If you’re wondering, “What is this place all about? How is it different from other residence halls? Who are all these faculty people? And what am I doing here?”, that’s good.

Within the first few weeks at BGSU, you may hear a few cheesy phrases repeated over and over: “You’re about to embark on an exciting new journey,” and “Take advantage of the opportunities that are available to you here,” and “Get involved!” These phrases are corny and overused and we’ve all pretty much heard enough of them. But that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped being true. . .

SO … WHAT IS THE PCC - RLC?

The Partners in Context and Community Residential Learning Community program is a unique creation for education majors, interested in teaching. It is a place where departments in the College of Education along with various other departments in other disciplines come together with approximately 110 education majors and have ample opportunities to interact with each other, both in and outside of the classroom. The faculty have offices in the residence hall. They share a love of teaching and learning, a desire to get to know their students, and a craving for constant personal growth. The students share a common desire to teach students in high need schools and become to the best teachers they can be.

Throughout the year, you will have unique opportunities as part of your involvement in the PCC program. You will get to know other students in your field that live on your residence floor and share your desire to teaching in an urban setting. You will also meet and get to know faculty members as instructors, mentors, and friends. You will participate in, and sometimes lead exploratory field experiences, activities, social events, discussions, both on and off campus. You will learn, change, and grow.

By being involved planning, and development of the PCC program, you can be sure the program is what you want it to be.

OUR MISSION

WHAT’S THE POINT OF PCC?   WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

The mission of the PCC program can be boiled down to a few basic ideas, which define who we are and how we operate.  We are dedicated to improving teacher quality, academic excellence, mutual respect, and enriching our environment.  We are a tightly knit community of students, staff, teachers, and administrators committed to growing and learning together.  We provide opportunities for students to learn inside small classes devoted to communication and collaboration between faculty and students, and then extending this learning out of the classroom through field trips, hands-on projects, and service learning projects. 

THE PCC MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS

We’ve included our Mission Statement because it identifies a very core part of who and what we are.  We will probably rewrite and modify this accordingly throughout the years.  Mission statements describe where a group is headed and they capture the spirit and essence of the group.  But mission statements can and do change.  If you think PCC needs to modify this or have ideas, let us know!

We are a diverse residential community of education majors striving to improve teacher quality, academic excellence, mutual respect and our learning environment. We have fun while working collaboratively to build our community and the future of PCC. We offer:

• An innovative program in learning how to be a teacher that uses the best known teaching methods
• Small classes and a low student to teacher ratio, guaranteeing students the opportunity to build meaningful connections with their teachers
• Cooperative decision making that integrates individual, educational, and community goals
• Social and academic activities
• Opportunities for learning through community service and field experiences in high need urban schools
• A college experience with friends that can last a lifetime

 GOALS

• To encourage and enhance interaction between students in order to increase academic achievement and develop social, team, and leadership skills.
• To encourage and enhance interaction between students and faculty in student’s education field as well as subject and content fields and with school teachers and administrators
• To allow students to have opportunities to work as tutors or teachers in high need urban schools to get a better understanding of what teaching is about
• To increase the effectiveness and value of education by linking courses and teaching them with the best teaching methods and using practically applying this in the world outside of the classroom.
  

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WHERE CAN I GET ACADEMIC HELP?

The first line of attack, when you find yourself in a rough spot, is always the teacher.  Speak with the faculty member before class, after class, by phone or email, and ask for an appointment.  There’s no substitute for sitting down with a teacher in his or her office and spilling your worries, concerns, blocks, questions, and needs.

A great perk to being a part of the Partners in Context and Community Residential Learning Community is that there are so many faulty members so close by.  You should feel free to approach any PCC instructor for course help, even if you don’t have them for class. 

