How enrollment numbers have affected your schedule
Mel Buskirk
Copy Editor

Coming back this fall, one might have noticed that more of their classes have been cancelled or that it seems like there is less traffic along the sidewalks crossing the campus. With only 3,821 students enrolled this semester, low enrollment is clearly the cause of the phenomenon.
Student enrollment has decreased in the past few semesters. During the Winter 2015 semester 3,952 students were enrolled and during the Fall 2014 semester 4,226 students were enrolled. Since the Fall semester there has been an overall decrease of 9.6%, or 405 students.
With this drop in student enrollment, many classes weren’t filled to capacity. The week before classes began 33 classes were cancelled due to not having enough students to even hold the class. The classes ranged from prerequisite 100 level English and Speech classes to advanced 200 level Criminal Justice and Biology classes.
One class that was cancelled was Kathy Ruby’s Human Sexuality (Psychology 280). This is the first time in 15 years that this class has been cancelled, according to Ruby. “I was just blown away,” she said, “This class is always filled up.” This semester’s cancellation has not deterred Ruby, she plans on holding the PSY 280 class in two sections on Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 2:50 pm and from 4 to 5:50 pm during the Winter 2016 semester.
According to Jim Neese, SC4’s Associate Dean of Academic Services, classes are chosen and put into the registry based on anticipated enrollment and the anticipated necessity of the class for students to graduate on time. While student enrollment was expected to drop this semester, it was only anticipated to drop 3% (from the Fall 2014 semester) instead of the nearly 10% drop. “We hate to cancel classes,” said Neese, “It does impact the students. We try to do what we can.”
Neese also commented on the process of class cancellations. “It’s a mostly subjective process,” he said. Many factors go into consideration when cancelling a class such as class limits, previous success of the class, necessity for students to graduate on time, whether there will be enough students in the class to pay faculty, as well as faculty input.
With all of this semester’s cancellations, fewer sections of current required classes and fewer electives might be offered for the Winter 2016 semester. The classes offered for next semester will be posted on the Wave at least two weeks before registration opens in November. Neese offers the advice that students should plan out their classes and talk with their advisors before classes even open up for registration. “Students need to register early to make sure their class isn’t cancelled,” he said. If classes fill up early enough, sections can be added on. Neese stated, “It’s easier to add classes instead of cancelling them.”
Registration for the Winter 2016 semester begins on Monday, Nov. 2 at midnight. In order to prevent class cancellations, students should try to register early. Official class cancellations will be determined by Friday, Jan. 8 for the Winter semester.

See You At The Pole 2015
Katie Hunckler
Staff Writer
Students of all backgrounds will be meeting at the flagpole for a time of Christian prayer on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
See You At The Pole (SYATP) is an international event that encourages students to come together with fellow believers on their school campuses and lift their school, nation, and world up in prayer. It is a unique opportunity to pray publicly in a location where public prayer is not as common.
The theme of this year’s SYATP event is “United,” based on the verse Acts 1:14, which reads: “They all met together and were constantly united in prayer.” (NLT)
SYATP will be taking place on the SC4 campus at both 7:30 a.m. and noon on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The gatherings will be at the flagpole in front of the student center. Anyone is welcome to attend either or both events.

Art for All
Jenelle Kalaf
Photo Editor

Everyone wants to learn how to do something in the arts. Usually excuses range from not enough time to it’s too expensive to learn.
Well here’s your chance.
Stop by SC4 Fine Arts Building Friday, Sept. 18 from 6 p.m. to midnight for the SC4 Art Night.
The night consists of free 90-minute workshops covering ceramics, theatre make up, music and drawing.
Each session covers basic skills for each category.
The night is recommended for ages 14 to 35, but anyone can come.
Space is limited. To register, call (810) 989- 5709. For more information, visit www.sc4.edu/arts.

