Mesa Community College
Athletic Academic Support Services
Tutorial Handbook
2014-2015
1
Table of Contents
Page
Athletic Academic Support Staff.………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Location and Hours of Operation…………………………………………………………………………. 4
Welcome Letter-- Director Sherman Forbes…………………………………………………………. 5
Academic Athletic Support Services Mission………………………………………………………… 6
Educational Services Mission…………………………………………………………………………….... 6
The Thunderbird Family code……………………………………………………………………….…….. 7
Success from Day One: Financial Planning…………………………………………………………... 8
Goals for Academic Support Staff ………………………………………………………………………... 8
Subject Tutors and Tutoring Services…………………………………………………………………... 9
Rules of Behavior and Ethics in the Student Success Center……………………………...… 10
Tips for Student-Athlete Academic Success………………………………………………...……… 11
Official Class Absence Policies………………………………………………………………………….... 12
Tutorials for student-athletes with a C- or lower…………………………………….….………. 13
Social Networking Policy………………………………………………………………………………..…. 14
Copy Machine Guidelines…………………………………………………………………………….…….. 14
Mesa Athletic Academic Support Services and
Athletic Department Violations Investigating Procedures…………………………..…… 14
Campus Resources, (Academic and Student Affairs Directory) ………………...…………. 15
Student-Athlete Orientation and Handbook Signature Form……………………………….. 17
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Athletic Academic Support Staff
Student Academic Success Center
480-461-7559
NAME
Sonya Pearson
John Mulhern
Sherman Forbes
Nikki Blackwell
Kara Cummins
Michael Lavella
Ontonio Ballard
Wayne Block
John Guerrero
Daniel Pescador
Bill Holland
Steve Jacob
William Young
Tony Cirelli
Kori Stephenson
Adam Cohen
Ryan Felker
Grady Moorhead
Sam Ballard
Matthew Werle
Andrew Guarneri
Tim Barmettler
Karl Simonis
Christina Flack
Hailey Tyler
POSITION
Vice President of Student Affairs
Director Athletics
Coordinator of Academic Support
Office Manager
Athletic Trainer
Equipment Manager
Academic Advisor
Sport Information Director
Men’s & Women’s Golf
Men’s & Women’s Cross Country
strength and Conditioning
Men’s Track and Field
Academic Advisor
Baseball
Women’s Basketball
Men’s & Women’s Tennis
Football
Softball
Men’s Basketball
Volleyball
Women Soccer
Men’s Soccer
Men’s & Women’s Bowling
Cheer
Cheer
PHONE
461-7443
461-7627
461-7048
461-7542
461-7557
461-7567
461-7517
461-7543
461-7070
461-7580
461-7494
461-7563
461-7963
461-7562
461-7544
461-7566
461-7976
461-7322
461-7540
461-7521
461-7232
480-236-6960
480-844-1030
602-616-3014
480-216-8442
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LOCATION AND HOURS OF OPERATION
Address:
Mesa Athletics Student Academic Development Center,
PC-56, 1883 West Southern Ave, Mesa, AZ 85202
Phone:
(480) 461 – 7559
Fax:
(480) 461 - 9081
Fall and Spring Semester Hours of Operation (subject to change):
Monday – Thursday:
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Summer Hours of Operation
Monday – Thursday:
7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Closed on Friday
**** Hours may be altered or extended during final examination week ****
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Dear Thunderbird Student-Athlete It is with honor that we provide you the T-Birds Student-Athlete
Tutorial Handbook. In this document, you will find invaluable information
that is critical to your experience as a student-athlete. Our objective is to
provide services, resources, and guidance that foster academic success,
graduation, the development of critical life skills, and transition to life after
intercollegiate athletics.
It takes a special person to commit to being a student-athlete. You
will face challenges which will test your ability, your skills, and your
knowledge. You will experience many victories as well as some adversity
as you write this chapter of your life. Your future success will be
determined by your responses to those challenges. This handbook has been
provided to you as a guidebook, a resource tool to help make your year
ahead a successful one. I encourage you to read it carefully.
