The Student Services Division provides services and programs to enhance the general education and development of students, enrich the quality of student life and support the teaching and service mission of the College.
The division consists of student activities, admission and records, advising and counseling, testing, financial aid, orientation, registration, recruitment, campus bookstore and student organizations.
Advising and Counseling
The College provides a wide range of advising and counseling services to all students. The goal of the center is to assist in the resolution of student problems and questions and ultimately support personal growth and development.
The Advising and Counseling Center can provide specific assistance with class schedule planning, change of major, general information about various career choices, and transferring college credits. Questions concerning Texas Success Initiative (TSI) may also be directed to the center’s staff. The staff can provide current information concerning degree plans for all degree, certificate and institutional awards, as well as programs at other colleges and universities. The Transfer Success advisor is available to facilitate a successful transfer in order to meet your educational and career goals.
Trained personnel offer both academic and career counseling as well as limited social and personal counseling on an individual and confidential basis.
Students are always welcome to drop in to the Advising and Counseling Center to discuss any kind of concern. The philosophy of the center is that no concern is too small to bring to the Advisors’ attention. When a problem exists that requires special professional expertise, the Advising and Counseling Center is the best place to receive a referral to an off-campus resource.
The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The center is closed during observed holidays as noted on the academic calendar in this catalog.
The Advising and Counseling Center is located in room 113 of the Ron E. Lewis Library Building. Students do not need an appointment to see an advisor. For more information, please call (409) 882-3340 or email advising@lsco.edu.
Academic Advising
Academic advising is necessary to ensure that all students are in compliance with the Texas Success Initiative testing requirements and Lamar State College Orange policies. Participation in continuous academic advising is vital to students’ academic successes. Thus, students are expected to participate in the advising process throughout their careers on the Lamar State College Orange campus. All first-time students, students with fewer than 15 credit hours, students with undecided majors, students on academic probation or suspension, and students who have not completed the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) provisions are required to register through the Advising and Counseling Center. All other students are encouraged to seek academic advising at least once per year.
Career Planning
Lamar State College Orange provides career advising services to all students and alumni through Career Coach, an online career planning tool. Career Coach assists students through all phases of developing, initiating, and implementing career plans. Information regarding employment opportunities and career options are provided along with access to live local job postings. Full-time and part-time employment opportunities, such as internships, are available through Career Coach.
Summary of Services:
- Career Assessments
- Up-to-date Job Market Information
- Resume Building (account creation required)
- Live Employment Opportunities
For more information, contact the Advising and Counseling Department at 409-882-3340.
Career Assessments
Career Coach Assessment at lsco.emsicc.com/assessment. This is an interest survey to help students find out what their interests are and how they relate to the work. There is a 6-question quick start assessment or 60-question detailed assessment available. After finishing, the top three traits and details of the individuals’ top career matches will be provided. The feedback helps students determine what kind of position and organization best suits their decision-making and communication styles. Additional information related to education level and salary projects is provided.
Resume Building
Resume Building is located at lsco.emsicc.com/resume-builder. Career Coach’s resume builder tool allows students to create up to six different resumes, readily available for download. Contact information can be added as well as work experience and tasks and past training opportunities. Resumes can be downloaded and submitted through live job postings.
Employment Opportunities
Employment opportunities are located at lsco.emsicc.com/work-opportunities. Browse live postings and submit resumes through this portal.
BlackboardConnect Emergency Alert Messaging System
Lamar State College Orange utilizes the communications system, BlackboardConnect, which allows the delivery of time-sensitive emergency notification via voice messages, e-mails and text messages in the event of a campus emergency. The BlackboardConnect service provides a safer environment, enhances emergency preparedness and will keep students, faculty and staff better informed. LSCO will use this service for the purpose of notifying the campus community of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of faculty, staff, or students.
Campus Security
The Lamar State College Orange security department can be reached at (409) 670-0789. The 24/7 emergency number answered by Orange Police Department dispatch is (409) 88301026. Campus security officers have enforcement authority on property owned and controlled by the College. The streets contiguous to and running through the campus are under the authority of the Orange Police Department. Campus security officers are authorized by state statute to enforce federal and state laws within their jurisdiction, in addition to rules and regulations issued by the Board of Regents of LSCO. Security guards patrol all LSCO campus facilities. They patrol on foot or in golf carts marked with SECURITY. LSCO officers are available to provide escort service to anyone whom may be concerned with their safety. LSCO officers enjoy a good working relationship with federal, state, local, city, and county law enforcement authorities. The Security Department’s working relationship with other area law enforcement agencies ensures that crimes and violations at nearby campus sites may be reported to LSCO officers and, if further assistance is needed, at on-campus locations. Lamar State College Orange and the City of Orange Police Department have a memoranda of understanding for the investigation of alleged criminal offenses on and near campus. Both entities recognize the importance of having effective communication and coordination regarding alleged criminal offenses, including but not limited to, allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking that involve the College’s students or take place on and around the LSCO’s campus.
