Student Services and Resources

Assessment/Testing Center

As part of the process to enhance student success, the Sierra College Assessment/Testing Center provides testing/placement for English, reading, mathematics, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Additionally, students wishing to register in CHEM 0001A must take the Chemistry Diagnostic Test.

Sierra College offers an online placement tool that helps to determine if high school students can be placed in English, reading and mathematics courses using high school transcripts. The placement tool is available on the Assessment web page.

Course placement services include evaluation of the following documents:

• high school and other college transcripts;
• Early Assessment Program (EAP) results;
• ACT, AP, ELM, EPT, IB, and SAT results; and
• other two-year regionally-accredited college assessment/placement reports.

All documents must be submitted at least five days prior to the planned registration date and may be submitted in person to the Assessment/Testing Center or by one of the following methods:

• Email: assessment@sierracollege.edu
• Rocklin Campus Fax: (916) 630-4513
• Nevada County Campus Fax: (530) 274-5307

It is the responsibility of the student to meet course prerequisites and corequisites, which are published in the schedule of classes and in this catalog. See “Prerequisites, Corequisites and Advisories” in this catalog for further information regarding clearance and appeal procedures.

All students must complete their initial assessments or placements before registering for classes. After the application for admission has been processed and the student identification number (ID) issued, students may schedule an assessment appointment. Appointments may be made online via mySierra or by calling one of the following numbers:

Rocklin Campus (916) 660-7430

Nevada County Campus (530) 274-5303

Tahoe-Truckee Campus (530) 550-2225

Students arriving for the appointment at the Assessment/Testing Center must present a valid photo identification, such as a driver’s license or high school ID. Results are available immediately after testing and may be viewed online via mySierra under the link, ‘View Assessment/Placement Results.’

The Assessment/Testing Center also monitors make-up tests for all Sierra College students who have missed an in-class exam, test, or quiz, and provides accommodations for students with disabilities. For further information please visit the testing web page.

Bookstores

The Sierra College bookstores are committed to providing the highest qual­i­ty ser­vic­e to meet the needs of students, faculty, staff and the community of Sierra College.

Textbooks for classes at all campuses may be ordered online at the bookstore web page. Sierra College merchandise, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and Wolverine gift items may also be ordered online. Refund/return policy information is available at any location.

Selling Books

Books may be sold back at any time for up to 50% of the original selling price. The best time to sell is at the end of each semester when the bookstore purchases textbooks for the upcoming term. A Sierra College Student Body ID is required. No receipt is necessary and it doesn’t matter where the books were purchased. Instructor and international editions cannot be sold.

Rocklin Campus Bookstore Hours and Information

Monday—Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Friday, 7:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Ex­tend­ed hours—first and last week of each semester; check the website for current hours. For fur­ther in­for­ma­tion call (916) 660-8200.

Nevada County Campus Bookstore Hours and Information

The NCC bookstore will be open on a limited basis for the first 3 weeks as well as the last week of each semester. For further information call (530) 274-5305.

Tahoe-Truckee Campus Bookstore Services

Books for Tahoe-Truckee classes are available at the Rocklin Campus Bookstore or can be ordered online. Orders for Tahoe-Truckee students must be shipped to the customer street address (no P.O. Boxes) or picked up at the Rocklin campus. For further information call (916) 660-8200.

Cafeteria/Campus Dining

The Rocklin cam­pus cafeteria is housed in the Cam­pus Center. Hot and cold food service avail­able in the cafeteria includes: deli bar, grill, piz­za and a coffee bar. Hours are subject to change; see the website for current hours.

The Nevada County campus cafeteria, located in the “C” building, pro­vides a variety of food services Monday through Thursday, including vending machines.

