Tag: SMU in 4

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Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention

Reminder: Flex Cards Available to Faculty & Staff for Retention and Student Success

With the Fall ’25 semester buzzing along, the Office of Student Success and Retention is happy to remind our amazing staff and faculty about the SMU Dining flex cards. These cards are designed to enhance your engagement with students beyond the traditional classroom or office setting.

This initiative offers a fantastic opportunity for you to connect with students in a relaxed environment, foster meaningful relationships, and demonstrate your support, particularly for those who may need additional encouragement to stay on track or at SMU.

To get your hands on a flex card:

  1. Contact the Office of Student Success and Retention at ssr@smu.edu or 214-768-6824 to reserve your card.
  2. Pick up your card from the SSR office in Laura Lee Blanton Building, Suite 100 between 8:30 – 5 PM Monday – Friday.
  3. Treat yourself and your student to coffee, tea, lunch, or a snack at any SMU Dining location.
  4. Return the card along with your receipt within 24 hours of checkout to the SSR office.

Don’t miss this chance to make a difference! For any inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Student Success and Retention at ssr@smu.edu. Thank you for your commitment to supporting our students and helping them succeed.

Categories
SMU in Four

Mid-Term Progress Reports (MPRs) completed at an all-time high this semester

As part of SMU in Four, undergraduate faculty are asked to complete early and midterm progress reports each semester. During the fall semester, requests for reports from faculty occur during September
and October, and for the spring semester in February and March.

Faculty members report on any deficient grades by students and may indicate if students are failing due to attendance or assignments.

This semester we had a record-setting 80.3% of faculty report mid-term grades, with over 90% of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences and Lyle School of Engineering faculty making submissions.

Submitting MPRs is a crucial step in the SMU in Four initiative, as it allows records offices, advisors, and academic support staff to identify and support students who may need additional help in certain academic areas.

Staff will now reach out to students with two or more reported deficiencies and invite them to discuss academic support options, such as peer tutoring and meeting with their professors, that can help boost their academic performance.

Thank you to all the undergraduate-serving schools and colleges for coming together in this effort and to the faculty who submitted MPRs.