If approaching an instructor doesn’t do the trick, ask someone in your class for help.  Try to set up a regular study time for weekly reviews with one or more people from class.   These kinds of study sessions are especially helpful before major papers are due or before exams and quizzes.  Two heads are always better than one when preparing for a major task like an exam or a paper.  Just shoot the breeze about the topic, or go chapter by chapter and quiz each other.  When working on papers, exchange drafts and give each other helpful suggestions about areas of weakness, areas that are fuzzy, areas that need strengthening, and clarifying.  Of course, be sure to follow the guidelines for academic honesty laid out by your course instructor.

Academic support centers on campus are always an option to look into when you find yourself having trouble with a course. It’s good to call first to see whether a certain place fits your needs and to get an appointment.  Don’t be afraid to call; it’s always better to get the help you need as soon as possible than to hold back and continue to struggle.

WRITING CENTER

Office:  303 Moseley Hall
Phone:  372-2221

MATH LAB

Office:  208 Moseley Hall
Phone:  372-8009

STUDY SKILLS CENTER

Office:  213 Moseley Hall
Phone:  372-8840

WHERE CAN I GET ADVISING HELP?

Advising is different than tutoring and academic help.  By advising, we mean advice on matters related to course requirements and program requirements, such as those for the University and for majors, minors, and concentrations. 

During your first year, you will be required to meet each semester with you academic advisor. After the first year, you will be assigned a faculty member who will in general be your academic advisor during the remaining duration of your undergraduate career.

It’s good to make it a practice to see your advisor at least once a year.  The reason is simple:  to get straight what your major graduation requirements are.  While it’s often fun and valuable to take extra courses, the wallet may suffer, and mom and dad might be none too happy.  On the other hand, many PCC staff and faculty advocate occasional academic indulgences, like taking a wonderful art, theater, or history course, just because it satisfies your hunger for knowledge.  Very likely, that leap into the apparently impractical will pay off some day. 

• For advising referrals, contact one of our staff members.

Email: PCC@bgsu.edu

Phone:   (419) 372-9185

Office:  015 Kohl Hall

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION FOR A PCC EVENT OR BECOME INVOLVED WITH PLANNING EVENTS?

It’s easy.  Contact one of our staff members or any member of the PCC student Advisory Board.  We encourage you to let us know what kinds of things you’d like to see going on in PCC, at any point during the year.

There are some things to consider, if you are thinking about proposing or planning an event . . . PCC-sanctioned activities require the participation of a faculty or staff member.  PCC is usually able to cover portions (if not all) of activity costs, such as transportation to events, supplies for book groups, or other event costs.  Some events, such as attending concerts or sporting events, may require students paying for their own tickets or covering miscellaneous costs.  The budgeting for many events is decided on a case-by-case basis.

HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN PCC?

Activities in PCC will be posted, announced in classes, handed out on flyers, or sent over e-mail.  Keep your eyes open.  Or come and talk to one of our staff members to find out what kinds of things are scheduled.

I’M NOT A “JOINER.”   WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME?

You can still be an integral part of the PCC Community.  PCC offers many choices when it comes to activities, and many are NOT required.  Try not to be put off by all the references to “community” and “groups” and “activities.”  What we consider communities can form in lots of different ways, and you may find yourself gravitating to certain groups because of common interests.  Do what you like to do.  Spend time with people you enjoy being with.  But remember to take a risk once in a while and try something new.  That’s what college is for.  Not interested in anything that’s going on in PCC?  We are always willing to try out a new event, program, or activity.

Again, this is your community, and you make PCC what it is!  Be sure the kinds of things being planned are the things you want to see going on.  Come and talk with us.

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OTHER ACTIVITIES AT BGSU

Of course, there’s a lot going on outside of PCC, and we encourage you to explore all that is available…

For a list of student organizations, check out the Office of Campus Activities  website at http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/getinvolved/page12173.html or call the Office of Campus Activities at 372-2343.

The University Activities Organization (UAO) is the university’s main student programming board.  Their office is located in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union, and their phone number is 372-2486.

Interested in fraternities and sororities?  Contact the Office of Greek Life by calling the Office of Residence Life at 372-2011.

Finally, the residence hall RA’s and PCC Project Coordinator always have information about activities on campus.

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