Academic Support Services

This is an archived copy of the 2019-2020 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.cincinnatistate.edu.

Academic Advising

Academic advising assists students in reaching their academic and career goals at Cincinnati State. Program chairs, academic advisors, other faculty members, and some staff members are assigned to guide students through activities such as:

  • Setting academic goals
  • Developing educational plans
  • Selecting courses
  • Providing information on transfer credits
  • Understanding and meeting requirements for graduation
  • Clarifying career and personal goals
  • Explaining academic policies and procedures
  • Addressing academic challenges
  • Making appropriate referrals to campus support services

Counseling Services

Cincinnati State Counseling Services promote student learning and development by providing counseling and referral services that address the developmental, career, and mental health needs of Cincinnati State students.

Counseling Services offered include:

Assessment: Help in identifying a student’s needs, appropriate services, and a possible referral to community resources.

Consultation: Counselors are available for consultation with students, faculty, and administrators. Not every student concern is necessarily served best by the College’s Counseling Services. If a counselor determines that a student may be better served through other resources, the student is referred to a related on-campus service or to a community resource or agency.

Mental Health/Personal Counseling: Enrolled students may take advantage of one-on-one, short-term counseling that is voluntary and focuses on personal concerns that impair a student’s ability to function in a classroom setting. Mental health counseling and crisis intervention services are provided also.

For more information, contact the Counseling Services office in Main Building Room 171 (Clifton Campus), or call (513) 569-5779.

Career Counseling: The Cincinnati State Career Center in ATLC Building Room 215 (Clifton Campus) helps students clarify interests and values, assess skills, and learn about the world of work and continuing education opportunities.

Disability Services

The College's Office of Disability Services works with students to ensure they receive academic accommodations in their courses. The primary goal of Disability Services is to guarantee that all students with disabilities have an equal opportunity in the pursuit of their educational objectives. Services and programs are available for students according to individual need.

Students with disabilities who need accommodations must first register with the Office of Disability Services and present appropriate documentation. Additionally, students must present their class schedules to the Disability Services Office at the start of the academic semester to determine appropriate accommodations.

Services available include test proctoring, note-taking, scribing, interpreting, assistive technology, advocacy, and providing audio text and Braille access, as well as referrals to other campus support services and to community resources.

For more information, contact the Office of Disability Services in Main Building Room 129 (Clifton Campus), or call (513) 569-1775.

High School Equivalency Testing

Cincinnati State operates a High School Equivalency (HSE) Testing Center through the College's Educational Opportunity Center, as part of our mission to provide access to educational opportunities and to prepare individuals for success. Current testing options include GED and TASC. Additionally, the College maintains an extensive network of contacts with social service agencies and career centers throughout Greater Cincinnati.

For more information, call (513) 569-1830.

Honors Program

The Honors Program is for highly-motivated, highly-qualified students enrolled at Cincinnati State. Students in the Honors Program participate in challenging coursework, close student-instructor interactions, and interdisciplinary and intercultural explorations.

The goal of the program is to enable qualified students to transfer to a four-year college or university or enter a professional field at a high level of ability by developing leadership, creativity, and cognitive skills that foster lifelong career success. Admission to the Honors Program allows students to enroll in specially designed Honors courses and to participate in cultural, social, scientific, and community events.

The Honors Program at Cincinnati State is open to all full-time and part-time degree-seeking students who meet Honors Program entrance criteria. For more information see the Honors Program description elsewhere this catalog.

International Students Office

The International Students Office is responsible for developing programs to support and serve the international student community. Other services include:

  • Assistance with obtaining, updating, and transferring the I-20 form
  • Advising on admission processes and immigration regulation assistance
  • Helping international students adapt to the campus environment and the community
  • Referring international students to on-campus and external resources

For more information, contact the International Students Office in Main Building Room 196 (Clifton Campus), or call (513) 569-4769.

Library

The Johnnie Mae Berry Library, named for the College’s first librarian, provides library services to the College community. The library is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. (The Library is closed on holidays and other days the College is closed. Hours are adjusted in Summer Semester and during College breaks.)

Trained library staff members assist patrons in locating information and using the College’s reference, circulation, and periodical collections. Help is also available by contacting the library via phone, chat, or email.

Along with standard print items, the library has a wide array of electronic resources available on- or off-campus via internet access. The library’s online homepage is located at www.cincinnatistate.edu/library. The library website provides access to:

  • BLINK, the library’s online catalog
  • Full-text articles via numerous databases and the Electronic Journal Center
  • Subject and course-specific Library Guides to assist with research 24/7
  • Video tutorials to help students find books and articles and avoid plagiarism

On-campus patrons have access to 19 computers and 30 laptops located on the main level of the library.

Students may check out circulating books for 3 weeks and fiction DVDs for 3 days by presenting a valid SurgeCard (ID card). Books may be renewed up to 6 times, provided no one has placed a hold on the item. DVDs are not renewable.

All circulating items incur fines of 50 cents per day if overdue. Items not returned within 30 days of being overdue will be billed at a rate of at least $85 per item to cover the replacement and processing costs. Upon return of the overdue item, the charge is reduced to $35 per item. All fines and bills are added to student accounts and can be paid at the Cashier’s Office.

Cincinnati State is a member of the Ohio Library Information Network, also known as OhioLINK. This network provides access to a central catalog of the colleges and universities throughout Cincinnati and Ohio. Students can request books from any other OhioLINK library through this system. Items are usually delivered within 5 days and are checked out for 3 weeks and can be renewed up to 6 times. Overdue fines of 50 cents per day are charged for books borrowed from other libraries. A bill of $125 per item is generated for books overdue for 30 days, but the charge is reduced to $50 if the item is returned.