CAFYES Program

The Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program (CAFYES) provides enhanced support and services to eligible current and former foster youth attending Sierra College. The additional services may include:

• Housing Assistance Grant
• Monthly CAFYES Grant
• Emergency Shelter Assistance
• Additional funds to buy required textbooks/materials
• Additional funds to buy school supplies
• Monthly Disbursements of: Grocery Food Cards, Meal Cards, Gas Cards or Bus Passes
• Transportation Assistance
• Specialized Counseling and Supportive Success Coach-Advocate

CalWORKs

The CalWORKs program provides support services focused on helping Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)/cash aid recipient students obtain the necessary education and skills to begin and enhance their career growth and achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency. The pro­gram pro­vides eligible stu­dents with counseling, work study op­por­tu­ni­ties for on-cam­pus em­ploy­ment, as­sis­tance with cam­pus ser­vic­es and re­fer­rals to pub­lic and pri­vate agen­cies as needed. The CalWORKs pro­gram objective is to assist students in achiev­ing their ed­u­ca­tion­al and oc­cu­pa­tion­al goals. CalWORKs students may con­tact the Si­er­ra Col­lege CalWORKs of­fice at (916) 660-7367 or (530) 274-5322 in or­der to ensure that they meet their coun­ty CalWORKs re­quire­ments and can remain at Si­er­ra Col­lege for ed­u­ca­tion­al train­ing. Si­er­ra Col­lege CalWORKs is not part of the coun­ty wel­fare de­part­ment.

Career Connections

Career Connections offers resources to assist students in making career decisions, researching employment opportunities and developing job search skills. Career Connections offers information about current Sierra College majors, labor market trends, job search techniques, occupations, career decision making and employment. Services also include career development and planning, researching occupations and researching financial aid and scholarship information. Workshops related to career decision making and job search skills are offered each semester.

Career Connections also offers students a variety of career exploration opportunities including informational interviews, job shadowing and internships. These opportunities are designed to help students explore career options and obtain first-hand information regarding their field of interest. Career connections maintains a database of local professionals and businesses that may to assist students with career exploration.

Students are encouraged to visit Career and Transfer Connections to take advantage of the resources and material available to them.

For more information about career services, please visit the Career and Transfer Connections website.

Child Development Services

Sierra College partners with several educational agencies to provide child development programs for college students and the local community.  Sierra College Child Development Centers serve as teacher training lab sites for Sierra College students who are pursuing careers working with children and families. All centers are staffed by certificated, nurturing teachers who view learning as an active, engaging process that provides ample opportunities for exploration, hands-on experiences, and decision-making in a content rich setting.

Sierra College, in partnership with the Placer County Department of Education, Early Childhood Education Department, offers State Preschool programs at no cost to income eligible families. These programs, serving 3-5 year-olds, are offered on the College’s Rocklin Campus, the “Little Blue House” in Lincoln and at Rock Creek Elementary School in Auburn. State Preschools operate a three-hour morning and three-hour afternoon session, with full-day options at Rock Creek.

The Sierra College Nevada County Campus Child Development Center, in partnership with the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools, offers two programs at no cost to income eligible families. The State Preschool/Head Start program is offered for seven hours a day, and the toddler program for 18–36 month-olds is offered year round with full-day care.

For hours of operation and further information, contact the following:

• Placer County Office of Education, Early Childhood Education: (530) 745-1380
• Nevada County Campus Child Development Center, Grass Valley: (530) 274-5350

Cooperative Agencies Resources for Ed­u­ca­tion (CARE)

The CARE program provides services for those EOPS students who are single heads of household, receiving CalWORKs cash aid, and have at least one child under the age of fourteen. Students may also be eligible if a dependent child in the family receives CalWORKs cash aid.

CARE students may receive, in addition to the services pro­vid­ed to EOPS students, an additional fi­nan­cial aid grant to be used for educationally related ex­pens­es such as child care, textbooks/school sup­plies, and trans­por­ta­tion. Contact the Rocklin EOPS office at (916) 660-7366, or the Nevada Coun­ty EOPS office at (530) 274-5306 for fur­ther information and application assistance.

