2004-06 IUPUI Campus Bulletin

University College

University College is the academic unit at IUPUI that provides a common gateway to undergraduate programs for entering students. The University College coordinates existing university resources and develops new initiatives to promote academic excellence and enhance students' persistence. It provides a setting where faculty, staff, and students join to make IUPUI a supportive and challenging environment for learning.

The University College provides advising and support services for beginning undergraduate students. University College's staff and faculty assist students who have not yet decided on a major, who are still learning what a college education entails, or who have not yet been admitted to the school of their choice. Students will be transferred as soon as possible to one of the degree-granting schools or divisions of the university.

The mission of the University College is to

1. Promote student learning
2. Focus on individual student success
3. Establish its own traditions and recognition of accomplishments
4. Provide a quality first-year experience
5. Develop strong connections with the degree-granting units
6. Promote faculty and staff development
7. Create a community that values diversity
8. Implement collaborative governance built on individual responsibility
9. Promote intentional reflection and assessment

Honors Certificates

Certificates are awarded to eligible students for either honors or highest honors status in an academic year. Students with a GPA from 3.7 to 4.0 receive highest honors; those from 3.30 to 3.69 receive high honors; and those from 3.0 to 3.29 receive honorable mention. On average, more than 3,000 students in University College are awarded certificates in an academic year.

Laptop Program

The University College has a Laptop Program for undergraduate students. Laptops equipped with the latest software are loaned to students for use on the second floor of the University College building when students need to complete reports, papers, graphic presentations, and e-mail correspondence. Students can pick up laptops at the Learning Center, UC 2006. For more information, call (317) 274-4818.

A Partnership for Academic Excellence

Students enter into a partnership with University College for their academic success. University College asks students to commit to this partnership. As part of this partnership, the university will provide resources to help students reach their academic goals. The students' responsibility is to work at their highest academic level and to strive for academic excellence in their studies.

University College's role in this partnership is to help students

• acquire information needed to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to them;
• define their goals and plan appropriate academic programs and strategies; and
• meet requirements for entry into a degree-granting school

University College carries out this role by providing

• Mentoring
• Learning Communities
• Academic Advising
• Student Resource Center
• University Writing Center
• Technology Support
• Career Counseling
• Honors Program
• Student Activities
• Community Service Projects
• Adaptive Educational Services
• Math Assistance Center
• Structured Learning Assistance

The students' role in this partnership is to

• get to know their professors. Visit their offices. Ask questions. Take advantage of their love of teaching and their intellectual excitement for their subject area.
• stay in contact with their academic advisors. Feel welcome to discuss any factors that may affect their work and success at IUPUI.
• attend all classes.
• complete all assignments on time.
• allow sufficient time for learning out of class. We recommend three hours of outside study (assignments, reading, academic clubs, service projects, etc.) per week for each credit hour of class.
• enjoy the intellectual challenges and opportunities that the decision to attend IUPUI brings.

This Partnership for Academic Excellence is a cooperative approach to academic success between the University College and students. Each student understands and agrees to the roles and responsibilities stated. This is not a binding contract or a legal document; rather it is a sincere good faith expression of a partnership to help students achieve their academic goals.

Learning Communities

All IUPUI Learning Communities include a first-year experience class. Some Learning Communities link two or more classes, and some are specifically designed to introduce students to their majors. All Learning Communities offer students increased opportunities to make new friends and to meet members of the faculty and staff who are especially interested in first-year students. Students enrolled in Learning Communities are encouraged to get to know each other, to form study groups, and to learn how to take full advantage of their college experience.

Each Learning Community has an instructional team led by a faculty member and includes a student mentor, an academic advisor, and a librarian. The instructional team shapes the learning environment to provide participants with as much academic support as possible. The student mentor works with students inside and outside of class to increase academic success. The librarian and the academic advisor work with students throughout the semester in each Learning Community to ensure that students are comfortable using the library and that they have important information about course requirements, career and major selections, university regulations, and academic policies. Learning Community students also learn to use the computer systems on the IUPUI campus and to communicate through e-mail.

