Tag: Office of General Education

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Office of General Education University Foundations

Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics-tagged Courses Offered through University Foundations

The Department of University Foundations, in collaboration with the Office of General Education, has saved a limited number of seats for seniors missing their Community Engagement or Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences.  Here are five course-based options available for students seeking to fulfill their Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences.

1 Credit-hour Offering:

UNIV 1103 – Building Bridges: The Ethics of Service – Seats available to all students
Common Curriculum: Community Engagement
Summary: This course introduces students to the ethical complexities of serving others across cultural, socioeconomic, and ideological differences. Through readings, case studies, and 10 hours of community service, students explore how justice, empathy, identity, and power shape meaningful service. UNIV 1103 includes a lecture and field studies component, with off-site service experiences scheduled 3–4 times during the semester.

 

3 Credit-hour Offerings:

 

UNIV 2349 – Improve Your MEIQ: Mustang Emotional Intelligence Seats available to all students

Common Curriculum tags: Civic & Individual Ethics

Summary: This course introduces the field of psychology, with emphasis on how people deal with the problems and challenges of everyday life. Students learn about classical and contemporary theories, recent research, and applications of the science of psychology to everyday situations.

 

UNIV 3305 – Personal Responsibility and Community – Restricted to Graduating Seniors missing both CE and CIE.  All students are eligible for the waitlist.

Common Curriculum tags: Community Engagement; Civic & Individual Ethics; Oral Communication
Summary: UNIV 3305 invites students to reflect on their values, beliefs, and identities while examining how these shape their engagement with communities. Through a semester-long community project, reflective journaling, case studies, and cultural immersion experiences, students develop a deeper understanding of personal responsibility and ethical service within the Dallas community.

 

UNIV 3306 – Community Partners – Seats available to all students

Common Curriculum tags: Community Engagement

Summary: UNIV 3306 connects academic learning with hands-on community engagement in the Dallas area. Through service-learning projects aligned with their academic interests, students apply classroom concepts to real-world challenges while developing skills in critical thinking, communication, cultural competence, and civic responsibility. Working alongside diverse community partners, students deepen their understanding of social justice, ethics, and collaborative approaches to community development.

 

UNIV 3307 – Change Makers: Exploring Social Justice in Civic Leadership – Restricted to Graduating Seniors missing both CE and CIE.  All students eligible for the waitlist.
Common Curriculum tags: Community Engagement; Civic & Individual Ethics; Global Perspectives
Summary: This course explores how identity, power, and community influence civic life in the U.S. and globally. Students study leadership, migration, social movements, and resilience across regions such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Through community engagement, guest speakers, and site visits, students strengthen skills in ethical reasoning, collaboration, and civic leadership.

These UNIV courses were designed with first-year students, transfer students, and graduating seniors in mind, but they are often open to anyone interested in the topics. The complete list of UNIV courses and their full descriptions can be found in the University course catalog. For more information about the UNIV program visit their website.

 

 

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

Degree Planner usage rises in Fall 2025

Degree Planner usage rose this fall, with over 3,800 undergraduate students engaging with the tool from August 2025 – October 2025. This comes as a result of the semesterly campaign led by the Office of General Education (OGE), in collaboration with the University Advising Center (UAC).

At the beginning of September, undergraduate students received a To-Do Task on their my.SMU Student Dashboard, in addition to a message through their Message Center asking them to complete their Degree Planner by the university deadline of October 1st. Undeclared students were asked to plan through the semester of their major declaration, and declared students were asked to plan through the semester of their graduation.

The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) supported students in completing their Degree Planner by:

  • Holding 101 one-on-one appointments with students
  • Hosting four Degree Planner workshops, which resulted in 20 attendees
  • Hosting Success Fest, which resulted in 193 attendees

The UAC also hosted 4 Degree Planner workshops, with a total of 32 attendees.

OGE and UAC will begin their spring Degree Planner campaign at the beginning of February 2026, with Success Fest tentatively scheduled for February 25, 2026, from 12pm-2pm in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Ballroom. We encourage staff and faculty to encourage their students to complete their Degree Planner in preparation for the event.

