Category: University Advising Center

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SMU in Four University Advising Center

New videos on understanding the Degree Progress Report released

The Degree Progress Report (DPR) is arguably the most essential tool for preparing for an advising meeting. Although you might think you understand the DPR, it can be tricky to read for even the most experienced advisor.

The Advising Resources Canvas Course (permission required) has a section devoted to the DPR, and SMU’s wiki pages on the subject are helpful. But if you’d rather watch the movie than read the book, the Registrar and Office of Information Technology (OIT) partnered to produce new videos on understanding the DPR and DPR Summary.

These two short videos cover a lot of ground, so you will likely learn something new, no matter how much you already know. Using the DPR and DPR Summary in new ways could make advising easier and better.

Of course, the DPR should also be an essential tool for students to independently navigate their academic requirements. Encourage your students to prepare for your meeting by visiting their DPRs to find out what requirements remain unfulfilled. Since that’s no easy task, a video for students can be found on this Student Essentials Academic Progress webpage. 

Please contact Josh Beaty, SMU in Four Advising Pillar Chair, at jbeaty@smu.edu with questions. Special thanks to the Registrar and OIT teams for their efforts on these projects.

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Upcoming Office of General Education workshops for faculty and staff

The Office of General Education is continuing to offer various workshops for faculty and staff this spring semester.

The upcoming workshops for March include:

  • Faculty and Staff Common Curriculum Workshop
    • Tuesday, March 19th, 12PM-1PM in HT 219
    • Learn more about the Common Curriculum! This workshop will go into depth about how students are able to complete Foundation, Breadth, and Proficiency & Experience requirements.
    • Register for the workshop on SMU360 here
  • Faculty and Staff Course Proposal Workshop
    • Friday, March 22nd, 11:30AM-12:30PM in HT 219
    • Learn more about how to submit a Common Curriculum course or experience proposal. Questions will be answered about what documentation is needed, annual responsibilities to maintain the CC tag, and more.
    • Register for the workshop on SMU360 here
  • Departmental Responsibilities Workshop
    • Thursday, March 28th, 3PM-4PM in Blanton 110
    • Learn more about departmental responsibilities for submitting, maintaining, and removing Common Curriculum component tags.
    • Register for the workshop on SMU360 here

For more details about these upcoming workshops, please contact Dallas Forbes within the Office of General Education.

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Success Fest data points to higher usage of Degree Planner

Alternate event flyer

SMU’s first-ever Success Fest wrapped up on February 28th, 2024. The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs), under the direction of The Office of General Education, and the University Advising Center (UAC) began promotional efforts for Success Fest in early February by:

  • Hosting Degree Planner workshops
  • Working with the Registrar’s Office to write and post To-Do Tasks to undergraduate students’ my.SMU accounts
  • Sending marketing emails to all undergraduate students

These efforts resulted in:

  • 40 total attendees at all Degree Planner workshops in February
  • 63 total attendees at Success Fest
  • 65 total scheduled 1-1 meetings with PALs
  • 1,506 students utilizing Degree Planner between February 15th and March 1st
  • 1,938 students utilizing Degree Planner between February 1st and March 1st

Success Fest will be a semesterly offering, aligning with the Degree Planner deadlines of March 1st and October 1st. These deadlines will be added to SMU’s Academic Calendar to help promote continued use of Degree Planner.

Overall, the PALs and UAC are excited with the Spring 2024 results and look forward to planning Success Fest for Fall 2024.

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Degree Planner To-Do Tasks added to undergraduate students’ my.SMU

On Thursday, February 15th, two separate To-Do Tasks were added to all undergraduate students’ my.SMU accounts to promote the completion of their Degree Planner by March 1st and Success Fest on February 28th.

  • To-Do Task for pre-major students: “Complete your Degree Planner, if you have not already. Pre-major students are required to plan through the semester after their major declaration by Friday, March 1st. Students with a completed path in Degree Planner can attend Success Fest on Wednesday, February 28th. Students can get help with Degree Planner from a PAL, advisor, or at a Degree Planner workshop.”
  • To-Do Task for declared students: “Complete your Degree Planner, if you have not already. Declared students are required to plan through the semester of their graduation by Friday, March 1st. Students with a completed path in Degree Planner can attend Success Fest on Wednesday, February 28th. Students can get help with Degree Planner from a PAL, advisor, or at a Degree Planner workshop.”

