January Session
2015
1020 Central Ave., E-1 | Patrick AFB, FL 32925 | Phone: (321) 783-5506 | Email: pafb@ccis.edu | www.ccis.edu/pafb
Dates to remember
Dec. 1
January Session registration begins
for graduate students, seniors, military
members and new students.
Dec. 3
January Session registration begins
for returning juniors.
Dec. 4
January Session registration begins for
returning sophomores.
Dec. 5
January Session registration begins for
returning freshmen.
Last day to withdraw from October
Session classes with a grade of W.
Dec. 20
October Session ends.
Dec. 25 & 26
Christmas holiday. Offices and
library closed.
Jan. 1 & 2
New Year’s holiday. Offices and
library closed.
Jan. 9
Last day to add January Session
graduate classes.
Jan. 12
January Session begins.
Jan. 14
Last day to add January Session online
undergraduate classes.
Jan. 16
A word from the VP
I have been dubbed
the “not-so-new”
vice president for the
Division of Adult
Higher Education. No
one really likes being
the new guy, and I’m
not the exception to
the rule. However, after
devoting 16 years to the Nationwide Campuses,
most recently as the southeast region director
and director of the Patrick Air Force Base campus
in Florida, I’m honored to serve as the division’s
second vice president. I would like to thank
former Vice President Col. Mike Randerson for
leaving the division in such great shape and Dr.
Gary Massey, who served as the interim vice
president, for his unparalleled support during the
transition.
I like to say that I have spent the last 16 years
preparing for this opportunity, only at the time,
moving from Florida to Missouri was the furthest
thing from my mind. In case you were wondering
why I chose to move from the predictable
hurricane weather of Florida to the unpredictable,
tornado-ridden and frozen winters of Missouri,
the reason is simple. I believe in Columbia
College, its mission and the leadership abilities
of Dr. Dalrymple, and I support the direction he
wants to take the college.
Many of you will recall during my live-streamed
interview in May that I mentioned I thought we
needed to consider restructuring the division,
which consists of 34 Nationwide Campuses, the
Online Campus and the Evening Campus. We are
located in 10 states on 18 military installations,
and the division has more than 400 employees.
The division is in great fiscal shape; however,
like any new administration, change is a forgone
conclusion. In this case, change will not happen
just for the sake of change, but because of the
changing landscape in higher education.
In the coming months, “please pardon our dust,”
as we will spend the next year investing in the
personnel who make up the Division of Adult
Higher Education. This means taking a look at
organizational structure, staffing, compensation
and professional development at all levels. We
will take a closer look at our processes, reduce
redundancy, look for best practices, and work
toward improving and implementing the new
processes and leveraging technology. I’m not
saying that we have problems in these areas,
only that we will examine them a bit closer to
determine if we want to continue doing what we
have been doing.
I would like to hear from staff, faculty, students
and alumni who have suggestions for making
Columbia College a better place to work, teach, or
earn an education, or if there are ways I can help
improve your affinity with the college – I want
to know. I have established a new email account
specifically to hear your ideas that can help make
us a better place. Please send your comments or
concerns to VPAHE@ccis.edu.
Last day to add January Session in-seat
undergraduate classes.
Jan. 19
Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Offices
and library closed; no classes.
Dr. Jeffrey Musgrove
Vice President, Division of Adult Higher Education
Jan. 20
Last day to drop January Session classes
without academic or financial liability.
Feb. 20
Last day to withdraw from January
Session classes with a grade of W.
March 7
January Session ends.
Just a few of Columbia College’s rankings and accolades
It’s scholarship season!
The FAFSA isn’t the only application you should
submit in January. Columbia College offers a
variety of scholarships. Application deadlines
are coming fast, so don’t miss your chance!
$750 Frank S. Westling Scholarships
Deadline: Feb. 2
Named in honor of a highly decorated infantry
officer and former dean for Adult Higher
Education, the application for this scholarship
is available now and should be returned to
your campus director. In 2014, the award was
given to 22 students from 17 campuses. Visit
www.ccis.edu/westling for more information.