 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Spring 2026 Common Curriculum Reading schedule announced

Common Curriculum Reading students at a community service event
Common Curriculum Reading students at a community service event

The Common Curriculum Reading (CCR) is a pre-approved, co-curricular activity that allows students to join a reading group for a semester to earn their Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency and Experience (P&E). This year, students can opt into a track that also allows them to earn their Community Engagement (CE) P&E through a partnership with Engage Dallas.

The book selection for spring 2026 is Infectious Generosity by Chris Anderson. In this book, Anderson discusses the ethics behind being generous to one another to improve civic life. He also overviews free and low-cost ways one can be generous and engage with their community.

The Office of General Education (OGE) has finalized the spring 2026 dates for the CCR and is seeking two staff or faculty members to help facilitate the reading sessions. The tentative dates are as follows:

  • February 3
  • February 17
  • March 3
  • March 10
  • March 24
  • April 7
  • April 21

Participating staff/faculty members must read the book and attend all seven reading meetings to guide their small groups through discussions. Those in the division of Student Academic Engagement and Success (SAES) can also earn comp time for participating in the CCR. Participating facilitators are provided all discussion guides and are not required to proctor or grade assessments.

OGE will begin recruiting students for the spring session before Thanksgiving break. Any students, staff, or faculty who are interested in participating in the CCR can email gened@smu.edu for more information.

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 graduating students encouraged to complete their Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences

The Office of General Education would like to share efforts being made to encourage Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 graduating students to complete their Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences.

The following message was shared on Wednesday, September 3, with the identified 508 undergraduate students.

——————-

From: Office of General Education (gened@smu.edu)

To: Graduating Seniors who have not fulfilled CE

Subject Line: You’re Missing Your Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiency & Experience for Graduation: Complete them with Engage Dallas or Alternative Breaks

Hello Seniors,

Our records indicate that you are graduating in December 2025 or May 2026 and still need to fulfill your Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiency & Experience to graduate.

The Office of General Education, in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs– Residence Life and Student Housing & Social Change and Intercultural Engagement, would like to share opportunities to fulfill your Community Engagement (CE) and/or Civics & Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency & Experience with our co-curricular program offerings.

Non-course-based options to consider:

Engage Dallas is a community engagement initiative through SMU’s Residential Commons, dedicated to addressing needs in South and West Dallas. This long-term, student-led program partners with residents, organizations, and leaders to create a positive impact. Free and open for new members anytime, students can volunteer to serve in small groups or individually, based on their schedules. Learn more and join by visiting smu.edu/engagedallas or accessing the Engage Dallas course on your Canvas dashboard. Engage Dallas can fulfill CE, CIE, or both Proficiency & Experience requirements. If you have any questions about involvement, email engagedallas@smu.edu.

Alternative Breaks is an immersive week of hands-on service, leadership, and relationship building supplemented with education and reflection. Each trip takes place over spring break and focuses on a particular social issue, and immersion in that issue begins long before the trip itself. Students educate themselves and each other, then do hands-on work with relevant organizations. It qualifies for the CE Proficiency & Experience upon completion.  If you have any questions about involvement, email Danielle Palomo dpalomo@smu.edu.

Why Participate?

These programs provide a unique way to fulfill your CE and CIE requirements outside the classroom, all while building leadership skills, forming lasting connections, and making a difference in the community. For more information on Proficiencies & Experiences, click here.

We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities and look forward to seeing you continue to grow and contribute to positive change.

Brittaney Wilson, M.A.

General Education and Academic Appeals Coordinator

Office of General Education

214.768.6248 | brittaneyw@smu.edu | Laura Lee Blanton, Suite 338

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

Peer Academic Leaders complete fall training, celebrate milestones, and look ahead

The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) have completed their Fall 2025 training and are ready to support SMU undergraduate students this academic year.

From August 15–19, the PALs joined the Engage Dallas Student Directors and Spiritual Life Mentors for the annual Peer Leader off-site retreat. This experience gave them the opportunity to sharpen leadership skills, strengthen collaboration, and build connections across campus programs. PALs also completed specialized training with Residence Life and Student Housing (August 18–19) and will be welcoming new Mustangs over Welcome Weekend as Stampede Guides.

