Counseling provides services to assist students in successfully completing course work leading toward their educational objective. Counselors help students make informed decisions in selecting a career in a vocational, academic or transfer program. Counselors are assigned to the Transfer Center and to the Puente Program. Personal counseling helps student with personal, family or other social concerns when the assistance is related to the student's education. Personal Development classes are offered by Counseling faculty to assist students with career planning, college survival and interpersonal relationships. At this time no online courses are available. In recent years changes in the student population, including students requiring more basic skills classes and students needing bilingual services, have affected delivery of services in the department, as has the availability of new technologies to help counsel students. Additional demands have been made on staff by the increasing numbers of GAIN/CalWORKs students and those students who are returning to school during the downturn in the economy for re-training or upgrading skills. The compressed calendar also has had a tremendous impact on the need for services, as additional student contacts, orientations and registrations has required the assistance of additional staff. Finding appropriate space to house this part-time staff has been difficult.

Personnel - Currently there are 9 full-time faculty, 3-17 part-time faculty, one limited faculty, two full-time classified employees and three student employees in the department.

Equipment - A wireless PC with projection equipment for PowerPoint presentations in Personal Development classes is needed at this time, along with a VCR and monitors.

Facilities - Because of the lack of facilities, counselors are scattered in several areas that are dark and dingy with no air circulation. An orientation facility, two classrooms and a conference room are needed at this time.

Future Program

Demand will fuel an increase in the number of counselors and staff to keep pace with student enrollment growth. This in turn will impact the department's already identified need for additional office space. Offering online counseling services is also a goal of the department, as is offering more Internet, online and self-paced Personal Development instruction. See Program Projections.

Personnel - See Projected Faculty and Staff Needs.

Equipment - Within five years it is expected that computers will need to be replaced and the department will need new DVD players. Additional computers for staff and students will be needed as well.

Facilities - The location of the Counseling department should be adjacent to the Transfer Center. In the mid term (five years) 25 offices for counselors, storage space, and a reception area to accommodate 30 to 40 students are needed, as well as three classrooms equipped with Internet access and office space for three classified employees and eight to ten student workers. An area with eight to ten computer work stations is needed for student use.

Staff Development - Computer software training for all staff to remain current is recommended. Orientations to Student Services areas, functions and processes would also help employees as they serve students.