Fresno City College offers “Counseling on the Green” as a creative way to answer students’ questions in the Library foire on Tuesdays between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Counseling on the Green” is an appointment-free option open to all students attending FCC.

“It’s mainly just to be accessible for students that was the whole premise for going out there. We had heard that students were having trouble getting in to see a counselor because our appointments were always booked and so we thought we would go out to the students,” said Carly Berry, a FCC counselor. 

The counselors are prepared to help students with issues regarding their student education plans (SEP), academic probation, adding classes, and other advising resources.

SEPs are a primary focus for counselors because they show students guidelines for their college career, “It didn’t feel like I was prepared for college at all. I found myself kind of lost on what I wanted to do at college and if I even had the right supplies,” said student Kristin Alvarez.

A Student Educational Plan (SEP) is a layout of each semester at FCC with what classes are necessary to take pertaining to different majors and GEDs.

“Some of the counselors were easy to talk to. So that was a very good thing, and they took their time with you and your classes,” said Alvarez.

“[Counselors] will go out of their way to make a clear image for the students,” said FCC student Johnny Cortez.

Everything from SEPs to adding classes, “Counseling on the Green” helps approximately 50 students within the time provided, according to FCC counselor Kyle Connery.

“I don’t know if we are gonna keep this up forever,” said FCC counselor Julie Preston-Smith, “We wanted to get access to students.”

“Counseling on the Green” will continue throughout the Tuesdays of January but stop come February. During the month of March “Counseling on the Green” will be available on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

March has proven to be a busy time for students and counselors because the time to register for Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 classes begins in April.

Apart from the scheduled “Counseling on the Green”, the counseling department’s hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.