A message was also sent via students’ Message Center, detailing information on Degree Planner, how to enter Success Fest, and upcoming Degree Planner workshops.

Students are encouraged to attend a Degree Planner Workshop hosted by the Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) on February 22nd from 4pm-5pm in Hughes-Trigg room 120, or to schedule a 1-1 appointment with a PAL.

Students can also attend Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the University Advising Center (UAC) on February 26th or February 27th from 11:30am-2:30pm in Hughes-Trigg room 130. Students who show proof of a complete Degree Planner can enter Success Fest on February 28th from 2pm-4pm in the Hughes-Trigg Varsity.

Every Fall and Spring semester, undergraduate students can expect a Degree Planner deadline and Success Fest as it becomes a pre-advising season ritual.

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Peer Academic Leaders and University Advising Center prepare for Success Fest

Since Fall 2023, the Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) within the Office of General Education and the University Advising Center (UAC) have been planning a collaborative event titled “Success Fest” to promote the use of Degree Planner amongst SMU undergraduate students.

Success Fest will occur on February 28th from 2pm to 4pm in the Hughes-Trigg Varsity. The event will offer students incentives, such as food from Grilled Cheese Co. and the opportunity to enter a raffle to win Amazon gift cards.

To enter Success Fest, students must show proof of a completed Degree Planner. Academic Advisors from the UAC will review students’ Degree Planners to check for completion before entering Success Fest. There will also be PALs and advisors in the Hughes-Trigg Chamber to help students complete their Degree Planner on the day of the event.

Pre-major students will be required to fill out their Degree Planner leading up until major declaration, while declared students will be expected to complete their Degree Planner leading up until graduation. The deadline for students to complete their Degree Planner is March 1st, 2024.

Students can expect a To-Do task to be added to their student dashboard on my.SMU, in addition to receiving a message in their Message Center with more details about Degree Planner deadlines and Success Fest.

The UAC will host Degree Planner workshops on February 26th and 27th from 11:30am to 2:30pm in Hughes-Trigg room 130. During this same time, the PALs will be tabling across campus to distribute marketing materials for Success Fest.

The PALs will also host two Degree Planner workshops on February 8 and February 22. The details for both events can be found on SMU 360. Students are encouraged to book 1-1 appointments with the PALs if they prefer a more individualized tutorial on Degree Planner.

 

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies Office of Engaged Learning Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Academic Success Programs University Advising Center University Testing Center

Spring updates from the University Testing Center

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

Welcome back to campus! It’s hard to believe that the University Testing Center (UTC) has completed its first operation phase since opening in August 2022.  We look forward to continuing our specialized testing services for Disability Accommodations and Success Strategies (DASS) students needing accommodated testing and our student-athletes needing early or make-up testing due to travel during the competitive season.  Beginning this summer, we’ll expand our services to include standard academic make-up testing, fee-based testing for non-SMU students in the local community, and credit-by-exam testing (CLEP) for some SMU courses.

Testing at the UTC is done by appointment weekdays between 8:30 and 3:30 p.m. with extended hours during final exams.  Appointments must be made at least 48 business hours before classroom testing dates using the UTC Portal at www.smu.edu/utcportal.

The UTC Portal’s updated exam submission process allows professors to determine when eligible students can test at the UTC, automatically upload tests by course name and section number, and retrieve completed tests with proctoring documentation. Stop by the UTC in the basement of Clements Hall to tour the facility, meet the staff, and have a one-on-one consultation to make the testing experience easier for you and your students!

Scantron Exam processing at the University Testing Center ends May 10th

The University Testing Center (UTC) scanning and reporting service for exam Scantrons will end after AY 2023-24.  A few faculty members use the service as the migration to Canvas continues, as directed by the Office of the Provost.  This, along with increasing maintenance costs and staffing needs for new testing services at the UTC, was a deciding factor in ending the service.  Official announcements will be sent periodically to faculty users through various channels so they may prepare for alternatives.

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University Advising Center

University Advising Center Welcomes Two New Advisors to the Hilltop

Photo of Laura Lee Blanton Building, where the University Advising Center is located.