The library’s media collection provides a variety of popular and instructional videos that are available for students to check out for 3-day periods.

Laptops and Reserve items (including some textbooks) are available at the Check-Out Desk.

  • Reserve textbooks check out for 2 hours and can be used in the library.
  • Laptops check out for 4 hours and can be taken anywhere on campus. The laptops contain the software found in College computer labs and connect to the internet via a wireless network.
    • Laptop kits (including a laptop and charger) are available for 1-day check out and can be taken off-campus. (NOTE: Cincinnati State wifi is available only while on campus.)  
    • A SurgeCard (ID card) is required for check-out.

Students with overdue laptops or reserve items are subject to a fine of $5 for each hour the laptop or reserve item is late.

Four group study rooms inside the library are available for groups of two or more, for 2-hour periods. A variety of tables, desks, and carrels for individual study are present throughout the library.

Two coin-operated copiers are available in the library. Copies are 10 cents per page, but scanning to a student's external storage drive is free. Students can print documents from library computers and laptops using print funds allocated to their SurgeCard ID cards.

MyServices                               

MyServices is the pathway to web-based student services at Cincinnati State. Through MyServices, students can register, add, and drop classes; view and print class schedules; make payments; check on financial aid status; view and print grade reports; and access a variety of other services. To access MyServices, go to the Cincinnati State website at www.cincinnatistate.edu, and then choose MyCState. Log in with username and password, and then choose the MyServices tab.

Study Abroad

To facilitate opportunities for study outside the U.S., Cincinnati State has affiliation agreements with the University of Arizona Yangtze International Study Abroad program (YISA) and International Studies Abroad (ISA). Students are not limited to these programs and are free to participate in other school/organization-sponsored programs.

For more information, call the International Students Office at (513) 569-4769.

Tutoring Center, Math Center, and Writing Center

Cincinnati State provides free tutoring services to any student enrolled at the College, as well as focused support for classes that involve math and writing.

The Tutoring Center is in Room 261 Main Building (Clifton Campus). The Math Center is in Room 228B Main Building (Clifton Campus).

The Tutoring Center and Math Center serve as resources to support, improve, and enhance student learning. In addition to faculty and staff volunteers and paid staff, student tutors provide peer-to-peer support. Student tutors have received an A or B in their coursework and must be recommended by Cincinnati State faculty members. Student tutors are trained to provide effective support.

Tutoring can be provided for most courses when students request assistance. Tutors can share ideas, interpret and clarify terms, answer questions, and guide students’ efforts. However, tutors will not do the tutored student’s homework. The student receiving tutoring must attend class regularly, read the textbook, be prepared for tutoring sessions, have relevant questions, and complete all homework assignments. These efforts will facilitate academic success.

For more information, email successcenter@cincinnatistate.edu, or call (513) 569-1614.

The Cincinnati State Writing Center, located in Main Building Room 235 (Clifton Campus), offers student-focused instructional support, free of charge, to those whose coursework includes written assignments.

The Writing Center’s mission is to provide students with the best help possible. Writing Center tutors are qualified, experienced writing instructors who teach a variety of classes at Cincinnati State or other institutions. They are familiar with the requirements and expectations of Cincinnati State courses involving writing.

Walk-in service is available at the Writing Center, but appointments are preferred. Students should log into their Cincinnati State account and use Starfish to schedule appointments with Writing Center instructors.

TRIO Student Support Services

TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is funded by the U.S Department of Education through a grant. The goal of TRIO Student Support Services at Cincinnati State is to increase college retention and graduation rates among the participants, and help students learn to progress from one level of higher education to the next.

TRIO SSS provides educational opportunity for first generation, low-income, and disabled students. Students are admitted to the program because of a level of academic need that is based on transcript data, study skills mastery, college and career goals, understanding of financial aid, test scores, college readiness, ESL (if applicable), and/or other issues that can affect the student's ability to succeed in college.

TRIO SSS provides eligible students with individualized academic resources and advising to develop academic plans and goals, and enhance the student’s college experience by creating an institutional climate of support.

For more information contact the TRIO SSS office in Main Building Room 131B (Clifton Campus), or call (513) 569-4797.

TRIO Educational Opportunity Center    

The TRIO Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) is funded by the Department of Education through a grant. The purpose of TRIO Educational Opportunity Center is to assist students age 19 and older who are first generation and low income to enter post-secondary education programs.

EOC services include college selection counseling, admission process assistance, FAFSA and financial aid documents, scholarship searches, career counseling, and referrals to support resources.

Additionally, EOC administers High School Equivalency (HSE) examinations and makes referrals to related community resources to prepare for the test. Other services include help preparing for the Accuplacer assessment and tutoring to brush up on math and language skills.

For more information, contact the TRIO EOC Office in Main Building Room 133 (Clifton Campus), or call (513) 569-1817.

Veteran Student Affairs

The Office of Veteran Student Affairs at Cincinnati State offers assistance to veterans, eligible dependents, and selected reservists who wish to initiate, continue, or resume using their VA educational benefits.

The office provides benefit counseling, assistance with filing educational claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs, admission advising, and referrals to other support services on campus and in various community agencies. The office also monitors student degree plans and graduation progress.

The State Approving Agency for Veterans Training has approved Cincinnati State for the education and training of veterans and all their dependents under all existing public laws.

Cincinnati State complies with all regulations set forth by the Veterans Administration, including, but not limited to, the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2019 for Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 eligible veterans.

For more information, contact the Veteran Student Affairs Office in Main Building Room 135 (Clifton Campus), or call (513) 569-1543.