Counseling Services

Si­er­ra Col­lege coun­se­lors pro­vide ac­a­dem­ic ad­vis­ing, ca­reer, transfer, per­son­al, and crisis coun­sel­ing to stu­dents. Typ­i­cal ar­eas of con­cern to stu­dents are choos­ing ma­jors or ca­reers that are ap­pro­pri­ate to their in­ter­ests, abilities and val­ues; cop­ing with per­son­al prob­lems that may be caus­ing stress; and se­lect­ing cours­es in the prop­er se­quence to meet re­quire­ments and ed­u­ca­tion­al goals. Coun­se­lors also teach class­es de­signed to fa­cil­i­tate per­son­al growth, col­lege suc­cess and ca­reer ex­plo­ra­tion. See the Per­son­al De­vel­op­ment department in this cat­a­log.

In-person counseling is available by appointment and on a drop-in basis at each of the following locations. For appointment information call:

Rocklin Campus (916) 660-7400
Nevada County Campus (530) 274-5303
Tahoe-Truckee Campus (530) 550-2225

Online counseling services are available through the online counseling center on the website.

Disabled Students Pro­grams and Services

The primary mission of Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) is to promote student success among students with disabilities by the provision of disability specific counseling and academic accommodations that allow them to compete on a "level playing field" with non-disabled students. DSPS consists of three main components: 1)Disabled Student Services (DSS) which provides counseling services and accommodations; 2)Learning Opportunity Center (LOC) which provides support for students with learning disabilities (LD), assessment for LD, and resources; and 3) Assistive Computer Technology (ACT) which provides instructional material in accessible format and other alternate media services as appropriate to students with disabilities. 

• For the Rocklin Campus or Roseville Center, call (916) 660-7460.
• For the Nevada County Campus or Tahoe-Truckee Campus, call (530) 274-5330.

Distance Learning Courses

Distance learning courses are full-credit courses which allow students to complete college studies from the convenience of their own home. These courses are especially appealing to students with busy schedules who have a difficult time coming to campus on a regular basis. Online courses may be accessed from anywhere at anytime through an Internet connection. Instructors typically distribute course content on a weekly basis and require students to maintain a high level of interaction throughout the course. Hybrid courses, which are a combination of online and on-ground formats, are also offered.

Distance learning support is located in the Learning Resource Center on the Rocklin and Nevada County campuses, and in the library on the Tahoe-Truckee campus. For more information, go to http://www.sierracollege.edu/distancelearning.

Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)

EOPS is a stu­dent suc­cess pro­gram that provides access to a college education and assistance with reaching an educational/career goal for those in­di­vid­u­als affected by language, economic and so­cial dis­ad­van­tag­es. Eligible stu­dents may re­ceive academic, career and personal coun­sel­ing, spe­cial­ized ori­en­ta­tion, free tu­tor­ing, financial aid assistance, priority registration, help with the cost of books, trans­por­ta­tion as­sis­tance, cafeteria meal cards and other services designed to sup­port the student to stay in school and achieve their goals. Prescriptive/comprehensive Student Educational Plans (SEP) are developed for each EOPS student as part of the specialized counseling services provided by the program.

Students must meet cer­tain income and ed­u­ca­tion­al­ly disadvantaged cri­te­ria to receive services. Contact the Rocklin EOPS office at (916) 660-7366, the Nevada County EOPS office at (530) 274-5306, or go to the EOPS web page for further in­for­ma­tion.

Health Services

Sierra College Health Centers offer a wide variety of services. Nurse practitioners, licensed therapists, and a physician staff the clinics. Students are encouraged to utilize these services, which include:

• Education about healthy living and disease prevention
• Evaluation and treatment of students, who are ill, injured or need family planning
• Referrals to on-campus and community resources
• Laboratory testing
• Mental health therapy
• Immunizations
• Physical examinations.

Students must be registered in and actively attending classes to be eligible for services at a health center.

The Rocklin Campus Health Services Clinic is lo­cat­ed in the Winstead Center. For fur­ther in­for­ma­tion call (916) 660-7490.

The Ne­va­da Coun­ty Cam­pus Health Services Clinic is lo­cat­ed in N3-101. For further in­for­ma­tion call (530) 274-5317.

