If you are a student that follows a different catalog year, see your department chair or the Office of Academic Records.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER
The Academic Success Center is located in the lower level of Stoxen Library.
 
Supporting academic excellence at Dickinson State University, the Academic Success Center (ASC) provides unique learning opportunities for students and faculty. ASC provides direct services to students through academic assistance, monitoring, and intervention designed to help students succeed in the university environment.  ASC also works collaboratively with faculty to enhance instructional effectiveness and advising abilities.  ASC provides Dickinson State University students with trained and dedicated professional staff and peer students to help any and all students with skills related to academic success.  ASC offers academic assistance to the general student population as well as to specific groups of students (i.e., students in their first year of college, students eligible for  Title IV TRIO programs, students still deciding a major, students with disabilities, and students experiencing academic difficulty).  That assistance includes:

Academic Advising
An academic advisor can help with questions regarding which courses you might want or need to take next, how to register for classes, how to set up a four or five year academic plan, how you might pursue various career options in your field, and when to take certain placement exams for the university or graduate school.  If you are a freshman at Dickinson State University, the instructor for your freshman seminar is your academic advisor.  Toward the end of your freshman year, if you are ready to declare a major, that person will help you in getting connected with a faculty member in your major department who will become your academic advisor.  If you have yet to declare a major, a staff member in the ASC will serve as your academic advisor until you have decided upon and declared a major.  However, all students are welcome to visit the ASC at any time for general advising regarding any academic issue.

Academic Monitoring
ASC works closely with faculty to monitor student academic progress.  This work includes compiling and following up on attendance data and responding to reports from faculty regarding students struggling in particular courses in order to help students who may be experiencing difficulty at DSU.

Peer Tutoring
ASC offers extensive peer tutoring in a variety of discipline-based areas. Upperclassmen students with demonstrated abilities in a particular area are recruited and trained by ASC to serve as tutors for fellow students.  There is no charge for this service to the general student body, but students who are required to participate in the peer tutoring program as a result of their academic performance are assessed a service fee for their program.  Detailed information regarding the days, times, location and fields for the peer tutoring are available through the ASC office.

Students with Disabilities
Students needing accommodations for professionally documented physical, psychological, or learning disabilities may contact ASC for assistance.  ASC will work to assist the student in attaining academic, career, and personal goals with the greatest degree of independence possible.  Services may include testing accommodation, taped textbooks, a person to take notes, readers, and adjustments in classroom, food service, or housing arrangements.

Supplemental Instruction
While peer tutoring offers general assistance for various skill areas, supplemental instruction is made available through ASC for students needing developmental assistance in a particular course.  Students may be placed in supplemental instruction for English or Math based on their placement scores, or students may request to be enrolled in supplemental instruction being sponsored by a department in a particular field. (See the course schedule for the availability of department-sponsored opportunities).  Students placed in supplemental instruction for English or Math will be assessed a program fee for that service.  There is no charge for departmentally-sponsored supplemental instruction courses.

Testing
ASC administers the math and writing placement exams of all incoming first-year students.

Writing Center
Through the newly developed Writing Center, ASC provides students help with writing (including topic selection, grammar, essay structure, research) for all subject areas.  All levels of writers are welcome to get assistance at the Writing Center.

Workshops
ASC staff will provide workshop programs on a variety of academic skills throughout the year.  Examples include workshops on using the DSU catalog and course schedule to register for classes, learning styles and study skills, tips for applying to graduate school, time management, and using technology for presentations.