As part of our academic/athletic mission statement, we stand for
commitment to your education, competing with passion and completion of
your degree. We ask that each student-athlete embrace this philosophy and
give his or her best effort in their sport, in the class, and in the community.
Mesa Athletics strives to become one of the top academic/athletic
two-year institutions. We are committed to setting a new academic support
standard for community colleges across the country. We are committed to
pursuing academic reform where our students will be prepared to meet
transfer requirements to compete athletically as well as academically at the
next level. Simultaneously, we will address the major challenges you may
face as a student first and an athlete second. Your opportunity to excel as a
student academically is an integral part of our mission.
This is truly one of the most critical time periods in your life and I ask
that you take advantage of every resource Mesa Community College and the
Athletic Academic Support Development have to offer, and that you make
the most out of your journey as a member of Mesa Community College
Athletic Department.
With best wishes for a successful year,
Sherman Forbes, Director
Athletic Academic Support Services
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ATHLETIC ACADEMIC SUPPORT MISSION STATEMENT
The Mesa Community College Athletic Academic Support Program seeks to
be recognized as a leader among Arizona community college athletic
academic support units. Our focus is to provide a comprehensive support
program that will assist all student-athletes with the transition into college,
provide continued support in all phases of academic and professional
development, and culminate with graduation, job placement, or
undergraduate school.
Our staff emphasizes an environment of cultural diversity, academic
integrity and institutional loyalty. In keeping with the overall philosophy of
the Mesa Community College Athletic Department, the decisions and
priorities of the Athletic Academic Support Program will always focus on
our student-athletes first as individuals; second, as students; and third, as
athletes.
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES MISSION STATEMENT
The Athletic Academic Support Program coordinates many approaches to
enhancing an academic atmosphere, including monitored study hall sessions.
Here, student-athletes come to realize their best possible academic potential.
Academic counseling and assistance stress self-determination and active
self-responsibility. The student-athletes learn techniques such as time
management, study skills, and test-taking strategies that enable them to
achieve results through their own initiative. The support team of academic
advisors and subject tutors assures that the student-athletes may reach their
full potentials as athletes, students, and responsible citizens.
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The Thunderbird Family Code
 As a Thunderbird I will always do WHAT IS RIGHT. I will act
ethically, honestly and fairly, and respect the rights and dignity of all
people, at all times. As a Thunderbird:
 I will not lie, cheat, or steal.
 I will not bully, haze, mistreat, harm, or take unfair advantage of
anyone.
 I will not harass anyone about his or her race, ethnicity, religion,
physical condition or sexual orientation.
 I will not take sexual advantage of anyone, by any means or manner
(Including alcohol, drugs, force, or coercion).
 I will not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs nor will I get in
the vehicle of an impaired driver.
I will not stand by and allow a Thunderbird to ignore the Thunderbird code.
 I will always protect the Thunderbird family and….
 Do what is RIGHT.
 Stop what is WRONG
 Teach fellow Thunderbirds to follow the Thunderbird Family Code
and RESPECT the Thunderbird family.
Responsibly REPORT any unethical dishonest, disrespectful and wrongful
behavior.
Doing the Right Thing Isn’t Always EASY,
But it’s always Right
Adapted from University Southern California
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Success from Day One: Pre-financial Planning
Mesa Community College supports and encourages student success and
degree completion. The "Success from Day One" agenda supports this
mission by building a culture that promotes course preparation and student
learning. All students are expected to complete the admission and financial
planning process.
The pre-financial planning process includes early research, education and
discussion with financial services staff and others regarding college
resources and opportunities available to aid students in academic pursuits.
All students are expected to research options for financing their college
courses prior to registering for the semester.