The University Advising Center has made some new additions to our staff this month. Veronica Gutierrez and Amy ‘Ricki’ Ward joined us just in time for the holiday season cheer.

Headshot of Ricki Ward, a new Academic Advisor in the University Advising Center.A native Texan, Ricki is a 2002 graduate of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in both History and Psychology.  She then earned her Texas Teacher Certification via LeTourneau University’s Post-Baccalaureate Educator Certification Program.  She began her career as a teacher at Dallas Academy, where she specialized in creating and implementing personalized curriculum for students with learning differences.  Most recently, Ricki taught 4th grade math and science in Garland ISD, and was awarded 2022-23 Teacher of the Year at Dorsey Elementary in Rowlett.  She lives in Rowlett with her husband, Tony, her two teenage children, Bailey and Jake, and her black lab, Charlie.  Ricki is a lifelong Texas Rangers fan and avid reader, and recently began volunteering as a camera operator for Explore.org. Her email is arward@smu.edu and her office number is (214) 768-6835.

Headshot of Veronica Gutierrez, a new Academic Advisor in the University Advising Center.

Veronica Gutierrez joins the University Advising Center after spending 29 years in public education as an elementary school teacher and counselor. Veronica graduated from Paris Junior College and Southwest Texas State University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She also received her Master’s degree in Counseling from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Veronica was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and has always loved the beauty of the SMU campus. She is very excited to start this new journey. Her email is vgutierrez@smu.edu and her office number is (214) 768-6836.

Please join the University Advising Center in welcoming our two new advisors to the Hilltop!

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University Advising Center

The University Advising Center welcomes new Academic Advisor Benjamin Mandelbaum

Headshot of Ben Mandelbaum.

The University Advising Center is very pleased to share that Ben Mandelbaum has joined us as our newest Academic Advisor! Ben joins us after spending 7 seasons as a college basketball coach. In his most recent position, he coached the Alcorn State University Men’s Basketball team to the 2023 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship.  Ben is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where he received his Bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he received his Master’s degree in Exercise Science. New to Dallas, Ben has enjoyed exploring the Dallas area by visiting museums, attending shows, and taking in sporting events. In his free time, Ben likes following his favorite sports teams, traveling to the beach, and listening to podcasts.

His email is bmandelbaum@smu.edu and his phone number is 214-768-6790.    Join us in welcoming Ben to the UAC and to SMU!

Headshot of Ben Mandelbaum.
Headshot of Ben Mandelbaum.
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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Michelle Gaunt joins the University Advising Center

We are pleased to announce that Michelle Gaunt has joined the UAC as our newest Academic Advisor.

Michelle is a proud SMU alumnus with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in English Literature and Composition. She has taught at secondary schools in Dallas ISD, Austin ISD, and universities in Texas and Arizona.   She is dedicated to promoting art and literature in public education through PTA committees, community outreach programs, and other channels, and also co-authors contemporary women’s fiction.  She is excited to return to the Hilltop!

Michelle will carry a generalist caseload of advisees.  Her email is mgaunt@smu.edu and her phone is x8-2815.  Please join the University Advising Center in welcoming her!

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

Committee on Academic Petitions launched a new webpage and appeal submission form

Effective June 1, the Committee on Academic Petitions (CAP) launched a new webpage and an appeal submission form for undergraduate students.  

Students must submit their appeal using the electronic form and include all supporting documentation. They will instantly receive notification that their appeal has been received. Additionally, students will receive notification from the system as the appeal is reviewed and considered.   

All offices should inform students to submit their appeals via the official appeal submission form. Email submissions will no longer be considered, and students will be redirected to www.smu.edu/cap to submit their CAP appeals. 

The Committee on Academic Petitions is a committee with membership appointed by the Provost. It is charged with considering and deciding student academic petitions, as set out in the SMU Statement of Process for Undergraduate Student Academic Petitions.  

Academic Petitions are requests by a student for an exception to an academic policy. Academic policy includes any policy, rule, or regulation that applies to academic matters at SMU. 

Have questions about the CAP appeal process? Visit www.smu.edu/cap for more information or email your questions to cap@mail.smu.edu