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The university expects that all students will be held to the highest level of academic integrity. The university's standards for academic integrity are outlined in the Constitution of the Academic Honor Council for which the full text is available in both the Student Handbook and the Faculty Handbook. As stated in the Constitution, "instructors have the duty to investigate any instance involving possible academic dishonesty and must present evidence of academic dishonesty to the Academic Honor Council rather than make private arrangements with the student involved." Instructors must submit evidence of academic dishonesty in a timely manner to the Academic Dean's Office which will then forward the material to the student chair of the Academic Honor Council. A letter will then be sent to the student and the advisor notifying them of the allegation of academic dishonesty as well as the date/time when a hearing will be held. Following the hearing, a letter will be sent to the student and advisor notifying them of the outcome of the case as well as any penalty imposed if applicable. Advisors should work with students to address how any penalty imposed will affect the student's long-term academic plans. Questions regarding issues of academic dishonesty or the Academic Honor Council should be directed to Liz Regosin, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, x5993.
Students will be placed on academic probation if they fail to meet satisfactory levels of performance as reflected by one of three measures: cumulative GPA, semester GPA or major GPA.
Cumulative GPA
Students are placed on academic probation if their cumulative GPA falls within
the following range based on terms completed:
| Completed Terms | Minimum Cumulative GPA |
| 1-4 | 1.50 - 1.99 |
| 5-7 | 1.75 - 1.99 |
| 8 | < 2.0 |
Students whose GPAs fall within the appropriate range are placed on probation and receive letters that indicate that they must (1) earn a semester GPA of 2.0 or above in their first semester on probation;(2) raise their overall GPA to a 2.0 or higher in the second semester or they will be suspended; (3) work with the office of Academic Advising Programs to formulate a plan for academic recovery; (4) have regular contact with their academic advisor. Advisors should check with students to make sure they are working with the office of Academic Advising Programs. If they are not, advisors should encourage them to do so.
In addition, all students on probation must carry a full course load of at least four courses worth at least one unit each.
Semester GPA
Junior or first-semester seniors with a semester GPA below 1.75 will be placed
on academic probation. Students placed on probation for a low semester GPA
must also meet the four conditions outlined in the paragraph above.
Major GPA
Students whose GPA in their major (i.e., the average of grades in courses applicable
to the major) falls below 2.0 will be dropped from the major and placed on
academic probation. Students must then find acceptance in another department
in which s/he has a 2.0 average in that major field or seek probationary
acceptance by the department from which s/he was dropped or by any other
department that may grant probationary admission. The department chair must
approve probationary admission. While on probation the student must also
earn a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Required Summerterm
At the end of the academic year, first-year students or sophomores who
have been placed on probation due to cumulative averages of less than 1.75,
and juniors on probation with GPAs less than 2.0, will be required to attend
summerterm at St. Lawrence. Academic improvement, demonstrated by earning a
minimum summerterm average of 2.25 or a higher standard of performance as stipulated
by the committee on academic standing, is required.
Codes in CICS
When looking at a student record in CICS, the following codes are used to indicate the student's academic status:
acdmc: academic probation for major GPA and cumulative
GPA too low
acdms: academic probation for major GPA and prior
semester GPA too low
acdsm: academic probation for prior semester GPA
too low
act: active student in good standing
acdmj: academic probation for major GPA too low
acdpr: academic probation for cumulative GPA too low
As an academic advisor it is not a good practice to ask a student if he or she has a disability. Sometimes students reveal that they do and sometimes their folder contains information that the student has a disability. The FYP Academic Information Form has a section that asks the question and sometimes the advising folder inadvertently comes with documentation included. If that is the case, you may and are encouraged to ask a student to share with you the impact that a documented disability may have upon his or her studies. For example, the student may say that “I have to be careful about how many reading or writing intensive courses I take in a semester.” Very often they don’t know what the impact is on their course selection. In that case the best practice is to ask or say “Would you like to go see the Director of Academic Services for Students with Special Needs to discuss this?” Or “Have you met with Director of Academic Services for Students with Special Needs”? Please remember that we cannot require them to reveal anything about their disability nor can we require them to meet with Director of Academic Services for Students with Special Needs.
