Academic Services

Counseling

If you are admitted to a program at Western, you may have seen a counselor as part of the admission process. This counselor may have helped you select a program of study and develop goals.

Now that you are a student, a counselor can help you with career counseling, personal counseling, academic problems, and program changes.

The Counseling Center, Coleman Center, Room 129, is open Monday -Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evening hours are available by appointment only. Call the Counseling Center at 608.785.9585. Counseling services are available by appointment at each of the extended campuses.

Academic Faculty Advisors

Once you are enrolled in a program and have started college, you will be assigned a faculty member who will serve as your academic advisor. Your advisor will help you with your goals, share helpful resources, problem solve, schedule the right classes, and generally help you be successful. To learn the name of your academic faculty advisor, stop by your division office.

Disability Services

Western Technical College provides support services for students with disabilities. There are a wide range of support services and accommodations that can assist you. These accommodations may include peer notetakers, enlargement of print materials, assistance at registration, alternative testing, additional orientation to campus, and adaptive equipment. Upon request, your instructors will be notified about the accommodations you need.

To request disability support services, you must schedule an appointment with the instructional support specialist. You will need to bring documentation of your disability. Guidelines for Professional Reports Documenting Disabilities PDF. At this meeting you will discuss the classes you have registered for and the accommodations you need. To ensure that support services are in place when classes begin, students should complete this process at least one month before entering Western by contacting:

Kristina Puent
Instructional Support Specialist
Academic Resource Center Room 154
608.785.9875

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

Western provides interpreter services, as well as note taking, tutoring, and alternative testing accommodations to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Western also provides assistive listening devices, such as the FM COMTEK System, and closed captioning of materials with respect to time allowed. Interpreting services include both sign and oral interpretation of all lectures, labs, or practicum assignments and any other needs related to a student’s educational plan. Prospective, as well as currently enrolled students, may request these services.

Western also provides services to individuals who have a recent hearing loss for any transitions they may need. To request any of these services, please contact the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist to schedule an appointment. You will need to provide documentation of your disability (most recent audiology report and audiogram, a clear diagnosis, functional limitations, and recommendations for academic accommodations). Students should request services a minimum of two to four weeks before the start of each semester to ensure that support services are in place when classes begin. You may do this by contacting:

Kris Follansbee
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist
Academic Resource Center, Room 154
608.785.9551 (V/TTY)

TTYs are located on each of our campuses; please check with the main switchboard or reception area for assistance.

Opportunity Center

The Opportunity Center specializes in services designed to help students experience success during college.

These services include: workshops on Career Exploration, Job Seeking Tools, Myers Briggs for Life and College Success and Job Keeping Skills; one-on-one appointments with staff, particularly for students who are dislocated workers, TANF eligible, displaced homemakers, single parents and nontraditional program enrollments; Support Group for displaced homemakers; Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory Assessments for displaced homemakers and dislocated workers; WorkKeys™ for displaced homemakers; and very limited financial assistance to displaced homemakers.

Opportunity Center staff are located in Coleman Center, Room 133. Staff are available Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and evening hours by appointment. For more information call (608) 785-9436. A staff member is available at the Tomah campus one day a week.

Displaced Homemaker - Turnaround Services

Western Technical College provides support services to students who are Displaced Homemakers. A Displaced Homemaker is an individual who has worked in the home for a substantial number of years, providing unpaid household services for family members, and who presently has a change in their family income because of separation, divorce, becoming widowed, or a disabled spouse.

After an initial meeting and the development of an Educational/Career Plan, students may receive assistance, including “up front” college expenses, transportation and childcare assistance, Myers/Briggs and Strong assessments, member newsletter, Hot Chocolate/Hot Issues Support Group, ongoing case management throughout college career, labor market information, and employment services.

For more information about the program, contact:
Bonnie Withrow
Displaced Homemaker Specialist
Welcome Center – Room R161G
608.785.9468

Library

The library is located on the second floor of the Academic Resource Center. A Western college ID is required to borrow materials. The library houses books, periodicals, pamphlets, video cassettes, the reserve collection, Internet access, legal and other materials to meet the needs of students and faculty. Other services include the use of low-cost copiers and study rooms.

The library also houses a full service computer lab with 30 PCs, 3 Macs, an AutoCAD machine, PC & Mac scanners and a color printer. It is open all hours the library is open.

During the school year the library is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The library staff is here to help you. The library Web site

Students may also use the following libraries: La Crosse Public, Viterbo University, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Gundersen Lutheran, and Franciscan-Skemp Healthcare.

Academic Success Center

The Academic Success Center, Coleman Center, Room 227, provides free academic support to all Western students. Instructors in math, science, written/oral communication, reading, and study skills provide individualized help/guidance for students in course work and/or to upgrade necessary basic skills.

A brief computerized Learning Styles Inventory is offered in the ASC for students to take to identify their dominant learning style. This is followed by a one-on-one conference with a staff member to discuss appropriate study strategies for successful learning.

The ASC provides testing rooms for students needing special testing accommodations.

ASC hours during fall and spring semesters are: Monday 7:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Further information is available at 608.785.9198 and on the ASC website.

Peer Tutoring

The Center coordinates the college’s Peer Tutoring program which offers tutors for most college classes. Peer Tutors are trained by ASC staff and provide free one-on-one or group tutoring as needed.

Study Skills Seminars

Each semester the ASC offers six study skill seminars, Time Management, Technical Reading Techniques, Note-taking Tips, Memory Strategies, Objective Testing, and Essay Test Writing. Printed seminar schedules are available in the ASC and on the ASC website.

Computer Lab

The Academic Computer Lab, located in Coleman Center, Room 218, is for currently enrolled students and students who have graduated in the past six months. The lab has IBM computers and has a large variety of software programs, including word processing, database, spreadsheet, accounting, desktop publishing, graphics, math, and AutoCAD packages. The lab is also equipped with adaptive software for the visually impaired. The lab is staffed by full-time technicians and is open Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m; Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; and the Academic Computer Lab is closed Saturdays. Hours vary during the summer and school breaks. Hours are posted on the door or call 608.789.6266.

The Library Computer Lab, located in the Library – Academic Resource Center, Room 201, is for currently enrolled students and students who have graduated in the past six months. The lab has IBM computers and Macintosh computers and has a large variety of software programs, including word processing, database, spreadsheet, accounting, desktop publishing, graphics, math, and AutoCAD packages. The lab is also equipped with adaptive software for the visually impaired. The lab is staffed by full-time technicians and is open Monday -Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Friday from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.; Hours vary during the summer and school breaks. Hours are posted on the door or call 608.789.6266.

Math Lab

The Math Lab has faculty available to help students taking math courses on a self-study basis. Instructors in the Math Lab also provide mathematical support for students enrolled in any vocational or technical programs at Western.

The Math Lab is located in Coleman Center, Room 229. Hours are Mondays 8:05 a.m.- 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8:05 a.m.-7:50 p.m.; Thursdays 8:05 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; and Fridays 8:05 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Math Lab Website

Online Writing Center

Want some help with that paper? Visit Western Technical College’s Online Writing Center, a site designed to help students to build their writing skills; find links to research and writing resources on the web; read about the process and the mechanics of writing; read a journal of outstanding student work, or work with your instructor to submit your own writing to the journal; submit your work to an online tutor for feedback. The Online Writing Center is a free service to all enrolled Western students. Visit us today Online Writing Center Website.