Housing

Sierra College is one of the few community colleges in California that offers the unique experience of residence hall community living on our Rocklin campus. North Hall is a two-story co-ed residence hall. A total of 121 students live in double occupancy rooms; two double rooms share a bathroom. Facilities that are available for residents include a large rec­re­ation room, kitchenette and laun­dry room. Basic util­i­ties are included as well as a meal plan for use in the cafeteria and select restaurants off-campus. In-room tele­phones and cable services are not included. Since cam­pus hous­ing is lim­it­ed, Housing Interest Forms should be submitted as early as pos­si­ble. Cam­pus Hous­ing Interest Forms and in­for­ma­tion may be ob­tained by calling the Housing of­fice at (916) 660-7389 or online at www.sierracollege.edu/housing. The Housing of­fice is lo­cat­ed in the Z Building.

Learning Opportunity Center

Sierra Col­lege of­fers a strong sup­port pro­gram for stu­dents with ver­i­fied learning dis­abil­i­ties. Ser­vic­es are pro­vid­ed to as­sist students in developing the skills they need to meet the ac­a­dem­ic demands of college and ben­e­fit fully from their ed­u­ca­tion­al experience.

A learning disability affects the information pro­cess­ing sys­tems of individuals with av­er­age or above in­tel­li­gence. This interference may affect in­take, re­ten­tion, retrieval, or ex­pres­sion of in­for­ma­tion. Stu­dents who have not yet been identified as being eligible for services as adults with a learning disability are evaluated in­di­vid­u­al­ly through the LRDS 0610 assessment course.

The Learning Opportunity Center also offers resources for learning strategies, individual appointments to help students identify steps for improvement, screenings to indicate the possibility of ADHD, and referrals to other departments as needed for student support.

For further in­for­ma­tion re­gard­ing this ­pro­gram please call the Rocklin campus at (916) 660-7452, or the Nevada County campus at (530) 274-5330.

Library/Learning Resource Center

The Rocklin campus library offers students a collection of over 85,000 print and 140,000 electronic books, various course textbooks available on reserve, and around-the-clock access to magazines, journals, newspapers, streaming films, and eBooks through subscription databases. Librarians are available to assist students in-person and online with research questions, and computers are available for library database and Internet research. The library website also offers online research guides and information literacy tutorials.

An open access com­put­er laboratory is avail­able to reg­is­tered stu­dents. On the ground floor of the Rocklin ­campus Learning Resource Center, the Ridley Art ­Gallery offers ex­hib­its from both the cam­pus and the larger community.

While classes are in session dur­ing the fall and spring semesters, the Rocklin campus library is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Fri­day from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. These hours vary during the summer sessions and holiday weeks; see the library website for current hours.

The Nevada County campus library oc­cu­pies a two-story building and provides a full range of library services, as well as serving as the campus testing center. A faculty librarian is at the reference desk most of the library’s open hours. The open stack book and media collections shelve 20,000 titles and 100 print periodicals. Computers are available for research and homework. The library is open during the fall and spring semesters Mon­day through Thurs­day, 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Fri­day, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Sum­mer session and holiday week hours are as announced.

The Tahoe-Truckee campus provides a range of library services in the Learning Center. While fall and spring classes are in session, hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and by appointment.

On-Campus Student Jobs

The Financial Aid offices at the Rocklin and Nevada County cam­puses assist cur­rent­ly en­rolled Si­er­ra Col­lege stu­dents in ob­tain­ing part-time jobs on campus. Currently, the college offers three on-campus em­ploy­ment pro­grams. These are:

• Federal Work Study—Students must qual­i­fy un­der Fed­er­al guide­lines by completing the FAFSA.
• District Student Help—This program is to assist stu­dents who do not qualify for Fed­er­al Work Study. Stu­dents must be en­rolled in at least six units and main­tain a 2.0 GPA.
• CalWORKs Work Study—Students must be currently receiving TANF or CalWORKs As­sis­tance.

All programs pay on the student em­ploy­ee wage scale. Each program has special en­roll­ment and ac­a­dem­ic re­quire­ments.

