Mar 29, 2024  
Mansfield University 2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Mansfield University 2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Services for Students


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Department of Academic and Human Development

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The University provides developmental services to students for the successful pursuit of their academic program and personal development. These services include Academic Advising, Athletic Mentoring, Counseling, Learning Center, Minority Mentoring,  Support Services for CHAMPS Students with Disabilities, and Writing Center. In addition, all faculty within the Department of Academic and Human Development advise students selecting the Liberal Studies major.

Academic Advising

The Academic Advising Center provides services to a wide range of students and special support for underrepresented students of color, through a minority mentoring program called SUPPORT, and student-athletes through Athletic Mentoring and CHAMPS/Life Skills program.  These initiatives support Mansfield’s diversity goals through various workshops and guest speakers. This includes developmental workshops and leadership conference opportunities.

Mission:  The mission of Academic Advising Center is to provide high quality academic advising, that assists students in the purposeful planning of an undergraduate liberal arts education, contributing to an environment that promotes academic, personal, as well as intellectual, and ethical (character) growth. Academic Advising is a decision-making process by which students realize their maximum education potential through communication and information exchanges with an advisor; it is ongoing, multifaceted and a shared responsibility of both the advisor and advisee. The advisor, utilizing a developmental, proscriptive or, prescriptive, strength-based approach, serves as a facilitator of communication, a coordinator of learning experiences, through course and career planning and academic progress review, and an agent of referral to other campus services. 

Vision:  The Academic Advising Center (AAC) provides leadership that is developmental and cultivates academic excellence and healthy decision making, through innovative advising practices. AAC assists students in attaining their career and academic goals and promote an academic advising environment of trust, comfort, and genuine care.   AAC work collaboratively with other student services, faculty, and staff for the benefit of our advisees.

Athletic Mentoring and the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program

Mission: The mission of the Athletic Mentoring and CHAMPS Life Skills Program is to support the successful academic transition, matriculation, and graduation of student-athletes. The Athletic Mentoring component monitors, and improves the academic standing and progress of student athletes. The CHAMPS/Life Skills component enhances and supports student-athletes’ development in the areas of personal development, career planning, community service, and academic excellence.

Vision: The Athletic Mentoring and CHAMPS Life Skills Program ensures the academic, personal, and social success of student athletes.

Counseling Center

Mission:
The University Counseling Center provides students, faculty, and staff with counseling services for each client’s particular needs. We make available to clients career/academic assessment and counseling to facilitate their career choices; provide a professional response to clients in emotional crisis; provide faculty and staff with consultation and support; assist in developing the emotional, physical and psychological well-being of all clients; advocate for student needs; and support the efforts of students, faculty and staff in improving the university environment. We provide coaching, academic document review, and recommendations for students with disabilities. We provide academic advising opportunities for students in the A.A. and B.A.  Liberal Studies majors.

All services provided by the University Counseling Center are free and respect the applicable confidentiality laws and ethical guidelines of the APA (American Psychological Assocation), ACA (American Counseling Association) and IACS (International Association of Counseling Services).

Vision:
Counseling services are an integral part of the educational mission of the institution and support the mission in a variety of ways, such as consultation, teaching, preventive and developmental interventions, and treatment. The counselors provide clinical and counseling services to clients who are experiencing stress due to academic, career or personal problems which may interfere with their ability to take full advantage of the educational opportunities before them. Counselors are also involved in providing consulting services for faculty and staff; student needs advocacy, program development, teaching, outreach programming, retention activities, and research and evaluation that support the efforts of faculty and staff in enhancing the university environment. 

Learning Center

Mission: The Learning Center (LC) at Mansfield University fosters an out-of-class learning environment that provides students with undergraduate learning experiences that promote and maximize their learning potential. The Learning Center is committed to helping students achieve their academic goals and persist until graduation. The Learning Center offers self-assessment measures that promote meta-cognition and self-evaluation. The student support services provided under the auspices of the Learning Center include: an accredited CRLA peer tutoring program; a NTA certified tutor trainer; a Certified Supplemental Instruction Supervisor, A Certified Reading Specialist, and a certified Supplemental Instruction (SI) program for several survey and gateway level courses; learning style and study skills assessments; one-on-one and/or group learning support; academic advising; and appropriate skills instruction that addresses specific student needs.

Vision: The Learning Center’s future vision is to offer a mandatory self-management program dedicated to enhancing the out-of-class learning environment for all incoming freshmen, as well as probationary, learning disabled, and reinstated students. The program’s focuses would be based in individual assessments of students’ learning styles, study skills, and behaviors. All incoming students would self-assess their motivation, learning styles, time management skills, and develop an understanding and an ability to control their physical and social environments. The program would follow a four-step process that involves: self-assessment/self-observation, strategic planning, strategy implementation, and strategic-outcome monitoring.

SUPPORT (Minority Mentoring Program)

Mission: The SUPPORT program is designed to increase the likelihood for traditionally under represented students of color to enjoy academic success, personal growth and leadership skill development.

