New Student Orientation

Welcome to RichmondCC!  If you are new to us and are exploring options for higher education or new job skills, we have a wide range of programs and services to meet your individual needs. Whether you are interested in learning through online courses, a traditional setting, or a combination of the two, RichmondCC can help to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

Student Orientation Video

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Student Services is here to provide you with an abundance of support and resources that will help you get started, get involved, get your degree, and get on the road to fulfilling your dreams.

If you need tutoring or disability services, or you’re a veteran in North Carolina looking to finish your education, we can help!  We can assist you in searching for financial aid and scholarships to offset the cost of your college education. If you're undecided about your future, we have Student Advisors in our Career and Transfer Advising Center who will help you define your career and the steps necessary to achieve that career. Our goal is to help you reach your goals!

As a recipient of federal aid, you have certain rights you should exercise, certain responsibilities you must meet, and certain facts you need to know. Being aware what they are will put you in a better position to make decisions about your educational goals and how you can best achieve them.

At RichmondCC, our goal is to offer educational programs and assistance that ultimately impact our community for the better, allowing for more jobs, more employed citizens, and overall better lives for the people around us. A part of this mission relies on students having the means to take advantage of our educational offerings, which often necessitates financial aid or scholarships. Take a look at what we offer for financial assistance at RichmondCC,and if you have questions, please contact one of our staff members listed below, or come by the Financial Aid Office in the Student Services Office in the Lee Building if you have questions or concerns.

In a hybrid course, some of the contact hours required are completed online, limiting the amount of time spent in the classroom.  This is a good choice for those who still wish to have face-to-face interaction with other students and faculty. Other courses are offered completely online.

The distance learning option may be right for you if:

• Work and/or family responsibilities make it difficult for you to attend traditional classes.
• You do not need the structure of a classroom setting, and are comfortable working on your own and meeting course deadlines.
• You are reasonably comfortable using a computer, keyboard and mouse, Microsoft Office and other general software, uploading and attaching files, and navigating the internet using a browser.
• You have dependable access to broadband internet services and webcam.

Before registering for a distance learning course, here are some important things to be aware of:

1. As a distance learning student, you are entitled to all student services available to traditional students.
2. There are no additional fees charged for distance learning courses.
3. RichmondCC utilizes Moodle as its LMS (Learning Management System).  If you’ve taken distance learning courses at other schools or colleges, you may be familiar with Moodle, or used a similar system.
4. You should log in to your course as soon as possible after classes start.  In all distance learning courses, there will be an entrance assignment that must be completed to establish enrollment.
5. Individual instructors will have different kinds of assignments with different due dates and times.  It is important that you stay aware of due dates for individual courses.
6. Distance learning courses may require proctored exams.  Read the Instructor’s Course Requirements (ICR) provided by each of your instructors for details about the course requirements.
7. Check your student email daily for important messages from your instructors or RichmondCC.
8. If you are having problems in a course, you should contact your instructor immediately.  If you are having trouble with any other school matter, contact your instructor, your advisor, or Student Services.
9. If you forget your password, you can reset it by following the Password Reset link at the bottom of RichmondCC's website.
10. If you are having any other trouble with RichmondCC’s systems, you can complete a HelpDesk ticket. 

How to Succeed in an Online Course

• Establish a dedicated time and space to complete coursework.
• Connect with your instructor early and often.
• Have a computer and reliable Internet service.
• Contact someone at RichmondCC IMMEDIATELY if you have a problem.
• Put all due dates in an online calendar (one is available through your student email).

Self-Service is a web-based portal that gives you online access to register for classes, check your grades, view your financial aid award, and much more!

Login to Self-Service

Learn How to Use Self-Service

Several Self-Service Guides are available for you to familiarize yourself with Self-Service.

• Self-Service Read Me First
• Self-Service Don’t Know My Username & Password Guide
• Self-Service User Profile Guide
• Self-Service Student Finance Guide
• Self-Service Student Planning Guide
• Self-Service Faculty Guide
• Self-Service Make A Payment Guide
• Self-Service How to Register for Classes
• Self-Service Financial Aid Guide

How to Register Your Courses Using Self-Service

1. Login to Self-Service.
2. Select Student Planning and then go to Plan & Schedule.
3. Search for the course you need to schedule and then view available sections.
4. Choose the section you want by selecting Add Section to Schedule.
5. Once you have added all of your courses to your planned schedule, go back to Plan & Schedule and click on Advising.
6. Select Request Review to send your advisor notice to review and approve your planned classes.
7. After your advisor has reviewed and approved your courses, you will receive an email. Go back to your planned schedule in Self-Service and register for the courses by selecting Register Now.