For further information regarding these pro­grams, con­tact the Rocklin campus Fi­nan­cial Aid office at (916) 660-7317 or the Nevada Coun­ty cam­pus Financial Aid office at (530) 274-5346.

Parking and Security Services

The District Parking and Security Ser­vic­es office is lo­cat­ed in building Xt, Room 1 on the Rocklin campus. Parking and Security Ser­vic­es at the Nevada County campus is located in the N1 building. Security Of­fic­ers are re­spon­si­ble for en­forc­ing park­ing reg­u­la­tions, responding to emer­gen­cies, lock­ing/unlocking fa­cil­i­ties, pro­vid­ing pub­lic as­sis­tance, and providing security escorts. Information regarding security policies and campus crime statistics, as required by the Clery Act, is available online at www.sierracollege.edu/about-us/admin-services/security/index.php.

Dial 911 for an emergency, or dial extension 7120 for a non-emer­gen­cy, from any of the help phones lo­cat­ed through­out the Rocklin and Ne­va­da Coun­ty cam­pus­es. To contact the Rocklin office from non-campus phones, dial (916) 660-7120. The Nevada County Campus Parking and Security Services office may be reached at (530) 274-5323.

Puente Program

Puente (Spanish for bridge) is a national model for student success and has provided tens of thousands of California students with the support to make college a reality. Students achieve success by graduating from Sierra College, enrolling in four-year colleges and universities, earning degrees, and eventually returning to the community as leaders and mentors to future generations. The Puente learning environment offers support in which students work one-on-one with a Counselor, English professor, and mentor to prepare for transfer. Coursework and cultural enrichment activities are included throughout the program and focus on the cultural experiences of the Mexican American/Latino community. The Puente Program is co-sponsored by the University of California and the California Community College Chancellor's Office. Applications and enrollment eligibility information are available on the Sierra College website or by contacting a campus Counseling department.

Sierra Promise

Sierra Promise is a commitment to provide local high schools students the opportunity to go to college.  Students are encouraged to complete a FAFSA or California Dream Act Application, register for the maximum semester units for their education plan and participate in Summer Jam.  In return, students receive guided assistance through the enrollment process, receive priority registration for their first semester, and are connected to student success programs for additional academic and financial resources. For additional information please visit the Sierra Promise website.

Student Engagement Centers

Sierra College offers three distinct Student Engagement Centers (SECs):

• the Cross Cultural Center;
• the Pride Center; and
• the Women and Gender Resource Center.

The SECs provide cross-cultural, LGBTQIA, and gender intersectional programs and services to historically marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented students. These spaces, within the larger community of learners, provide leadership development training, student employment, and co-curricular activities beyond the classroom that support the academic experience for all students.

Please visit all three centers during the fall and spring semesters, Monday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Cross Cultural Center is located in K-1, the Pride Center is located in I-4, and the Women and Gender Resource Center is located in I-1.

For more information, contact the Student Engagement Center director, Serjio Acevedo, at (916) 660-7550 or email sacevedo1@sierracollege.edu.

Transfer Services

Transfer services facilitates the transition from Sierra College to a baccalaureate-level college or university. Services are designed to reduce the complexity of transferring by using articulation and transfer agreements, transfer workshops, college tours, and transfer college fairs.

Admission counselors from local universities, such as Sacramento State and UC Davis, visit the Rocklin campus regularly to meet individually with students and provide information about admission, major programs, general education requirements, and transfer procedures. Additional university admission advising may be available via online or phone appointments.

Sierra College has transfer admission guarantee programs with many California State Universities, University of California campuses, and multiple out of state colleges and universities.  Meeting eligibility requirements for a transfer guarantee necessitates careful course planning. Students who are considering these programs are advised to meet regularly with a Sierra College counselor for advisement.

For more information about transfer services, please visit the Career and Transfer Connections website.