The Office of Academic Services for Students with Special Needs is here to ensure that all students with disabilities can freely and actively participate in all facets of University life; to coordinate support services and programs that enable students with disabilities to reach their educational potential and to increase the level of awareness among all members of the University so that students with disabilities are able to perform at a level limited only by their abilities, not their disabilities.
St. Lawrence has a full-time director who serves as a facilitator and advocate for students with disabilities (learning, attentional, physical, or psychological). Students who identify themselves as having a disability and provide documentation of the disability are assisted in finding the academic help or assistance they need. We will work with students to develop an Individual Educational Accommodation Plan (IEAP). This is similar to the IEP they may have had in high school, but our stress is on accommodation.
We refer students and advocate for them at several other on-campus-services: The Writing Center, for help with writing assignments; peer tutors, for general assistance with academic work; the Counseling Center; the Health Center; Dining Services, to arrange for their special dietary needs; and such offices as Financial Aid, Business, the Registrar and Residential Learning Communities, so that they can get quick and helpful attention to their questions. We can also connect them with state or regional support agencies.
Students who fall into one or more of the following categories will be suspended:
1) First-year students (including first-semester first-year students) or sophomores
with cumulative GPAs of less than 1.5, juniors and first-semester seniors
with cumulative GPAs of less than 1.75, and second-semester seniors with
cumulative GPAs of less than 2.0
| Completed Terms | Minimum Cumulative GPA |
| 1-4 | < 1.50 |
| 5-7 | < 1.75 |
| 8 | < 2.0 |
2) Students on probation who do not earn a semester GPA of 2.0 or above in their first semester on probation, or do not increase their overall GPA to 2.0 at the end of the following semester.
3) Students who do not earn a minimum average of 2.25 or the higher standard of performance stipulated by the academic standing committee, during a required summerterm.
4) Students who have less than a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in their major and cannot find a new or probationary major. Students whose GPA in their declared major remains below 2.0 for two semesters, and who are unable to find a suitable probationary major.
5) Students on probation whose GPA is less than 2.0 and who withdraw from a course or who receive an ‘E’ (incomplete) grade in a course.
Suspended students can appeal to the Academic Standing Committee (in care of the Registrar’s office) if they think they have extenuating circumstances that warrant immediate readmission to the university. Your students may ask you to write a letter on their behalf. You should consider doing so if you can offer any information that might help the academic standing committee to better understand the students’ situation. If you have nothing positive to say, you should feel free to say no. If readmitted, these students are automatically on probation.
Provided they have the signature of the instructor and their advisor, students may ADD or DROP courses during the first 7 days of classes without a permanent record being made of the change. Students who wish to add or drop courses after the first seven days of classes must petition to the Academic Petitions committee for a late schedule change. Approved late changes may result in a $45 fee for each schedule change.
If a student’s petition for a late drop is denied, he or she may withdraw from the course. Students may withdraw from two courses during their academic career at SLU. They are permitted to do so after the first seven days of classes until the end of the tenth week of classes. Students must submit a withdrawal form properly executed to the Registrar’s office. The course will remain on the transcript with a ‘W’ grade. Students who wish to withdraw from a course after the end of the tenth week of classes must submit the proper form as well as a petition for a late schedule change with an explanation for the lateness of the request to the academic petitions committee, care of the Registrar’s office.
Students need to know that they must be taking a minimum of 3.5 units per semester to be considered full time. Often, withdrawal from a course makes them part-time students and may affect financial aid, athletic eligibility, class year (which lowers registration priority and housing selection priority), foreign student visas, Dean’s list inclusion, free fifth course eligibility, graduation status, health insurance, car insurance, and/or veterans’ benefits.
