DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC SERVICES

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.

SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED IN NEED OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT

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 academic 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.

ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT CENTER

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.

TUTORIAL CENTER

Students enrolled in most first and second-year level coursework are eligible to receive peer tutoring. The tutors are upperclassmen 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 one thousand students typically avail themselves to the individual and group tutoring opportunities at the Tutorial Center.  The Tutorial Center also offers free materials on making the transition to college, time management, effective reading, test preparation, test taking, note taking, and academic advisement.

COLLEGE SKILLS WORKSHOPS

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 text, building a strong memory, increasing your test-taking skills, and preparing for final examinations.

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

While Career Services does not guarantee a student a job, they do guarantee personal attention to a student's educational and career concerns.  Students can drop in or call for an appointment.

THE COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING INSTITUTE

The Community Service-Learning Institute operates a system for leveraging knowledge to develop responsible, civic-minded youth.  The Institute prepares young people, in partnership with their communities, to use personal strengths, academic preparation, and community resources to address social needs.

Many programs are sponsored by the Institute.  They include academic programs such as the academic minor in Community Service and Service-Learning, and opportunities to serve abroad, a program that is coordinated jointly with the Institute and the Office of International Initiatives.  The Institute also coordinates programs that include leadership development, professional development, research, curricular and co-curricular development, model programs and special events.

For further information and notice of upcoming events, please check the Institute's homepage at www.sru.edu/depts/csli or contact the Community Service-Learning Institute in the Robert A. Lowry Center.  (724)738-CARE.  e-mail at csli@sru.edu

HONORS PROGRAM

Slippery Rock University's Honors Program offers unique liberal studies education opportunities to highly motivated and academically talented students.  Students who want to enrich their educational experience, take advantage of leadership opportunities, and travel both nationally and internationally, should consider enrolling.  For further information see the web site at Honors Program

The Honors Program has a number of objectives: to foster critical thinking and communication skills, to develop leadership skills, and to create opportunities for students to assume responsibility for learning, both on and off campus.  Courses are offered in diverse disciplines, from mathematics to English to environmental geosciences, and most fulfill the Liberal Studies requirements.  To qualify for participation, incoming first year students need an SAT score of 1100 or higher, or an ACT of 25 or higher, or be in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.  But because academic excellence and motivation cannot always be measured by standardized test scores or GPAs alone, if you are interested in learning more about the program and want to be considered as a member, contact Dr. Steven Strain, Honors Program Director, at (724)738-2177 or email him at honorsprogram@sru.edu.

Department Office: 158 North Hall

office phone:  (724) 738-4003

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES

To promote multi-cultural awareness, the University actively seeks international students.  Over 200 students from over 60 nations are currently represented.  For further information see the web site at http://sru.edu/pages/1638.asp

STUDY ABROAD AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

SRU is committed to providing students with a global understanding of the world so that they may gain the international understanding necessary to be informed citizens.  The University encourages its students to explore the appropriateness of studying abroad.  This can be an integral part of the student's university experience, providing personal growth, cultural understanding and job opportunities.

Over 300 students annually study overseas.  If you are interested in pursuing one of these opportunities please visit the International Initiatives Office.  The following represents the study abroad opportunities with which SRU is formally associated:

        Australia (Melbourne) - Austria (Vienna) - Bulgaria (Blagoevrad) - Costa Rica (San Jose) - China (Nanjing) - England (Middlesburgh) - France (Cannes) - Germany - Ireland (Dublin & Limerick) - Italy (Florence) - Japan (Osaka) - Korea (Chucheon) - Mexico (Mexico City) - Poland (Pozan) - Russia (Moscow) - Scotland (Edinburgh) - Slovakia (Bratislave) - Spain (Seville) - Wales (Aberystwyth)

Department Office: 114 Carruth Rizza Hall

office phone: (724) 738-2057

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 electron books, over 11,000 online full-text journals, and the resources of many other Pennsylvania libraries.

Bailey Library is a member of the Keystone Library Network (KLN), which was developed by the State System of Higher Education to help meet the information and learning needs of its students and the citizens of the Commonwealth.  KLN provides an easy to use database for the 14 State System universities allowing access to full-text journal and periodical articles.  Students, faculty, or staff at any of the 14 System Universities, or any citizen of the Commonwealth, can initiate a search of the KLN catalog.

Bailey Library offers a full range of resources and services.  There are formal and informal study areas for serious scholarship and recreational reading.  Information Services Librarians are available to assist with any kind of reference inquiry and for group instruction.  Through online databases, interlibrary loan and document delivery services, Bailey Library serves as a gateway to many other information providers.

With total collections of more than two million items, Bailey Library ranks as one of the larger libraries in western Pennsylvania and in the entire Commonwealth.  Print collections include approximately 600,000 books, plus thousands of bound periodicals.  As a government documents partial depository, the library houses over 370,000 U.S. and state documents.  Supplementing the print collections are thousands of microfilm and fiche as well as 90,000 audio-visual items in the Instructional Materials Center, including video cassettes, CDs, slides, kits and computer software.  The library subscribes to over 525 print periodicals and newspapers from around the world.

The newest version of the library online system allows simultaneous searching of the library catalog, any or all of 11,000 full text journals, online indexes  and citation databases, and the internet.  All online resources are available from the library's 100 public access computers, campus computer labs, residence hall rooms, and offices.  Students may borrow laptop computers for use on the library wireless network.  For further information see the web site at http://sru.edu/library

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.  For further information see the we site at http://www.sur.edu/pages5274.asp

The type of disability determines the appropriate accommodations.  Services may include:

• Extended test time
• Separate test location
• Taped texts or books on tape from recording for the blind and dyslexic
• Note takers
• Test reader
• Test scribe and/or use of computer
• Priority registration
• Elevator keys
• Special seating
• Enlarged print
• Others as requested and approved

Students must identify themselves and provide appropriate documentation to be eligible for services. Documentation may include official medical diagnosis, psychological evaluations, etc.

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

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OFFICE HOURS

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Weekdays

Telephone:  (724) 738-4877

Fax:  (724) 738-4399

(TDD) Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (724) 738-4501

WOMEN'S STUDIES PROGRAM

The Women's Studies Program takes a multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning.  Its intent is to correct the focus of the academic establishment that has traditionally ignored, minimized, or excluded the work of women in most branches of knowledge and areas of experience.  Its positive approach is a reassessment of learning culture, and its goal is the assimilation of the best efforts of women into an integrated and equitable society.

Currently students may earn a minor in Women's Studies.  The program is not intended to replace one's major, but rather to strengthen one's undergraduate preparation through a concentration of various aspects of Women's Studies.  A concentration in Women's Studies prepares students for graduate study not only in that area but also any academic area that requires a fully balanced, gender-sensitive understanding of society and culture.

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.

Writing Center tutors not only serve the tutorial needs of the English Department but also serve the writing tutorial needs of the University.  Over fifty percent of the conferences are with students enrolled in first-year college writing courses, and the remainder are with students doing writing in the nearly 100 academic courses taught across campus.  Writing Center tutors help student writers acquire the multiple literacies necessary for understanding and negotiating both print and electronic media.  They work as collaborators by assisting students with their writing and the technology useful for producing that writing.  For further information see web site at http://www.sru.edu/pages/460.asp