$1,000 Col. Charles E. McGee Scholarship
Deadline: Feb. 28
Awarded to one Columbia College student each
academic year, this scholarship honors a Tuskegee
Airman who served in World War II, Korea and
Vietnam, and was awarded the Congressional
Gold Medal in 2007. For more information, visit
www.ccis.edu/mcgeescholarship. Applications
and other documents can be submitted by mail or
in person to:
The Col. Charles E. McGee Scholarship Committee
Ousley Veterans Center, MOH 224
Columbia College
1001 Rogers Street
Columbia, MO 65216
Campus scholarships
Deadline varies, check with your campus
Each campus offers its own scholarship for
a minimum of $500 – often more! These
scholarships are funded in part by the Adult
Higher Education Endowment, which is
supported generously by contributions from
your local faculty and staff. Check with your
campus office for more information.
Changes to Stafford loans + FAFSA time!
Do you have subsidized Stafford loans?
If so, please read the following carefully.
New federal regulations are making big changes to Stafford subsidized loan
eligibility. These loans are awarded to students based on their financial need and
do not accrue interest while a student is enrolled and pursuing a degree. Students
cannot borrow more than the aggregate limit of $23,000 in subsidized loans.
A new restriction for subsidized loans adds a time limit component, measured
in academic years, for receiving these loans. Students who became first-time
borrowers on or after July 1, 2013, cannot receive subsidized loans for more than
150 percent of the stated length of their academic program. For example, if you
are enrolled in a four-year bachelor’s degree program, your maximum eligibility
period to receive subsidized loans is six academic years (150 percent of four years
is six years).
Enrolling in classes beyond your maximum eligibility period or changing to an
academic program of a different length might affect if and when you become
responsible for accrued interest on the loan. For more information, visit the
Federal Student Aid website at 1.usa.gov/1qWHRNa. To learn more about loan
requirements and regulations, visit the Columbia College Financial Aid website at
web.ccis.edu/Offices/FinancialAid/loanrequirements.
The Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) for the 2015-16 academic year
will be available for submission beginning Jan. 1, 2015. Students who plan on
enrolling in any session from August 2015 through the Summer Session/June
2016 should submit their FAFSA using Columbia College’s school code 002456.
Any student who wishes to utilize state or federal grants or student loans must
submit the FAFSA every year. Students should submit the FAFSA as early as
possible, as some need-based aid, such as the SEOG grant, is awarded on a firstcome, first-served basis until the funds are exhausted.
Questions? Comments? Contact Financial Aid at financialaid@ccis.edu.
2014 Adult Student Priorities Survey: The results are in!
Thank you to the 2,900 students who completed the Spring 2014 Adult Students
Priorities Survey! Columbia College rated above the national average in every
survey category. Your responses indicate that you have high expectations for the
college, higher than students’ expectations at other institutions.
The Division of Adult Higher Education invites you, the students, to take the
survey every two years and uses the results to identify areas for enhancement. For
example, following the same survey in 2012, the college focused on enhancements
to academic advising training. We are pleased to see that increased satisfaction
with academic advising is reflected in the 2014 survey results.
Columbia College is dedicated to continual improvement and will review all 2014
responses to identify additional areas for enhancement. The college is very happy
to see the following areas noted by students as strengths:
1. The value of the education I receive is excellent.
2. Faculty are knowledgeable in their field/nearly all faculty are
knowledgeable in their field.
3. There is a commitment to academic excellence at this institution.
4. I am able to complete most of my enrollment tasks in one location.
5. Registration processes are reasonable and convenient for adults.
We are celebrating our strengths and looking forward to improving the identified
challenges. Our goal is to provide excellent educational opportunities and customer
service, and your input has given us an avenue for improvement. Thanks again!
RN-to-BSN degree and CSI programs available, hybrid courses coming soon
In August 2014 the Online Campus introduced the RN-to-BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree program and the CSI (crime
scene investigation) certificate program. Both programs have generated significant interest due to their uniqueness and the quality of our
instructors and courses. Check with your campus for program and course availability.
