PDF version - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Academic Resources
Academic Advising Program
The academic advising office supervises the implementation and efficient operation of the advising
program, which is an essential component of the university's personal approach to education. This
program helps students assess their educational development, determine new educational objectives,
select appropriate learning experiences, obtain encouragement and support, and evaluate their
academic and personal achievements.
Full-time faculty members participate in the advising program as a first-year student and/or major
advisor.
Faculty involvement in advising is a crucial part of developing an academic plan. Although students
and faculty are involved in academic advising throughout the year, the university designates a time
for advising each semester at the beginning of the registration period for the following semester. At
this time, students meet with their advisors to assess progress, discuss educational objectives and plan
their course schedules for the subsequent semester. Students should work closely with their academic
advisor and pay particular attention to their academic audit (a report from the registrar’s office which
documents progress toward completion of general education and major course requirements) when
planning their schedule. The registrar will review/clarify profile information and provide graduation
checks upon request. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to monitor his/her own progress in
satisfying university requirements.
Academic Skills Center (ASC)
The mission of the ASC is to assist Saint Mary's University students in their pursuit of academic success
and to encourage self-directed learning. The ASC provides disability support services, tutoring in
content area subjects, individual academic counseling, and skills-based courses such as study and
reading.
Any student who has a disability should contact the disability services coordinator at (507) 457-
1465. The coordinator will evaluate documentation, provide appropriate accommodations, and act
as a resource/advocate to assist students in meeting their academic goals and to ensure equality of
opportunity.
Tutoring is one of several services offered by Saint Mary's University to support student success. The
ASC offers free peer-tutoring in most subject areas, including humanities, mathematics, business, social
science, behavioral science, and natural science courses.
The skills based courses offered by ASC provide students the opportunity to learn and apply study,
reading, and problem solving techniques to college level material. The courses in study skills address
topics such as time management, test preparation, and listening and note taking in the classroom.
Reading classes address techniques such as pre-reading, annotating and marking a reading as well as
comprehension monitoring; these courses are listed in Personal Development.
The ASC staff is available for academic counseling. Unlike tutoring, which provides help in course
content and the skills based courses that address a variety of academic skills, academic counseling
provides specific academic assistance including time management, test preparation, dealing with
testing anxiety, and adapting study methods to new disciplines. These individual meetings can be as
frequent as the situation requires. The goal is to provide students with the tools necessary to become
self-directed learners.
Career Services
Career services staff assist students in their career planning by offering guidance and information
to those choosing a major, developing career plans, searching for graduate school, or seeking
employment opportunities. Programs, activities and individual appointments are offered to assist
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