Degree Works
Students, faculty mentors, academic advisors, and staff members have access to DegreeWorks; a degree audit system within MyGator. The tool allows all parties to see the same information about what courses students have successfully completed and what courses are still required for students’ chosen degree plan.
For students, DegreeWorks:
- Provides real-time advice and counsel
- Provides intuitive web access to Gator self-service capabilities
- Streamlines the graduation process
- Allows direct access to multiple related services and advice through hyperlinks to catalog information, class schedules, transcripts, and FAQs
For advisors and staff members, DegreeWorks:
- Supports real-time delivery of academic advice through intuitive web interfaces
- Minimizes errors through consistent degree plans
- Supports more timely degree certification
- Reduces paperwork and manual program check sheetsSupports and monitors unique program changes
Students and advisors can also use DegreeWorks to test “what if” scenarios with alternate majors to see how a change of major might affect the student’s expected graduation date.
Current students may access DegreeWorks, view course schedules, and register for classes online by logging into MyGator/Gator Self-Service from our website www.lsco.edu.
Disability Support Services
Lamar State College Orange offers a variety of support services to enable students with disabilities and/or special needs to participate in the full range of college experiences. Students requesting academic adjustments and/or accommodations must document their requests for services in the Disability Support Services Office in the Advising Office.
Services are arranged to fit students’ individual needs and may include individualized test administration, registration assistance, resource referral, sign language interpreters, note takers, tutors, readers, scribes, and the loan of specialized equipment, such as audio recorders, assistive listening devices, magnification technology, and access to a TDD.
When necessary, the advisor for students with disabilities acts as a liaison among students and faculty, administrators, and outside agencies.
The Disability Support Services Office works closely with the Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services. The department provides disabled persons opportunities to enter into or return to gainful employment. Assistance with tuition and fees–in addition to diagnostic evaluation, vocational counseling, and physical restoration–may be provided. For more information contact or write the Texas Workforce Solutions, Orange Field Office, 2415 N 16th Street, Orange, Texas 77630 at (409) 882-0302 or (877) 834-JOBS (5627) or www.setworks.org
Visually and hearing impaired students and other qualified students with disabilities may be eligible for assistance, including mobility training, professional counseling, placement services, tuition assistance, reader services, personal assistants, and other services through the Texas Workforce Solutions. The department also maintains special equipment for its clients. To reach the Division of the Blind, call (409) 899-8490 or (800) 687-7013.
Special Accommodations Testing
Needs for special accommodations must be identified and documented on the Request for Special Accommodations Form located in the Disability Support Services Office. Students who qualify for special testing accommodations for regular classroom tests must confer with their instructors who will forward exam material to the Testing Center. Instructions for special accommodations must be submitted by the instructor along with the student’s test and must explain in detail the required accommodations. For more information or to schedule appointments, please call (409) 882-3330.
Distance Education
The College offers a variety of hybrid and fully online courses. Blackboard is the school’s learning management system and provides the foundation for the distance education program. The distance education program is managed by the Office of Learning Technology. Student training on Blackboard is offered each semester; videos are also available on the LSCO website. A Blackboard Student Orientation is available to all students.
Gator Assistance Programs
The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) represents an important opportunity to expand opportunities for every student to explore, choose, and follow career and technical education programs of study and career pathways to earn credentials of value. Perkins V continues the long-time federal commitment to Career and Technical Education (CTE) by providing funding for CTE programs and focusing on improving the academic and technical achievement of CTE students, strengthening the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improving accountability.
The Perkins Basic Grant Program supports students who enroll in CTE courses and programs in preparation for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations. With an emphasis on access and equity, the Perkins Basic Grant Program supports faculty professional development, CTE program equipment purchases, and student support assistance programs through the Gator Assistance Program (GAP). GAP students may receive child care, transportation, and/or classroom/instructional supply support if you are an
Individual with a disability(ies);
- Individual from an economically disadvantaged family, including being a low-income youth or adult;
- Individual preparing for a non-traditional field;
- Single parent, including single pregnant women;
- Out-of-workforce individual;
- English learner;
- Homeless;
- Youth who is in, or has aged out of, the foster care system; and
- Youth with a parent who
- Is a member of the armed forces; and
- Is on active duty.
Health Services and Student Insurance
Because Lamar State College Orange is a commuter school, the College does not employ a full-time health professional. The existence of a local ambulance service and the posting of emergency telephone numbers in each office provide adequate medical service for the staff and student body. Students are encouraged to contact their personal physicians or the County Health Clinic in case of illness. Any campus accident or serious illness must be reported to the Dean of Student Services.
All registered students enrolled in six or more credit hours (three or more during the summer) are eligible to purchase health insurance for an entire year or for one semester. Health and accident insurance is required of all international students and all participants in the intramural sports and Spring Day Program. Insurance information is available from the Dean of Student Services.
Learning Center
The Learning Center, located in room 131 of the Ron E. Lewis Library building, offers LSCO students tutoring and study space, as well as access to printers, scanners, assistive technology, and computers equipped with a variety of software. Tutoring is available by appointment and on a walk-in basis.
