A recent re-organization within the NIU department of Educational Services and Programs has led to further coordinating and renaming of programs, to make them more beneficial to students.

Tendaji Ganges, director of ESP, said that although four of the five operating programs within the department have undergone name changes since last semester, these changes are “a conceptual re-working of the programs… and not just superficial.” He said that CHANCE was the only program within the department which did not have a name change.

Ganges said that all department offices and staff functions were redefined to coordinate all program services. “The department has to be a coalition of all the services to get the best results for the students.”

The department name changes began with the department title, Ganges said. He said he and his staff decided that the previous title of “Office of Special Services,” “wasn’t effectively communicating what we wanted to communicate.”

He said that the name was misleading and that it did not properly describe the department. “Educational Services and Programs describes what happens here.”

Ganges said the individual programs were renamed and organized into two tiers. The first tier, TAP (composed of projects TALENT, ACE and PROMPT), is aimed toward elementary and high school students. He said the program actually “taps” into elementary and high schools to get early college information to students.

The second tier, CAP (composed of projects CHANCE, ACCESS and PAL), provides services for students who already attend NIU. Ganges said it puts a “cap” on what TAP begins.

Rickey Clark, TALENT (The Avenue for Leadership and Education—Now and Tomorrow) director, said the goal of his program is to expose students to different college campuses. “We are helping them find the right college campus,” he said.

Finding a college campus suitable to an individual is important because, “students will know beforehand what they’re getting into,” Clark said. He said the program is aimed at getting students interested in post-secondary education.

TALENT does not limit students to choosing NIU for their education, but Clark said he does hope students consider it.

TALENT, located in Rockford, is the former Educational Talent Search program.

Sharon Spence, ACE (Access to a College Education) director, said ACE is a federally funded service for 14 to 18-year-olds who have been recommended to NIU ACE staff as having academic potential. Spence said the project services high schools in Aurora, DeKalb, Elgin, Rockford and Sycamore.

ACE, formerly called Upward Bound, has moved its focus this year to high schools with high dropout rates of minority students, Spence said.

She said the program includes tutoring, special weekly meetings with a counselor, college prepatory workshops and a six-week summer residency at NIU for instruction in English, math, science, computer science and analytical courses.

Bernadine Chapman, ACCESS (Access to Courses and Careers through Educational Support Services) director, said her program was initially funded to provide academic support to low income students. She said ACCESS is open to any NIU student who fits the criteria of being low income, first generation college educated or physically handicapped.

Chapman said ACCESS is begininng this year to “push strongly on career components.” She said the program is trying to get students more interested in restricted programs which are difficult to enter, such as business, accounting and computer science.

ACCESS tries to inform students of scholarships, graduate school and job opportunities which they otherwise might not be aware of, Chapman said. She said the program also offers academic support through student tutors, graduate assistants and study skills workshops.

ACCESS/Student Support Services, formerly Special Services, is one of about 23 federally funded student support services in Illinois. Spence said she hopes more students stop by the ACCESS office and take advantage of the services the program offers.

Victoria Wohlt, PAL (Peer Assisted Learning) director, said that nothing of significance has changed within her program other than the name. She said the program was formerly called the University Tutorial Program.

PAL basically provides tutorial services for all minority students on campus, Wohlt said. “But most of our clientel comes from CHANCE because those students know we’re here.”

Ganges said PROMPT (Program for Minority Preparation and Training) is currently “just a name” because the Illinois Board of Higher Education “has not yet opened its purse strings” to fund the program.

Once funded, PROMPT will become a stepping stone for students who would like to enter projects TALENT or ACE, Ganges said. He said the program will work with students in grades seven through nine in skills strengthening, readiness training, leadership development and transition preparation for the next steps.

Ganges said that he is pleased with the direction the changes are taking, but the department still has work to do. “It will take a lot of time and energy and we’re still very, very busy,” he said.