Coronavirus information and support for MxCC students

 

Please see the CT Colleges and Universities COVID-19 Mask & Social Distancing Guidelines if you’re planning on coming to campus or taking on-ground courses.

As we transition to being a “virtual campus” amid Coronavirus precautions, MxCC will be attempting to maintain much of the same services that we offer our students regularly online. We have created this page to provide information that will hopefully make this transition easier for everybody.

 

Taking Classes Online

For ONLINE, HYBRID, LRON, and OLCR classes, students will use Blackboard for their courses. Please log into Blackboard as soon as possible to prepare for online learning. Instructions for logging into Blackboard can be found here. It would be beneficial, for success in online courses, to have a fairly good (robust) PC, Macintosh Computer, Laptop, or mobile device (like an iPad or tablet) with good speakers, microphones, or headset with speaker and microphone.

Help from the MxCC Technology Center

As we have transitioned to a mostly online campus, this has caused some students heightened anxiety because of the need to navigate a new world of technology at home.

Please know that the Technology Center team is in place and prepared to provide ongoing support for students during hours of operation. We will be able to help with a wide range of technical and computer-related issues.

Students can reach the Technology Center to receive the technical assistance that they need:

  1. REACH US BY PHONE 860-343-6922: Call the TECH CENTER 24 hours a day to leave a message for a member of our technical staff.  When you leave a voicemail an email message will be forwarded to our team. You will receive a reply by one of our team members within a week.
  2. IF AN IN-PERSON MEETING IS NEEDED, PLEASE CONTACT US ONLINE AND ONE OF OUR TECHS CAN BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
  3. REACH US BY EMAIL MX-TechCenter@mxcc.commnet.edu
  4. REACH US ON TEAMS: MX-Technology Center – a group within our community
  5. HOURS of OPERATION: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Wednesday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

The Technology Center is brought to you by Professor Donna Hylton and her team of dedicated Technology Center students!

Help With School Work

Tutoring

The Academic Success Center is available for e-tutoring for MxCC students. Please see the following instructions for requesting online tutoring and submitting papers for review.

Tutoring Services for Center for New Media Students

Need help with your Center for New Media (CNM) courses? We offer virtual tutoring to CNM students in the following subjects: Adobe CCS, Protools, WIX, WordPress, and MS Office ( PowerPoint, Word, Excel)

Click here for CNM tutoring >

Retention Services

Are You…

  • Concerned about your academic progress?
  • Having difficulty in any of your classes?
  • Having a hard time adjusting to the online coursework format?
  • Facing personal issues that are affecting your academics?
  • Struggling to get it all done (time management)?
  • Need assistance with study skills, note taking, remembering what you learned, test-taking?
  • Considering withdrawing from a course?

Here are a few links from the Retention Services website www.mxcc.edu/retention that may help you as you finish out the semester:

Here is a link to the withdrawal form if you need it. Before you use it though, be sure to confer with your Professor about whether withdrawing is the wise option.  That is a topic I am available to talk with too.  There can be serious financial aid implications for withdrawing.

Remember, in time of change and stress (sounds like now) sticking with or getting into good habits is critical. Here is a link to an important infographic: What Successful Students Do

Library

The Learning Commons seating is arranged for social distancing. The computer lab is open by appointment. Other services available by appointment are book drop off and pick up and checking out equipment such as laptops and calculators. Library stacks are closed for self-service.

Library Hours:

Log into your Library Account to View Your Checkouts

Chat with Library Staff

Email the Library Staff

Call the Library and Leave a Voicemail:  860-343-5830

Career Counseling Resources

As always, our Career Development and Counseling Center has a robust online resource library to help you with career and major exploration, transfer planning, and searching for jobs on the CDCC website.

Counselors are also available by email to assist students:

Listening Lounge

The MxCC Listening Lounge is now available to support students virtually! The Listening Lounge offers free and confidential counseling services for MxCC students experiencing emotional and mental health issues throughout the academic year. To make an appointment, please use the booking calendar.

Magic Food Bus

The Magic Food Bus will be open this semester. Details on hours and operation procedures are currently being finalized and will be shared soon.

Magic Food Bus

Enrollment Services

(Admissions, Registration, & Financial Aid)

Need to talk to someone in enrollment services? The following times have been designated for WebEx meetings with our Enrollment Services staff. They will be ready to chat about everything to do with applying to the college and enrolling for classes. Click on any of the days/times below during the designated times to join the chat.

If you would prefer, you may email Enrollment Services staff, they will respond in a timely manner. Please note that all official college business must be conducted via the student’s college assigned email.

Financial Aid

If you need to reach the Financial Aid office, you may email or call 860-343-5741 to speak with a Customer Service Representative. Please note that all official college business must be conducted via the student’s college assigned email.

Drop-In Financial Aid Webex meetings are also available on:

Virtual FAFSA Help Sessions

MxCC’s Financial Aid Office will offer “virtual” help sessions for current and prospective MxCC students who need help completing their 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or have FAFSA related questions. Students will meet remotely with a Financial Aid Representative via a WEBEX chat room.  Students must be able to access the FAFSA website from their own computer to complete the application. We kindly ask that you visit the FAFSA site to create your FSA User ID (if you/parent does not already have one) and fill out as much of the FAFSA as you can, such as the demographic information, prior to the virtual meeting.

Please Note: We are aware that many students and families have been impacted by the current pandemic in different ways, and we want you to know that we are here to support you however we can. 

If you have lost employment or have experienced a significant reduction in income due to COVID-19, we may be able to adjust the income on your 2020-21 FAFSA to reflect your current financial standing. Please see this letter for more information and the 2020-21 Special Circumstances Appeal Form.

Continuing Education

Questions about Continuing Education courses? Email them here.

Advising

Need to meet with an academic advisor?

Advising faculty and staff are working remotely and can be contacted through email.

Current students should reach out to their assigned academic advisor (usually, your program coordinator). You can find your assigned advisor by logging into myCommNet and accessing “DegreeWorks” or by reaching out to Elizabeth Slupski (mx-advising@mxcc.edu). Search for individual faculty and staff email addresses in our employee directory.

New students (not yet registered for the semester) can book an appointment through the Advising Appointment Calendar and will receive an email the next business day with information on how to connect to the WebEx virtual meeting. Students should have their Financial Aid/payment options finalized before the meeting as well as their English and math Placement (see Accuplacer webpage for more information https://mxcc.edu/take-accuplacer/). Students can email Mx-Advising@mxcc.edu with any questions.

Other Resources