Did You Know? …
Special Services Office

The Special Services Office, located on the DeKalb Campus in Suite A-170, is dedicated to serving the special needs of GPTC’s international, disabled, single parents, and nontraditional gender-based students.

• Special Services provides quality services to international students–both resident and nonresident, from such countries as India, Vietnam, China, Jamaica, Bermuda, Venezuela, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, and South Korea.
• Georgia Piedmont Tech has been issuing student visas since the early 1980s, with a full-time international-student advisor on staff to ensure federal guidelines and mandates are met. The chief role of the advisor is to work with international students seeking or holding an F-1 visa (for students in an academic program) or an M-1 student visa (for students in a nonacademic program, such as vocational training). The advisor keeps students informed of the regulations required for maintaining status as an F-1 or M-1 visa holder; these requirements include full-time matriculation, maintaining good classroom attendance, and making satisfactory progress.
• Special Services is also committed to assisting students with learning, physical, emotional and mental impairments. Assisting over 100 students each semester, Special Services coordinates academic adjustments and many other special needs for students. It is, however, the student's responsibility to self-disclose and complete all paperwork required by the Special Services Office in order to receive support. Documentation provided must be submitted by an authorized physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or certified counselor on their professional letterhead. Documentation should be three years or younger.

To facilitate the success of students with impairments, Georgia Piedmont Tech provides a variety of support services, including:

• semester newsletter

• student survey, each semester

• mid-term progress report, each semester

• alternative-media format for books

• interpreters for deaf students

• assistive technology and software for students

• testing in a quiet environment

• handicapped parking and ramps

• referral to support agencies

• special placement testing

• assistance with registration

• Special Services Offices also serves single parents, displaced homemakers and students who are enrolled in nontraditional programs. The program offers customized workshops and seminars such as career testing and exploration; academic preparation and review; stress management; parenting skills; self-esteem improvement; and job-readiness training.

• Student Services provides tangible support services, such as a lending library, which allows students to borrow textbooks on a semester basis and MARTA cards for transportation to and from college. While this program specifically focuses on the needs of single parents, displaced homemakers and nontraditional students, all workshops and seminars are open to students.

For more information, contact:

Lisa Peters
International Student Advisor
(404) 297-9522, ext. 1154 or petersl@gptc.edu

Paula Greenwood
Disabilities Coordinator
(404) 297-9522, 1155 or greenwop@gptc.edu

Roz Bogle
Equity Coordinator
(Single Parents, Nontraditional and Displaced Homemakers)
(404) 297-9522, ext.1280 or bogler@gptc.edu