The IUPUI Learning Community program offers a wide selection of classes. Each Learning Community has its own special characteristics. Descriptions of all the Learning Communities are available. The University College academic advisors assist students in selecting the one that best suits their needs. Students then register for their Learning Community when they register for their other classes. Learning Community programs are a joint project between the University College and undergraduate schools, including the Schools of Allied Health Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Technology, Liberal Arts, Music, Nursing, Physical Education, Public and Environmental Affairs, Science, and Social Work, as well as the Department of Informatics.

What are the advantages of participation in Learning Communities? Students who have been enrolled in Learning Communities report that they get to know a small group of classmates quickly. They learn to study together, collaborate on projects, and depend on each other for additional support in the classroom.

Learning Center

The Learning Center is devoted to students helping students. The center, which includes the Resource Center and the Student Mentor Program, is on the second floor of the University College Building (UC).

The Resource Center is a student-staffed referral service open to all IUPUI students. Students find tutors, campus resource numbers, help with studying and time management, techniques for taking exams, and information on the Student Mentor Program. All services are confidential and free of charge. For information about the Resource Center, call (317) 274-4818.

The Student Mentor Program

Groups of students work together with a student mentor to better understand difficult course material. This collaboration provides an enriching environment where students strengthen academic skills and build community. Mentors are students who have successfully completed a course and are available to help other students review material in undergraduate courses such as psychology, math, economics, chemistry, and biology. They also share helpful study skills and test-taking techniques. The Student Mentor Program is free to IUPUI students. For more information, contact the Learning Center in the University College at (317) 274-4818.

Academic Advising

The advisors in the University College help students choose an appropriate major, develop a plan for completing the requirements for transferring to a school as quickly as possible, and identify university resources students can use to improve their academic standing. Most students find it helpful to meet with their advisor at least once a year to review their academic plans and to check on changes in degree requirements. In addition, most schools join the University College in offering information sessions that review degree requirements and procedures for admission to the major. Students can call the school they are interested in for information about the date and location of these sessions. All students are required to meet with their advisor during the first semester at IUPUI.

Checksheets

The University College provides checksheets outlining academic requirements for each major area. After students have obtained student codes from Integrated Technologies in the Technology Building, they may also review checksheets at any time through the University College Web site. (Click on "Academic Advising" and then "College Degree/Requirements.") In addition to the checksheets, University College provides all its students with the University College Student Manual, which contains articles on many topics vital to beginning students. The following excerpt from the manual provides hints for maximizing each advising session. Students should consult the manual for other helpful sections.

Do's and Don'ts of Advising at the University College's Advising Center

Academic advising is a must. To get the most out of the experience, remember these do's and don'ts:

Do

Do see your University College advisor.

Do see your advisor when he or she can spend time with you. Periods after registration tend to be less hectic for students and the University College. Late afternoon is a good time for walk-in meetings with your advisor.

Do keep your own records (e.g., grade reports, classes taken, etc.). Bring them with you to assist your advisor.

Do assert yourself. Ask questions! Repeat questions and clarify answers. Do take responsibility for reading about those rules and requirements that affect you. Do get answers in writing, with a copy for you and one for your file.

Do ask for another advisor if you want to change your advisor at any time.

Don't

Don't take advice from just anyone.

Don't wait until registration periods to see your advisor.

Don't assume that your advisor has access to all of your records. Keep your materials together to assist the advisor.

Don't assume that your advisor will automatically tell you everything you need to know.

Don't assume that only your advisor (and not you) should be familiar with the university's rules and regulations.

The Merkler Style Preference Inventory (MSPI)

This inventory is available to all IUPUI students free of charge at computer clusters on campus and online at the Web site. With this very user-friendly resource, students can start identifying their unique values, personality, interests, and skills and determine their preferred style of learning, working, and dealing with the world. It takes about 30 minutes and must be completed in one session because responses will be erased when the student exits the program. After completion of the test, students need to make an appointment with a University College exploratory advisor to discuss the 7- to 14-page computer-printed report, which includes students' profiles and lists of the IUPUI courses and appropriate majors. With this information, the advisor can interpret the report and help identify academic majors and specific courses that may lead the student to a satisfying career. Students need to call (317) 274-6623 for an appointment and must bring the printed report for interpretation.

