Helping people in need, gaining better study tactics and having priority registration are all perks of becoming a note taker for the Disabled Students Programs and Services at the Fresno City College campus.

DSPS is responsible for the many tools that are accessible to students with disabilities. One of those tools happens to be recruiting able-bodied students to help students in need by taking notes for them during class.

A note taker is someone who writes down a second copy of notes for a student who may need assistance. Terra Newt, an 18-year-old student lauded the service.

“[Note taking] actually benefits me more, because history is not really a strong point for me, Newt said. “I’m taking the notes twice, so it helps me and helps them too.”
Priority registration is also an incentive to become a notetaker as they are first in line during registration for classes. This means notetakers’ priority exceeds everyone, including athletes.

The advantages are win-win for both sides — for the student with disabilities as well as the notetaker.

To become a notetaker, a student must go to the DSPS department and speak to Ryan Blodgett, a counselor. Blodgett who has been with the disabled students services explained that DSPS students participate in the process.

“A DSPS student would meet with their counselor and based on their accommodations, if a note taker was appropriate, we would mark on a form ‘Note Taker’,” he said. “We would fill the form out for each individual class, each individual instructor and then there is a separate notetaker agreement form.”

The best part about this program is that it respects those in need by making it completely confidential for the DSPS student. The DSPS student would simply present the necessary forms to his/her instructor who would ask the class if anyone would like to be a notetaker, getting the ball rolling.

This program has helped needy students in the past and continues to help more today, providing opportunities for students who ordinarily would have an uphill battle in their classes.

If a student is having trouble with math, history, science or any other course, then taking notes multiple times will certainly increase their retention of the material. This results in better grades and better attitudes when coming to class.

Blodgett said some of his best memories serving DSPS students include helping students succeed. “When a student comes in when they were having an issue on campus and things weren’t going well and leave happy and we’re able to resolve their problems,” he said, “that’s one of the most rewarding things and is completely satisfying.”