For immediate release Contact: Rose Shaw, 413-499-4660, Ext. 2113

BCC Expands Online Services for Students

Berkshire Community College has expanded its online services for students with the following two new additions:

The eTutoring initiative is a collaborative pilot project between the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium and Massachusetts Colleges Online. As a result of this partnership, BCC students can now receive online tutoring in various subjects 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Subjects include accounting, anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, information literacy and research methods, basic mathematics through calculus, radiology, respiratory care, statistics, and writing.

Students may self-register for tutoring assistance at www.etutoring.org . Tutoring is available in three ways: live chat, question submissions, and writing assignment submissions. Online assistance is provided by tutors from 29 participating institutions of higher education and is available during the fall and spring semesters.

“This new service offers our students an opportunity to receive academic support that is flexible, as well as accessible at any time of the day or night,” said Janie Pellish, coordinator of tutorial services. “The eTutoring option will be especially valuable to the many students who work or have family commitments during the day,” she added.

For more information about the eTutoring initiative, contact BCC’s Tutorial Center at 413-499-4660, Ext. 1651.

The second new addition, “BCC Online,” is an important new resource developed under federal Title III funding. It provides BCC students with a narrated or self-guided online orientation, as well as online advising, distance learning, and academic support information. Links are available from each web page to the online college admissions application.

“This resource allows our students to access essential information through a user-friendly interface and paves the way for further online student services development at the college,” said Dori Digenti, Title III activity director.

BCC Online is available at www.berkshirecc.edu/bcconline. For more information, contact BCC’s Title III Office at 413-499-4660, Ext. 2170.

--10/16/2006--