Somebody call a…nurse! The Columbia College RN-to-BSN program is
designed for the licensed professional registered nurse with experiential
knowledge and clinical competency who wishes to pursue advanced roles
in nursing management, client care and higher education. Courses enhance
complex clinical reasoning, decision-making and collaborative skills that
contribute to patient safety and quality processes, while providing a framework
for evidence-based practice.
Not just a TV show. Students desiring a concentration in the identification,
documentation and preservation of evidence at crime scenes may choose a
certificate in crime scene investigation (CSI) as part of their degree completion
plan. The CSI certificate appears on the student’s academic transcript and
provides evidence that the student has satisfied departmentally recognized
academic requirements.
The best of both worlds. Another exciting development at Columbia College is
the push for more hybrid courses. Online Campus is working with Nationwide
Campus directors on an aggressive hybrid rollout plan starting in spring of 2015.
Hybrid or blended courses offer a new course format that embraces the benefits
of in-seat interaction and the advantages of flexible delivery found in the online
venue. A student may spend two and half to three hours in-seat once a week with
additional course delivery/instruction online.
Are hybrids effective? A 2012 study, “Interactive Learning Online at Public
Universities: Evidence from Randomized Trials,” found that “students in the
hybrid format ‘pay no price’ for this mode of instruction in terms of pass rates,
final exam scores, and performance on a standardized assessment of statistical
literacy.” More to come in the near future!
Online job hunting doesn’t have to be daunting
Tips from the Grossnickle Career Services Center
Searching for a job online can feel like turning down a strange street and not knowing where it leads. With so many different sites, it can be
hard to figure out which ones are safe and worth your time. While big sites like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com have value, they can be
bloated and difficult to use. There are alternative, more efficient sites that are easy to navigate and provide results you usually can trust.
Each state typically offers an online employment portal with job listings and career tools. These trustworthy
sites offer a wide range of resources. For instance, the Missouri Office of Economic Development
coordinates jobs.mo.gov, offering entry- through advanced-level positions in many industries. Applicants
fill out an online profile and then apply for multiple positions at once. The site also offers special
resources for veterans and applicants with disabilities, as well as easy-to-use career assessment tools and
announcements for career fairs.
California’s state site, caljobs.ca.gov, and Florida’s state site, employflorida.com, are good examples
of those that offer specialized resources for youth and senior workers, as well as information on
various training and education programs to increase job skills.
“Job scrapers” also are useful. While sites like Monster.com offer robust job lists to sort through,
job scrapers do the searching for you. Simply type in your desired work location and provide
a “what,” with the “what” being as specific as a job title or as broad as a keyword. A keyword
could be a skill, like “Excel spreadsheets” or “child development,” or an aspect of the job, like
“part-time” or “internship.” It then searches other sites and individual companies to give you
a job list that matches your criteria. Try these three free and user-friendly sites: indeed.com,
simplyhired.com and glassdoor.com.
Need help with your job search? Contact the Grossnickle Career Services Staff at
web.ccis.edu/Offices/CampusLife/CareerServices.
Columbia College-Patrick Air Force Base
1020 Central Ave., E-1
Patrick AFB, FL 32925
January Session course schedule
Registration begins Dec. 1, and courses
begin Jan. 12. To access the on-campus
schedule, visit www.ccis.edu/pafb.
For a complete list of online classes, visit
www.ccis.edu/online/schedule.
Apply for the Florida ABLE Grant
For the ninth consecutive year, Columbia College’s Florida campuses have received the Access to Better Learning and Education (ABLE)
Grant. The grant provides non-repayable tuition assistance to undergraduate students enrolled in degree programs at eligible private
colleges and universities in Florida. Each eligible student can receive a maximum of $1,500 for the 2014-2015 academic year. To receive a
grant, students must meet the following criteria:
• Meet Florida one-year residency requirements
• Not owe a repayment or be in default on a state or federal grant
or scholarship program unless arrangements to repay have been
made
• Enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours during a 16-week period
(two consecutive sessions) in a bachelor’s degree program other
than theology or divinity
• Not have previously received
a bachelor’s degree
• Complete the 2014-2015 Free
Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA)
To review the Fact Sheet for the ABLE Grant, go to www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/home/uamain.htm
and select Access to Better Learning and Education (ABLE) Grant.