Review more detailed instructions here.

RichmondCC is dedicated to ensuring that we provide students with all the necessary resources to meet their academic goals. Our faculty and staff are passionate about seeing students succeed in their education and career, and we do our best to steer them in the right direction with successful academic advising practices.

The advising process only works when both parties involved are engaged and contributing. With this in mind, we ask that students:

• Actively participate in the advising relationship.
• Respond to advisor outreach and be upfront about perceived obstacles to your success.
• Proactively research and plan ways to reach your academic goals, and be open to sharing those goals with your advisors.
• Be open to discussing how to research answers to your questions with advisors to learn ways to find information on your own.

Make sure you’re familiar with your specific program or course schedules and what classes you’ll need to graduate before meeting with your advisor.

Commonly Asked Questions About Advising at RichmondCC

Who Is My Richmond Community College Advisor?

Your academic advisor’s name and contact information is listed on your acceptance letter.

I No Longer Have My Acceptance Letter, How Do I Contact My Advisor?

Students can find their advisor’s contact information in Self-Service.

1. Go to "Student Planning."
2. Click on "Plan and Schedule."
3. Click on "Advising."
4. Your advisor's name will appear, and you can send him or her a message.

How Do I Make An Appointment To Be Advised?

The Career & Transfer Center has full-time advisors available to assist you during college operation hours. No appointments are necessary.  Advising can take place in-person, via email or virtual interaction. 

What is the difference between a drop and a withdrawal?

A drop occurs when students are removed from a course between the start date and the first 10% of the course. A course that is dropped does not appear on the student’s transcript and is eligible for a 75% tuition refund.

A withdrawal occurs after the 10% point of the course and appears on the student’s transcript. Withdrawals are not eligible for tuition refunds.

Will I have a grade on my transcript for a withdrawn class?

Yes. For current students, course withdrawals will show on your transcript with a grade of “W” for withdraw. For previous students, course withdrawal grades may be W, WP, WF, or WU depending on the policy in place at the time of the withdrawal.

Can I withdraw at any point?

You can only withdrawal from a course prior to the 90% point in the section. The last date to withdraw is posted on the Academic Calendar for each section. 

Who should I contact if I am considering withdrawing or dropping a course?

You should first contact your advisor to see if withdrawing or dropping a course will negatively impact your education and career plan. If it is absolutely necessary to withdraw or drop a course and you receive Financial Aid, you must also speak with a Financial Aid advisor to determine if you will be required to repay the funding that you received. If you receive Veterans Education Benefits, you must speak with the Veterans’ Coordinator to determine if you will be required to repay those benefits.

What happens if my instructor withdraws me?

Individual instructors may have attendance requirements in their class. If you violate the course specific attendance policy, the instructor can withdraw you. You have the right to appeal an instructor-initiated withdrawal.

If you wish to appeal an instructor-initiated withdrawal, you must submit a written request of appeal to the instructor. This appeal must be received within one week of the withdrawal date and include documentation for each absence. You should continue to attend class, complete assignments, and take tests while the appeal is pending. If the instructor does not allow readmittance to the course, you can submit your appeal to the Department Chair and Vice President for Instruction. The decision of the Vice President for Instruction is final.

Always contact your advisor to update your education and career plan. If you receive Financial Aid, you must also speak with a Financial Aid advisor to determine if you will be required to repay funding you received. If you receive Veterans Education Benefits, you must speak with the Veterans’ Coordinator to determine if you will be required to repay those benefits.

How do I withdraw from a course?

In order to withdraw from a course, you must complete a Student Initiated Withdrawal Form. You are encouraged to thoroughly read the refund policies in the Student Handbook and discuss the impact of withdrawing from a class with your instructor, your advisor, a member of the financial aid staff, and the Veterans’ Coordinator (if applicable).

Can I drop or withdraw from a course online using WebAdvisor or Self-Service?

No. However, the Student Initiated Withdrawal Form may be completed online.

A student wishing to change his or her major must see an advisor in in the Career and Transfer Advising Center for approval. When a student changes majors, any courses applicable to the new major will be transferred. Grades earned, credit hours and quality points will be counted in the new major.

What Is a Career?

A career can be defined as a person's progress within an occupation or series of occupations. However, a career is more than just a job, or working, or your occupation. It also includes your progress through life, your growth and development in vocational and avocational areas of life.

