Every student must seek help in the Counseling and Advisement Center upon enrollment. Some students go there just because it is a mandatory stop, but others go there for questions that they need answered

“Anthony Pierulla answered all of my questions and signed me up for my classes right away,” said Katrina Kosub, Marketing freshman.

For other students, going through the counseling and advisement process was not as easy.

“I went in circles from one counselor to the next trying to get my questions answered,” said Lacie Wright, an undecided freshman.

This year, the Counseling and Advisement Center has introduced a few new procedures in hopes that some of the confusion and stress will be reduced for students and faculty.

First, they have mandated the use of Faculty Advisers. Any student who has decided on a major should seek help from whoever is assigned to their major. You can find a list of the Faculty Advisers on pages 10 and 11 of the Palo Alto College Bulletin Summer/Fall Class Schedule 2002.

The other mandate is Orientation, which now must be taken the freshman year. Any student who transfers from another facility and has never had an Orientation class must also enroll.

Patty Parma was recently appointed to the newly created position of Director of Counseling and Advisement. She hopes to make things easier for the students and the staff. In addition she would like to set up a student focus group so that she can get feedback on where students have difficulties.

“We’re in the information-gathering process,” said Parma. Contact Parma by Friday, Nov. 1, if you would like to be a member of this student focus group. She may be reached at 921-5280 or <pparma@accd.edu>.

There is also a committee that has been put together to help resolve many of the problems around campus. This committee is called the task force, and it has been considering the good and bad points of the Counseling and Advisement center along with other problems that need to be addressed at Palo Alto.

Gloria Elaine Hilario, Dean of Learning Resources and a member of the Task Force, would like to resolve any questions or concerns students have.

“We would like to help students know what direction to take,” said Hilario. Hilario may be reached at 921-5100.

Dr. Aldolfo “Sonny” Barrera, the new vice president of Student Affairs, is also committed to helping students. He believes that it should only take one referral to get a student to the place where their questions can be answered.

“I am very committed to avoiding the run around,” he said.