February 18, 2022

Dear Chattanooga State Community,

You have made it to the end of week five of the semester. If you are taking seven-week classes, you have only two weeks left before you finish your first round of classes for the semester. You are almost to the finish line!

At this point, you might be feeling a little tired and overwhelmed with classes. If that sounds like you, I want you to know that this is normal. I also want to share some suggestions.

Talk to your instructors. Students often think they are not doing well in classes. Sometimes that is because they are working so hard to learn new content and to meet deadlines. Remember, working hard means that you are pushing yourself to learn. That’s exactly what you should be doing! So, if you are unsure how you are doing in your classes, talk to your instructors. You may be doing better than you think.

Stay focused. If you are in seven-week classes, you only need to focus on these classes for two more weeks. You can do anything for two weeks.

Remember your why. Think about why you are in college and what life will be like when you complete your degree. Maybe you plan to be a nurse, an engineer, a teacher, an entrepreneur, an accountant, a marketing professional. Maybe you plan to get a degree so that you can provide a better life for your family. Focus on your end goal and do not let the challenges that come up along the way derail your plans.

Hang in there for the next couple of weeks. YOU can do this!

Volunteer to Participate in the Pilot Program of ChattState’s New Game—Caspian: A Hero’s Quest
CETAS Grand Tour & Showcase, April 8
The Phoenix Is Accepting Submissions. Deadline March 5, 2022
Registration Hold for Financial Aid Recipients
All Students Receiving Financial Aid Must Complete the FAFSA by March 1
Achieve Your Goals
Student Resources—We’re Here to Help
Student Life Events and Activities

We are resilient. We are innovative. We are united. We are ChattState.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Ashford, Ed.D.
President

Volunteer to Participate in the Pilot Program of ChattState’s New Game—Caspian: A Hero’s Quest

Based on student and employee feedback, our new campus engagement game is named Caspian: A Hero's Quest. The game is set to begin a trial run March 14 through the end of April. We are seeking students and employees to volunteer to be Pilot Program Participants to help us shape features, functions, and prizes.

What is Caspian and how does the game work? Caspian: A Hero’s Quest is Chattanooga State’s ultimate campus engagement strategy and incentive program designed to strengthen student and employee engagement by giving our campus community the opportunity to win prizes for doing things that are proven to deepen engagement and increase overall success. Participants will receive points for each activity that is part of the game. 

Every point is an entry into a drawing for prizes. The prizes are high-quality items that have been chosen specially for the Hero's Quest: t-shirts, keychains, mugs, beach towels, wireless earbuds—just to name a few. With equity in mind, we also have prize drawings at the grand finale based on joining the game, regardless of points earned. In addition, every participant who has signed up for the pilot program will receive a ChattState Welcome Gift.

The deadline to sign up has been extended to Friday, February 25.

CETAS Grand Tour & Showcase, Friday, April 8

Join us to celebrate the completion of the CETAS building and the 10th Anniversary of the Wacker Institute. We look forward to showcasing all the school has to offer. We invite you to sign up your program, club, or organization to show to community leaders and prospective students what makes ChattState special.

The Phoenix Is Accepting Submissions. Deadline March 5, 2022

The Phoenix is Chattanooga State's Literary/Art Journal. Founded in 1982, the purpose of The Phoenix is to showcase the best work of Chattanooga State students.

We are currently accepting poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, drama, art, and photography, and especially interested in works that explore what it means to live during turmoil, such as we’ve experienced in 2020.

Students can submit by email up to 3 poems, 6 photos or art pieces, and 1,500 words of prose. The submission deadline for this issue is March 5, 2022. We plan to select the cover of the journal from this year’s submissions!

Registration Hold for Financial Aid Recipients

Students who have been paid Financial Aid will now see a hold on their account to prevent registration changes unless they first consult an academic advisor. The Banner hold code is ER, and the description is "See advisor to change schedule." Advisors will discuss the implications—both academic and financial —of the student's desired schedule change. If the advisor gives the green light, they will remove the hold from the student's account and the student can make the desired change in Banner/TigerWeb. The hold will go back on the student's account on the next nightly run so that further changes require further conversations.

