Dec 08, 2024  
2024-2025 Student Handbook 
    
2024-2025 Student Handbook

Computer/Class Resources


Email & Blackboard 

The College will setup a special Gmail account for each student usually within 24 hours of the first time you register for classes at OC. The College will use this email account to communicate about classroom activities, official announcements and communications with other departments. The login and password for your Gmail account will also work for Self-Service and the Student Portal (though you must change your initial Gmail password).  Your Blackboard Login will be different.  

Student Email Login

Username:          first-initial-last-initial-OCstudentID@myoc.odessa.edu  (leading zero removed from OC studentID)

Password:           OCoc-last4SSN  (Password IS case sensitive)

Example:

                Name:  John Doe

                OC ID:  0123456

                SSN:       XXX-XX-6789

                Email Username:              jd123456@myoc.odessa.edu

                Email Password:           OCoc6789

 

Your Gmail account also gives you access to Goggle Apps which has a word processor, spreadsheet and a slideshow tool all of which are compatible with Microsoft Office. Google Apps are available anywhere you have an Internet connection and a web browser and supports 7 GB of online storage.

Blackboard

Odessa College utilizes Blackboard as the campus learning management system. All courses offered through Odessa College will have a Blackboard course shell where basic course information (such as the course syllabus) and other relevant content can be found. Blackboard login information can be found on the Blackboard login page. Students need to follow instructions on this page to construct their username and password. Additionally, students need to be aware that their OC gmail account is associated to their Blackboard account. For assistance with Blackboard, contact our Blackboard Support Specialists at blackboardsupport@odessa.edu. Any course correspondence coming from Blackboard will always be sent to the student’s @myoc.odessa.edu email account.

Username:          first-initial-last-initial-OCstudentID (leading zero removed from OC studentID)

Password:           oc-last4SSN

Example:

                Name:  John Doe

                OC ID:  0123456

                SSN:       XXX-XX-6789

                BB Username:                  jd123456

                BB Password:                 oc6789

Student Success Centers (LRC, Writing, and STEM) 

The Success Centers are very valuable resources for students. The centers have tutors available to help OC students achieve their goals at Odessa College. The staff is here to help with student’s course of study, time management, study skills, critical thinking, organization skills, assistance locating digital resources, and assistance with email and Blackboard. Tutoring is available on site and on-line through Blackboard Collaborate (BBCU). For hours and contact information visit our website at www.odessa.edu/ssc or call the LRC at 432-335-6640. For assistance with Blackboard, contact our Blackboard Support Specialists at blackboardsupport@odessa.edu

All of the centers have computers with Internet and Microsoft Office software for student use. There are collaboration spaces and group rooms available for students to use. The three centers are as follows:

Writing Success Center – located in the Wilkerson Hall Building room 106

STEM Success Center – located in the Wood Math and Science Building room 201

Learning Resource Center – located on the first floor of the Learning Resource Center building

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) is another availabe resource, and students can also get help with math in the Online Math Lab.

Microsoft Office – Free For All Students

Students of Odessa College can get Microsoft Office for free! Microsoft Office 365 gives students online versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. It also provides 1TB of online storage (for free) and access to OneDrive (Microsoft’s cloud space). Access to these programs will be important (and in many cases, necessary) for the majority of digital course work that will be submitted to Blackboard. A student’s Office 365 account is linked to their @myoc.odessa.edu.  To get a free copy of Microsoft Office 365, click here and provide their @myoc.odessa.edu email in the “Get Started” box.  Follow on-screen instructions from there.