Academic Services

The Donald R. Welter Library (Donald R. Welter Library)

The DONALD R. WELTER LIBRARY holds over 45,000 books, 200 leisure reading books, e-books, 150 periodicals, DVDs, CDs, IPads, kindles, and laptop computers, for use by both the College community and the general public. The library offers several amenities including seven group study rooms, individual study carrels, Wi-Fi, scanning and photocopying.  As a member of the Ex Libris Voyager network, the DONALD R. WELTER LIBRARY shares resources with 11 Connecticut Community Colleges Libraries.

In addition, materials can be retrieved through the interlibrary service provided by OCLC (contains over 313 million records and 2 billion holding locations), and reQuest (a statewide Library Catalog of Connecticut). In request one can search over 5 million titles from more than 400 Connecticut libraries and place items on interlibrary loan, through academic, public, school and special libraries in the state. reQuest is a service through iCONN.  Please note all interlibrary loan transactions within the state are delivered once a week to the library.

The DONALD R. WELTER LIBRARY is staffed with a Reference Librarian who provides assistance and information to all patrons.   The Library offers an instructional program on properly utilizing using the library.  Library Instruction is available for both groups and individuals upon request.  The Library Instruction program is emphasized so that the Library is also a teaching unit in the college, which will provide an unlimited interdisciplinary approach to knowledge.  Its purpose is to help create a richer learning environment in which students learn to do independent study with individualized instruction.  The ultimate goal of the DONALD R. WELTER LIBRARY is to provide an environment where learning takes place for lifelong learners.

Tutoring and Academic Success Centers (TASC Website)

The Tutoring and Academic Success Centers (TASC) are located in Rm. C-117, next to the Donald R. Welter Library. TASC peer tutors, professional tutors, staff members, and faculty volunteers provide free individual and group academic assistance to students. In addition, TASC has many useful handouts and numerous books, CDs, and DVDs available for loan. On the TASC website, students can obtain information about hours of operation, online workshops, and many useful links. TASC consists of the Tutoring Center, the Writing Center, the Mathematics Computer Lab, and the Language Arts Lab.

TUTORING CENTER

The Tutoring Center provides free one-to-one and group tutoring for most courses taught at TRCC and can also help students organize study groups. Tutoring is available on a walk-in basis or by appointment. Appointments are suggested and can be made in person or by telephone at 860-215-9082. The complete tutor schedule for both the Tutoring Center and the Writing Center is posted on the TASC website.

Questions can be forwarded to: TASC@trcc.commnet.edu

WRITING CENTER

http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/Div_academics/TASC/WritingCenter/WritingCenter.shtml

The Writing Center provides writing assistance for all students in all subjects. Appointments to review writing are available on a walk-in basis or by appointment. Appointments are suggested and can be made in person or by phone at 860-215-9082. Additionally, papers can be submitted via e-mail to the address below. The Writing Center web site also hosts a collection of academic writing resources, links to admission essay samples, and guides for writing resumes and cover letters. Services of the center are intended to help students learn how to improve their writing, revising, and editing skills for all collegiate courses.

Questions or paper submissions can be forwarded to: TRWritingCenter@trcc.commnet.edu

MATHEMATICS COMPUTER TUTORING LAB

Students can improve their math skills at the Mathematics Computer Tutoring Lab working alone or with the aid of a TASC tutor. A variety of text-specific and generalized mathematics software is available in the sixteen-station mathematics lab. Additionally, CAD and computer programming software packages are installed on several computers for tutoring purposes.

LANGUAGE ARTS LAB

The Reverend David L. Cannon Language Arts Lab has five computer stations dedicated to language study in addition to a collection of translation dictionaries and foreign language texts. Each workstation has Rosetta Stone software available for students studying Spanish.

ONLINE TUTORING

Online tutoring is available to TRCC students in different forms. Ask TASC consists of three components: the Ask TASC discussion board, where students can post a question online, the Ask TASC chat room, where students can make an appointment to meet with a tutor online, and a link to the Writing Center, where students can submit drafts for review via e-mail.  All currently enrolled students can access Ask TASC by logging onto myCommNet, clicking on the link to Blackboard Learn, and selecting Ask TASC from their course list.