Assigning course credit for a 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement examination varies by department. Advisors are urged to consult the SLU Catalog for specific information on each exam.
Students may change their advisor at any time after the fall semester of their first year. If their current advisor leaves (either temporarily or permanently) the university, they MUST change their advisor or they will find themselves on “Dean’s Hold” and unable to register for courses until they resolve their situation.
Students may take any four courses in a semester, regardless of their unit value, without additional tuition charges. Students may also take five or six courses that total no more than 4.75 units without additional tuition charges. An overload consists of five or six courses totaling more than 4.75 units, or more than six courses.
Students must petition through the Registrar’s Office to take a course overload. They may not do so until the first week of classes in the semester they would like to overload. Any student (excluding first year students and first semester transfer students) with an overall GPA of 3.2 or a 3.2 GPA the prior semester (excluding summerterm) and making satisfactory progress toward graduation may take an overload totaling up to 5.75 units free of charge. Students with an overall GPA of at least 2.5 (excluding first year students) may take a course overload with additional tuition payment. Each full-time student matriculating between Fall 2001 and Fall 2004 inclusive, who has a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better, may take a course overload with no additional charge once during his or her academic career (except to make up a deficiency in progress toward graduation, e.g. to make up for a reduced load or an earlier failure). The provision for the free overload was created to address the need to fulfill the 33.5 unit requirement for graduation.
A cross-listed course is one that although listed in one department, counts toward the requirements of another department or program. For example, Sociology 221 (Sociology of Gender) fulfills requirements for Sociology and Gender Studies. Pending departmental or program approval, it is possible to count cross-listed courses toward more than one requirement.
A dual listed course is a single course that is offered in two different departments and students can enroll through either department. Pending departmental approval, it is possible for students to count dual-listed courses toward more than one requirement.
Early Warnings
In the fourth week of classes, the Office
of Academic Support asks faculty to identify any students who are already
at risk to fail. This can be due to low grades on assignments, lack of
attendance, or other evidence of disengagement in the course. When names
are submitted by faculty, the Coordinator of Academic Support contacts both
the student and his or her advisor to encourage the student to work with the
advisor and faculty to formulate a plan to get back on track. In all
cases, especially for those students with multiple early warnings, the Coordinator
of Academic Support will offer her help to all parties concerned. Faculty
are strongly encouraged to respond to the request for early warnings in order
to identify students who are struggling.
Mid-semester Grades
In the 8th week of classes, the Registrar's Office will ask faculty to submit
grades for those students doing less than satisfactory work, i.e., earning
a grade of 1.5, 1.0, or 0.0. These grade reports go to the students,
their advisors, and parents who are authorized to receive grades. Although
mid-semester grades are voluntary, providing students and advisors with this
feedback enables them to gauge the student's progress in the course and to
respond accordingly if needed.
Academic advisors are considered the primary resource for students who are struggling. However, the Office of Academic Advising Programs uses both early warnings and mid-semester grades as a way of identifying and working with students in academic distress, and will strategize with advisors to formulate a plan of action.
In May of each year, as students accept admission to SLU, they are asked to sign a Financial Guarantee Statement. The statement is completed by the student and the student’s parent/financial guarantor. In addition to a payment guarantee of financial obligations incurred while a student at SLU, the student and parent/financial guarantor agrees to abide by the University payment terms, which are listed on the back of the statement.
Fall semester bills are sent to parents/financial guarantors in mid July. The payment due date for the Fall semester is August 15th. Upon arrival to campus in the fall, First Year students with outstanding balances are not allowed to register for classes and must meet with the Student Financial Services staff Office to discuss payment on their account. Once that meeting occurs, the students are allowed to register.
In late August and mid September, a bill is sent to parents/financial guarantors stating that charges billed on a prior statement are past due and current charges are due the 15th of the next month.
