Author: Dustin Grabsch

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SMU in Four Student Academic Engagement & Success

Call for Common Curriculum Civic and Individual Ethic Course Proposals

Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development professor, Peter Carton, lectures for his class Sports Management Practicum, Thursday, October 14, 2021 in Prothro Hall on the SMU Campus.

The Council on General Education approved updates to the Common Curriculum (CC) Civic and Individual Ethic (CIE) Rubric on September 6 recommended updates were proposed by a cross-functional faculty working group convened by the Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness over the summer. While the student learning outcome remains the same, the supporting skills were modified to more clearly emphasize ethical topics, questions, concepts, and dilemmas within civic or individual contexts. 

With the approval of the updated rubric, SMU in Four would like to announce a call for new or the redesign of existing courses to convey the Civic and Individual Ethic graduation requirement. The call for course proposals seeks to increase the number of CIE-tagged courses, and, thereby, the number of seats available to undergraduate students – aiding in time to degree. Proposals are due by November 15 at 5:00pm via the online submission platform. 

Three types of CIE course proposals are being sought. Full-time faculty are encouraged to apply: 

  1. Develop an Online, Asynchronous Course for Fall 2025. Partnering with the Office of Information Technology Online Production Services Team, one faculty proposer will receive one month of extra salary up to $10,000 in extra compensation to develop an online, asynchronous course. The typical online development process takes approximately 9 months. Online courses will be developed for delivery to students on Canvas. The new CIE-tagged course will be expected to be offered each academic year by the proposer’s academic department and may also be offered in the summer for extra compensation. The faculty who develop the course will have the right of first refusal to teach each time the course is offered outside of the regular fall-spring schedule.  
  2. Develop a New, In–Person Synchronous Course for Fall 2025. Two faculty proposers will receive $7,5000 in extra compensation to propose and develop a new course that would meet the approval of the CoGE.  
  3. Redesign of an Existing, In-Person Synchronous for Fall 2025. Two faculty proposers will receive $5,000 in extra compensation to redesign an existing course that meets CoGE approval. Course redesigns will favor proposals that satisfy required major or minor requirements in academic programs with high enrollments.  

After the November 15 deadline, proposals will be reviewed by the Provost’s Office. A limited number of courses will be selected for development. The courses proposed should appeal to a wide range of undergraduate students. Courses that are cross-listed or fulfill additional Common Curriculum requirements are among those that have wider appeal. In-person courses will be expected to have a minimum capacity of 35 seats and the online asynchronous course should have a minimum capacity of 25 seats. 

Given the expectation that these courses will be offered annually as part of the regular fall-spring teaching load, a statement of commitment from the department chair and dean will be necessary to finalize the selection process. Selected courses will be routed for approval to department chairs and dean’s offices before candidates are notified of their proposal’s acceptance.  Following the development of a new course, the course will be proposed to the Council on General Education for final review and approval.  

To support the enhancement of the Civic and Individual Ethic curriculum, the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility is pleased to announce its support by providing funding to aid course development. The selected faculty cohort will offer faculty members a robust network and various development opportunities, including intentional sessions focused on ethical issues and instructional strategies. Participants will benefit from immersive retreats designed to foster collaborative learning, deepen their engagement with ethical topics, and find course development resources. Through this initiative, the Maguire Ethics Center aims to enrich the academic experience and contribute to the growth of high-quality, impactful CIE offerings at SMU. 

If you have any questions regarding submitting your proposal, please contact Dr. Molly Ellis (facultysuccess@smu.edu). 

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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Testing Center

Happening Today: SAES-initiated research about U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities

SMU students take tests in the University Testing Center, January 24, 2023 in Clements Hall on the SMU Campus.

Join us today for a research talk on the Characteristics of U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities conducted by division members.

Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success employees Brittaney Wilson (Office of General Education), Jay Guillory (Office of Student Success and Retention), Melina Padron (Office of General Education), and Dr. Dustin Grabsch (Undergraduate Education and Academic Success) conducted the original, empirical research to benefit SMU’s University Testing Center.

Research Talk: U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities

Texana Room, Fondren Library

Monday, October 7 from 2:30 – 4:00pm

RSVPs encouraged. Walk-ins welcome.

We will share implications for practice and researcher reflections. We will also outline opportunities and discuss how these results and findings will be used at SMU.

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SMU in Four

Encourage undergraduate students to complete their my.SMU Degree Planner by October 1

Students study before Spring Finals at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, Tuesday, May 6, 2021 on the SMU Campus.

On Friday, September 13 pre-major and declared major students received a task and message in my.smu that asked them to complete a path in Degree Planner by October 1st. (This deadline is also listed on SMU’s academic calendar.) Declared major students complete their path when they plan through the semester of their graduation.

This task was applied to everyone, regardless of Degree Planner completion, and will be removed on October 1st, also regardless of completion. Although there is no consequence for students who do not complete Degree Planner, this requirement is a semesterly expectation for all students and advisors.

Please encourage your students to work on a Degree Planner path. When students complete their Degree Planner, the academic advisor job becomes easier in a couple of ways: students will have the start of a plan for course enrollment, and departments will see a clearer picture of course demand for future semesters. The tool only becomes increasingly useful as more students and advisors participate…

Over the next two weeks, students can seek help with Degree Planner in numerous ways:

SMU installed an update to the Degree Planner software on Thursday, September 12, that should have fixed the technical issues students may have encountered over the summer. If you see issues, technical or otherwise, please use the Degree Planner Issues/Requests Tracker. If students have problems, they should contact the Help Desk.

