Spring 2014 West Guide: for West Los Angeles College International Students This guide provides important and useful information to help ensure your success at West and to make the most of your education experience in the U.S.A. 9000 Overland Avenue | Culver City, CA 90230 | www.WLAC.edu | (310) 287-4458 Table of Contents Section Page Number West Los Angeles College Administrators and Services 2 Useful WLAC Campus Contact Information for International Students 4 Academic Calendar 5 Assessment 7 International Student Program 8 Meeting and Events 9 West Language Academy 10 ASO (Associated Students Organization) 11 Bookstore, Paws, and Cafe Information 13 Café West 14 Westside Extension 15 Library and Learning Center Information 16 Transfer & Honors Program 17 Housing 18 Bus information 22 Culver City Contacts 27 Banking Information 29 Telecommunications Information 30 Food ,Groceries and café shop 31 Shopping and Entertainment 37 Movie theaters 39 Medical Information 40 Veterinary Services 41 Laundry Facilities 41 Driving Information 42 Cultural Adjustment and Transitioning 44 Los Angeles Attractions 45 Places to travel within the US 47 Glossary of College Terms 48 *The information listed in the booklet is from sources deemed reliable but please verify. We are not responsible for any services outside the campus they are only for your information 1 WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE - ADMINISTRATORS AND SERVICES Name Title + Department Phone Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh President (310) 287-4325 Robert Sprague Vice President, Academic Affairs (310) 287-4398 Ken Takeda Vice President, Administrative Services (310) 287-4367 Phyllis Braxton Interim Vice President, Student Services (310) 287-4248 Ara Aguiar Dean, Academic Affairs (310) 287-4238 Walter Jones Dean, Academic Affairs (310) 287-4244 Kathy Walton Dean, Academic Affairs (310) 287-4376 ADMISSIONS OFFICE (SSB 220) • (310) 287- BOOKSTORE (SSB 121) • (310) 287-4560 4501 • Text Books and Supplies/Used Book Buyback • • Adding a class • General petition Convenience Store • Graduation petitions • Application for Mon –Thurs: 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. admission/questions Fri: 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. • Registration questions • Attendance verification • Transcripts • Change of address BUSINESS OFFICE (SSB 230) • (310) 287- • Veteran’s benefits • Withdrawing from College 4262; After 4:30 p.m., 287-4416 • CA High School Exit Exam • Outreach • Payment of fees, Refunds • Application for MTA Mon & Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Tues & bus pass Wed: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fri: 8:30 a.m. to • Registration fee receipt • Parking Permits 1:00 p.m. Main Business Office: Mon & Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ASSESSMENT/MATRICULATION (SSB 420) • Tues & Wed: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (310) 287-4462 Fri: 8:30am to 2:00pm Mon – Thurs: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Window “7” in Admissions Office: Mon &Thurs: Fri: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | Sat: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 4:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Tues. & Wed.: 4:15pm to p.m. (when available) 7:00pm ASSOCIATED STUDENTS ORGANIZATION CAFÉ WEST (SSB) 1st Floor (ASO) Mon – Thurs: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. | Fri: 7:00 ASO Student Activity Center (A-6) , ASO a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Office (A-9) • (310) 287-4426 Sat: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm • Campus Clubs/Events • Activities • Photo ID Cards CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (CDC) • (310) Mon & Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Tues & 287-4357 Wed: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Fri: 9:00 a.m. to • Child Care Mon –Thurs: 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. COUNSELING OFFICE (SSB350) • (310) 287- ATHLETICS (PECN) • (310) 287-4263 7242 Mon – Thurs: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. • Academic counseling • Transfer questions Mon & Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Tues & Wed: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fri: 8.30 a.m. to 1:00 pm 2 DISABLED STUDENT PROGRAMS AND L.A. SHERIFFS OFFICE (Bldg. C3 – Lot 5 SERVICES (DSP&S) Entrance) • (310) 287-4311 (SSB320) • (310) 287-4450 • 24 hour patrol • Any emergency or criminal Mon - Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Wed: 8:30 complaint a.m. to 4:00 p.m. • Any illness/injury • Parking Permits (Temporary) • Lost and Found • Any safety related problem EOP&S/CARE PROGRAM (SSB330) • (310) 287-4317 LIBRARY – HLRC Extended Opportunity Programs and Services Library (HLRC 2nd and 3rd Floors) (EOP&S) (310) 287-4408 Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education Information Desk • (310) 287-4408, Reference (CARE) Desk (310) 287-4269 Mon – Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon – Thurs: 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Fri : 9:00am-1:00pm Sat.: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. FINANCIAL AID OFFICE (SSB210 • (310) 287- 4532 Tutoring, Writing Lab, Foreign Language Lab • Grants and Loans • Fee waiver or Deferments (HLRC 1st Floor) • Federal Work-study • Scholarship Information Tutoring & Foreign Language Lab • 287-4404; • Cal Grant Information