Students with delinquent student account balances are not allowed to register for classes or be housed for future semesters. In October, the Student Financial Services staff will run the hold program to update financial holds on student accounts. Although the Fall semester payment is due August 15, time is given to students and families to process all of the required paperwork to satisfy the account balance. In many instances, loan paperwork needs to be completed by the student and/or the parent.
In mid October, bills are sent to students and parents. A letter is sent with the bills stating that students with past due balances must satisfy their financial obligation in order to participate in Spring registration. In addition to the letter, many students and parents were notified if promissory notes and/or NYS TAP paperwork was incomplete.
The Registrar’s Office sends out registration packets to all students in mid October. For students on financial hold, a memo is included with this packet stating that the student is on hold and that they should contact the Student Financial Services Office as soon as possible for assistance with this matter.
Many students on hold contact the Student Financial Services Office for assistance during the registration process. Some students are able to resolve their problem by signing a promissory note or completing other paperwork. Some students need to contact their parents to satisfy their obligations. Some students will just begin the loan application process to satisfy balances. And some students just can not resolve their balances.
Units to Graduate: Students must have 33.5 units to graduate. Taking 4 classes per semester, including FYP/FYS for 4 years give students only 33 units. Over the course of 4 years, students must pick up an extra .5 units. Options for satisfying the .5 unit requirement include but are not limited to a lab that offers extra units, a .5 unit course, a course overload if they have a gpa of at least 2.5 (the overload will be at no additional tuition cost if the student matriculated between Fall 2001-2004 or if s/he has an overall or prior semester GPA of at least 3.2 and is making satisfactory progress toward a degree ).
Also be aware that the maximum units of transfer credit allowed is 17.5 if transfer work is taken prior to matriculation (students must earn at least 16 units at SLU). If transfer credits are taken after matriculation a student may transfer a maximum of 8 units.
Distribution Requirements: Students matriculating after Fall 2001
must complete one distribution requirement in each of the following areas:
Social Science (SSC)
Humanities (HUM)
Arts and Expression (AEX)
Math/Foreign Language (MFL)
In addition, students must complete two distribution requirements in the sciences
(Natural Sciences, NSC, or Science Studies, SST) and at least one of them must
be with a lab (NSC-L or SST-L)
Courses meeting the above requirements must be taken in six different departments
Finally, students must take two courses meeting the Diversity requirement (DIV) in two different departments. Courses meeting the Diversity requirement may also be counted toward other distribution requirements.
Cumulative and Major/Minor GPA: In order to graduate, students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.0. In addition, students must have completed at least one major and must have at least a 2.0 in all majors and minors.
At the instructor’s discretion, students may be assigned an incomplete (e) for a course under unusual or extenuating circumstances that leave the student unable to complete some of the required work for a course. The instructor must inform the department chair and must come up with an agreement (preferably written) with the student on conditions for removal of the ‘e’ from the transcript. The student is expected to fulfill these conditions in good time so that the instructor can evaluate the work and provide the Registrar’s Office with a permanent grade before the end of the sixth week of classes in the following semester. ‘E’ grades that have not been changed by the end of the sixth week of classes will automatically change to a grade of 0.0.
The Center for International and Intercultural Study (CIIS) in Carnegie 108 works with all students who are interested in studying off-campus and with international students.
Advising students on OFF-CAMPUS STUDY:
• Ask your advisees if they are considering study abroad, and help them
to plan early in their academic career. Each program requires appropriate academic
preparation: some have specific pre-requisites. Some programs are offered fall
and spring semester; others are offered fall or spring only.
• Studying abroad satisfies one diversity graduation
requirement.
• Sophomores, juniors, and first-semester seniors are eligible. (First
Year students are eligible for our Spring in the French Speaking World program.)
• Handouts are available for some majors indicating off-campus programs
especially valuable for students in that major.
