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Academic Affairs

College Support Programs

The Learning Commons

Funded in part by a U.S. Department of Education Title III, Part F STEM grant, the Otero College Learning Commons is home to Wheeler Library, the Venom Pit Coffee Shop, TRiO Student Support Services, and the Academic Success Center. The state-of-the-art facility features updated technology and equipment to facilitate greater learning and collaboration in the STEM fields as well as all areas of academic study. 

Wheeler Library

Wheeler Library provides a variety of services including research assistance and technical support. The library offers a large collection of print resources including reference, non-fiction, and fiction books, as well as a wide range of newspapers, magazines and professional journals and DVDs. Reference titles and several full-text databases are available digitally through the library’s website, which is accessible either in-house or remotely. Library instruction and research support are available to orient students to library services including searching online catalog, accessing research databases, basic internet searching techniques, and website evaluation. 

The Internet, including the Otero computer network, is available through a wireless connection so that students can use their own devices. Learning Commons staff can assist students with course reserves, interlibrary loan, holds, finding and checking-out resources, database login issues, and equipment. 

Desktop computers are available for student use, laptops are available for on-campus and overnight use, iPads and Apple Pencils can be checked out for three days, and graphing calculators can be checked out for an entire semester. Students also have access to video cameras, video editing software, virtual reality headsets and the Virtual Reality Lab, athletic equipment, games and puzzles, musical instruments (piano keyboards, an acoustic guitar, and ukulele), headphones, school supply kits, rolling white boards, and study rooms. 

Academic Success Center

The Academic Success Center (ASC) is adjacent to Wheeler Library in the Learning Commons. The ASC provides students with additional areas to study independently and in group settings. Students who visit the Academic Success Center can make appointments with Otero’s Professional Academic Support Specialist (PASS) Team for business, math, science, or writing assistance, or with members of our Student Engagement and Educational Development (SEED) Team who serve as course navigators and provide assistance in a variety of courses. All assistance provided through the PASS Team and SEED Team is free of charge. 

Group tutoring and interactive experiences that supplement classroom lectures and labs are held daily in the Academic Success Center. Commonly referred to as the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Sessions, students can attend these sessions free of charge to gain the additional support and understanding they need or success in their math and science courses. Anatomy and Physiology models, Apple TVs, games, and other assistive learning devices are available for student use. 

TRiO Student Support Services

TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) program is a federally funded TRiO Program under the U.S. Department of Education. This program focuses on students who are first-generation, low-income, and/or students who have a documented disability. The goal of the program is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and help students make the transition from one level of higher education to the next. All services are provided free of charge to TRiO Student Support Services participants. Services provided by TRiO include: 

  • Academic Advising 
  • Career Exploration 
  • Personal Counseling 
  • Community Referrals 
  • Financial aid assistance and resources 
  • Tutorial services – individual, group, or drop-in tutoring 
  • Workshops and cultural events – skills, budgeting, and museum tours, etc. 
  • Transfer assistance to four-year colleges and universities including tours, applications, financial aid, and scholarship searches 
  • Textbook assistance program 
  • The Center is located in Wheeler Hall, Learning Commons/Academic Success Center. For further information call 719-384-6835. 

Services for Students with Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities should contact the Disability Services Specialist located in Learning Commons, Room 118, or call 719-384-6862 about free services to assist them. Services include: tutoring, note takers, readers/writers for tests, time for in-class reading/writing, in-class aide for reading/writing, accommodation of physical setting in classroom, tape recorded lectures, enlarged print on handouts/tests, sign language and oral interpreting, adaptive equipment, alternative testing, software/hardware accommodations and other specialized academic procedures.

Services for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who enroll at Otero College are encouraged to meet with the Accessibility Services Coordinator (ASC) to discuss their needs, the barriers they experience, reasonable accommodations to address the barriers, and next steps. Students can request services  and learn more about the appropriate application steps, requirements and documentation guidelines at the following webpage: https://otero.edu/resources/accessibilityservices/request-services

General Tutoring Support Services

In the southeast corner of the Learning Commons is the Academic Success Center. The Academic Success Center (ASC) provides services such as tutoring and academic workshops to all Otero students free-of-charge. These services are provided by our Academic Support staff. This staff includes the Professional Academic Support Specialists (P.A.S.S) team and the Student Engagement and Educational Development (S.E.E.D) team. 