Financial Planning Resources for the Student-Athlete
Students who prepare financially are more successful in maintaining their
progress toward course and program completion. Below are MCC resources
to begin the financial planning process:
• Cashier Services (tuition payment plan)
• Financial Aid (FAFSA, scholarships, grants, loans and other Federal Aid)
• Veteran Services (benefit opportunities)
• Career Services (work study and job referrals)
• Academic Programs and Athletics (Talent Waiver scholarships and/or
service learning)
GOALS FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT STAFF
• To maintain an 80% academic retention rate from fall to spring semester
in every athletic program.
• To facilitate the student-athletes’ successful completion of their chosen
degree.
• To encourage and facilitate student-athletes’ career and personal
development.
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• To maintain the academic integrity of the college.
• To comply with the rules and regulations of the college, the Arizona
Community College Athletic Conference, Maricopa District Athletic
Council and the National Junior College Athletic Association.
• To assist student-athletes in maintaining eligibility throughout their
tenure at the college. Each member of the team has a distinct role of
service to the student-athlete. Because the team roles will overlap in
service and teamwork, team sharing of information is essential.
Subject Tutors
The tutors’ role is to promote and enhance student-athletes’ academic skills.
Tutors assist student-athletes in specific course work and stress the student–
athletes’ responsibilities for success in their courses.
Tutoring Services Include:
• Individual Tutoring
• English Lab Tutoring
• Math Lab Tutoring
• Group Tutoring
Our Staff Monitors:
• All tutorial appointments
• Academic grade progress
• Students who require special academic assistance
• Attendance for both voluntary and mandated study hall
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RULES OF BEHAVIOR IN THE STUDENT SUCCESS
CENTER:
 Absolutely no food or drinks is permitted in the SSC, including in
your personal bag.
 The computers in the SSC are for academic purposes only, you may
not conduct online chats, play games, watch videos, use Facebook or
Instagram…etc. NO EXCEPTIONS!
 Students will respect staff at all times. Any disrespectful behavior
will not be tolerated and will be reported to the Director of Athletics,
Director of Student Success and your head coach.
 Please maintain a quite library-like atmosphere. If you must speak
use a quiet voice.
 No interruptive behavior. Examples include loud headphones, desk
drumming, singing, loud talking…etc.
 No cell phone use in the SSC.
 No inappropriate viewing of any kind. This includes anything that
exhibits a lack of respect for race, gender, religion, or nationality. This
especially refers to any pornographic material. If caught viewing any
of these you will be asked to leave, regardless of circumstances and
reported to the Director of Athletics.
No shirts, No shoes, No shower…No Student Success Center
College Rules and Policies
As employees of Mesa Community college, tutors are not only bound by
NJCAA ACCAC, and Maricopa DAC Rules and Regulations but also by the
regulations of the college at large.
ETHICS IN THE SCC
Plagiarism: Plagiarism can range in scope from accidentally forgetting to
place quotation marks around a borrowed sentence, to careless paraphrasing,
to deliberately trying to pass off someone else’s paper as your own.
Plagiarism is always a serious violation of The Mesa Community College
Academic Honor Code. As a college student you have many educational
opportunities and obligations. Plagiarism should never be an option. When
you plagiarize, you deny yourself the opportunity to express your own ideas
in an academic forum and exhibit your own learning. You are also failing in
your obligations to be an active member of an educational community.
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Professional Ethics for Tutors:
The following guidelines must be strictly adhered to at all times:
 Tutors may NEVER write papers or take tests for students.
 Neither plagiarism nor any other act of academic dishonesty
will be tolerated.
 Student-athletes MAY NOT email a tutor their paper or
assignments to look over. Nor may a tutor give student-athletes
feedback on assignments over email. All assignments and
papers must be printed out and comments marked on the hard
copy. Tutors must keep a copy of those comments in the
student’s section of their tutorial notebook.
 Confidentiality must be strictly maintained regarding studentathlete’s academic performance and concerns.
 Tutors may not discuss these matters with anyone other than the
student-athlete and the Athletic Academic Support Staff.