• Students can gather more information at:
Information sessions (scheduled for every program at the beginning of the
term)
The CIIS office (printed material and consultations with staff)
The website
Application:
All students must apply for admission to an off-campus program
Application deadlines are September 25 and February 20 for most programs
Accepted students must attend mandatory orientation sessions
Money:
Students participating in an SLU program pay regular comprehensive fees and
all financial aid is applied. There are travel and research grants available,
as well as additional financial assistance from the CIIS office for qualified
applicants.
Semester and year-long programs established as SLU programs:
Australia • Austria • Canada • China • Costa Rica • Denmark • England • France • India • Italy • Japan • Kenya • Spain • Trinidad • International
Student Exchange Program (ISEP) •
and three domestic programs:
Adirondack Semester • Fisk University • Washington D.C.
Non-SLU programs:
- There must be a solid academic reason for participation in that particular
program and minimum 3.0 GPA- the bar is higher for “non-SLU program” applications
- Application is required at SLU and at the sponsoring institution
- Institutional financial aid will not follow them
International Students:
• Be aware that visa requirements are very strict. Notify Anneke
Larrance of any change in an international student’s academic program
• Contact Nancy Pierce concerning
cultural adjustment issues
Please contact CIIS with
questions or for more information:
229-5991 • Carnegie 108
All students must complete at least one major with a 2.0 major grade point average as a graduation requirement. Students must declare at least one major in the spring of the sophomore year; other majors may be added later on if desired. Students who fail to do so (and who have not been permitted to postpone major declaration by the Associate Dean for Academic Advising) will be placed on “Dean’s Hold,” which means they cannot register for courses that semester until they resolve their major situation. Other options for majors include the following:
Combined and Interdisciplinary Major – These are majors that span two departments/programs. There are clearly outlined requirements from each department/program.
Combined majors bring together two departments/programs where one of them does not offer a stand-alone major. Students who want to major in African Studies, Asian Studies, Canadian Studies, Caribbean and Latin American Studies, Gender Studies, Native American Studies, and United States Studies must do so in combination with a department or program that offers a stand-alone major.
Interdisciplinary majors bring together two departments/programs, both of which offer stand-alone majors. There are combined majors in Biology-Physics, Economics-Mathematics, and Geology-Physics. Environmental Studies offers a stand-alone major as well as a number of interdisciplinary majors with other departments.
Multifield Major – This is a major that a student defines him- or herself. It must combine at least two programs or departments. Students who wish to pursue this option must write a multifield proposal and submit it to the Multifield Major committee. (Contact the Associate Dean for Academic Advising Programs for information on the current Multifield Major committee.)
Double Major - Students complete all of the requirements for their two majors.
Declaring a minor(s) is optional. Students with a single major may elect one or two minor fields; students with a double or combined major may elect one minor field.
*For exceptionally enthusiastic students: Students may not take more than 14 units in one department.
If a student is interested in taking a medical withdrawal from one or two courses (but not their full course load), there is a form the student must complete, a form for each professor involved to complete, and a requirement that medical documentation be presented to Dean of Student Life for review. The medical documentation may be from campus professionals or outside professionals. If the medical request is for psychological reasons, the dean will consult with the Director of Counseling Services before making a final decision. If the medical request is because of illness/injury, the dean may discuss the situation with the director of the Health Center before making the decision.
For a complete medical withdrawal, the student will need to meet with either Dean or Associate Dean of Student Life to explain the situation and the reason for the medical withdrawal. He/she will complete a "withdrawal request form" and must provide medical documentation from a health care professional to support the request (again, either from an on-campus or off-campus professional). The Dean of Student Life will review all the information and make the decision in much the same way as for a medical withdrawal from one or two courses. It is often easier to receive a medical withdrawal for all courses since sometimes a student wants to withdraw from one course in which he/she is doing poorly anyway.