SUPPORT promotes self empowerment and academic excellence. It is also the mission of SUPPORT to assist each student in making a positive and productive transition to the university experience as quickly and efficiently as possible, taking a developmental approach to each students unique, individual strengths and needs.

Vision: Each student will make a successful adjustment to college and grow to serve as a role model for future SUPPORT students.

Services for Students with Disabilities

The Office for Students with Disabilities (SSD) is the main advocate for students with disabilities who request academic accommodations at the University. It is our goal to assist you in gaining appropriate and reasonable accommodations, enhancing your ability to pursue a meaningful college experience.

After submitting pertinent documentation, we will attempt to address all reasonable accommodations appropriate to the student’s needs. Current accommodations include, but are not limited to, special residence hall living requests, on-campus transportation, early academic scheduling, a variety of testing accommodations, note takers, readers, interpreters, assistance in acquiring “Books on Tape,” and relocating class sections to aid access.

Students are encouraged to contact the coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in South Hall to discuss any accommodations. Early notification is critical when seeking physical or academic course material accommodations.

Writing Center

The Writing Center is an integral part of the University’s Writing Across the Curriculum program. Professional and peer-writing tutors help students develop effective writing and editing strategies that support the formal writing instruction presented in various courses throughout the curriculum.

Department of Academic Initiatives

The Department of Academic Initiatives houses the federally funded and competitive TRiO Student Support Services grant (which has been established at Mansfield University since 2005).

The Department of Academic Initiatives provides extensive student support for the students enrolled in our programs.  We offer a variety of programming and services to our students, including academic and personal growth workshops, financial aid and financial literacy workshops, cultural and social activities, tutors, peer mentors, career counseling (including preparation for graduate school), and activities focusing on leadership and service.  We are dedicated to providing personalized services to our students to help them gain the skills they need to graduate from college and to reach their personal and professional goals.

Mission Statement:  The mission of the department is to increase the persistence and graduation rates of students enrolled in our programs by offering academic, personal, financial, and career support to help students develop the values of the Mansfield Creed (Character, Culture, Scholarship, and Service). The staff members work diligently to empower the students to become critical thinkers who take responsibility for developing strategies to succeed not only in college, but in their professional lives beyond college.  We work closely with programs across campus to facilitate student success. In doing so, our department helps foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of underprepared college students.

 Department Goals

  • The department will provide opportunities for first year students to successfully transition into college.
  • The department will provide quality one-to-one counseling to TRiO  students through advising, peer mentoring, and quality programming.  In doing so we will provide students with the opportunities to acquire skills necessary to succeed in college.
  • The department will provide opportunities for students to gain leadership skills necessary for successful careers and will prepare students for post-college plans.
  • The department will foster the development of the Mansfield University Creed values:  character, scholarship, culture, and service.
  • 75% of students in the department will remain in good academic standing each semester by maintaining a 2.0 QPA or higher and will achieve a persistence rate equal to or above the university cohort.
  • 55% of new participants served each year will graduate within 6 years.

Program Outcomes:

  • Students will identify resources to help them transition from high school to college.
  • Students will create Individual Success Plans each semester that reflect their personal learning goals.
  • Students will describe the skills necessary to succeed academically, psychologically, and financially in college according to their personal learning goals.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in college.
  • Students will exhibit academic success by maintaining a QPA of 2.0 or above.

Policies and Procedures:

Bookstore

The Campus Bookstore is operated by College Community Services, Inc. The store is open from 8 AM to 4 PM Monday - Friday and 10 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer sessions, the store is open 8 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday. Also, during the first week of classes, the store is open extended hours, as posted, to aid students in purchasing textbooks, dorm supplies, health and beauty aids, class supplies, clothing, etc. The bookstore is located on the main floor of the Alumni Hall Student Center. Textbooks are located on the upper level of the store while supplies, clothing MU logo items, stationary, health and beauty aids, etc., are all found the the lower level. Reserve your books online at mansfieldbookstore.com and have the first chance at used textbooks.

Career Center

The Career Center (CC) provides students and alumni with a wide range of services, including career exploration and development, career interest inventories, resume and cover letter writing and critique, job search techniques, practice interview sessions, on-campus recruitment interviews and job fairs. A career library of websites, printed, and software-based information  covering career options, employer organizations, employment trends, internships, job listings, and graduate/professional schools is maintained through the Career Center. Job and Internship opportunities are posted electronically through the Career Center using College Central Network©, an online job board utilized by all 14 PASSHE System University Career Centers. Current students and alumni can register for this free service at www.collegecentral.com/mansfield. The Career Center sponsors several workshops and special events throughout the academic year.

The Career Center administers testing services for Mansfield University and the general public, including CLEP (College-Level Examination Program), DSST (Dantes), Miller Analogies Test (MAT), and test proctoring.

The Career Center is located on the Ground Floor of Alumni Hall or may be called at 570-662-4133. For more resources, information about the Career Center and our calendar of events, please visit us on the web at http://career.mansfield.edu.

Our Mission: to provide students and alumni the best possible career development opportunities that prepare for effective, successful, and satisfying life-work.

 

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