 Betraying confidentiality constitutes a violation of rights under
the Buckley Amendment.
 HELP STUDENTS BECOME INDEPENDENT LEARNERS.
Tips for Student-Athlete Academic Success
Student-athletes are expected to attend class daily. Additionally, the
following recommendations are included to help facilitate your experience at
Mesa Community College:
 Sit in the front, ask questions, show respect, focus on the lecture,
make eye contact with professors, be an active participant in class.
Know what kinds of questions to ask.
 Know your professor’s office hours and office phone number and go
see him or her often.
 Talk to your instructor if you are having problems or falling behind in
your class.
 Be on time or early to every class.
 Look neat.
 Turn in all assignments on time and do all extra credit that is offered.
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 Review notes every night.
 Provide class absences forms to professors prior to leaving on team
trips. If you do not give your professor these forms before school trips
they have no obligation to help you make up missed work.
 Promptly make up all work missed due to travel or preferably turn
work in prior to departing on a trip.
 Do your own work and do not share your work with others.
Official Class Absence Policies
Official Absence is defined in the MCC student handbook as follows:
An official absence occurs when students are involved in an official activity
of the college, i.e., field trips, tournament, and athletic events, and presents
an official absence excuse form. Absences for such events shall not count
against the number of absences allowed by an instructor or department (p. 143).
Consequences for unofficial student absence will be:
Absence #1
 Students who miss one class will be required to miss practice
on the day they miss the class. If the missed class occurs after
the practice, they will be required to sit out the next practice.
Absence #2
 Students who miss two (2) classes will be required to miss
another practice and also have a mandatory meeting with
someone from the academic success staff and the head coach.
Absence #3
 Students who miss three (3) classes will be required to sit out a
game.
If a student-athlete is dropped from a class due to excessive absences or nonattendance, that student-athlete will be suspended for 10% of the remaining
games of the season.
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Tutorials for student-athletes with a C- or lower
Any student-athlete with a grade of C- or lower in any class will be required
to attend tutoring in room PC-4N at least three times a week for a minimum
of 2 hours per session until the grade has improved to higher than a C-. The
purpose of this plan is to help student-athletes manage their time, and in the
process learn some helpful study skills. Due to the stress of classes and
practice, it can be difficult as a young student-athlete to juggle sports with
academics. This tutorial program will set aside time for student-athletes who
are having academic difficulties and help them to prioritize their studies.
Overall this program will help better our Athletic Department improve
success of student-athletes in the classroom and on the field, as well as the
overall graduation rate for our college. Participation in this study hall is not
just for student-athletes who are getting a C- or lower in a class, but also for
any student-athlete who wants to do their homework at school or would like
tutoring in other areas. Missing mandatory study hall will result in the
following:
Absence #1
 Students who miss mandatory tutoring the 1st time will be
required to attend a scheduled meeting with his/her coach
and academic success coordinator.
Absence #2
 If the student has a second unexcused absence the
student-athlete will be placed on a non-athletic
participation for the following week. If he/she follows the
plan of action and does not miss any days the following
week he/she will be re-instated to the team.
Absence #3
 If the student continues to accumulate unexcused
absences for tutoring, it will equal a result of missing the
next scheduled competition. If a student-athlete is out of
season and/or their season has concluded, consequences
will carry over to the next season.
Exceptions for missed class:
1. Team travel
2. Funeral
3. Wedding
4. Illness
5. Certain extenuating circumstances
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Documentation must be provided for an absence to be excused.
SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICY from MCCCD:
http://www.maricopa.edu/publicstewardship/governance/adminregs/auxiliary/4_
20.php : “Students are not restricted from using social media. However, they must understand
that any content made public via MCCCD social media sites is expected to follow acceptable
social behaviors and comply with Arizona revised statutes, federal laws, student handbooks, the
student code of conduct regulation and other MCCCD policies and administrative regulations.