Advisors are reminded that medical withdrawals are limited to dire cases of mental or physical breakdowns, accidents, or illness and always require medical documentation. In cases of substance abuse, students usually first receive a personal withdrawal, which might later be changed to a medical withdrawal when certification of treatment is presented to the Student Life Office.
For a variety of reasons, most often because a student did not properly drop or withdraw from a class, an instructor will not give a grade for a student on his or her roster, which is then marked NGS on the student’s transcript. An NGS will change to a 0.0 if the student doesn’t work with Registrar to address the problem. X grades are used in approved courses when a course extends beyond a single semester, such as an honors project. When the student finishes the course, the X grade is changed.
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) parents who claim a student as a dependent for income tax purposes may have information about the students’ academic record without written consent by the student. To know whether a parent is eligible to receive such information, check with the Registrar. It is usually a good idea to let students know that you are going to disclose information about them to their parents. If you are at all uncertain about what to share with parents, contact the Associate Dean for Academic Advising Programs for guidance.
Students may take up to four courses pass/fail during their four years at SLU, including courses that satisfy distribution requirements. Students may not take courses in their declared major or minor pass/fail. Students may not take more than one optional pass/fail course in a single semester. Students must complete a pass/fail form and get the instructor’s permission to take a course pass/fail within the first 15 days after classes begin. Students who want to do so after 15 days must send a late schedule change petition to the Academic Petitions Committee, care of the Registrar’s Office. Please note that the pass/fail option is offered to encourage students to explore new areas of study in which they are interested but have little or no background. It is NOT offered to allow for removal of deficient mid-term or late-term grades. Students who petition for a late pass/fail must be aware of the spirit of the pass/fail option!
Medical, Dental, Veterinary
Undergraduate programs of study at St. Lawrence lead to professional training
in medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, nursing, physical therapy and
veterinary medicine. Arrangements may be made to enter an accredited health
professional school upon the completion of 24 course units at St. Lawrence.
In these cases, St. Lawrence University will award the bachelor’s degree
upon graduation from the professional school and on further condition that
all distribution requirements prescribed by the University have also been
fulfilled. Medical, dental and veterinary medical schools, however, are increasingly
advising students to complete the four-year college courses before beginning
their professional training.
See the SLU
catalog for courses required by most medical and dental schools.
For students interested in medical school, St. Lawrence has an Early Assurance
Program with the College of Medicine of the SUNY Upstate Medical University
at Syracuse. With this program, sophomores may be eligible for a guaranteed
admission into medical school after the completion of their senior year. Students
can also apply to the Early Assurance Program at the College of Medicine at
SUNY Buffalo. For students interested in dental school, an Early Assurance
Program at the SUNY Buffalo School of Dentistry is available. In this program,
sophomores may be eligible for a guaranteed admission into this dental school
after, completion of their senior year.
Students interested in health careers should also use their time at St. Lawrence
to gain as much in-depth experience as possible in the humanities and social
sciences. For further advice, consult the department of biology or chemistry
or any member of the health careers committee.
Law Programs
A four-year course of liberal arts study at St. Lawrence, including the usual
distribution and major requirements, is an excellent foundation for law school.
There is no formal prelaw curriculum and law schools require no particular
major. Students interested in law should acquire a good general education,
demonstrating achievement in serious and substantial courses. Students are
advised to take foundation courses in all aspects of liberal education — humanities,
science, social science — and to study basic economics, accounting,
the legal and governmental systems of their own country and expository writing.
Seminary Programs
Students who wish to attend seminary to prepare for the ministry, priesthood
or rabbinate should take a broad range of courses in the liberal arts and
sciences: English composition and literature; philosophy and religion; history;
social and natural sciences. Work in a modern language—French, German
or Spanish—and/or in Greek, Hebrew or Latin is also desirable. Enrollment
in at least one course that is designated “community based learning” is
highly recommended, as is a semester on one of the University’s international
or off-campus domestic programs. Interested students may consult with the University
chaplain.