Many of us think that there is only one occupation that is best suited for us, but there are really several that may be good choices. The secret is to identify those occupations in which you have a high probability for success and happiness. As a college student, whether your career goals are accounting, theatre arts, or environmental sciences, there are general skills which will be required regardless of the career you pursue. These skills include the ability to read, write, compute, think critically, and communicate in an effective manner. For the most part, these skills are developed and/or sharpened in general education courses. These skills, along with effective career planning techniques, and the ability to cope with ambiguity in a changing environment, will enable you to overcome obstacles throughout your work life.

Map Out a Career Plan

If you know (or think you know) what you want to pursue as a career when you graduate from RichmondCC, you should work with the Career and Transfer Advising Center to begin developing specific steps for executing your Career Plan. If you are unsure of what you want to do when you leave RichmondCC and would like to explore that question with us, you should DEFINITELY work with the Career and Transfer Advising Center. We can help you through the process of self-discovery, identifying your skills and interests, exploring different career paths, and helping you to develop a plan for moving into the future - a future that meets all of your expectations!

Begin your career exploration journey by taking some self-assessments. No one knows you better than you. By first focusing on your unique talents and personal dreams, you can better establish a foundation upon which to build a career path structure.  The Career and Transfer Advising Center have staff and resources available to assist you with deciding on a career, choosing a major, transferring and more. 

To begin the Career Exploration process, contact the Career and Transfer Advising Center.  We allow walk-ins and appointments.

Transfer planning can be complicated, but we are here to help you every step of the way.

RichmondCC has transfer articulation agreements with many universities and 4-year colleges. These agreements detail the terms of transfer for RichmondCC students completing associate degree programs. They define the way courses, programs or entire categories of programs transfer to another university or 4-year college and may include admission guarantees. Your advisor can provide you with more specific information on how these agreements relate to individual transfer plans.

The sooner you can select a transfer destination, the better we can help you choose the right classes and make sure every credit transfers and counts towards your degree.  General Education courses may be fine for the first semester or two, but after that you run the risk of losing credits if you do not plan carefully.  The Career and Transfer Advising Center is here to assist you!  

The Academic Success Center at RichmondCC provides an “open door” policy to all RichmondCC students who need assistance in their studies. Tutors are available to help students in a wide range of subjects. Inside the center, there are over 40 computers equipped with the Microsoft Office Suite for students to use when needed. Free tutorial services are arranged for one-on-one and group sessions for students who request assistance. Instructors may refer students to the Academic Succcess Center for additional assistance and tutoring in the student’s subject.  Hours are flexible and every effort is made to meet the needs of the student.

The Academic Success Center also offers a large computer lab with multiple printers for student use and a quiet place to study with computers and whiteboards.

The Writing Center

The Writing Center is a supportive academic resource where professionally trained tutors collaborate with students at any stage of the writing process to improve clarity, structure, and critical thinking in their written work. We also provide videography assistance for oral presentations. *

Whether you are developing a thesis, constructing an outline, working on a first draft, or putting the final touches on a final paper, our writing tutors are dedicated to encouraging your growth and development as a writer.

Our services are FREE to all Richmond Community College students pursuing any course of study.

*Appointments are encouraged!

Math Lab

The Math Lab has friendly, knowledgeable tutors who can help with questions from basic arithmetic through calculus and differential equations. Students of all ability levels are welcome. The Math Lab is a free service; no appointment is necessary. Math tutors are available during lab hours to answer questions and give help on a one-on-one basis to currently enrolled students. The Math Lab provides a variety of resources, including practice tests, formula handouts, videos, and other useful information. 

Test Proctoring Service

The Academic Success Center provides free test proctoring to the students of RichmondCC who are enrolled in online courses. Students from universities that have signed articulation agreements with RichmondCC are offered free test proctoring as well. Student who do not fit into these categories may schedule test proctoring for a $25 fee (per exam) paid to the Business Office before testing. Appointments are made via the online scheduling system and students must have a valid student ID when they arrive for their testing appointment. The Academic Success Center ensures the integrity and security of each exam through identification verification and direct supervision in a secure environment. Test proctors monitor students through the entirety of each assessment.

