The university has a variety of resources available to students to enhance their opportunities for academic success. They constitute a major commitment by the university to provide essential resources for the intellectual development of its students.

Academic Services Department

The programs and services offered by the department are designed to support the academic process. The Department of Academic Services conducts multifaceted operations. The following academic services. coordinated by the Department of Academic Services, are provided to students without charge. Further information may be obtained in Room 106, Bailey Library.

The Department of Academic Services recognizes that students entering college are characterized by diversity, not only in age and maturity, social background, ethnicity, and language, but in ability, academic preparation, and in general readiness for the college experience. Research (Maxwell, 1994) shows that only 1/3 of high school students enroll in college-prep courses, and students greatly underestimate the amount of study time required for college courses. Students whose high school ACT or SAT, class rank, course selection, and QPA indicate inconsistency (for a multiplicity of reasons) are identified in need of academic support.

The department provides academic support services to students in need through both grant-funded and university-supported programs:

• The state-funded ACT 101 Program addresses the needs of incoming first-year and transfer students from Pennsylvania meeting PDE guidelines.
• The Students Support Services Program (SSSP) is federally-funded and addresses the needs of students on probation or returning from suspension.
• FYRST's Academic Support Program serves first year students not grant-eligible by connecting support among the student, advisor, and program.

Depending upon student need, support services can include placement assessments, orientation, appropriate course scheduling, proactive advisement, classroom instruction, peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, and peer assistance.

The Academic Advisement Center serves to coordinate the University's advisement activities, the Exploratory Program, and the First Year Studies Program (FYRST) advisement. Through a system of department liaisons, the coordinator communicates with the faculty, who serve as academic advisors. Advisor training, coordination of the academic portion of new student orientation, developing advisor and student advising resources, conducting student advising information workshops, and involvement in retention-related activities are typical responsibilities of the Advisement Center. You can e-mail questions to academic.advisor@sru.edu.

Students enrolled in most first- and second-year level coursework are eligible to receive peer tutoring. The tutors are upperclass students who have earned an "A" or "B" in the class(es) for which they tutor and have been recommended by at least two faculty members. Each semester, over 1,000 students typically avail themselves to the individual and group tutoring opportunities at the Tutorial Center.

During the fall and spring semesters, the Academic Services Department offers a series of workshops designed to improve students' learning skills. All students are eligible to participate in the workshops on such topics as managing time, taking effective class notes, reading your test, building a strong memory, increasing your test-taking skills, and preparing for final examinations.

Writing Center

The main purpose of the University's Writing Center, located in rooms 301/303 Spotts World Cultures Building, is to provide individualized, supplementary assistance to all students who request help in writing. To this end, tutors are trained to respond to student texts in ways that best meet the individual and immediate needs of the student writer. Conferences can occur on a walk-in basis or online.

Fur further information, please see the web site at http://www.sru.edu/pages/460.asp.

Library

Bailey Library ranks as one of the best public or private university libraries in Pennsylvania. The library online system allows easy searching of the library's print collections, as well as many other resources including NetLibrary electronic books, over 11,000 online full-text journals, and the resources of many other Pennsylvania libraries.

Bailey Library's home page is at http//www.sru.edu/pages/4886.asp

Career Services

The Office of Career Services, located in Room 103, Maltby Center, is available to help all students, freshmen through graduate students, develop and refine educational and career goals. Whether a student's concern is choosing a major, selecting a career, finding a graduate school, or organizing a job search, Career Services has the resources and the staff to assist the student. For further information, see the web site at http://www.sru.edu/career.

Career Services Offers:

• Individualized counseling with a focus on exploring academic majors and career interest.
• Self-assessment tools to organize interests, values and abilities as they relate to choice of majors and future careers.
• Discover, a computer assistance career guidance system.
• Lists of on- and off-campus part-time job opportunities.
• Internship directories for applying classroom learning to work situations.
• Job market projections by occupation and geographic areas.
• Job search strategies including using the Internet
• Mock interviews and interviewing skills
• Resume and cover letter writing techniques
• Rock-U-Pations, our weekly employment vacancy bulletin
• RockNet, an international network of SRU alumni and friends for the purpose of career development
• Job vacancy postings

Office for Students with Disabilities

The Office for Students with Disabilities provides accommodations and services to ensure equal access to education as intended by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Services include assistance with, but are not limited to, the following disabilities: learning, physical, hearing, vision, or psychological.

Upon acceptance to Slippery Rock University, students are encouraged to meet with the Director of Disability Services, Linda M. Smith, at the office located at Room 122, Bailey Library or e-mail her at linda.smith@sru.edu.

For further information abotu the office's student services and hours, please view their web site at http://www.sru.edu/pages/5274.asp.