Education Programs
St. Lawrence University offers undergraduate courses that prepare students
for teaching in public and/or private schools. The University has registered
its programs with the New York State Education Department leading to initial
and/or professional teaching certification for New York State. Under the
new requirements of the New York Board of Regents, effective in February
2004, students completing required undergraduate study in education will
be eligible for initial certification in New York and comparable initial
certification in all reciprocating U.S. states and Canadian provinces. See
the education
department section of the SLU catalog for details. St. Lawrence has also
re-registered its graduate programs in teaching, and is in the process of
re-registering its programs in educational administration and counseling
and development leading to initial and/or professional New York certification
in those fields and comparable certification in other states and provinces.
Because New York’s regulations for certification are changing, information
and advice should be obtained from the St. Lawrence University education
department. For details about the University’s graduate programs, including
the post-baccalaureate teaching certification program, the master’s
degree and the certificate of advanced study, see the Graduate Studies Catalog,
available from the education
department.
Basic Engineering Combined Plan
Students can combine a liberal arts education with an engineering degree through
St. Lawrence’s combined engineering program with six engineering
schools (Clarkson University, Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, University of Rochester, University of Southern California, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute). The most popular option
is the 3+2 plan, in which a student spends three years at St. Lawrence and
two years at the engineering school, and graduates with a bachelor’s
degree from each institution; 4+2 programs are also available, as well as
4+1 in special cases.
All regular distribution and graduation requirements, as well as those requirements established by the student’s major department under this program, must be met prior to enrolling in an engineering school. A minimum of 25 semester units must be earned at St. Lawrence. Grades lower than 2.0 will not be acceptable for the minimum 25 semester units. Some engineering schools may have additional requirements. Please consult the basic engineering liaison officer for details (you can find out who currently holds this position by contacting the Office of Academic Advising Programs). In addition to the requirements above, please consult the SLU catalog for required courses.
Pre-Management Programs
Many St. Lawrence students choose to pursue graduate programs in management
or careers in business. Majors from any discipline may complete the pre-management
program at St. Lawrence, which combines an individually tailored course of
study with career building programs and leadership/skills development. The
program consists of three components: (1) academic course work; (2) career-building
programs; and (3) leadership and skills development. The academic component
consists of six required courses with two electives. See the SLU
catalog for specific course information.
Career-building programs, designed to provide practical experience in the
workplace, are accomplished in several ways:
1. Internships are a mandatory workplace experience that can be completed during
the semester, over a winter recess or in the summer. The office of career services
and leadership education will help each student design an internship that is
pertinent to his or her career goals.
2. The Shadow-a-Saint program, in which each student spends a day with a St.
Lawrence graduate at his or her work place, takes place over winter recess.
3. Participation in the Professionals-in-Residence program is also required.
Students meet with guest residents and participate in discussions and seminars.
4. Additionally, each student is encouraged to find an off-campus career advisor.
Leadership and skills development encourages students to seek leadership positions
in campus organizations and to participate in the leadership training programs
offered by the office of student life. Also, students are expected to take
advantage of computer skills workshops offered by the University. Upon graduation,
students who have completed the program requirements receive a letter and certificate
summarizing the program and describing their individual accomplishments.
The 4+1 MBA Programs
St. Lawrence University has agreements with the graduate schools at Clarkson
University, Union College and Rochester Institute of Technology that allow students to plan
their undergraduate program to include courses that serve as foundation courses
for graduate study. Students must complete a regular undergraduate major
and meet prescribed admission standards in addition to the foundation courses.
Those who are admitted can expect to complete the requirements for the MBA
degree in one year rather than the usual two or more. In addition, applicants
with outstanding academic records will receive a prompt decision concerning
admission and financial aid. Preliminary inquires concerning these programs
may be made by consulting with the pre-management coordinator.