The P.A.S.S. Team members consist of professional staff who are experts in a variety of academic support areas. We have experts who can provide tutoring in a variety of subject areas through one-on-one tutoring or Supplemental Instruction sessions. We also have experts who provide Academic Workshops that spotlight topics such as: study skills, test taking strategies, note taking tips, avoiding plagiarism, utilizing research databases and many more. 

The S.E.E.D. Team is compromised of Otero students who have completed at least one semester of college and have a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher. These individuals assist fellow students through peer tutoring or through being a student ambassador. As peer tutors they assist in subject areas that they received a B or higher. They provide tutoring through one-on-one sessions and Peer-Led Undergraduate Study sessions. As student ambassadors they help current Otero students with day-to-day questions and resources, while also providing prospective students through campus tours, student panels, and other duties on-campus. 

 

Science Tutoring

Students enrolled in many of the science courses at Otero can attend daily and weekly Science PLUS Sessions. PLUS Sessions are supplemental instruction sessions that provide hands-on group tutoring for specific courses. Students have access to hands-on learning resources such as Anatomy and Physiology models, Apple TVs, and other assistive learning devices. PLUS Sessions are held in the Academic Success Center Collaboration Room. For more information call 719-384-6860. 

TRiO Tutoring

Students who are participants in the TRiO Student Support Services program have access to free tutoring either on a drop-in basis, by appointment, or though organized group study sessions. TRiO tutoring is offered in the Academic Success Center. For more information call 719-384-6835.

Instructional Modalities & Desire2Learn

Instructional Methods Coding 

o   CB: Competency Based – Students will have a fixed amount of time to meet specific competencies before receiving credit for the class. 

o   CL: Classroom Based – Class meetings are on-site and in-person.  

o   HF:  HyFlex – A highly flexible experience where the course is delivered entirely remotely in real-time, entirely in real-time, or a combination of the two. 

o   HL:  HyFlex with Lab – A highly flexible experience where the course is delivered entirely remotely in real-time, entirely in-person in real-time, or a combination of the two.  Lab will require in-person attendance. 

o   HY: Hybrid – Class will have some live in-person components, and some on-line components.  The percentage of online verses in-person can vary by class but must be a minimum of 10% of contact hours. 

o   RH: Remote Hybrid – Class will have some live real-time remotely delivered meetings at pre-determined times and some on-line components.  The percentage of on-line versus remote-real time can vary by class but must be a minimum of 10% of contact hours.  There is no scheduled in-person attendance. 

o   RM: Remote Real-Time – Class will be taught in real-time, with 100% remote delivery at pre-determined times.  There is no scheduled in-person attendance.  The class will be 100% real-time live meetings delivered remotely via technology. 

Otero Hybrid and Hyflex Courses 

Otero College’s hybrid and hyflex courses provide students with some flexibility in how their courses are delivered. Students will have scheduled face-to-face meetings with Otero instructors and through the use of the Internet will utilize a Learning Management System (LMS) to access course materials, complete reading and writing assignments, take exams, and communicate with the instructor and other students. 

Otero hybrid and hyflex courses are not independent study or self-paced, they are instructor-paced. Students may contact their instructor via phone, email, or personal visits. Each course is a normal one-semester Otero course. Courses offered as hybrid courses may vary each semester. 

Students will need to be proficient with computers to access the Internet, reply to emails, and send attachments. Students also need to assume responsibility as a full partner in their Otero hybrid learning process. 

Hybrid and Hyflex Course Tips for Success 

  • Attend the on-campus orientation/tutorial session offered each semester. 
  • Read your course syllabus carefully. This has all the information regarding your responsibilities as well as add/drop and withdraw dates. 
  • Log into your class right away and often to view new postings, assignments, and tests. 
  • Communicate with your instructors often; they are your contact for the course. 
  • Expect to commit as much time to a hybrid class as would be required for a traditional class. 

