference materials, educational supplies, backpacks and emblematic shirts and other Bay College clothing at the college bookstore. Textbooks may be purchased at the college bookstore in Escanaba or ordered online at www.bkstr.com/baydenocccstore/home. Books ordered online may be shipped or reserved for pick-up at either bookstore location. 

Students with financial aid in excess of tuition and fee charges may use this excess aid to purchase books.

Escanaba bookstore hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST. Store hours are extended during the book rush period (week before classes and first week of classes). Hours during this time at Escanaba are Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon EST.

Contact the bookstore by:

Café Bay & Catering

Students, faculty and staff may purchase healthy meals and snacks at Cafe’ Bay located in the Student Center building on the Escanaba Campus. The staff at Cafe’ Bay keep up with current trends and serve the Bay College community in a friendly, welcoming manner.

Catering services are also available on campus. You can find Cafe’ Bay’s catering menu online on the Bay College website. Click Facilities/New & Events, then Escanaba Facilities to view the catering menu.

Housing

Bay College has apartment facilities, at the Escanaba campus, for 100 students. The college apartments are located on the north end of the campus near the College Avenue entrance.

There are 21 four-person apartments and 8 two-person apartments. The four-person apartments are townhouses with two bedrooms and a bath upstairs, and kitchenette and living/dining area on the first floor. These apartments have a total of 814 square feet of living space. The two-person apartments have one bedroom, a bath, and a kitchenette/dining area. These apartments have 436 square feet of living space. Availability of two-person apartments is limited.

A housing deposit is required with your application. The housing office is located in Student Services.

Student Housing Accommodations

Student Housing accommodations will be provided to afford equal access for qualified students with documented disabilities in compliance with state and federal laws, and consistent with Bay College’s Assistance Animal Policy. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the College that they have a disability and that they are requesting a Student Housing accommodation. A student seeking a Student Housing accommodation must submit a written request for the accommodation along with diagnostic documentation to the Director of Student Life at the same time the student submits housing application. Students may request additional accommodation by submitting a written request for the additional accommodation along with the additional diagnostic documentation to the Director of Student Life as soon as possible.

Dave Laur, Director of Student Life
Bay College, Room 512
2001 N. Lincoln Rd.
Escanaba, MI 49829
dave.laur@baycollege.edu

The written request for a Student Housing accommodation should include:

• The student’s name, student ID number, current address and telephone number;
• A description of the disability for which an accommodation is requested;
• An explanation of how the disability impacts the student’s housing needs; and
• A written description of the accommodation requested.

The diagnostic documentation submitted must verify the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards and techniques, and it must substantiate the need for all of the student’s specific accommodation requests. All documentation must be submitted on the official letterhead of the professional describing the disability. The report should be dated and signed and include the name, title and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification. If the original documentation is incomplete or inadequate to determine the extent of the disability or reasonable accommodation, additional documentation may be required. Any cost incurred in obtaining additional documentation when the original records are inadequate is borne by the student. If the documentation is complete but the College desires a second professional opinion, the College bears the latter cost. In general, it is not acceptable for such documentation to include a diagnosis or testing performed by a member of the student’s family.

A request for Student Housing accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. Prior to making a determination of whether to grant the accommodation, the Director of Student Life may consider all of the following: the relationship between the accommodation requested and the documented disability; the objectives of the Student Housing community in which the student is eligible to live; what accommodations would effectively facilitate the student’s participation in the Student Housing program and community; and the extent to which the student’s condition limit his or her opportunity to participate in other college activities. The Director of Student Life will consult with the student, and anyone else the Director believes may have information that assists with making a determination. The Director of Student Life shall inform the student in writing of the decision, as well as the information upon which the decision was based. Students who are not granted their requested accommodations through this process have the opportunity to appeal the decision. The appeals procedure is available on the College website.

Bay College Athletics

Bay College provides opportunities for its students to participate in intercollegiate athletics. The Bay College Norse are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and participates in region XIII competition. Bay College sponsors Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Women’s Softball, and Men’s Baseball. The athletic experience is a wonderful complement to students’ academic experience. Bay supports students in their efforts to reach high levels of performance by providing them with first-class coaching, superior facilities, and appropriate competitive opportunities with students from within Region XIII of the NJCAA.

Eligibility

All student athletes must be registered as a full-time student (12 credits or more) to maintain athletic eligibility. Student athletes should visit the Athletic Department for further clarification on transfer status, Grade Point Average, and other eligibility matters. For more information, visit www.baynorse.com or e-mail Director of Athletics, Matt Johnson, at matt.c.johnson@baycollege.edu.

Student Computing Services

Computers are available for use throughout the HUB (800) building, including in the Library, during operational hours. Technology Classrooms are located in the Joseph Heirman University Center 908 area. Students and faculty are provided access to an eight-room, centralized environment which houses over 150 computer work stations in classroom environments.

Testing Services is available by checking in at HUB 876. Testing Services consists of 27 Computers. Proctoring services are available for Course/Makeup Tests, Placement Tests, Computerized and Paper Based Testing, Bay College campuses and other distance learning institutions; also for certification testing. A Picture ID (Bay College ID or driver’s license, other government issued ids) is needed to use Testing Services.

Bay College West Student Computing Center (SCC) houses 25 workstations for general use. The SCC includes a testing center for select on-campus courses, IT web courses, and for courses offered through the Michigan Colleges Online (MCO). The Center provides overflow administration of placement test and exams requiring proctoring.

Student Health and Accident Insurance

Group health and accident insurance programs are recommended for all students. The coverage should be designed to protect students from medical expense for accidents and illness, including those which occur off campus and during semester breaks or authorized absences, and 24-hour protection for 12 months should be available. Students are encouraged to contact their family insurance carrier. Brochures for specific insurance programs for college students are available in Student Services.

Weather/Emergency Procedures

Since concerns for the safety of students and staff is of paramount importance, extreme weather or campus mechanical failure may be sufficient reason for the cancellation or the postponement of classes. When, in the President’s judgment, extreme conditions affect the majority of currently enrolled students, classes may be postponed or cancelled. In such an event, students will be notified of the campus closure or postponement via the BayAlert System, local radio and television stations, announcement on the College’s phone system greeting, an e-mail to Bay College e-mail accounts, and a message posted on the College’s webpage and myBay portal.

Students are not expected to jeopardize their safety in traveling to classes. A reasonable effort to be present is expected. Faculty members can best determine how lost time from classes must be accommodated to ensure completion of the course objectives. Each course syllabus should include a procedure in the event classes are cancelled due to weather or other conditions.

Emergency Messages to Students

Relaying messages to students on campus is very difficult because of the size of the campus, the number of buildings, and the lack of an intercom system or personnel to deliver messages. Bay College will do its best to deliver EMERGENCY messages ONLY. Contact the Escanaba switchboard for help at 906-786-5802 or the Iron Mountain switchboard at 906-774-8547.