By Autumn R. Caraballo
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Advisers at the Camden County College Blackwood campus are making it a priority to ensure that students receive a more adequate experience, said Assistant Dean of Enrollment Linda Drexel. This comes as a result of the department’s effort to maintain a higher level of student satisfaction among current students and prospective students alike.
Assistant Dean of Enrollment Linda Drexel takes calls in her office at Taft Hall on the Camden County College Blackwood campus. By Autumn R. Caraballo, CCC Journalism Program
Negative comments made by a handful of students on the CCC Blackwood campus Facebook page prompted issues surrounding meetings with advisement to be brought to the attention of those heading the department. Those concerns also brought to light the lack of advisers on staff. “With only four full-time advisers on hand compared to the volume of students that come through the school each year, it is not easy to meet every student’s specific need,” said Drexel.
Because of budget constraints, no other full-time advisers will be added to the staff at this time.
A total of 20,600 students were seen in 2015, according to a statement released by the Academic Advisement Center. To help meet the growing need being faced, the center is now enlisting the help of other faculty members within the school. Most recently, a member of the English as a Second Language department was able to work in the Advisement Center in the fall 2015 semester. Drexel said that “produced great results.”
Drexel also implemented Project Connect to allow students each semester to interact on a more personal basis with the advisement staff. Project Connect has been held on the Blackwood, Camden and Cherry Hill campuses of the college. The event allows students to meet with academic department faculty, teaching administrators and general advising staff about CCC programs and course options for the upcoming semester; choose courses and build a schedule in one centralized location; and sign up for flexible payment plans, according to the Camden County College website.
When asked of his experience with the advisers, 19-year-old Matthew Stauffer, a freshman at the Camden County College Blackwood campus and member of the welcoming staff at Taft Hall, said, “Good. If I wanted to drop a class they would be against it and really recommended only the best route to take and why.”