Upon arrival, students check in with their LSCO IDs and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere in which to work independently or collaboratively. Staff and peer tutors stand ready to answer questions and facilitate learning. In addition, staff routinely curate and create online, multi-media, and printed materials to reinforce foundational skills and supplement classroom instruction. The Learning Center continually strives to develop tutorial services and resources that accommodate students’ needs and compliment the academic, technical, and occupational curricula at Lamar State College Orange. Above all, the Learning Center aims to foster strong study skills and habits of thought that sustain students’ success.
Besides traditional face-to-face tutoring, Learning Center tutors offer online sessions during business hours using virtual meeting applications such as Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and GoBoard. To arrange tutoring-face-to-face or virtual-or simply ask a quick question, students may contact the Learning Center via any of the following methods:
- Phone: (409) 882-3373
- Email: learning.center@lsco.edu
- Live chat at https://www.lsco.edu/learningcenter/learningcenter.asp
Free access to 24/7 tutoring is also available online for LSCO students through Upswing at https://lsco.upswing.io/.
Ron E. Lewis Library
The purpose of the Ron E. Lewis Library is to support the educational mission of Lamar State College Orange by providing activities, services, resources, and programs to students, faculty, staff and the community. The library, located at the center of campus, opened in June 2001 and is an integral part of the College’s learning experience. The library contains a collection of resources, both electronic and print, which support the school’s curriculum and the information needs of students and faculty. The collection contains more than 45,000 print items and subscribes to more than 150 periodicals covering education and leisure. Included in the media library are 2,500+ titles of both educational films and popular movies. Students have access to 68 computers to search dozens of licensed electronic databases which include products from EBSCO, Gale-Cengage, Proquest, and NexisUni among others. These databases provide access to nearly 175,000 eBook, journal, newspaper, and magazine titles. Students may access these databases and eBooks via the Internet from anywhere by using their LSCO login information.
To facilitate cooperation and resource sharing, the library is a member of Amigos Library Services and participates in the TexShare Program. This project is managed by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and funded by the Texas Legislature. The TexShare Program is designed to facilitate access to library materials for all Texans. All printed resources, except reference and reserve materials, circulate and are readily available on open shelves. The student identification card serves as the library card when checking out these items.
While students are encouraged to learn how to find and use their own resources in the library, librarians and library staff are always willing and available to assist students in the location and use of library materials. Instruction in the use of the library is provided to classes and individuals. Online tutorials are available through the library’s web page. Photocopiers, computers, audio/visual equipment and individual and group study rooms are also available.
As part of the community service mission of the College, library facilities and privileges are extended to adult patrons of the Orange Public Library. The Ron E. Lewis Library maintains a reciprocal borrowing agreement with the Orange Public Library and maintains a cooperative working arrangement with the Mary and John Gray Library at Lamar University. The Ron E. Lewis Library also honors the TexShare borrower card when presented with acceptable photo identification. Some use and access restrictions may apply to resources and materials with contractual and licensing restrictions.
Student Handbook
Policies and procedures related to student life and to the rights and responsibilities that accompany student citizenship are found in the Student Conduct Code. This code and other important information pertaining to student life may be found in the Student Handbook. It is the student’s responsibility to be knowledgeable of established college policies and procedures that are contained in the Student Handbook and to comply with them. Copies of the Student Handbook are available upon request in the office of the Dean of Student Services and may also be viewed at www.lsco.edu.
New Student Orientation
A freshman orientation program is offered during August for the fall enrollment and in January for the spring enrollment. These sessions are designed to acquaint new students with campus facilities, academic and student support services, and give individual students opportunities to confer with advisors, program directors and associate deans about academic programs. Details of the orientation programs can be found at https://www.lsco.edu/orientation/orientation.asp or by contacting the Recruiting Office at (409) 882-3379.
The Student Center provides facilities for leisure-time recreation and is the campus center for many extracurricular activities. The center includes a TV, café, games, and recreational facilities. All students must present their Lamar State College Orange student identification cards at the front check-in counter in order to use these facilities.
Testing Center
The Lamar State College Orange Testing Center is located in room 107 of the Ron E. Lewis Library Building. The Testing Center provides a quiet and comfortable setting for group and individual testing of students. The center is completely handicapped accessible. Testing Center hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month during fall and spring semesters. The center observes reduced hours during the Summer semesters, 8 a.m. through 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday; and 8 a.m. through noon on Friday.
Individual testing for career assessment inventories, make-up exams, finals, English and math placement, credit by examination, etc., is done on an appointment basis. During registration a student can generally get the results for the English, language arts, reading, and math sections of the TSI Assessment immediately, be advised and register in one day if the student has already been accepted for admissions.
Career development exams are offered to assist students who want to explore career alternatives. The Lamar State College Orange Testing Center offers the newest in valid and reliable career assessment instruments. Two such instruments are the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) Career Report and the newly revised Strong Interest Inventory (SII). Tests are administered on a computer, and a profile is available at the end of the test session. Students may see counselors at the Advising and Counseling Center for explanations of the results.
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