The PALs are coming off a record-breaking year, hosting events that engaged over 2,000 students in 2024–2025. Combined with other Office of General Education (OGE) programs, PALs helped OGE achieve the highest undergraduate student attendance in the Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success and the second-highest across the entire campus in SMU360 over the same period. This momentum sets the stage for even greater impact in the academic year ahead.

PAL programming kicks off in September, with events and office hours designed to connect students to academic resources and success strategies. Beginning the week of August 25, students can drop by for PALs office hours in Laura Lee Blanton, Suite 338, or schedule 1:1 meetings. These 1:1 meetings are especially helpful in preparing for the October 1 Degree Planner deadline.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to partner with PALs as a resource for supporting students’ academic journeys. Whether it’s attending programs, referring students for peer support, or amplifying PAL initiatives, your collaboration makes a difference.

Stay connected with PALs on SMU 360, email them at peeracademicleaders@smu.edu, or follow along on Instagram @pals_smu.

Together, let’s make 2025–2026 another record-breaking year for student success!

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education seeks Common Curriculum Reading facilitator

The Office of General Education is currently seeking one facilitator for the Common Curriculum Reading (CCR) for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester.

The CCR is a pre-approved activity done in the co-curricular that allows students to obtain their Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) and Community Engagement Proficiency and Experience (P&E), two Common Curriculum (CC) requirements. Students who join the CCR are required to attend seven reading group meetings, during which they discuss assigned readings with SMU staff/faculty facilitators and complete two assessments.

The book selection for the 2025-2026 academic year is Chris Anderson’s Infectious Generosity. In this book, Anderson examines the ethics of generosity and how society can cultivate a culture of giving rather than one of taking.

We are seeking one facilitator to lead the afternoon session (4pm-5:30pm). Participating facilitators will commit to the following: 

  • Attending all reading group meetings on the following dates
    • September 16
    • September 30
    • October 14
    • October 28
    • November 11
    • November 18
    • December 2
  • Help guide discussions for their reading group, comprised of 6-10 students. Facilitators are provided with the book and discussion guide in advance.

Facilitators within SAES who complete their commitment will be offered two days of comp time, which they will be responsible for coordinating with their direct supervisor’s approval. Prospective facilitators can learn more about the commitment and sign-up via Qualtrics.

Staff or faculty interested in facilitating or with additional questions about the commitment can email the CCR coordinator, Melina Padron, at melinap@smu.edu.

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Office of General Education

The Office of General Education issues Warnings, Probation, and Suspension Notifications for the Fall 2025 Semester

 

The Office of General Education (OGE) has completed their Fall 2025 review and notification process for students who have not met University-wide requirements, as outlined in the undergraduate catalog.  

This semester OGE sent out 5 suspension notifications, 38 probation notifications and 42 alerts to student who had not satisfied their University-Wide Common Curriculum Foundations requirements within the specified units based on their catalog earned as SMU credit. Of the students initially flagged for suspension, 4 students successfully appealed their suspension and received extended probation. One student was able to petition prior credit to fulfill Quantitative Reasoning. Notifications were sent to students, academic advisors, and Records Offices via DocuSign. These documents have also been imaged to the student’s record. 

General Education Alerts
Students who received a General Education Alert have not yet met the credit-hour threshold for probation but are at risk of probation. These students are strongly encouraged to complete their outstanding Foundations requirement(s) in the next semester to avoid placement on General Education Probation. 

Academic Probation Criteria
In accordance with SMU’s General Education policy, students are required to complete their Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and/or Quantitative Reasoning requirement before obtaining: 

  • 60 credit hours at SMU for students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 transfer credit hours. 
  • 30 credit hours at SMU for transfer students or those entering with 24 or more transfer credit hours. 

Suspension Criteria
Students who received a probation notification and do not satisfy the missing Foundation requirement(s) by December 2025 will be subject to General Education Suspension.  

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor or degree counselor to develop a plan for timely completion. General Education Alerts were first issued during the Fall 2024 semester by the Office of General Education. This policy can be found online in the SMU catalog as far back as 2017-2018 academic year.  