Students who do not have access to a computer may find computers available in the Learning Commons. 

Desire2Learn (D2L) 

Otero uses a learning management program called Desire2Learn (D2L) that uses the Internet for course content delivery for both traditional classes and those that are taught as hybrids (online). The web-based platform allows students to access and submit assignments, take exams, and communicate with the instructor and other students. Instructors can add to their (D2L) courses additional tools such as discussion boards along with content such as documents, video and web pages. (D2L) is endorsed as the web platform for all colleges in the Colorado Community College System. 

Desire2Learn (D2L) Support 

Support for D2L is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. For assistance log onto: http://help.cccs.edu/ Self-help Searches: Search this website for solutions to the most common problems. Support over the Phone: Call toll-free any time (888) 800-9198. Support via Chat: Chat with an analyst to ask questions in real time. Submit a Problem: Don’t have time to troubleshoot now? Send a help request and the staff will contact you. 

High School Equivalency 

(formerly known as General Education Development-GED) 

Earning a High School Equivalency Certificate is an alternative to earning a High School Diploma and is granted by the Department of Education for the State of Colorado upon successful completion of one of the three testing programs, GED, TASC or HiSET. The HSE program is open to persons 17 and older who are no longer attending High School. 

BUENO HEP/HSE, sponsored by the University of Colorado’s BUENO Center for Multicultural Education, is a High School Equivalency Program (HEP) that offers instruction in the subject and skill areas necessary to help students with job-entry level studies. The actual length of study varies with the individual’s educational abilities. In addition, simulated tests are administered to determine readiness for appropriate college-level classes and for the official HSE tests. At that time, the student and instructor evaluate the student’s progress. 

The BUENO HEP/HSE Center is located in McBride Hall, Room 105. For additional information, interested students should contact the BUENO HEP office 719-384-6848 or email: Otero-BuenoHepGED@otero.edu  

Developmental Education

The Pathways

Developmental Education – Math Pathways

Otero College offers pathways to 100-level Math courses based on the student’s career or major area of interest. Students receive advising to help them choose the appropriate path and determine readiness for the initial math course for their career and/or transfer goals. Quantitative Literacy includes only content necessary for success in Non-STEM and Non-Transfer Math courses. STEM Prep includes content necessary for success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Learning support co-requisites provide additional structured support to students who are close to the placement score and would like to enroll in the next course in their chosen sequence.

Developmental Education – English/Reading Pathways

Otero College offers an accelerated model that provides students with the opportunity to enter a 100-level class no later than their second term of enrollment. After preliminary assessment, students will be placed in courses that offer supplemental instruction to encourage success. These include a non-credit option for placement tutoring; co-requisite, credit-based lab support for College Reading and Composition coursework; integrated reading and writing linked to 100-level courses; and co-requisite integrated reading and writing paired with transfer level college composition courses.

Special Programs

Special and Affiliated College Programs

Colorado Online 

Associate degrees and certificates through Colorado Online (Colorado Online @) offer opportunities to take traditional and specialized classes remotely. Students register at Otero College and receive training from a system online instructor. For further details, go to: www.ccconline.org or www.cccs.edu 

Technical Requirements 

CCCOnline delivers its courses on the D2L course management platform. For you to get the most out of the courses, the browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) you are using needs to be configured to be compatible with the D2L system. Click on the Browser Diagnostics page to run a quick check of your D2L browser to make sure it works optimally with D2L. 

Child Development Services 

Child Development Services (CDS) has been a sponsored agency of Otero College since 1974. It is the mission of Otero College Child Development Services to provide high quality, comprehensive early childhood education programs for children from birth through 6 years old; to provide parent education programs that strengthen the family, develop basic literacy, encourage job training and personal development; and to develop community partnerships and coordination of community-based services. 

CDS administers three federally funded early childhood programs – Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and Early Head Start. These nation-wide, federally funded programs help low-income children, their families, and communities overcome the effects of poverty and help prepare children to start school. 