Writing Lab • 287-4420 Mon & Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Tues & Wed: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. TRANSFER CENTER (SSB340) • Fri: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (310) 287-4353 Tues, Wed and Fri: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. HEALTH CENTER (A-9) • (310) 287-4478 Student Health Center WESTSIDE EXTENSION - PARKING LOT 5 Fri: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. M&W: 8-4pm T&R (Building A) • 9:30am-6pm (310) 287-4475 • Not-for-credit classes • Older Adult Classes STUDENT PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING Mon – Thurs: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment only) Fri: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mon & Tues: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wed & Thurs: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM (HLRC 4A) (310) 287-4305 HONORS/TRANSFER ACTIVITIES (SSB 3rd Mon-Thurs: 8:30 a.m -6:00 p.m | Fri: 9:00 a.m. Floor) • (310) 287-4353 to 1:00 p.m. Mon – Thurs: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. INSTITUTE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS (A-4) • (310) 287-4261 Mon – Thurs: 8:30 a.m. to Noon & 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday by appointment only General Reception 287-4261 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE (SSB415) • (310) 287-4312 Mon – Thu: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Fri: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 3 USEFUL CAMPUS CONTACT INFORMATION (continued) International Student Ambassadors Name Ambassadors are academic advisors to assist you in succeeding at West Discipline / Department Phone E-mail address Chuck Amaugo Financial Aid and Adjunct Counselor (310) 287-4396 [email protected] Kathy Boutry English – Faculty (310) 287-4470 [email protected] Anna Chiang Computer Science – Chair (310) 287-4253 [email protected] Judy Chow Library -- Chair (310) 287-4401 [email protected] Josefina Culton Spanish – Faculty (310) 287-4549 [email protected] Nick Dang IT Manager (310) 287-4359 [email protected] John Frykenberg History - Adjunct Faculty (323) 810-0651 [email protected] Mary Anne Gavarra-Oh CalWORKs and Trio SSS – Director (310) 287-4421 [email protected] Kathleen Greer International Student Services Assistant (310) 287-4312 [email protected] Thomas Harjuno Math – Faculty (310) 287-4342 [email protected] Eric Ichon Distance Learning – Dean (310) 287-4305 [email protected] Lisa Kamibayashi Allied Health – Chair (310) 287-4457 [email protected] Nikki Jacobson Paralegal Studies Program – Faculty (310) 287-4291 [email protected] Arthur Lara Admissions & Records Evaluator (310) 287-4330 [email protected] Sunny Leon Admissions & Records Evaluator (310) 287-4372 [email protected] Fran Leonard English Faculty & Language Arts - Vice Chair (310) 287-4203 [email protected] Ken Lee Library Science - Faculty (310) 287-4402 [email protected] Ken Lin Library Science - Faculty (310) 287-4437 [email protected] Tracy Pham Information Technology Specialist (310) 287-4466 [email protected] Ashok Patil Computer Science - Faculty (310) 287-4463 [email protected] Marcela Redoles Spanish Adjunct - Faculty E-mail Only [email protected] Jack Ruebensaal Political Science – Vice Chair (310) 287-4222 [email protected] Nancy Sander ESL – Faculty (310) 287-4584 [email protected] Lisa Saperston Language Academy—Faculty, Administrator (310) 287-4200 Olga Shewfelt Political Science – Faculty (310) 287-4223 [email protected] Patricia Siever History & African American Studies - Faculty (310) 287-4295 [email protected] Vidya Swaminathan Math – Faculty (310) 287-4214 [email protected] Alice Taylor Art & Humanities – Faculty (310) 287-4201 [email protected] Lyubov Tsalolikhin Library Technician (310) 287-4409 Luo Yilan Economic - Adjunct Faculty (323) 893-4961 [email protected] 1. International Student Club: Faculty Advisor: Josefina Culton (310) 287-4549 [email protected] 2. International Student Services: Dean of Admissions and Records: Michael Goltermann (310) 287-4579 [email protected] Outreach & School Relations: Angel Viramontes (310)287-4451 [email protected] International Student Services Assistant: Kathleen Greer (310) 287-4312 [email protected] 3. International Online Distance Learning: Dean of Academic Affairs: Eric Ichon (310) 287-4305 [email protected] 4. Counselor for International Students Counselor Adriana Martinez (310) 287-4356 [email protected] 4 ACADEMIC CALENDAR Spring Semester 2014: Traditional Semester SESSION PERIOD Feb 10 - June 9 2014 APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED BEGINNING Mon, Oct 14 REGISTRATION BEGINS -Priority Nov 13 - 17 -Continuing Students Nov 18 – Dec 8 -New & Returning Students Dec 9 Special Registration Hours Feb 3 - Feb 21 Mon - Thur: 8:30am - 7:00pm Fri: 8:30am - 2:00pm M-F CLASSES Begin Mon, Feb 10 Sat CLASSES Begin Sat, Feb 22 FINALS JUNE 3 - JUNE 9 LAST DAY TO Apply In-Person Fri, Jan 31 Determine Residency Feb 9 Add Traditional Classes Online: Feb 9 In-person: Feb 21 Drop a Class w/o a Fee Feb 21 Drop a Class w/o a W Feb 21 Drop w/ a W May 9 File Pass/No Pass Feb 21 GRADUATION PETITION ACCEPTED Nov 18 – April 25 CAMPUS CLOSED Presidents' Day: Feb 14-17 Cesar Chavez Day: Mar 31 Spring Break: Apr 7 - April 13 Memorial Day: May 26 Non-Instruction Day: May 27 NOTE: Short-term courses and other accelerated program classes have different deadlines.