While the existing administrative regulation for Technology Resource Standards allows for a
measure of incidental computer and technology usage for personal purposes, students must also
abide by Arizona constitutional and statutory mandates regarding the use of public resources for
personal use. The acceptable use of public technology resources is further defined in
Administrative Regulation 4.4, “Technology Resource Standards” and personal usage is subject
to the limitations outlined in this regulation.
A student who feels that he/she has been treated unfairly or unjustly by a faculty member (fulltime or part-time) with regard to communications conducted via MCCCD social media sites must
follow the formal Instructional Grievance Process.
Copy Machines Guidelines in the SSC:
• Tutors are permitted to use copy machines at any time
• Front desk workers or Advisors may assist you in copying necessary
materials
• Student note packets (RED packet of purchased class notes) may NEVER
be copied
Mesa Athletic Academic Support Services and
Athletic Department Violations Investigating Procedures
The process below will help guide informed decisions relative to violations
that may occur as part of a student-athlete academic process at Mesa
Community College. The process provides for clear alignment of
recommendations based upon scope of responsibility for each committee
member reviewing academic and or support services violations.
Student-athlete who were provided notice and/or have received notice of
potential or actual violations will complete the following steps.
1. Provide preliminary notice to coordinator of student success of
alleged violations and share any immediate actions taken by the staff.
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2. Perform an internal review of impacted area and student(s) involved
to provide a broader view of possible risks or magnitude of risks
and/or potential compliance irregularities.
a. Involve FA office to ensure all financial records on aid
provided is verified and/or document non-reported aid or overpayments to students.
b. Involve Cashiers office to provide report of fund-raising
activity to ensure fiscal procedures on funds distributed and
received from students, coaches (where appropriate) have been
verified and/or document improper transactions.
c. Involve HR to provide report on employee procedures and
operations to verify and document where and if department
procedures align with district policy (where applicable).
3. Provide final report to Director of Athletic and VPSA on the
following:
a. Documentation of recommendations from above referenced
departments
b. NJCAA actions if notification has been received at time of
submitting final report
c. Information on immediate and final actions taken by the college
administration
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NAMES AND NUMBERS OF STUDENT AFFAIRS SERVICES:
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•
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Hardin Karen, Counseling Chairperson:
Admission & Records:
Advisement & Registration Center:
American Indian Center:
Career & ReEntry Services:
Cashier Services:
Children’s Center:
College Outreach & Retention:
Dean of Student Affairs:
Downtown Center:
Disability Resources & Services:
Early Alert Referral System:
eLearning:
Financial Aid:
Help Center:
Honors:
International Education Center:
Interpreting Services:
Learning Enhancement Center:
Library:
Multicultural Affairs & Services:
Mesa’s Scholarship:
Red Mountain Campus:
Student Life & Leadership:
Testing Center:
Veteran’s Services:
Writing Center:
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(480) 461-7584
(480) 461- 7600
(480) 461-7222
(480) 461-7931
(480) 461- 7592
(480) 461-7400
(461) 461-7082
(461) 461-7633
(480) 461-7932
(480) 461-6100
(480) 461-7447
(480) 461-7449
(480) 461-7928
(480) 461- 7441
(480) 461-7217
(480) 461-7143
(480) 461- 7758
(480) 461-7447
(480) 461-7678
(480) 461-7680
(480) 461-7453
(480) 461-7441
(480) 461-7200
(480) 461-7285
(480) 461-7336
(480) 461-7425
(480) 461-7513
Mesa Community College
Athletic Academic Support Services
Orientation and Handbook Signature Form
My signature certifies that I have attended the Athletic Academic Support
Services Tutor orientation and received and read a copy of the 2014-2015
handbook. I understand that it is my responsibility to abide by all policies
and procedures as outlined in the handbook as well as any additional
information I received during orientation. Failure to do so may result in my
immediate dismissal from the program and/or further disciplinary actions as
deem by the college.
Print Name: ___________________________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________
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