Palm Beach State College strives to provide broad opportunities for the intellectual and cultural development of students in an atmosphere of order and respect. Various student services and organizations are available on each campus, as described in this section.
Academic Advisement
Academic advisors provide career pathway guidance through a case management approach to assist students in designing an educational plan that meets their academic and personal goals. They also serve as a referral source for the many supportive services and resources at the College. Students are urged to maintain contact with their assigned advisors to be certain they are on track to complete their program of study. Students assume the ultimate responsibility for course selection. For more information, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/Advising.
Career Centers
Career Center services are available at each campus location. Students can meet with a career advisor to discuss major and career options, to polish their resume and cover letter, create a LinkedIn profile to search for jobs and internships. The Career Centers offer online career assessment inventories for students to become self-aware about their interests, values and skills to learn how they relate to majors and occupations.
Stop in during walk-in Career Advising hours and meet with us in person to facilitate your career advising needs or schedule a personal appointment online. We encourage all PBSC students and recent alumni to upload their resumes into the Handshake online job portal where employers can search student resumes for their hiring needs. In Handshake, students can view and apply to job and internship postings, RSVP to attend career fairs, special events and workshops, and connect with career mentors through the portal.
The Career Centers offer workshops on resume writing, mock interviews, job search strategies, and career and internship fairs, along with industry career panels and other career events. The Career Center webpage offers many online career resources, which include career videos, What Can I Do With a Major In, employment resources and online career assessment inventories. We encourage students to explore our webpage and make the best use of online career planning tools.
Credit classes in career development and job searching are available to students:
SLS 1300 Career Self-Assessment - 1 credit
SLS 1301 Career Development - 3 credits
SLS 1302 Career Information and Decision Making - 1 credit
SLS 1303 Job Search - 1 credit
Visit the Career Centers webpage for additional information: www.palmbeachstate.edu/Career.
Eligibility to Use Career Centers
The following persons are eligible to use Career Center services:
Currently enrolled students in degree, certificate or CCP programs, credit classes, noncredit professional development courses (i.e., insurance or real estate). Students are eligible for services for the full academic year, even if they enroll for only one term within the year.
Graduates of Palm Beach State College degree and certificate programs. Former students who complete an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, college credit certificate or a CCP program of 600 clock hours or more are eligible for lifetime access to services. Former students completing CCP certificate programs less than 600 clock hours are eligible to receive services for one year following receipt of the certificate. After one year, enrollment in another Palm Beach State course or program is needed to receive services.
Prospective students with applications on file. Transfer students must pay the application fee in order to establish their eligibility.
Inactive students (those who previously attended Palm Beach State but did not graduate and want to enroll in the upcoming semester or term) must complete an application for readmission as well as meet any additional admission requirements to enroll for the upcoming term. Students may be eligible for limited services until they start classes in the upcoming term.
Counseling Center
The Student Counseling Center provides services and programs to help students, on each campus, maintain their emotional well-being in order to achieve their educational goals. Supportive services and identification of community resources are also provided through the Counseling Center.
The Student Counseling Center is located on the Lake Worth campus in Room SCA-103 and is also available by appointment only at all other campus locations. For more information and to schedule appointments for other campus locations, call 561-868-3980 or learn more at www.palmbeachstate.edu/CounselingCenter.
The Panther’s Pantry
The Panther’s Pantry provides food and personal hygiene items for any currently enrolled student or staff/faculty member in need. Supplies are provided at no cost and are available at all campus locations with differing operating hours. A current PBSC ID must be provided at time of service. For more information, call 561-868-3980 or visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/CounselingCenter.
Mobile Medical Clinic
The Counseling Center, in collaboration with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County (HCDPBC), provides primary care services available for students, staff and faculty who are uninsured. The HCDPBC Mobile Medical Clinic is located on the Lake Worth campus with plans to expand to all campus locations. Appointments must be scheduled through the Counseling Center. For more information, call 561-868-3980 or visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/CounselingCenter.
Panther Empowerment Resource Center and Student Urgent Relief Fund
The Panther Empowerment Resource Center (PERC) assists students with a myriad of issues that may impact their ability to remain enrolled or successfully complete their program of study. PERC provides case management services, financial assistance for crisis situations, registration for Medicaid and SNAP, referrals to community resources, and other wraparound services which can be accessed by contacting PERC directly at www.palmbeachstate.edu/PERC or by calling the Student Counseling Center at 561-868-3980.
Center for Student Accessibility
The College is committed to providing full access to all programs, services and facilities for qualified individuals with disabilities as mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008. Services and accommodations are not automatic. It is the responsibility of the student or prospective student to notify the Center for Student Accessibility of the need for reasonable accommodations, services and academic adjustments and to provide appropriate documentation by a qualified medical or mental health professional that verifies and supports the student’s disability claim.
Services cannot be authorized until the student has officially registered with the Center for Student Accessibility (CSA). This voluntary self-declaration procedure is independent from the admissions process itself, and all disability records are treated as confidential and private and kept separately.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to meet with the Center for Student Accessibility representative on their campus before registration. A staff member from CSA will assist with accommodation needs and coordinate with other campus resources and academic supports to best meet the educational needs of students with disabilities. Visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/CSA for more details and contact information.