Finally, Success Fest on September 26th will offer free food, raffles, and games for all students who have completed their Degree Planner… If they still have work to do, advisors will be there to help them finish. Look for more promotion of Success Fest over the next two weeks, and help us get the word out…

Thanks for all of your help, and if you have any questions, let me know.

Josh Beaty

Advising Pillar, SMU in Four

jbeaty@smu.edu

Categories
Student Academic Engagement & Success University Testing Center

You’re Invited: SAES-initiated research about U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities

Join us for a research talk on the Characteristics of U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities conducted by division members.

Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success employees Brittaney Wilson (Office of General Education), Jay Guillory (Office of Student Success and Retention), Melina Padron (Office of General Education), and Dr. Dustin Grabsch (Undergraduate Education and Academic Success) conducted the original, empirical research to benefit SMU’s University Testing Center.

Research Talk: U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities

Texana Room, Fondren Library

Monday, October 7 from 2:30 – 4:00pm

RSVPs encouraged. Walk-ins welcome.

We will share implications for practice and researcher reflections. We will also outline opportunities and discuss how these results and findings will be used at SMU.

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Register now for the 3rd annual Place-Based Community Engagement Symposium on October 2 and 3

We are excited to extend an invitation to the 3rd Annual Place-Based Community Engagement Symposium hosted by Engage Dallas, in collaboration with Residence Life & Student Housing, the Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement, the Budd Center, the Office of General Education, the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics & Public Responsibility, and the Center for Teaching Excellence.

This year’s theme is Listening, Learning & Leading Locally: A Place-Based Approach to Amplifying Community Champions and Mobilizing the Next Generation. This two-day event will take place on:

  • October 2nd, 5:30pm – 7:30pm (SMU Campus) and
  • October 3rd, 9:00am – 3:00pm (UNT Dallas Campus).
About the Place-Based Community Engagement Symposium 

The Place-Based Community Engagement Symposium is a gathering of thought leaders, academics, community leaders, and nonprofit professionals from SMU and the DFW area. This event is designed to explore the transformative potential of community engagement within specific geographic contexts. Our goal is to delve into the strategies and innovations that have the power to catalyze positive change within communities, with emphasis on campus and community collaboration and sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships.

The SMU Engage Dallas Program 

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community. There is equal emphasis on campus and community impact stemming from the initiative. This symposium allows us to share, expand and further develop the work of Engage Dallas, as well as invite other SMU faculty and staff to consider new and innovative ways to support community engagement efforts in Dallas.

Together We Dine 

On Wednesday, October 2, attendees will participate in Together We Dine. Together We Dine offers an opportunity for us to share a meal and listen, learn, and engage as we work to better understand ourselves and each other. We will engage in courageous and safe conversations, share our experiences, and listen to the stories of other community engagement champions.

RSVP 

This is a free event, and meals will be provided on both days. To protect limited resources, please register only for the day(s) you can attend by September 18, 2024. You can register for one or both days.

Register Now

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SMU in Four

Join SMU in Four at the year-three progress presentation

Join the SMU in Four team as we share year-three progress on SMU’s Quality Enhancement Plan.

Updates will be provided on early-alert mechanisms, undergraduate academic advising, technology enhancements, and gateway & introductory courses. Plus, informal student retention and graduation numbers will be shared along with goals for year four of the five-year initiative.

Thursday | October 17, 2024
3 – 4:30 p.m.
Moody Hall Auditorium

Register

Walk-ins welcome, RSVPs encouraged

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention

General Education and Student Success & Retention offices to move July 29 and 30

The Office of General Education and the Office of Student Success and Retention will be moving on July 29 and 30. Both offices will close during this time.

The Office of General Education will move from Suite 100 within the Laura Lee Blanton Student Services Building (6185 Airline Road) upstairs to Suite 338.

The Office of Student Success and Retention will move from Suite 301 of the Perkins Administration Building to Laura Lee Blanton Student Services Building (6185 Airline Road) to Suite 102.

Our departmental emails, phone, and booking links will remain the same, but we look forward to welcoming you to our new spaces on August 1, 2024. Please update any websites and printed materials that may have included our former physical locations.

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention University Testing Center

Undergraduate Education and Academic Success publishes annual report

Undergraduate Education and Academic Success is an area within the Office of the Provost’s Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success, which oversees a wide range of academic support and engagement office units.

Our 2023 – 2024 offices and initiatives included:

 

A copy of the annual report is now available for download.

Questions, comments, and feedback can be directed to Dr. Dustin Grabsch (dgrabsch@smu.edu).

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Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention University Testing Center

Undergraduate Education and Academic Success units closed Monday, July 1 for staff retreat

The Undergraduate Education and Academic Success area within the Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success will close on Monday, July 1, for a staff retreat.

We encourage our constituents to use our websites or office self-service portals during this time for answers to common questions and requests.

Units include:

We will reopen during standard operating hours on Tuesday, July 2.

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Save the date for #1Day4Dallas on October 12

Join the Office of General Education at Engage Dallas’ 4th annual fall day of service, #1Day4Dallas!The Residential Commons fall service day, known as #1Day4Dallas, is an annual tradition in which every Residential Commons participates in service around their community-identified need on the same day.

Each Residential Commons will have a goal of meeting the needed number of students to serve in the same geographic location at various non-profit organizations and community agencies (the same organizations the Residential Commons work with for monthly programs).

Save the date for Saturday, October 12, from 8 AM – 3 PM. Learn more at smu.edu/engagedallas.