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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Help Students Explore Pre-Approved Co-Curricular Opportunities to Fulfill Common Curriculum Proficiencies & Experiences

The Office of General Education is excited to share various co-curricular initiatives designed to help undergraduate students complete their Common Curriculum Proficiencies & Experiences outside the classroom. These programs provide unique opportunities for engagement, learning, and skill development. 

All students on the Common Curriculum must complete each of the graduation requirements, known as Proficiencies & Experiences, in addition to the General Education  Foundation and Breadth requirements. However, unlike Foundations and Breadth requirements, you have the option of using either coursework or activities to fulfill Proficiencies & Experiences. 

 Unconscious Bias Training for Human Diversity 

The Franklin Covey Unconscious Bias Training Course, based on The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias, is designed for seniors who have not yet completed their Human Diversity Proficiency & Experience requirement. This online program comprises five asynchronous learning modules, each requiring 3-4 hours of engagement. Interested students can complete the Unconscious Bias Interest Form. 

Engage Dallas for Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics 

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative, that enables students to serve communities in South and West Dallas. Engage Dallas is housed within SMU’s Residential Commons, but is open to all students. This initiative provides an accessible way for undergraduates to fulfill their Community Engagement Proficiency & Experience and Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience requirements, both of which are necessary for graduation.  

Engage Dallas is a free program that welcomes new participants at any time. Students can choose to serve in small groups or independently, depending on their availability. To learn more and get started, visit smu.edu/engagedallas or access the Engage Dallas course via Canvas.  

Common Curriculum Reading for Civic and Individual Ethics 

Open to all undergraduates, this program targets juniors and seniors needing their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency. Participants will join eight reading discussions on Artificial Unintelligence by Meredith Broussard, exploring AI’s ethical and social limits. Spring Sign-ups have closed, but will open for Fall 2025 later this semester.  

Additional Opportunities 

Beyond the initiatives mentioned above, the Office of General Education collaborates with various campus offices to market pre-approved activities and organizations that fulfill specific Proficiencies & Experiences. Students can visit the Proficiencies & Experiences page to review graduation requirements, learn more about pre-approved activities, or schedule a meeting with Brittaney Wilson for personalized guidance. 

 

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Office of General Education

The Office of General Education facilitators for Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading

The Office of General Education is seeking facilitators for the Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading program. This exciting opportunity is open to anyone eager to engage in meaningful discussions about thought-provoking texts.

Participants will explore this book, which discusses the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing belief that AI will solve all of society’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are certain ethical issues that AI can’t address. In Fall 2024, thirty-three students completed the program and obtained their Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency & Experience. Both students and facilitators will play key roles in fostering a collaborative learning environment. Join a community dedicated to enriching the SMU experience through dialogue and reflection.

Staff or faculty interested in serving as facilitators for Spring 2025 must-read Artificial Unintelligence and attend eight reading group meetings throughout the semester. Meetings are scheduled from 4:00pm to 5:30pm on select Wednesdays dates. Facilitators can also earn extra compensation provided they fulfill the commitment requirements.

Applications are due Friday, January 17th, 2025.

For more details and to apply, email Jay Guillory (jguillory@smu.edu)

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Student Academic Engagement & Success

General Education offers faculty and staff spring trainings

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 CurriculumLearn 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!

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education seeks students and facilitators for Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading

The Office of General Education is seeking students to join the Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading and staff or faculty members to participate as facilitators.

The Common Curriculum Reading is a co-curricular, pre-approved activity that allows students to obtain a Proficiency & Experience credit by joining a reading group, engaging in discussions led by SMU staff and faculty, and interacting with students from various majors. The program requires students to attend eight meetings throughout the semester and complete mid- and end-of-semester assessments.

In Fall 2024, students read Artificial Unintelligence by Meredith Broussard. This book discusses the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the growing belief that AI will solve all of society’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are certain ethical issues that AI can’t address. 33 students completed the program this fall and obtained their Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency & Experience.

Staff or faculty who are interested in serving as facilitators in Spring 2025 are required to read Artificial Unintelligence and attend eight reading group meetings throughout the semester. The meetings take place from 4pm-5:30pm on select Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Facilitators also have the ability to earn extra compensation pending they meet the commitment requirements.

Students missing their CIE Proficiency & Experience are encouraged to sign up for the program via Qualtrics. Priority consideration is given to undergraduate juniors and seniors who have not obtained their CIE Proficiency & Experience, but the program is open to all students.

For more information about joining the Common Curriculum Reading as a student or facilitator, please contact the program coordinators Melina Padron (mpadron@smu.edu) or Jay Guillory (jguillory@smu.edu).

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education warns select students of unmet university-wide academic requirements

As we approach the end of the Fall 2024 semester, the Office of General Education will proactively warn undergraduate students and their academic advisors about unmet University-Wide Academic requirements, as outlined in the catalog.  

Students who receive the General Education Alert and fail to register for missing Foundations requirements during Spring 2025 registration will be placed on General Education Probation. 

Academic Probation Criteria 

Per SMU’s University-Wide academic requirements, a student will be placed on General Education Probation if they fail to meet the following foundational requirements:  

  • For students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 hours of transfer credit:  
    • Students must complete both the Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent) and Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent) Foundation requirements, as well as the Quantitative Reasoning Foundation requirement of the Common Curriculum, by the time they have earned 60 credit hours at SMU.  
  • For transfer students or those entering SMU with 24 or more transfer credit hours:  
    • Students must complete the Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and Quantitative Reasoning requirements within their first 30 credit hours at SMU.  