Ombudsman
The Ombudsman serves as an advocate for fairness by exploring informal resolutions to conflicts, assisting students with understanding college policies and procedures, and facilitating effective communication. This advocate supports students with options for how to address their concerns, complaints or issues through established procedures. This office reports directly to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (see section 1006.51, Florida Statutes). The Ombudsman can be reached at (561) 868-3371.
PantherCard
The PantherCard is the College's official photo identification card and should always be carried while on campus. A student is eligible for a PantherCard once a credit or noncredit application has been completed. All students are encouraged to obtain a PantherCard by visiting their campus bookstore (or security office at the Belle Glade and Loxahatchee Groves campuses). A government-issued photo ID, such as a current driver's license, state ID, or passport, must be presented in order to obtain a PantherCard. The PantherCard serves as a student ID card, library card, debit card at campus bookstores, cafeterias, and vending machines, and for printing/copying on campus. It also is required to access many of the services on campus, including the student learning centers and the wellness centers. Certain programs may require students to display their PantherCard when in class or attending training provided by the College or an off-site location. The first PantherCard is included in a student's fees; however, replacement for a lost, stolen or damaged card is subject to a replacement fee. For more information, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/PantherCard.
PantherWeb
Students use the College’s online Student Services tool, PantherWeb, to pay for tests, add, drop or withdraw from classes, pay tuition, view transcripts and degree audits and change personal information. An assigned student ID and password are given to students when they apply. For more information, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/Pantherweb.
Student Handbook
All regulations and policies pertaining to student conduct are listed in the Student Handbook located online at www.palmbeachstate.edu/StudentHandbook. Students are responsible for reading the information in the Student Handbook.
College students are considered to have reached the age of responsibility and discretion. Their conduct, both in and out of college, is expected to be dignified and honorable. Students must realize that the responsibility for their success in college rests largely upon themselves. Each student, by the act of enrolling, is obligated to obey the rules and regulations formulated by the College. Each student is responsible for observing all Board of Trustees’ policies and procedures as published in the Student Handbook, College Catalog and other College publications.
Student Life
Athletics
Palm Beach State College is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Florida College System Activities Association, the governing bodies for intercollegiate sports competition for the Florida College System. Palm Beach State competes at the Division I level in the Southern Conference, Region VIII, in Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Softball, and Volleyball.
The Panthers play all of their home games on the Lake Worth Campus for all sports. All home events are free to Palm Beach State students, faculty and staff with a valid Palm Beach State ID. At the current time, admission to games is free to the public. For more information, please visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/Athletics.
Intramural and Recreational Activities
Intramural and recreational activities represent a broad selection of individual and team sports. Club sports are also available. Students must try out, be prepared to play at much higher levels of competition and travel to games outside the College. Opportunities are available for students to participate in all phases of the intramural program, including planning and organizing, competing and officiating.
Student Government
Each campus has a Student Government Association. These groups provide guidance and direction to the student body, develop student programs and activities, promote student involvement, develop positive working relationships and provide students with opportunities to develop and exercise leadership skills. Contact the campus Student Activities office for more information.
Student Organizations and Clubs
The College offers assistance in the formation and official recognition of clubs and other organizations of students and faculty who have interests in common. There are well-defined procedures available through the Student Activities office for the establishment and sanctioning of a student club or organization.
To hold office in a student organization, a student must have a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) at the beginning of the tenure of office and must achieve a minimum 2.0 GPA during each term in office. Clubs and organizations may have individual membership requirements; students can visit any campus Student Activities Office to acquire specific club requirements.
For the list of sanctioned clubs on each campus, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/StudentActivities.
Student Success Grants
The College has been awarded several grants to support student success programs.
Educational Opportunity Center
The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) is a U.S. Department of Education grant-funded program. The EOC grant provides assistance and information on the college application process to qualified high school students and adults who would like to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. Services include vocational and career counseling, GED preparation, academic advising, and financial aid and college admissions workshops. The EOC assists residents of Palm Beach County and has a focus on low-income and/or are potential first-generation college students. For more information, call 561-868-3681 for the Lake Worth office or 561-868-4068 for the West Palm Beach office.
Student Support Services
This program is a U.S. Department of Education grant-funded TRIO program serving 175 low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities. Services provided include personalized academic and financial aid advisement, tutoring, career exploration activities, academic workshops, financial literacy, cultural events and university tours. The program assists students with progression, retention, completion and transition from one level of higher education to the next. Students must be enrolled at Palm Beach State College in a degree-seeking program and be a US citizen or permanent resident to be eligible for services. For more information, call 561-868-3392.
Testing Services
Test Centers are located on each campus and offer comprehensive testing services for faculty, students and the community. A variety of national and state exams for students, including PERT, CLEP, Accuplacer, Accuplacer ESL and TABE are administered, in addition to out-of-class and distance learning exams. Certification testing is also conducted on select campuses. The centers are certified by the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and therefore maintain a comprehensive set of standards, approved policies, and procedures to which students are expected to adhere.
For Test Center locations, hours of operation, a listing of exams offered, and policies and procedures, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/Testing.