Student Development and Support Services (SDSS) is committed to enhancing the academic and personal success of Gaston College students from entry to graduation. SDSS believes that all students have the ability to succeed and achieve through support and full use of resources. This department provides a comprehensive range of programs and services, including Accessibility Services, Counseling and Career Services, Success Coaches, Early Alerts, Basic Needs Assistance, and Student Success Programming. It supports student life and learning through clubs, organizations, activities, and leadership opportunities. Additionally, the department coordinates Student Life, the Student Government Association, TRiO Student Support Services, and the Student Code of Conduct, connecting students with campus and community resources to empower them in coping with challenging situations.
Accessibility Services operates to provide equal access to higher education for students with disabilities. The Accessibility Counselor serves as a resource to students, faculty, and staff on issues related to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.The office delivers comprehensive educational programming to students with documented disabilities, assisting them with obtaining academic support and reasonable accommodations. Through individualized support, Accessibility Services aims to provide students, effective and appropriate accommodations to achieve their educational and vocational goals.
Students seeking accommodations must meet with the Accessibility Counselor and provide all necessary documentation, to establish an accommodation plan. Thereafter, students should meet with the Accessibility Counselor each semester to renew the accommodation plan and continue receiving their accommodations. For more information, contact the Accessibility Counselor at accessibilityservices@gaston.edu or 704.922.6224. Accessibility Services is located in the Myers Center, Room 232 (Dallas Campus).
Counselors are available to discuss academic, social, or personal concerns that may interfere with student success. Students may drop in, email, or call Counseling and Career Services at 704.922.6220 to schedule an appointment with a counselor. Students who require personal counseling beyond a few sessions will be referred to community resources or to Student Outreach Services (SOS). SOS is a school-sponsored benefit that offers the support and resources students need to address personal and education-related challenges and concerns through access to clinicians 24/7/365 at 800.633.3353. SOS services are free of charge for a limited number of sessions.
The Counseling Staff also provides career guidance to students who need help with decision-making related to educational and career goals. Counselors use a variety of interest inventories and online resources to assist students in the career exploration process. The GC Career Portal is available to help students find good careers by providing the most current local data on wages, employment, job postings, and associated education and training. Students can access the Career Portal from the College’s homepage.
Success Coaches provide guidance and support for students as they transition to Gaston College. Success Coaches strive to build relationships with students with the goal of empowering and encouraging them throughout their educational journey.
What do Success Coaches do?
- Assist students with college adjustment
- Meet with students to identify and address challenges
- Connect students with support programs and services
- Monitor grades and attendance and connect students with learning support resources, if necessary
- Collaborate with faculty to address students’ academic and personal concerns
- Work with students to develop effective success strategies
- Assist students with meeting academic, career, and personal goals
How are Success Coaches assigned?
After enrolling at Gaston College, students are assigned a Success Coach based on their program of study. First-year students are notified of their Success Coach through a Welcome email and phone call. Subsequent interactions will occur through in-person meetings, video-conference, phone, email, or Watermark Student Success and Engagement.
Watermark Student Success and Engagement
To promote student success across the College, the Student Development and Support Services department utilizes the Watermark Student Success and Engagement software platform. This reporting system serves as a tool for staff, academic advisors, and faculty to work collaboratively concerning students’ academic performance in a course, including: attendance, homework completion, study skills, motivation, class participation, and grades. The platform also allows users to submit alerts, which:
- Provide feedback concerning students’ overall performance in a course
- Give suggestions/strategies for students to improve
- Enable the College to better identify and intervene with students
If you are a student in need of basic assistance - food, housing, transportation, tuition, books, or other resources - we are here to support you. The Student Development and Support Services department manages several campus resources that are available to assist you.
Emergency Assistance Program
Gaston College recognizes that students may encounter obstacles that can impact their ability to be successful in college. Thankfully, because of the contributions of private foundations, community members, and faculty and staff, the Gaston College Foundation has emergency funds to assist Gaston students who experience unexpected or unavoidable hardships. Expenses covered by the Emergency Assistance funds include, but are not limited to, tuition, books, academic supplies, and living expenses (rent, mortgage, utilities, gas, car repairs, and childcare). If you need support with any of these areas or other basic needs, please complete the Emergency Assistance Request Form. Once your request is received, a staff member in the Student Development and Support Services Department will contact you via your Gaston College email account.
Mo’s Pantry
Here at Gaston College, we believe every student should have enough food to meet their nutritional needs. Therefore, in an effort to eliminate food insecurity across the College, the Mo’s Pantry is available to assist ALL Gaston students. The pantry is a free resource that provides non-perishable food and personal care items to aid Gaston students. Students in need of assistance can connect with staff at 704.922.2366 or at mospantry@gaston.edu.
Student Development and Support Services (SDSS) strives to connect students with various resources that support their wellness and success. Because we recognize students require support beyond campus, SDSS provides access to an online Community Resource Finder that is powered by Aunt Bertha. Through this platform, students can search by their location for numerous services including food, housing, health care, personal goods, and much more. For more information or to search for available resources, please visit the Community Resource Finder.