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

Categories
Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

Spring’s Success Fest and Degree Planner completion campaign come to a close

Two students looking at laptop computers

The Office of General Education and the University Advising Center (UAC) have completed their Spring 2025 campaign for Degree Planner completion and Success Fest. Both offices collaborated on Success Fest, an event dedicated to promoting and adopting Degree Planner among undergraduate students.

The Spring 2025 Success Fest occurred on February 26th in Hughes-Trigg Ballroom C. Students were encouraged to complete their Degree Planner before this date to gain entrance into Success Fest, however, students were also able to complete their Degree Planner on the day of the event. In total, 69 students attended the Spring 2025 Success Fest.

Leading up to the event, on February 3rd, 2025, all undergraduate students received a To-Do message on their my.SMU Student Dashboard that prompted them to complete their Degree Planner by the university deadline of March 1st. Email communications also went out to students, encouraging them to seek help from their Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) or academic advisors to assist them in completing their Degree Planner. These efforts included and resulted in:

  • Four Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the PALs
  • Six Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the UAC
  • 32 appointments scheduled with the PALs

By March 1st, there were 2,497 students that completed their Degree Planner.

A new aspect to the initiative this year was a second promotional campaign that was run from March 3rd – 10th to target students who did not complete their Degree Planner by the spring academic calendar deadline. These efforts included and resulted in:

  • A second To-Do message was posted on students’ my.SMU Student Dashboards who had not completed their Degree Planner
  • Two additional Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the UAC
  • 20 additional appointments scheduled with PALs

In total, the utilization initiative resulted in 3,100 total undergraduate students completing their Degree Planner.

Students who completed their plans, were surveyed about their Degree Planner user experience while students who did not complete a plan were asked about potential barriers. These responses will be analyzed to make improvements to future marketing campaigns and vendor improvement requests.

Success Fest and the Degree Planner completion campaign will return in the Fall 2025 semester, but students can still complete their Degree Planner by utilizing OIT’s Degree Planner website or scheduling an appointment with their PAL.

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education is recruiting Peer Academic Leaders for the 2025-2026 academic year

The Office of General Education has begun recruiting Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) for the 2025-2026 academic year. The PALs are a diverse group of undergraduate students with a goal to help students better understand the Common Curriculum, utilize academic resources, connect with their community, and navigate academic challenges.

This is a paid student worker role, averaging 5-9 weekly work hours. Students can also earn their Community Engagement and Oral Communications Proficiency & Experience. Students hired for the position will also receive an $800 housing credit for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Students can apply for the PALs role through the Peer Leader Recruitment Qualtrics form. Staff and faculty can also nominate a student they think would be a good fit for the role.

Once a student applies, they will be contacted to schedule their first-round interview. From there, students will be invited for a final interview with the PALs supervisor, Melina Padron.

The deadline to nominate a Peer Leader will be February 10th. The Peer Leader application will close February 12th. Please contact Melina Padron, the PALs supervisor, at melinap@smu.edu with any questions or concerns.

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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

The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) and University Advising Center (UAC) have started preparing for the Spring 2025 Success Fest, which will take place on February 26th from 11:30am-1:30pm in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, Ballroom C. Success Fest is an event dedicated to the promotion and adoption of Degree Planner.

As stated on the university’s academic calendar, undergraduate students are required to update and complete their Degree Planner before the March 1st deadline.

Students can expect a To-Do message on their my.SMU Student Dashboard that will prompt them to complete their Degree Planner. Undeclared students will be asked to plan through the semester after their major declaration, and declared students will be asked to plan to the semester of their graduation.

Students will also receive a message through the Message Center with more information about the Degree Planner deadline, Success Fest, and upcoming Degree Planner workshops offered by the PALs and UAC.

Students, staff, and faculty can refer to the Office of General Education’s SMU 360 event page for details about the February Degree Planner workshops. Alternatively, staff and faculty can request a PALs Degree Planner workshop on a date and time that is more convenient. 

Students who show proof of a completed Degree Planner can enter Success Fest, however, students can also complete their Degree Planner on the day of the event. RSVPs to Success Fest are encouraged via SMU 360, but walk-ins are welcome.