In addition to Head Start programs, CDS administers the Colorado Preschool Program for East Otero School District. CDS provides services to over 900 children annually throughout a nine-county area in southern Colorado. CDS can be contacted at: 719-384-3100. 

Community Involvement Opportunities 

Chinook – Chinook is a publication of writing and art. Otero students, faculty, staff, and community members can contribute original art, poetry, and prose ranging from personal essays to short stories. The magazine is compiled, coordinated, laid out, and printed under the direction of an appointed student editor. Chinook is published during spring semester. 

Otero Dance Program – The Otero Dance Program is dedicated to the principle that those who have the desire to dance should have an opportunity to do so. Movement education is the central focus for the youngest dancers; however, older students may choose from the more traditional disciplines of ballet, tap, modern, and jazz. The program also offers specialized movement classes. Students can register before the beginning of each semester by calling 719-384-6812. 

Otero Arts Festival – Each year, junior high and high school students are invited to participate in juried art and writing competition. The Otero Arts Festival, organized by college personnel, is held on the campus and is open to the public. Scholarships, cash, and ribbon awards are presented to the winners. 

Theatre Productions – The public is invited to attend and participate in the theatre performances staged by the college and community. The Otero Players present quality productions fall and spring semesters in the Ed Stafford Theatre, located in the Humanities Center. 

Degree Partnerships

Special and Affiliated College Programs

Statewide Articulation Agreements 

As a member of the Colorado Community College System, Otero College can provide our students who wish to pursue advanced degrees and transfer agreements with four-year institutions. To review a full list of transfer agreements, go to: 

www.cccs.edu/edservices/articulation.html 

Students may transfer 31 credits of completed general education course work (with a grade of “C” or better in each course) to most public colleges in Colorado. Students who complete an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree are guaranteed to transfer 60 credit hours of courses required for those degrees to a four-year school once they have been accepted for admission. Students who follow this plan should be able to finish a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree within another 60 credit hours. 

PLEASE NOTE: 

Some degrees may exceed the typical 120 credit hours required to successfully graduate. Statewide articulation agreements for the following professional degree programs prescribe specific general education courses and degree requirements: Business; Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Engineering; and Nursing. 

Otero College works closely with the following 4-year colleges and universities 

Adams State University  

Students can take their first two years of course work at Otero College, then complete their final two years with ASU, either online or on the Adams State University campus in Alamosa. 

Colorado Christian University 

Colorado Christian University and the Community College System (CCCS) have worked together to create helpful transfer guides for students who wish to complete a bachelor’s degree at CCU. The transfer guides show students which courses at their Colorado community college will transfer to a specific CCU degree program. Otero students who earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree are guaranteed admission to CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies for up to 12 months after graduation with a degree or program certificate. 

Colorado State University-Pueblo 

Students can take their first two years of course work at Otero College in all of Otero’s recognized Programs of Study (see Degree Programs section of this catalog), then complete their final two years with CSU-Pueblo. 

Colorado State University-Fort Collins  

Otero College, in cooperation with Colorado State University – Fort Collins, has developed a two-year Associate of Science degree track with an emphasis in Agriculture in three different areas: Agriculture Business, Animal Science, and Soil and Crop Science. Upon successful completion, the degree, and all classes associated with the degree, will transfer seamlessly into the CSU-Fort Collins College of Agricultural Science where a student can earn a bachelor’s degree with an additional 60 hours of credit. 

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs  

Otero is working closely with UCCS to develop several programs of study that will result in seamless transfer, including pre-engineering and nursing 

Colorado Mesa University 

After Otero students complete the Law Enforcement Training Certificate program at Otero, they have the option to continue their education and earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Law Enforcement at Otero. 

A transfer agreement with Colorado Mesa University allows Otero students who have completed the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Law Enforcement to continue their career advancement by earning a Bachelor of Science degree at CMU in Public Administration/ Public Safety through an online distance education learning format. 

