Class will help ease transition to college

By Kevin Gavigan, News Writing Student

Beginning in August, the Success in College Life course will become part of the curriculum at OCCC.

Special Initiatives Dean Susan VanSchuyver said this will be a required course for incoming freshmen at OCCC. The course will be similar to the University of Oklahoma’s Gateway class.

The class will become mandatory for all degree-seeking students entering OCCC in fall 2007 or later, VanSchuyver said at a Faculty Association meeting.

However, students transferring to OCCC with at least nine college credits will not be required to take the course.

VanSchuyver said only about half of first-semester freshmen remain at OCCC for their second semester.

She said the course has two goals: to get incoming students acquainted with OCCC and its services, and to teach the students problem-solving skills.

Premed sophomore Raquel Carranco said she thinks the Success in College Life class is a good idea.
“It would help students to familiarize themselves with the college and see what it has to offer,” Carranco said.

The class will be offered for the first time during August intersession.

VanSchuyver said this is will be the third time the college has attempted to add a course similar to this one. The difference this year, she said, is the fact that the class is now backed by a greater ammount of administrative support.

OCCC faculty voted to support adding the one-credit-hour course to the curriculum.