 Brittaney Wilson, General Education & Academic Appeals Coordinator, began sending General Education Alerts to students on November 13 and will notify their assigned academic advisors on Monday, November 25.   

If you have any questions regarding General Education Probation or the specific requirements, please contact Brittaney Wilson, brittaneyw@smu.edu 

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Student Academic Engagement & Success

General Education offers faculty and staff fall trainings

 

The Office of General Education has multiple training sessions available to all faculty and staff this fall.

Registration for these offerings is available 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 CurriculumLearn 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.

Tuesday, Sept. 17th 12:30-1:30PM

Monday, Oct. 7th 12-1PM (for advisors)

Monday, Nov. 18th 12-1PM  

                                                              

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 fall 2024 and 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.

Wednesday, Sept. 11th 12-1PM

Tuesday, Oct. 15th 12:30-1:30PM

 

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.

Thursday, Oct. 31st 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!

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Academic Skill Development Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Academic Success Programs Student Success & Retention

Summer Forge successfully ends their second year

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. 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Non-course opportunities for Common Curriculum Proficiency & Experience credit

The Office of General Education is excited to share some co-curricular initiatives and opportunities available to assist students in obtaining their Common Curriculum Proficiencies and Experiences outside the classroom.   

Common Curriculum Reading:  

The Common Curriculum Reading is open to all SMU undergraduate students but will target juniors and seniors who have not completed their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience requirement. Students who opt-in to the program will engage in eight reading group meetings and discussions with peers and program facilitators from areas across campus.  

The book selection for Fall 2024 is “Artificial Unintelligence” by Meredith Broussard. Broussard discusses the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern society and the public’s belief that AI can solve all the world’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are social and ethical issues that AI can’t resolve. Students can sign up through Qualtrics, and staff/faculty can learn more about the program on the Common Curriculum Reading blog post. 

 Unconscious Bias Training Course:  

 The Franklin Covey Unconscious Bias Training Course is based on The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias. This initiative is focused on seniors who have not completed their Human Diversity Proficiency & Experience. The Unconscious Bias online course consists of five asynchronous learning modules. Each learning module requires 3-4 hours of work. However, participants will also have access to impact coaching to help them learn and apply the key concepts. For more information, please complete the Unconscious Bias Interest Form. 

 Engage Dallas:  

 Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons, open to all SMU students, to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. Engage Dallas is one of the easiest ways for undergraduate students to earn their  Community Engagement Proficiency & Experience as well as their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience, both required for graduation. Engage Dallas is a free program that accepts new members at any time. Students can serve the community in small groups or independently, based on their availability. Students can learn more and get started by visiting smu.edu/engagedallas or selecting the Engage Dallas course on their  Canvas dashboard. 

 In addition to the initiatives listed above, the Office of General Education partners with various offices across campus to market pre-approved activities and  organizations that can fulfill individual Proficiencies & Experiences. For more information about pre-approved activities and organizations visit the  Proficiencies & Experiences page to review individual graduation requirements or schedule a meeting with Brittaney Wilson. 

 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education begins recruiting students for the Common Curriculum Reading

The Office of General Education has begun recruiting undergraduate students for this Fall’s Common Curriculum Reading – a revised version of the Common Reading.

The Common Curriculum Reading is open to all SMU undergraduate students, but will target juniors and seniors who have not completed their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience. Students who opt-in to the program will engage in 8 reading group meetings and discussions with their peers and program facilitators. The facilitators represent various areas across campus, including:

The book selection for Fall 2024 is “Artificial Unintelligence” by Meredith Broussard. Broussard discusses the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern society, and the public’s belief that AI can solve all the world’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are social and ethical issues that AI can’t resolve.

Staff and faculty are encouraged to promote the program to their undergraduate students. Students who are interested in this co-curricular activity should complete the Qualtrics sign-up survey.

The Office of General Education is excited about this unique reading experience, and looks forward to the program’s first meeting on September 10th, 2024.

 

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Office of General Education SMU in Four Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Academic Success Programs Student Success & Retention

Summer Forge returns for Summer 2024 with a 29-student cohort 

Following the successful completion of the inaugural Summer 2023 cohort, Summer Forge is back with a cohort of 29 students. Summer Forge provides invited undergraduate students with financial, academic, and social support to accelerate their path to on-time graduation.    

Invited students receive up to 8 paid semester credit hours over May, Summer, and/or August terms. To make the program more accessible, housing costs were included for non-local students. The Summer 2024 cohort consists of 29 students attempting over 167 credit hours during the summer terms. The average participant takes 6 hours to fulfill major, minor, or Common Curriculum requirements.  

Summer Forge is a collaboration between the Office of Student Success and Retention, SMU in Four, Office of Financial Aid, and Student Academic Success Programs. It reflects the university’s commitment to improving retention and graduation rates. Program Co-Directors Brittaney Wilson, General Education and Academic Appeals Coordinator, and Jay Guillory, Success Counselor in the Office of Student Success and Retention, initially identified the students based on various criteria, in addition to their commitment to complete classes in the Fall 2024 semester at SMU. They would like to thank the many advisors who recommended students and assisted with student outreach for their support.   

To kick off a successful Summer Term, Becca Umobong and Chris Meyers from Academic Skill Development led a Learning Strategies Workshop focused on: Time Management Resources and Improving Academic Success. In addition to the workshop, all students have individual academic counseling sessions. Students are also encouraged to visit the A-LEC for tutoring services across course content areas.  

Please contact Brittaney Wilson or Jay Guillory with any questions about the program.