Student services move online

Departments continue tutoring, other efforts despite campus closure

As classes make the transition to online because of COVID-19, so are many student services.

Services such as the Math Learning Center, Student Success Center, Stone Writing Lab and Counseling Center have recently expanded their online presence to help students.

They offer all the same services as before, just now in an online format via email, video chat and their websites.

“The last couple of weeks have been a real learning curve on how to transition to online tutoring but we are figuring it out,” said Moriah Hovey of the Math Learning Center.

The Math Learning Center is offering its online tutoring services with emails that include pictures or videos of solutions and discussion in online meeting rooms.

To receive tutoring from the Math Learning Center, visit www.delmar.edu/offices/math/mlc/ and click on “Online tutoring.” Tutors are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

For some the online transition is new, but not for other services such as the Stone Writing.

Since 2013, the center has been helping Vikings with their writing assignments via Canvas, and it continues to do so.

“When COVID-19 necessitated the jump to online only, we had already made that leap,” said the center’s Margot Sorrell. “The wonderful consultants who students have worked with at the Stone Writing Center on campus are still giving great advice, but they are online now.”

Not only can students receive tutoring via Canvas, they can also find helpful handouts about punctuation, composition and much more on their website.

Students can submit writing 24/7 on Canvas and a consultant will get back to them as soon as possible. They are also available for quick questions via phone at 361-698-1364, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. To access their services, visit www.delmar.edu/SWC and select “Online Tutoring.”

The Student Success Center (SSC) was ready to rise to occasion of transitioning to online formatting from the moment it was announced.

“Our Student Affairs Division was charged with a student survey sent out to all DMC current students, asking them what support services they would need in order for them to meet their needs in their upcoming online courses,” said Eva De La Garza, director of the Student Success Center.

The SSC is offering online tutoring via tutor.com, 24/7 homework hotline assistance, mentoring and student workshops. The center has a video series on its Canvas page, “Empowering the Student,” to help students tackle anxiety and the science of note-taking, and more workshops will be added in late April.

Students can still check out laptops but will have to go through the IT department. To check out a laptop, students need to fill out a form to request one. The form can be found on the DMC homepage

According to Garza, students who checked out laptops or calculators before the campus closure don’t have to worry about late fees.

“The student will have to concur with IT on the return of the laptop,” Garza said.

Visit www.delmar.edu/ssc to find all the resources the Student Success Center has to offer.

The Counseling Center also has taken the online transition in stride and is ready to provide students with the resources they need to make it through the rest of the semester.

They are offering their regular counseling to current clients via telehealth and are now accepting new clients. New clients can request counseling by emailing dmccounseling@delmar.edu.

“The Counseling Center is now offering our ‘Be Well’ educational program via Zoom to students who wish to participate,” said Rita Hernandez, lead counselor. “Topics will vary, but they are all related to prevention of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression.”

Multiple students will be on the “Be Well” workshops as well as counselors. They will be held from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays but students should watch the Counseling Center’s social media sites for up-to-date information.

“We have amped up our social media presence and we are posting self-care tips, videos and offering our Mental Health Awareness and Prevention Programs via Zoom,” Hernandez said.

Students can follow the Counseling Center @dmccounseling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Students can also learn more about their services at www.delmar.edu/counseling.

The Counseling Center is available from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday.

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