The hold has now been applied for the Spring 2022 semester. It will affect students who have been paid any type of Financial Aid including TN Promise, TN Reconnect, grants, loans, and scholarships.

Please call the Academic Advising Center at 423-697-2456 or visit our Advising Virtual Office for assistance.

All Students Receiving Financial Aid Must Complete the FAFSA by March 1

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for next year, 2022-2023 is due March 1 (the date has been extended). If you will be enrolling in classes at any school as of July 1st, 2022, complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to have the best chance at any first come, first served scholarships, grants, or loans.

Submitting the FAFSA early also gives you a head start on completing any financial aid requirements or determining your financial aid eligibility.

The Federal Student Aid website gives you a lot of information about completing the FAFSA and about how financial aid works. For the 2022-2023 year, you will use your 2020 tax and income information for both you and your parent(s) or stepparent (s), if you are under 24 years old, or you and your spouse if you are considered “independent” on the FAFSA by age or special circumstances. If something in your family or financial situation has changed since filing taxes in 2020, and your household income is different, contact the Financial Aid Office after completing the FAFSA (using your 2020 financial information) about possible adjustments to the information in your federal aid application.

Achieve Your Goals

Academic Advising

We hope you’ve all had a wonderful start to Spring 2022! The Academic Advising staff is here to help you have a successful semester. Whenever you need assistance from your assigned Academic Advisor please set up an appointment to meet with them by using the scheduling links on our website, Advising & Registration | Chattanooga State Community College. If you have a quick question, feel free to call or email your Advisor. Email and phone numbers are available in the ChattState Faculty and Staff Directory . While our walk-in hours for the beginning of the semester have ended, if you have an urgent matter, we welcome your visit in the Student Center— 226 or call us at 423-697-2456.  Note: Priority will be given to students with appointments.

Math Center

Located on the second floor of the IMC building, in room 225, the Math Center available to help students with all levels of Math. The center is equipped with over 180 computers for student use, and Math faculty and tutors are always available to assist students.

Monday – Thursday (8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
Friday  (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Saturday (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

One-on-One Math Tutoring

Username: the first part of your email address, before the @ symbol (Ex: jpdoe@my.chattanoogastate.edu, so, the Username would be "jpdoe." Do not use the entire email.)
Password: the same as your TigerWeb password.

Tutoring: ChattState offers in-person and virtual tutoring services.
Emergency Aid: The Student Support Center is available to assist students struggling to meet their basic needs. Please use the Wellness Check on TigerWeb to let us know if you need assistance.
Technology Support: Devices (laptops, hotspots, etc.) are available through the College. To request a device, complete the technology request form. Technology will continue to be available for students as long as they remain enrolled.

Support Services: Chattanooga State is dedicated to delivering support services and resources to assist our students. Visit the virtual Student Support Center to learn more about the many services offered.
Academic Resources: Visit the Spring 2022 Update page for a listing of academic resources, including links to the Math Center, Andrews Reading and Writing Center, the Testing Center, Kolwyck Library, and more.
Student Assistance Library Campus Guide: We now have a Campus Guide for students to provide assistance with eLearn / Virtual Classes / Proctoring / Accessibility / etc.
Career Services Center: The Career Services Center is available to provide services online or by phone to Chattanooga State students, alumni, faculty and staff. Services include career counseling & assistance with selecting a major, job search planning, resume writing assistance, interview skills, and more. Visit JOBlink to view job and internship opportunities. To schedule an appointment for any service, please call 423-697-4421 or email careers@chattanoogastate.edu. The Career Services Virtual Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Food: The Tiger Cupboard provides supplemental food and other necessities for students in need.

Tennessee Board of Regents Student Resources: We know that the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has been causing a great deal of uncertainty, anxiety, and stress for students across Tennessee. Please know that you are not alone.
Ride CARTA for Free: Chattanooga State students may ride CARTA for free with a valid ChattState ID through August 31, 2022. This agreement covers all routes.

Student Life Events and Activities

All students are welcome to join! Check out our February events:

23 – Kimball Cupcakes & Canvas - 10AM–1PM
24 – Opioid Awareness - TBA