TRiO Student Support Services

TRiO Student Support Services (TRiO SSS) is a federally funded program that helps students overcome class, social, and cultural barriers to education. TRiO supports first-generation college, low-income, and students with documented disabilities in achieving an associate degree and/or transferring to a four-year university. Eligible students may receive specialized academic counseling, personal counseling, a comprehensive academic map, priority registration, help with the cost of textbooks, campus tours to four-year universities, free additional tutoring, free off-campus events, a laptop, an educational technology loan, and education regarding budgeting for college. Students must meet specific eligibility requirements to be selected for services. For more information, contact the Sierra College TRiO office at (916) 660-7376, or go to the TRiO web page.

Tutorial Services

The Learning Center provides students with the academic support needed to achieve success. Free tu­to­ri­al ser­vic­es are pro­vid­ed to stu­dents for classes in which they are en­rolled at Sierra College.

Students do not need to be fail­ing a class to request tu­to­ri­al as­sis­tance; in fact, stu­dents very of­ten seek tu­tor as­sis­tance to maintain un­der­stand­ing or to fur­ther ex­pand their in­for­ma­tion base.

Academically strong students with effective communication skills who have received A's in their classes are encouraged to inquire about the possibility of be­com­ing paid tutors.

For further information, contact the Rocklin Cam­pus Learning Cen­ter at (916) 660-7220, Room LR-402; or the Nevada County Campus Learning Center at (530) 274-5308, Room N2-202.

Umoja Learning Community

The Umoja Learning Community is open to all students and is designed to increase the retention and success rates as well as the graduation and transfer rates of African ancestry students. Umoja (a Kiswahili word meaning unity) is dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of Black/African American and other students, seeking to educate the whole student—body, mind and spirit. The curriculum focuses on improving reading, writing, self-discipline and critical thinking skills. Program counselors provide assistance with the personal issues that often hinder Black/African American students in an educational setting. Benefits of participating in the Umoja program include a strong support system, integrated instruction, tutoring, motivational/cultural workshops and college campus tours, book loan program, and mentorship with campus faculty/staff and community members. Applications and enrollment eligibility information are available on the Sierra College website or in the Rocklin campus Counseling Center. For additional information, contact Tonya Times at (916) 660-7415.

Veterans Success Center

The Sierra College Veterans Success Center provides assistance to veterans and their dependents who are eligible for various educational benefits. The Sierra College Veterans Success Center is located in the Learning Resource Center the Rocklin campus or room N1 223 at the Nevada County Campus. For more information, please visit our website.

Students receiving GI Bill benefits are subject to the following general policies and requirements:

• New students must complete assessment-placement in reading, English and mathematics, attend orientation and meet with the Sierra College Veterans Counselor before the start of their first semester.
• Official transcripts from all prior colleges, universities and training institutes must be submitted to the Sierra College Veterans Success Center.
• All prior college work must be evaluated for prior credit reporting. For this reason, it is best to order transcripts from previous colleges as early as possible.
• A veteran’s educational goal/objective must be declared upon application for VA educational benefits.
• Each program change requires an appointment with the Veterans Counselor to obtain an education plan.
• Academic progress toward the stated degree objective must be satisfactory. For details, see the Probation and Dismissal sections of this catalog. Failure to maintain a 2.0 GPA may result in termination of benefits.
• Adds, drops, changes of address, etc., must be reported to the Veterans Resource Center.

Veteran Dependent Exemption: Those children and spouses of U.S. veterans with service connected disabilities or U.S. veterans who died in service or from service-connected disabilities may be eligible for a college fee waiver. For more information contact your county ­Veterans Services Office or the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

Writing Center

The Sierra College Writing Centers pro­vide stu­dents with pro­fes­sion­al support and guid­ance in all writ­ing projects, regardless of course level or as­sign­ment com­plex­i­ty. Stu­dents may come to the Writ­ing Center, Learning Resource Center at the Rocklin Cam­pus, or Room N2-202 at the Nevada County Campus, for these ser­vic­es.

The Writing Center staff is committed to help­ing all stu­dents com­plete writing assignments suc­cess­ful­ly and on time, regardless of the stu­dent’s academic prep­a­ra­tion or lan­guage background. For fur­ther in­for­ma­tion, call (916) 660-8093 or (530) 274-5265.