February brings many things, and among them is SMU’s Transfer Student Appreciation Week! UAC Transfer Advisor Dee O’Banner is leading the charge this semester with multiple events designed to share some Hilltop appreciation, treats, and info with SMU’s transfer students! Students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to attend!
RSVP now on SMU360!
The Office of General Education has multiple training sessions available to all faculty and staff this spring.
Register for any of these trainings on SMU360. By registering, you will receive reminder emails leading up to the event, a calendar invite, and any resources used or distributed during the training. All workshops will take place on the first floor of the Laura Lee Blanton building.
Trainings Offered:
Common Curriculum – Learn more about the general education and graduation requirements that make up the Common Curriculum. Ideal for new faculty and staff; refresher for current employees with academic advising functions.
Thursday, Jan. 30th 12:30-1:30PM
Wednesday, Feb. 26th 12-1PM (for advisors)
Thursday, Mar. 27th 12:30-1:30PM
Course and Experience Proposal – Learn more about the process and timeline of submitting a course or experience proposal for Common Curriculum tags. Course and experience proposal deadlines are available for spring 2025 on our website. Ideal for faculty interested in tagging existing or proposing new courses or staff who lead co-curricular experiences seeking to become a pre-approved activity.
Thursday, Feb. 6th 12:30-1:30PM
Wednesday, Mar. 12th 12-1PM
Departmental Responsibilities – Learn more about what is required of departments and organizations that have Common Curriculum-tagged courses and experiences. Ideal for department chairs, directors of undergraduate students, and employees with course scheduling functions.
Wednesday, April 9th 3:30-4:30PM
Looking to plan a training session for your department and/or organization? Complete and submit this form to schedule a personalized group training.
Any questions, comments, or concerns can be directed to gened@smu.edu. We look forward to supporting you this semester!
The University Advising Center welcomes Anthony Cesario as the new office coordinator. Anthony joined the University Advising Center on November 11th during the peak of Spring 25 enrollment and has hit the ground running!
Born and raised in Coppell, Texas, Anthony graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in American Studies in December of 2023. Prior to joining SMU, he has held various customer service roles and was a summer camp counselor. Anthony enjoys listening to music, writing, exploring parks and nature trails, and binging Buffy the Vampire Slayer whenever possible. He is very excited to work in the realm of higher education.
Please join us in welcoming Anthony to the Hilltop and the UAC!
The University Advising Center is pleased to share that Gerralynn McKenna is continuing her work in our office as our newest Academic Advisor. She has gracefully stepped in to her new role and advising students for Fall 24 and beyond.
Before her new position, Gerralynn came to SMU in June of 2023 to serve as Coordinator for the UAC. Prior to her time at SMU, she taught elementary special education for 4 years, and moved to Dallas from Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband. She continues to enjoy hiking, being outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and reading. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to her new position!
Summer Forge, an academic support program at SMU, provides invited undergraduate students with financial, academic, and social support to accelerate their path to on-time graduation. This year’s cohort included 29 students, who completed courses during May Term and Summer Term to fulfill a major, minor or Common Curriculum requirement. This year’s cohort attempted over 167 credit hours during the summer, with 97% of the coursework being completed successfully.
Summer Forge participants completed check-ins throughout the summer with Jay Guillory, Student Success & Retention, and Brittaney Wilson, Office of General Education. Additionally, students received academic coaching in partnership with the Academic Skill Development team. Of the 29 students in the Summer 2024 cohort: 76% of students reported using the ALEC for tutoring, and 17% reported receiving support from the Writing Center.
Here is what some students had to say about their time in the Summer Forge:
“The Summer Forge Program allowed me to catch up on my courses without the financial worry. The program provided support to help students succeed in the accelerated course of their choice. “– Grace B.
“Summer Forge is beneficial, as it provides students with an Academic Advisor/Counselor, access to various resources, and free treats along the way as they catch up with students.” – Muskaan B.
“I was able to catch up on credits I lost over the past few semesters, which helped me deal with the stress of not graduating on time.” -Iyanna C.
Summer Forge is a collaboration between the Office of Student Success and Retention, Office of Academic Skill Development, SMU in Four, Office of Student Financial Services, and Student Academic Success Programs.
For more information, visit www.smu.edu/summerforge.
With the Academic year ending, the Office of Student Success and Retention would like to focus on the effectiveness of our Retention Alert and Advising Note reporting system. We would like to thank every individual advisor or faculty member who used these tools to report any retention risk.
This academic year, with the valuable assistance of advisors across campus, 231 advising notes were submitted during the fall and spring semesters, in addition to 94 retention alerts. These submissions from our campus community have played a crucial role in identifying students who are considering transferring or taking a leave of absence from SMU.
The Office of Student Success and Retention has utilized the information from both reporting systems to effectively intervene with at-risk students, demonstrating our collective efforts. SSR would like to express gratitude to the faculty and staff members who submitted advising notes and retention alerts this academic year. Through your partnership, SSR has been able to reach out to and assist students while providing them with support and connections to campus resources.
If you would like to learn more about this tool and how the Office of Student Success and Retention utilizes it to aid with retention and intervention, please contact Jay Guillory.
The University Testing Center is pleased to offer expanded CLEP (College Level Examination Program) testing beginning June 2024.
Testing is available by appointment to any SMU student or community member seeking academic credit. At SMU, course credit is awarded when a score of 60 points or above out of 80 possible points is achieved. Community members may also test at SMU and send scores to other colleges and universities for credit.
SMU gives credit for CLEP subject examinations based on the specified minimum scores below*. American Government, Financial Accounting and History of the U.S. I and II are only available to incoming students under the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog and are not available to continuing students.
|
CLEP Exam |
Score (out of 80) |
Credit Hours |
Course(s) Credited |
Common Curriculum Requirements Satisfied |
| American Government |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Social & Behavioral Science (SBS) |
| American Literature |
60 |
3 |
ENGL 20XX | None |
| English Literature |
60 |
3 |
ENGL 20YY | None |
| Financial Accounting |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Quantitative Applications (QA) |
| History of the US I |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Historical Contexts (HC) |
| History of the US II |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Historical Contexts (HC) |
| Macroeconomics |
60 |
3 |
ECO 1312 | Quantitative Applications (QA) |
| Microeconomics |
60 |
3 |
ECO 1311 | Quantitative Applications (QA) |
*The above credit table is subject to change and applies to the 2024 Undergraduate Catalog.
Sign-Up
After Testing
When testing is complete, students will receive a preliminary score report from UTC staff. Scores will also be available in the My CLEP Student Account portal on the CLEP website. Final, official CLEP score reports will be sent directly from the College Board to the SMU Registrar, where course credit will be awarded with a qualifying score.
For more information, visit the University Testing Center or the College Board FAQs for CLEP.
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.
Student Academic Engagement and Success (SAES) is hosting two upcoming tours of the Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA) and Student Academic Success Programs (SASP). Tours will take place at 9 AM and 9:30 AM at the ADSA & SASP offices located in Loyd All-Sports Center. ADSA is located on the 3rd floor, in suite 316. SASP is located on the second floor, in suite 201. This opportunity is an invitation to all SMU faculty and staff to tour our academic centers and learn more about the support services offered to students! Breakfast and drinks will be available.
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.
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.
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!