Fort Hays State University 

Otero College and Fort Hays State University have developed a transfer and articulation agreement to facilitate the transition of students with academic credit or Associate Degrees from Otero to FHSU. This agreement is specific for students who wish to transfer into the Bachelor’s of Science Information Systems Engineering program. 

University of Colorado Denver 

Otero College and the University of Colorado Denver have developed an innovative partnership to offer a bachelor’s degree in elementary education that can be completed in its entirety at Otero. After successful completion of the four-year program, participants will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Human Development with elementary licensure from CU Denver. 

Special Articulation Agreements in Agriculture 

Otero College has developed special articulation agreements in agriculture with the following 4-year colleges and universities 

New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science  

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University has signed a 2 + 2 agreement with Otero College that allows students with an Associate of Science degree in Agriculture Business, Animal Science or Soil and Crop Science to transfer seamlessly and complete a Bachelor of Science degree. 

West Texas A & M University  

Otero College, in cooperation with West Texas A & M University, has developed a two-year Associate of Science degree track in agriculture with areas of emphasis in Agriculture Business, Animal Science, and Soil and Crop Science. Upon successful completion of the degree requirements, students can transfer seamlessly to WTAMU to complete a Bachelor of Science degree. 

Oklahoma Panhandle State University  

Otero, in cooperation with Oklahoma Panhandle State University, has developed an articulation agreement for an Associate of Science degree in Agriculture Business, Animal Science and Soil and Crop Science to a Bachelor of Science degree as OPSU. The intent of the agreement will be seamless transfer in those emphasis areas. 

Northwestern Oklahoma State University 

Otero, in cooperation with Northwestern Oklahoma State University, has developed an articulation agreement for an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science and Soil and Crop Science to a Bachelor of Science degree as NWOSU. The intent of the agreement will be seamless transfer in those emphasis areas. 

Affiliated Programs

Special and Affiliated College Programs

President’s Leadership Program (PLP)

Sponsored by the Otero College Foundation

An academic certificate in Leadership at Otero College requires 12-credit hours of study and is limited to scholars who are accepted into the President’s Leadership Program. The mission of the President’s Leadership Program (PLP) is to develop and train emerging leaders at Otero College through a one- or two-year academic leadership program. The objective of PLP is to provide academic, experiential and service learning programs designed to foster and cultivate leaders who are: Ethical, visionary, critical and innovative thinkers, committed to action, empowering of others, rational and intuitive, open to possibilities and servants of the broader good. The program serves as a bridge between Otero College and the greater community by continually developing partnerships with area leaders, businesses and community service organizations.

The program requires two core leadership courses and additional elective courses from a wide-variety of academic programs on campus. Students must complete the 6-credit hour leadership core plus an additional 6-credits of electives with a grade of “B” or higher to receive the certificate.

Service Learning

PLP places an emphasis on community service and civic engagement in order to help scholars develop a social awareness, civic responsibility and interconnectedness. A total of 120 service learning hours will be required over the course of the program.

Experiential Learning

PLP scholars will be given opportunities to learn about leadership through numerous hands-on experiences throughout their one or two years in the program. This will be provided, but not limited to, annual leadership workshops and conferences, lectures from recognized leaders and opportunities for leadership positions on campus and in the community. As part of this experience, students will become an active member of Phi Theta Kappa or other approved organization.

Selection Criteria

Selection is based on leadership potential, intellectual curiosity and commitment to something outside one’s self. Scholars will be chosen based on:
– A minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average is required to apply.
– Completed written application that includes an essay question and examples of leadership and service experiences
– Two letters of recommendation
– High School or college transcripts
– Personal interview

Contact:
For more information about the President’s Leadership Program, contact Otero College 719-384-6800 or otero-information@otero.edu

Southern Colorado Educational Opportunity Center

The Southern Colorado Educational Opportunity Center (SCEOC) is a federally sponsored satellite program that assists low-income and first generation individuals to pursue post-secondary educational goals. Admission application procedures, financial aid preparation, career, and educational planning are some of the services offered through the SCEOC. Call 719-384-6852 for more information or visit the Otero office in McBride Hall, Room 150.

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