Free Microsoft 365
Jamie Koebke
Business Editor
Standing in the bookstore you can feel the sadness and dread weighing heavily in the air as students spend hundreds on books and supplies.
There is a positive to this semester’s supplies. St. Clair County Community College is offering a free download of Microsoft Office 365.
Microsoft Office 365 is similar to Microsoft Office 2013. The differences being that with Microsoft Office you can only access it on the computer it was originally installed on. With Office 365 you have access to all office programs on multiple devices, both online and offline. You’ll also receive 1TB of Cloud Storage.
“Microsoft Office 365 is available for every SC4 student and can be used on up to five devices.” said Jaren Jones who works at an offsite IT help desk listed on SC4’s website.
SC4 advertises for Microsoft 365 on the Portal page under announcements section.
“Every single teacher told me about it being available for free the first day of classes,” Ben Sroka, 19 of Marysville, said.
For some students, teachers telling them about the download did not help. Hannah Buckley, 18 of Port Huron, said, “I wish I would’ve known about this before I bought Microsoft. I think SC4 could’ve made students more aware by advertising on social media.”
Downloading Microsoft Office 365 was made easy. Simply go to the portal page and click on the link that says “Office 365 available for students; access Microsoft Office applications on multiple computers, devices” under announcements and follow the instructions found there.

SC4 students receive academic honor
Lily Petit
Staff Writer

Students Emily Wilton and Kaitlynn Rumsey were named to SC4’s Academic Team according to a press release from March 23. Wilton and Rumsey were automatically named to the All-Michigan Academic Team when they were accepted to the All-SC4 Academic Team.
The SC4 alumni association gave Wilton and Rumsey each a $500 scholarship for their accomplishments.
Wilton and Rumsey applied for the All-USA Academic Team last fall. The All-USA Academic Team is a scholarship that recognizes academic achievements from students belonging to Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society of two year colleges. Wilton and Rumsey did not make it onto the All-USA team, but they still hold their All-SC4 and All-Michigan Academic Team titles.
According to PTK’s Lambda Mu chapter advisor, Angela Heiden, the candidates had to apply for the team in the fall as well as have a 3.5 GPA or higher to be considered. Wilton and Rumsey were chosen by an SC4 committee led by Heiden.
Academic achievements were not the only factor in influencing the application process. Wilton, 19, said “Basically, the competition part of it (The Academic Team) was the application process. I had to write six essays.” The topics for the essays included how Wilton was influenced by Phi Theta Kappa, how she influenced PTK, as well as describing a time she had struggled.
Wilton is the current president of SC4’s Lambda Mu Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and will be graduating in May with an honors associate degree. Rumsey on the other hand has already earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Ferris State University. She is studying at SC4 to be a nurse practitioner.
Both were honored at an All-Michigan Academic Team luncheon in Lansing. Rumsey was unable to go, but Wilton said “I didn’t know it was that big of a deal when I was selected (for the team), but when I got to the luncheon and saw how many people were there and I knew some of them and knew how smart they are I was really impressed that I got selected for the team.”

Features 45 students and 85 pieces of literature and art
Emily Mainguy
Production Editor

“SC4’s ‘Patterns’ is the longest continually published community college literary and arts magazine in the state,” stated Martha Pennington, Director of Marketing.
The 57th annual “Patterns” was designed by a trio of students this year, Paige Falk in charge of Layout and Design, Jenelle Nofs doing the illustrations and Brad Stone in charge of Visuals.
This trio of designers was not the only ones involved, they were joined by Student Editors, Rachel Landon, Bailey Watson and Student Clerical Assistants, Ashley Guertin, Brittney Kargol, and Ryan McInnis.
“I enjoyed working with Brad because we both had great ideas for how we wanted the overall look to be,” explained Falk, a student designer.
The edition was released during the award ceremony and reception Sunday, April 26 where the following students received awards in the following categories:
Eleanor Mathews Award, writing – Marissa Jessee
Blanche Redman Award, poetry – Steffani Gentry
First-place poem – Steffani Gentry
Second-place poem – Amanda Brown
Richard Colwell Award, short story – Travis Boone
First-place short story – Travis Boone
Second-place short story – Elizabeth Mahlstedt
Kathleen Nickerson Award, essay – Lillian Petit
First-place, essay – Jeff Kroll
Second-place, essay – Therese Majeski
Patrick Bourke Award, art – Amanda Rogers
First-place, art – Ashley Stacy
Second-place, art – Kristen Hager
Third-place, art – Brad Stone
Grab a “Patterns” or view it online at www.sc4.edu/patterns. This year’s “Patterns” magazine is, like always, free and is in the Fine Arts building.