Back See this section in context: Criterion 3 Core Component 3D

3D.2: Resources for Learning and Teaching

Although much of the study demonstrates how all aspects of the institution exist in support of student learning, three departments are particularly direct providers of support services for teaching and learning:

1. Learning Resources Center (LRC)

   The LRC, while providing the traditional library functions, also provides digital services and professional expertise available to faculty, students, and community residents. During the fall 2010 semester, the LRC had a total of 1,743 active patrons: 1,571 Sauk students and staff, 87 local high school students, and 40 community members.

   • Services: The Library provides access to a wide array of resources:
     • a collection of 76,276 print volumes; 4,369 audio-visual materials; 200 print periodicals; 12 newspapers; 1,972 ebooks; and 22 databases, including, for example, Access Science, American National Biography, EBSCO (consists of 14 different databases), Literature Resource Center, and WorldCat.
     • the online I-Share catalogue, in which students and faculty can search and obtain the resources of 76 Illinois libraries belonging to the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI).
     • 5 media viewing rooms, 19 computers, specialized academic software, and two printers.
     • reference services available by email and by phone, including a new “Text a Librarian” option, which expands access to the library staff for students off-campus.
   • Access: The LRC's regular hours ensure its availability when students are on campus. Online services, such as the research databases and interlibrary loan requests, are available at all times.
   • Course support: The library staff conducts library tours for classes upon request by faculty, averaging 25 tours a year from FY07 to FY10 and serving an average of 505 students. These tours include a demonstration of searching the digital card catalog for the physical items in the library; requesting interlibrary loans; and an introduction to the online databases and how to use them. The LRC staff has worked with Counseling to add the tours to all sections of Orientation (PSY 100 ) beginning in FY11, giving 43 tours to a total of 744 students as a result.
   • Staffing: The LRC is currently staffed by a Coordinator of Reference Services, a Coordinator of LRC Technical Services, one full-time and one part-time assistant, and three part-time workstudy students. Both coordinators have master's degrees in library and information science as well as previous library experience. A retired Sauk librarian serves as an unofficial part-time interim Director of the LRC. An active search for a director during summer of 2009 was unsuccessful in finding a full-time director. At the time of the self-study, the position is not posted.
2. Learning Assistance Center (LAC)

   The LAC supports student learning by providing a variety of developmental services.

   • Services: The LAC’s major services and functions include tutoring, academic tools, computers, math testing services, and accommodations for students with disabilities.
     • On a walk-in basis, the LAC provides tutoring in Mathematics, Composition, Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish, CIS, Statistics, Sociology, Psychology, Physics, and Economics. The schedule of availability of tutors for each academic discipline is posted each semester.
     • Academic tools include videos, CDs, textbooks, and handouts on a variety of study skills and academic topics, and a webpage of resource links.
     • Computers are available to allow students to work on compositions, online courses, or supplemental website activities with assistance from tutors.
     • The LAC provides retest options for developmental math and on-campus college-level math courses. Students who have failed a developmental math test may review the failed test with a tutor prior to attempting a retest. Developmental math students pay a course fee to help cover the cost of standardized retesting services. A testing room is available for paper and online tests. Until the opening of the Testing Center, the LAC administered much of the proctored testing on campus.
     • The LAC maintains accommodations for students with disabilities, including, for example, elevated tables and the Kurzweil program, which can read to visually impaired or dyslexic students. Beginning in FY09, all special needs students are using the LAC’s facility for their tutoring appointments.
   • Access: The LAC’s regular hours during most times that students are on campus ensure its availability for students.
   • Staffing: The LAC has a full-time Coordinator, who also serves as a tutor, and a staff of 12-15 tutors: four are part-time college staff and the rest are students recommended by faculty. Over the past two years the LAC has also had two community members volunteer their time tutoring. As of fall 2010, two additional special needs tutors are available daily to meet the specific needs of students and assist the general student population. About a half dozen faculty members have volunteered to work in the LAC during an office hour.
   • Professional development: Since its establishment, the LAC has offered tutor training at the beginning of the fall semester. Starting in fall 2008, LAC tutors participate in a combined training program for tutors from various campus programs. The LAC also invites faculty and staff from various academic disciplines to do mini-module training periodically during the year (English, math, Special Needs Office, etc.). Most LAC employees (about 85%), participate in professional development activities.
3. Informational Services/Instructional Technology (IS/IT)

   IS/IT has the challenging responsibility to provide rapidly changing technology resources and support to students and staff.

   • Access: The IS/IT Department is open during the day for students and staff and also provides phone or walk-in support for the evening classes. College staff and students may also contact IS/IT (during on and off hours) at support@svcc.edu or by completing the online Technical Support Request form.
   • Services: IS/IT, which works together as a team, is separated into two offices that serve the Sauk community in different ways:
     • Instructional Technology (IT) is the office that supports student learning and effective teaching. IT maintains and supports all the various forms of instructional technology found in classrooms or available for check out. IT conducts professional development on multi-media and online instructional materials, course design, and new technologies.
     • Information Services (IS) primarily supports the administrative functions of the college, maintaining the network, servers, Banner software, and internet resources; providing data; and instructing and supporting staff and students in the use of campus hardware and software.
   • Technology support: IS/IT is charged with integrating technologies that enhance instruction, providing greater access to learning through the use of technologies and providing training and support to faculty and staff. This support takes a wide variety of forms:
     • Staff and student support: Beyond regular staffing in the IS/IT office, the department employs work study computer technicians during the operating hours of the open computer lab for students. In 2009, IT established a help desk at a central point on campus where students may seek help with software or hardware issues during the first week of each semester. An Instructional Technology Specialist/Designer is available specifically to assist with faculty with online course development and to provide one-on-one training.
     • Technology-enhanced classrooms: The IS/IT staff maintains the hardware and software in 38 technology-enhanced classrooms and provides training and assistance to faculty.
     • Computer classrooms: Seven classrooms are equipped with a computer for each student and Insight™ teaching software that provides instructional features, including remote control of student computers, blocking of the Internet and applications, and display of teaching resources.
     • Equipment checkout: Faculty and staff may check out a variety of devices, including classroom technologies like clickers and presentation equipment like projectors and laptops.
     • Training: The IT staff plans and conducts technology training for faculty and staff in a variety of formats: weekly training sessions; an eight week online course; in-service presentations; and one-on-one training.
   • Staffing: Sauk has a total of nine full-time IS/IT staff, compared to the average of 12.9 at seven peer Illinois community colleges. Although currently understaffed, the group works as a team to provide coverage, solve problems, and improve and update services.