To help students avoid long lines, to make orientation easily accessible, and to provide quick access to important college information, Athens Technical College now offers New Student Orientation online. Studies show that students who complete orientation before entering college are more likely to succeed.ﾠ They are more familiar with the college's policies, processes, and procedures.ﾠ As a result, their college experience goes more smoothly because they feel like they know what to do and how to do it.ﾠ Being able to access orientation materials at any time of day from any computer with internet access will provide more students an opportunity to achieve success.

Students have two options for completing the online orientation. They may complete it before New Student Registration/Advising Day and bring proof of completion to campus with them, or they may register to complete the orientation in one of our on-campus computer labs with staff assistance. ﾠTo access New Student Orientation, select Current Students from the ATC homepage menu.ﾠ Then select Orientation and follow the instructions on the page.ﾠ

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New Student Registration scheduled for September 2

NEW student registration will be held on the Athens Campus on Thursday, September 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Students need to bring their acceptance letter, information sheet, and proof of completion for the online orientation to registration. Students should report to the Kenneth C. Easom Building on the Athens Campus.

Students are encouraged to complete the Online Orientation prior to September 2.

Students who have not completed the Online Orientation prior to September 2 may complete the Online Orientation on September 2.ﾠ

If you are unable to complete the Online Orientation prior to September 2, please register for a Campus Assisted Online Orientation Session on September 2.

If you have registered for a Campus Assisted Online Orientation Session, report to Room H-768.

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Elbert County Campus

New student registration will be held on the Elbert County Campus on Thursday, September 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Students need to bring their acceptance letter, information sheet, and proof of completion for the online orientation to registration. Students should report to the Yeargin Academic Building on the Elbert County Campus.

Students are encouraged to complete the Online Orientation prior to September 2.

Students who have not completed the Online Orientation prior to September 2 may complete the Online Orientation before being cleared to meet with an advisor and register.ﾠ

If you are unable to complete the Online Orientation prior to September 2, you need to register for a Campus Assisted Online Orientation Session on September 2.

If you have registered for a Campus Assisted Online Orientation Session, report to Room 124.

Robbie Schwartz wrote the following article and contributed the photo. Schwartz is the news editor for the Walton Tribune. The article was published originally in the Sunday, August 22, 2010, edition of the Walton Tribune.

Tony Suess gets a weird look when discussing the establishment of the Construction program at the Walton County Campus of Athens Technical College.

"It is usually met by a very curious look, immediately followed by the words 'In this economy?'", the chair for the new program said. "While it is true that the new home market continues to take a beating, few realize the home remodeling market is booming. This has always been the case and is the residential construction industry's system of 'checks and balances.'

ﾠ"When economic conditions cause new housing to fall, people invest in remodeling of their existing homes rather than buy a new home. While unemployment overall may be high, I can assure you that carpenters, dry wall installers, deck builders, roofers, and any one of the numerous construction craftsmen are busier than ever."

As the new custodian of the old Monroe Area High School campus on Bryant Road, formerly a shared facility with the Walton Career Academy and other entities, Athens Technical College has plans to expand its offerings at the campus. The Construction program will be among those new efforts, beginning with the fall quarter starting next month.

Suess noted in the National Association of Home Builders there are as many as 150 specialized crafts involved in the construction of a home. His goal is for the program to offer training and practical application in a variety of these trades.

"A student participating in our program will gain an understanding of the distinction between how to build a home and how a home is built," Suess said. "Understanding that is applicable to all residential construction crafts. Students completing the program will leave 'armed' with any number of skills that will not only keep them employed but also allow them to change and adapt to any market condition.

"We really want to help provide job training for the adults and young people in the community to take advantage of good, dependable job opportunities."

Suess pointed out as an example of the program there will be training in drywall installation and finishing, but to truly understand this process a student will also require knowledge of rough carpentry, interior framing and interior trim. The program chair added graduates will leave with a "clear understanding" of "green" home construction.

Suess taught at Gwinnett Technical College before a short stint in the private sector before returning to education in his current capacity. His hands-on experience began first with boat building, a hobby while enlisted in the Marines. Through that he developed a passion for fine woodworking. After leaving the military, Suess worked in the private sector before beginning classes at Gwinnett Tech, taking and teaching residential construction classes at the same time.

Registration for the program begins Sept. 2 and is open to those who have been accepted for enrollment at Athens Technical College and Suess said they are working out the details for a dual enrollment option for local high school students. There will be both degree and diploma programs offered. For more information, e-mail Mr. Suess at asuess@athenstech.edu.

The 2010 graduating class of Radiography students at Athens Technical College achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (A.R.R.T.) certification examination.ﾠ

Program Chair Doug Baker pointed out that this most recent group of graduates was the fifth consecutive graduating class to pass the national examination on their first attempt.ﾠ

"Having all members of the graduating class to pass the examination on their first attempt serves as an important indicator of the quality of our program," Mr. Baker said. "It demonstrates to potential students, employers of our graduates, and the public that our program provides the theoretical knowledge and cognitive skills graduates need in order to perform intelligently and accurately the responsibilities typically required of any entry-level radiographer."

ﾠThe national first-time/attempt pass rate averaged 90.9 percent for the four years beginning with 2006 and ending with the 2009 graduating class. A.R.R.T. will release the national results for the class of 2010 later this fall.ﾠ

The certification examination is divided into five content categories: radiation protection, equipment operation and quality control, image production and evaluation, radiographic procedures, patient care and education.ﾠ

Radiographers are health-care professionals who operate x-ray equipment to help diagnose and treat various health programs.ﾠ They image patients for broken bones, ulcers, tumors, diseases, or malfunctions of various organs through the production of consistently high-quality radiographs that are ready for interpretation by a physician.ﾠ

The Athens Technical College program combines formal classroom education and extensive clinical training.ﾠ Graduates receive an associate of applied science degree.ﾠ

Participants in the automotive painting compliance workshop display the certificates they received for passing the certification examination.

The Automotive Collision Repair program at Athens Technical College recently partnered with the Georgia Small Business Environmental Assistance Program to provide an environmental compliance workshop for painting and refinishing specialists employed at area automotive collision repair centers.

Robert Yuhas, chair of the college's Automotive Collision Repair program, said the need for the compliance workshop came about because of the new 6-H rule enacted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"The EPA issued new regulations governing air emissions of automotive body repair facilities in which paint stripping and spray painting operations occur," Mr. Yuhas said. "The regulations specifically focus on spray-applied coatings that contain individual target hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) classified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as a carcinogen."

The EPA regulations define target HAPs as compounds of chromium, lead, manganese, nickel, or cadmium.

Mr. Yuhas added that existing employees of automobile collision repair centers have until January 2011 to complete the compliance training, which focuses on minimizing paint overspray in order to comply with the new EPA regulations.

Upon completing the workshop at Athens Technical College, participants took an examination. Those who successfully completed the exam received a certification certificate in the use of automotive finishes. Mr. Yuhas reported a 100 percent pass rate on the examination.

The certification is valid for five years. Automotive painters must complete refresher training every five years in order to remain in compliance with the EPA regulations.

The partnering organization in this initiative, the Georgia Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (GA SBEAP), is a non-regulatory program offered by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. GA SBEAP provides free and confidential environmental permit and compliance assistance to help small businesses located throughout the state understand and comply with environmental regulatory requirements concerning air and water quality, solid and hazardous waste management, and other environmental areas.