Courses that are 3 credit or semester hours at another institution transfer to SLU as .83 units. Students may transfer in a maximum of two such courses to SLU as one unit each. Students who transfer in more than two courses will have all courses assessed in accordance with a table of values maintained by the registrar. Students planning on taking courses at other institutions (e.g. during the summer or between semesters) should get approval for specific courses from the appropriate department chair in advance of taking the course. Students must earn at least a 2.0 (C) in the course to receive transfer credit. Grades do not transfer from other institutions!
Many students believe that if they leave SLU, the credits for FYP/FYS don’t transfer out. Although it may be possible that a school would not accept the credit for FYP/FYS, it is highly unlikely. In the vast majority of cases, the units students get for the two courses will count as credit earned here when they transfer and will count toward their degree elsewhere. Sometimes other schools have a difficult time determining whether they should count as the equivalent of specific courses in their curriculum. For example, should FYP “count as” freshman composition? Should it meet a writing requirement? Often schools, or individual students, contact SLU to request a syllabus or course description to help make that determination. (It is best to contact the First Year Program Office at (315) 229-5909 for that information.) Nonetheless, the units themselves do transfer.
Students can get a tutor, help with time management, test-taking, note-taking, and other academic skills through the offices of Academic Achievement (Becky Graham x5604) and Academic Support (Ginny Schwartz x5678). These services are free of charge for all students. Students on Academic Probation are required to work with these programs.
Instructors should indicate when a student has not shown satisfactory writing skills by giving the student a U/W on the grade report. When a student has two or more U/Ws on his or her transcript, he or she is required to complete an individualized writing program developed by the Writing Center. Seniors with two or more U/Ws cannot receive their degree until they complete their individualized writing program. U/Ws do not show up on an official transcript.
The WORD Studio , located in ODY Library, offers help to student writers of any year in school, of any major, and of any level of skill.
Every year in school: Because first-year students have an automatic connection to the Writing Center through their FYP writing mentors, some wrongly assume that the Writing Center exists to help only first-years. Remind your advisees that students are welcome in the Writing Center for all four years they’re at SLU: the tutors have worked with FYS research papers as well as senior theses.
All majors and departments: Other common misconceptions are that the Writing Center exists primarily to help with English papers, and that all tutors are English majors. In fact, the staff includes students from a wide range of majors and minors, from Math to History, Government to Comunication and Performance Arts, Art to English Writing. This diverse staff is trained to read and respond to writing from all disciplines and can help students with any assignment; however, students may also choose to make appointments with a tutor who has expertise in a specific discipline.
Any level of writing skill: We strongly believe that all writers need readers, so the tutors are trained to be responsive and insightful readers for all student writers, whether struggling or accomplished. Encourage advisees to make use of the Writing Center not just if you think they need more writing practice but also if you find them to be strong writers who would benefit from exploring their ideas further with a peer.
The Writing Center is not a remedial service, nor are tutors editors or human spellcheckers. Don’t tell students they need to get their grammar “fixed” or their papers “cleaned up” at the Writing Center. Instead, let them know that tutors are interested in their ideas and in helping them to best express them. If they’re having trouble articulating those ideas or responding to an assignment, they should come to the Writing Center—even if they haven’t written a word.
During an interactive tutorial, the student writer and the peer tutor will have a conversation about the writer’s purpose, thesis, organization plan, evidence, and more; the tutor may also point out any persistent sentence-level errors and help the writer learn to correct them on his or her own. Students might find they visit the Writing Center several times for a single assignment, perhaps working with different tutors each time to get perspectives from different readers, or perhaps making appointments to meet with the same tutor over the course of the assignment. Students who need extra review of college-level writing skills, from style issues to citation formats, can also set up recurring appointments with a tutor. Encourage students to drop by the Writing Center at any time, call x5720 to make an appointment, send an instant message to SLUwriting, and visit the Writing Center website for handouts and other helpful information.
Last updated: August 2007. Page
maintained by J. Torres