Students Life will host its bi-annual Student Clubs and Organizations Fair from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 26 and 27 in the College Union.

The fair, held twice a year at the beginning of each fall and spring semester, will feature various clubs and organizations offered at OCCC, said Student Clubs and Organizations Assistant Karlen Grayson.

The Accounting Lab is a place where students can get tutoring for Accounting I and Accounting II, said Julie Young, lab director.

The lab is located on the second floor of the Main Building in room 2R1.

The five staff members who work in the lab are more than happy to help with any problems students may have, Young said.

They prepare practice tests, handouts for chapters, and practice sheets to help students succeed.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed across the nation on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, Jan. 15.

While in past years, the college remained open and celebrated the national holiday with on-campus ceremonies, in 2008, it was decided closing the college would be more appropriate, said OCCC President Paul Sechrist.

“As an educational institution, the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an opportunity to acknowledge our history, to learn about our history, and to move forward with an understanding of our history,” he said. “If it were just another day of classes and work I am not sure it would have the same impact.”

The holiday, which was signed into law as a Federal holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, is important for a number of reasons, said Ray McCullar, history professor.

As a new semester begins at OCCC, Student Life wants to help students find their way around campus.

On Opening Day Jan. 15, staff volunteers will conduct personalized tours to anyone who attends, said Katie Treadwell, First Year and Student Life programs coordinator.

All the student services offices will be open, Treadwell said. Students will be able to take care of financial aid details, buy textbooks, and speak with an adviser. The bursar office also will be open, she said.

Implementing several “green” initiatives around campus in support of the OCCC Green Initiative task force is the goal of members of Students in Free Enterprise, said SIFE president Kody Payne. SIFE is an organization aimed primarily at business majors.

The projects SIFE is working on include recycling, water conservation, and energy conservation.

OCCC will be observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17 by closing down.

While in past years, the college has observed the holiday with on-campus ceremonies, it was decided that closing the college would be more appropriate, said OCCC President Paul Sechrist.

“As an educational institution, the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an opportunity to acknowledge our history, to learn about our history, and to move forward with an understanding of our history. If it were just another day of classes and work, I am not sure it would have the same impact.”

If you’re planning on taking an accounting class this semester, you can find help at the Accounting Lab, said Lab Director Julie Young.

The Accounting Lab is a place where students can get tutoring for Accounting I and Accounting II.

The lab is located on the second floor of the Main Building in room 2R1.

For drummer Michael Harris, school is merely a means to an end — to make it big in the music world.

Like many students on campus, Harris, along with fellow students Josh Tassinari and Zach Wright, has a number of passions branching in and out of the realm of what college can offer. For these three students, the overwhelming passion is music.

The three have been in a local band called A Shattered Symphony, along with Jeremy Teel and Adam Pierce, for more than two years.

Many students on campus are saving the date for book buyback at the OCCC Bookstore which begins at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 13.

The OCCC Bookstore will buy back books through Dec. 18 as well as on Dec. 20, said Bookstore Director Brenda Reinke.

“You can get up to 50 percent of your money back, at book buyback,” Reinke said.

She said approximately 30 percent of students take advantage of book buyback.

If you or someone you know is facing financial difficulty or homelessness this holiday season, the following local organizations will provide various seasonal services, including shelter, dinners, and discount Christmas shopping.