Distance Learning (eLearning or Online Learning)

Distance Learning offers students a convenient way, without leaving the comforts of their home or office, to earn college credit part-time while continuing to work full-time. Distance Learning courses allows students to customize their higher education goals and to gain the collaborative and technical skills needed in today’s workplace.

Learners should have some general knowledge of the Internet, e-mail and file transfer. In addition, students should be selfstarters with strong organizational and time management skills.

At present, Three Rivers offers individual courses in a variety of academic areas. It is also possible for students to take a sufficient number of distance learning courses offered by the twelve public community colleges in Connecticut to earn an A.S. degrees in General Studies, in Computer Information Systems, and in Criminal Justice. A Certificate in Health Information Management Technician may also be available. Students pursuing some degrees or certificates may be required fulfill the college’s residency requirement and take a minimum of fifteen credits at the granting college.

Students are strongly encouraged to have virus protection software installed on the computer. Any infected files that are uploaded to the Blackboard servers will be blocked on upload or deleted to prevent the spread of infection.

Technical Support:

Technical Requirements

Some of the courses require a DVD drive, as well as browser plug-ins to assist with displaying video streaming; interactive quizzes, activities and animation; and to navigate, view and print PDF files. To view these portions of the sites, one or more of the following plug-ins may be needed: RealPlayer, QuickTime, Shockwave, Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Reader. Generally, Internet Explorer will automatically download any plug-ins required by a particular page. To learn more about computer requirements visit the Browser Tune-up link at http://www.commnet.edu/porta/tuneup/default.asp.

Because Mozilla, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are private they can change their browsers without warning, Three Rivers recommends that students have two different installed browsers (Internet Explorer and Chrome on a Widows computer OR Safari and Chrome on a Mac).

To learn more about computer requirements visit the CSCU Support page or the Three Rivers Educational Technology and Distance Learning page: https://websupport.ct.edu/ OR http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/Div_IT/EducationalTechnology/Student.shtml.

Technical Requirement/Support for myCommNet/Blackboard Browsers

A browser check is available at https://websupport.ct.edu/browser-check

Browser Settings

Operating Systems

Service Learning

Service learning is a course-specific educational experience in which students participate in a collaborative and organized service activity in order to meet community needs. Students gain knowledge, skills, and a new perspective related to course objectives and civic responsibilities.

A number of fields of study offer service learning in their courses, including Sociology, Women’s Studies, First Year Experience, Early Childhood Education, and Psychology. Additionally, there is a dedicated Service Learning course, SOC 278, Community Research. If you have any questions, please contact the Chair of the Service Learning Committee, Janet Hagen 860-215-9433 or jhagen@trcc.commnet.edu.

Development Courses

The College offers developmental courses in reading, writing, and math. These courses are designed to help students whose academic skills need improvement before they take required courses in their plan of study. Developmental classes provide individual support and concentrate on the specific skills students need for academic success. Areas of emphasis are covered under each course description.

Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC)

Many servicemembers and their families enroll annually in a variety of college courses ranging from computer science, management and accounting to math, social science, and the humanities. The College has served as a Servicemembers Opportunity College, maintaining an office and classrooms at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton. College courses, academic counseling, and registration for service members and their families are provided. College credit courses are offered in the Educational Services Center in Building 83 on the Subase. College credit is awarded for military training in conjunction with the ACE Guide.

Three Rivers also belongs to the SOC Degree Network System, which affords Service members and their spouses the opportunity to complete their TRCC degree when relocating. Eligible students should contact the Subase Coordinator or Registrar for information about completing a SOC agreement. As a SOC College, Three Rivers is part of a network of two-year institutions that has agreed to accept, in transfer, what they have previously determined to be comparable course work in a given curriculum. Student agreements are made with active duty military students and their spouses at no charge and make it easier to transfer credits and complete degrees when relocating. The SOC office, located at the Subase in Building 83, is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The phone number is (860) 445-5575.