Upswing

Upswing is an online tutorial service that provides access to 24/7 academic support for all RichmondCC students through using their self-service login. Through Upswing’s online platform, students can connect with a network of live, in-person academic coaches in all subjects and courses offered at RichmondCC who can provide academic support at times when the college’s tutors may be unavailable, such as nights or weekends. Students can connect with tutors who are immediately available or schedule a future tutoring session. Students can get help with classes at times that best suit their schedules. There is no cost for students to use this online service.

The library, located in the Conder Building, is where RichmondCC's book collection lives. For those who love reading and collecting literature, a library can be a magical place of the imagination. It’s a great place to find volumes on almost every imaginable topic.

If you are new to college or are coming back, here is a Top 10 list of what the library can do to help support you in your college classes and coursework:

• Reserve Materials
• Study Spaces
• Internet Access
• Hole Punchers
• Credible Information
• Books!!!
• Movies
• Foreign sources of information
• Information Operatives (a.k.a. Librarians)
• And, the No. 1 reason you should use the library… Librarians actually ENJOY tracking down information and want to help you with your information needs!

Access to Achievement connects students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to resources that will help them succeed in school and beyond. Students have the opportunity for site visits, paid internships, on-campus jobs, or paid internships off-campus through the Employment & Independence for People with Disabilities, formerly Vocational Rehabilitation, if they qualify.

All students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are welcome into the program. No documentation is required to participate.

Please complete this confidential form that will allow us to provide you with information tailored to your needs: Access to Achievement Form

For More Information

Rebecca Bradley                                     
Access to Achievement Advisor            
rlbradley@richmondcc.edu                         
(910) 410-1773

Patsy Stanley
Associate Vice President of Student Services
pjstanley@richmondcc.edu
(910) 410-1830

At RichmondCC each student is a person, not a number. Counselors are always available to help with problems or to share an experience. Faculty are available before and after class or during scheduled office hours to answer any questions students might have related to a particular course.

We understand that a student’s college experience is much more than just what programs he or she studies or courses he or she takes –– student life plays a big part in one’s education.

We offer plenty of opportunities for our students to get involved. Whether you’re interested in joining a club or student organization, or making new friends, we can provide you with opportunities to get the most out of your time while at RichmondCC!

Student Government Association (SGA)

RichmondCC's Student Government Association (SGA) is responsible for governing students, assisting in the execution of institutional policies, and maintaining an appropriate image of RichmondCC in the community. Every student is a member of SGA and is welcome to be actively involved if he or she wants to be a part of any campus events and activities, or have a voice in college policies. Being a part of SGA is an educational experience and a great way to learn leadership and management skills.

RichmondCC is committed to providing and maintaining an atmosphere that enhances the educational process and fulfills the total mission of the college. It is the objective of the college to enable each student to pursue his/her educational goals in a safe and secure environment.

Officers are on duty primarily to deter crime and are authorized to take actions they deem necessary to ensure the secure nature of the campus. As sworn law enforcement officers, they have arrest authority if required to enforce applicable laws.

However, providing a safe and secure environment is everyone’s responsibility. Students are encouraged to report to any administrative office any activity or occurrence which they feel threatens their safety or which constitutes an unsafe environment.

RichmondCC is committed to protecting student privacy. We administer and enforce student privacy laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) . In addition, we provide technical assistance to help schools and school districts safeguard information about students. Students are informed of their rights to privacy in the “Access to and Release of Student Records (FERPA)” section of the RichmondCC Student Handbook and in the “Access to and Release of Student Records (FERPA)” document on the Student Consumer Information web page of the RichmondCC web site.

• The RichmondCC Distance Learning Student Manual advises students of the procedures in place to protect their privacy, identity, and personal information.

• RichmondCC takes all possible measures to protect the identity of students by requiring a secure and unique username and password for accessing any web-based college supported learning environment, such as Self-Service, Moodle, and student e-mail accounts. Students only have access to their own personal information when logged into web-based accounts.

• Students are advised through the Acceptable Use Guidelines in the RichmondCC Student Handbook not to share their unique username and password with any other persons to protect their personal information and privacy while using the college’s supported web-based systems.

• Students are advised that if a password reset is needed, they must complete the RichmondCC Password Reset found on the RichmondCC website. To maintain security, students are required to provide verification of identity before account information is released to change the password through entering their seven-digit RichmondCC student identification number or username, student first and last name, date of birth, and last four digits of their social security number

• Students have access to the RichmondCC Help Desk. To maintain security, students are required to provide at least two forms of identification before any student account information is released. Those forms of identification may include date of birth, home address listed with the College, and/or the student’s seven-digit RichmondCC identification number.

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