Academic Support

ADVISING
Each undergraduate student at St. Catherine’s is assigned an academic advisor. Advisors help you clarify educational objectives, plan suitable courses of study, use available resources, explore opportunities for learning and address academic problems that may arise.

CERTIFICATE AND ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
Students in associate degree and certificate programs are assigned academic advisors within their area of study. In order to assure sound academic planning, you are required to discuss with and obtain the support of your academic advisor on course registration each term. Throughout your professional study, you are further encouraged to develop an on-going relationship with your academic advisor and to communicate with your advisor regarding any concerns or difficulties that might have an impact on your academic success.

BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS
Students in the Weekend College program are assigned an advisor in their chosen major at the time they enroll. You are encouraged to meet with your advisor or the Weekend College academic advisor at least annually and to use advising resources as needed.

The Office of Academic Advising coordinates advising for you, a College of St. Catherine student in the baccalaureate Day Program, and serves as a clearinghouse of information for all students and faculty regarding academic programs, policies and procedures, as well as overseeing your initial registration at the College. The office’s professional staff will advise you if you are a student who is declaring or changing majors, pursuing a major at another ACTC college, taking a leave of absence or considering withdrawing from the College. The office also assists you if you are looking for extra assistance with academic planning or academic problems.

In order to ensure success, as a first-year student and as a sophomore student in the baccalaureate Day Program you are required to meet with your advisor each term to discuss your academic program prior to registration. When you are a junior and senior we strongly encourage you to continue to consult with your advisor every semester.

As a first-year student in the baccalaureate Day Program you will participate in a First-year Advising Program to help facilitate a smooth and successful transition to the College. Your first-year advisor is a specially trained faculty member or student affairs professional staff who has a comprehensive understanding of the campus community and its resources. First-year advisors are also instructors of The Reflective Woman class. If you are a transfer student or a a student beyond your first year at the College you are assigned an advisor in the major department in which you are interested. Special programs are also available for those needing additional academic support and assistance.

FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION GUARANTEE FOR BACCALAUREATE DAY PROGRAM STUDENTS
The Office of Academic Advising administers the four-year graduation guarantee plan. For a complete statement of the policies governing this program, contact the Office of Academic Advising. This program, available to you as a student who enters the College as a first-time baccalaureate student in fall semester, guarantees that you, who meet regularly with your advisor, follow your advisor’s advice and make satisfactory progress in your course work, will graduate in four years. Should you meet all of the conditions of the guarantee in four years and not graduate, you may request to take any course(s) necessary to complete your degree in the fifth year tuition-free.
Majors that routinely require more than four years for completion, education licensure programs governed by the state, special majors, and majors offered through the ACTC are not included in the guarantee. Double majors and minors also are not included. Students who begin their studies in one major and change to another major may not be eligible to continue under the guarantee.

COMPUTING SERVICES
Students have access to computers in several large, general computer labs and numerous discipline specific computer labs located at various sites on both campuses and small, general labs located in each residence hall. Connections to the data network are also available in all rooms of residence halls located on the St. Paul campus. Every student, faculty and staff member is provided access to the campus data network, to a small amount of file storage on a network server, to the internet via a high bandwidth connection and to the Lotus Notes e-mail system. The e-mail system is accessible using an internet browser from off campus as well as on campus. Computing Services coordinates training and help desk support for academic and administrative computing hardware and software applications, including the Microsoft Office suite, Lotus Notes, and the Blackboard course management system. The main office for the McGlynn Center for Computing and Technology is located in the Coeur de Catherine Building on the St. Paul campus.

O’NEILL CENTER FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT (ST. PAUL CAMPUS)
The O’Neill Center for Academic Development, located on the St. Paul campus, addresses the diverse academic needs and interests of all students. The professional and student staff provide individual academic support and promote academic achievement through programs, services and facilities offered by the Writing/Reading Center, the Math Center, the Resources for Disabilities Center and Supplemental Instruction.

THE LEARNING CENTER (MINNEAPOLIS CAMPUS)
The Learning Center for the Minneapolis Campus exists in partnership with faculty and staff to support and enhance the academic development of students through student-centered services that promote appreciation and respect for diverse learning styles, physical abilities and cultures.

Services available to all students include content area learning assistance, writing assistance, and assistance with study skills and time management. The Learning Center also facilitates accommodations for students with disabilities, provides supportive services for students who speak English as a second language, and administers placement tests for students in associate degree programs.

Learning Center staff is composed of highly qualified professional staff and peer learning assistants. There is no charge for any of the services provided by the Learning Center.

ST. CATHERINE’S LIBRARIES
The information needs of students and faculty are served in the two campus libraries of the College: the St. Paul Campus Library and the Minneapolis Campus Library. The collections include more than 260,000 print and electronic books and 14,000 print and electronic journal subscriptions. In addition, the library provides access to the collections of other libraries through its membership in the Cooperating Libraries in Consortium (CLIC) with access to more than 1 million volumes and 5,000 periodical subscriptions, and to the collections of libraries statewide and nationally through the MINITEX and Interlibrary Loan systems. Videotapes, recordings, slides and filmstrips also are available and reference librarians can help patrons access the wealth of information available on the Internet.

URL: http://minerva.stkate.edu/academiccatalog0709.nsf/pages/academic_support
This page was created on 04/26/2007 and last updated on 05/02/2007.
Comments, questions and feedback about this site may be addressed to registrar@stkate.edu.