Major Decisions Workshops

Academic advisors from the University College and the IUPUI Career Center provide free, one-hour workshops several times a semester. The workshop gives students an overview of the career decision-making process, discusses the relationship between majors and careers, and engages students in exercises that will start the major decision process. For information or to reserve a seat in one of these workshops, call (317) 274-2554.

Retention, Probation, Dismissal, and Reinstatement Policy

Probation

Students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below 2.0 will be placed on probation and will be required to meet standards set by IUPUI in order to continue in college. All students will be allowed at least one semester of probation prior to being academically dismissed. Students will be informed of their probationary status by letter. While on probation, students must meet with an advisor before enrolling each semester. Students may continue on probation when their semester GPA is 2.0 or above but their cumulative GPA is below 2.0.

Students will be removed from their probationary status once their cumulative GPA is at least 2.0.

Dismissal

Students on probation who have completed a minimum of 12 IUPUI GPA hours are subject to dismissal if they fail to attain a GPA of at least 2.0 in any two consecutive semesters (fall and spring) and their cumulative GPA is below 2.0. Students who are dismissed for the first time must sit out for a minimum of one regular (fall or spring) semester and petition by the established deadlines to be reinstated. Reinstatement is not automatic. Students' chances of readmission will be enhanced by taking workshops, removing grades of incomplete, undertaking assessment of their academic problems, and providing evidence of their ability to do successful academic work upon their reinstatement to IUPUI.

Students dismissed two or more times must remain out of school for two regular (fall and spring) semesters and petition by the established deadlines to be reinstated. Readmission after a second dismissal is extremely rare. Students' chances of readmission will be enhanced by taking workshops, removing grades of incomplete, undertaking assessment of their academic problems, and providing evidence of their ability to do successful academic work upon their reinstatement to IUPUI.

Reinstatement

Students petitioning for reinstatement after being dismissed from IUPUI must demonstrate by petitions and interviews that they have prepared themselves to have a reasonable chance of success in their study at IUPUI. Reinstatement will be the decision of the school to which the students are petitioning. Students who are reinstated will be classified as probationary students until their cumulative GPA is 2.0. During the first regularly enrolled term on probation, the student must achieve a semester GPA of at least 2.3. In each subsequent semester on probation, the student must achieve a semester GPA of 2.0. Failure to meet the semester GPA requirement will result in dismissal.

Note

In order to ensure equity between intercampus transfer students and transfer students from outside the IU system, only IUPUI grades will be considered in determining probation and dismissal. The School of Liberal Arts, School of Science, and University College, in agreement with a common policy, will honor a student's academic probation and dismissal status from any of these units.

University College policy concerning academic dismissal requires that students who are dismissed for the first time from IUPUI, IU Bloomington, IU regional campuses, or other IUPUI schools, sit out for a minimum of one regular (fall or spring) semester and petition by the established deadlines to be reinstated.

Students who were reinstated before spring semester 2002 will follow the requirements of their current contract until their cumulative GPA is 2.0.

Students who have been academically dismissed and have not been enrolled at IUPUI for five or more years do not need to petition for readmission.

University College will assess the academic dismissal reinstatement fee of $50.00 to students who have been dismissed for academic reasons and wish to return to university study. The fee will be assessed at University College at the time a readmission petition is submitted.

Certification to a Degree-Granting School

The University College will certify (transfer) students to a degree-granting school when they have met the following criteria:

1. Completed the minimum number of credit hours and specific courses required for admission to a particular school.
2. Achieved the required grade point average for admission to a specific school.
3. Indicated to an academic advisor their choice of a major area of study.

Upon completion of 56 credit hours, students must be certified to a degree-granting school. Some schools have competitive admission and require submission of an application at least a month before the start of a semester. In addition, if students are uncertain about degree requirements or can't decide on a major, it is essential that they talk with an academic advisor before reaching the 56 credit hour limit.

General University College Information

General Information	274-2237
FAX	274-4016
Learning Center	274-4818
Student Activity Center Information	278-2533
Questions answered by e-mail:	advising@iupui.edu
Web Site:	www.universitycollege.iupui.edu