Student Life welcomes and integrates students into campus life through involvement in student clubs and organizations and enhances students’ co-curricular experiences through activities outside the classroom. The Coordinator of Student Life and Special Projects serves as a resource for all faculty and staff club advisors and is responsible for approving all campus activities sponsored by student clubs and organizations.
Student Government Association (SGA)
The Student Government Association acts an intermediary between the student body and the College, serving to gather and share student views. SGA operates under a constitution and is responsible for formulating an annual budget from student activity fees, directing annual elections, holding regular meetings to promote the interests of students, planning extracurricular activities, and chartering new student clubs and organizations. The President of the Student Government Association serves as a non-voting member of the Board of Trustees. SGA is available to all students during events, office hours, and through online platforms. All curriculum students are eligible to be a part of SGA, including dual-enrollment students.
Student Clubs and Organizations
Gaston College supports student clubs and organizations for the academic and social development of students. Student Life inspires students to become active members of the campus community. Through student club and organization involvement, students are given an opportunity to give back to the community. There are various clubs and organizations where students may pursue special interests and talents. For a complete listing of active campus clubs and organizations, please contact Student Life at studentlife@gaston.edu.
Student Organization Activities and Fundraisers
For student organizations to schedule an activity and / or fundraiser on campus, a fundraiser and activity clearance form must be obtained from Student Life located on the second floor of the Myers Center. Completion of this form is necessary to secure the cooperation of student organizations on campus and to avoid scheduling conflicts.
Student organization activities are approved at several levels. The advisor is the first to give permission for an activity. Approval is indicated with a signature on the Student Life: Activities and Fundraiser Clearance Form. The signature of the advisor is a commitment to be present at the activity and provide proper supervision. The final signatures needed to begin the activity are the Coordinator of Student Life and Special Projects, the Dean of Student Development and Support Services, and the Vice President for Student Services. The activity clearance form with its signed approvals is filed in this office.
Procedure for Starting New Student Clubs and Organizations
When a group of students recognize a common interest which it wishes to strengthen through formal organization, a written proposal should be submitted to the Coordinator of Student Life and Special Projects, Dean of Student Development and Support Servies, and the Vice President for Student Services. The proposal should consist of the following: (a) the need for the organization, (b) its purpose, (c) its goal and/or objectives, (d) at least five interested currently enrolled students with one willing to serve as president, (e) name of the advisor (advisors must be a full-time faculty or staff member at Gaston College), (f) the constitution and bylaws, and (g) completed Student Organization Registration Form.
- A student interested in starting a student organization should contact the Coordinator of Student Life for further information at 704.922.6312.
- The interested group must present its proposal to the Student Government Association.
- If the proposal is approved, the Coordinator of Student Life and Special Projects, Dean of Student Development and Support Services, and the Vice President for Student Services must review and approve the formation of the organization.
- The Coordinator of Student Life and Special Projects will grant recognition conferring all the privileges and responsibilities accorded similar organizations.
TRiO Student Support Services (TRiO SSS) is a federally-funded TRiO program designed to improve the retention, graduation, and transfer success of eligible participants. TRiO SSS prides itself in creating a welcoming environment, and provides academic, personal, financial aid, and transfer support for program participants. Students who meet the following criteria are welcome to apply:
Qualifications:
- Be enrolled in Gaston College
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
- Have a need for academic support
- Meet at least one of the following:
- Meet Federal Income Guidelines
- First-Generation - Neither parent has earned a bachelor’s degree
- Documented Disability
Services provided through TRiO/SSS include:
- Academic Advising
- Priority Registration
- Financial Literacy and Financial Aid Assistance
- Academic Success Workshops
- Transfer Planning
- Volunteer and Community Involvement
- Cultural and Social Events
- Access to the TRiO/SSS Resource Center
TRiO Student Support Services is located on the Dallas Campus in the Robinson Classroom Building, 239. For additional information, contact TRiO/SSS at 704.922.2366 or at trio.sss@gaston.edu.
Student Code of Conduct
All students have the right to a safe, peaceful, quality, and honest educational environment. If a student’s conduct disrupts or threatens to disrupt the College community, the College will take appropriate disciplinary action to restore and protect the mission, safety, peace, and integrity of the College. The intent of the Student Code of Conduct is not to restrict student freedoms but to protect the rights of individuals in their academic pursuits.
Gaston College (GC) is committed to providing a safe and secure working and learning environment. As part of this commitment, Gaston College has established a behavioral intervention committee known as the CARE Team. CARE is an acronym that stands for: Conduct • Awareness • Response • Encouragement.
The CARE Team is responsible for assessing and managing behaviors that pose, or may pose, a threat to the College Community.
For more information on the Student Code of Conduct, please visit Student Rights and Responsibilities of the Catalog and Student Handbook.
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