DIVISION OF ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT
Milledge Hall, (706) 542-7575
FAX: (706) 542-0476
Homepage URL: http://www.uga.edu/dae
Administrative Officer
Earl Ginter, Ph.D., Director and Professor, eginter@uga.edu
The Division of Academic Enhancement promotes educational excellence, retention, and graduation by assisting students in developing the skills necessary to achieve academic success.
CARE: Collaborative Academic and Retention Effort
CARE is an early intervention program designed to address the individual needs of freshmen on academic probation after their first semester of enrollment. Participation in CARE includes creating a personalized improvement plan with an Academic Specialist who helps students to determine the reasons why they may have gone on academic probation. The Academic Specialist will work with students to assist them in regaining good academic standing.
Early Alert
The Early Alert program is one of the Division’s intervention efforts to enhance retention and graduation rates at the University of Georgia. Early Alert is intended to help students before they are placed on scholastic probation. Specifically, the goal of Early Alert is to provide a resource for faculty and staff who have an academic-related concern about a student. The Division has long been recognized as a valuable resource for students experiencing academic difficulty. With the introduction of the Early Alert program, faculty and staff members interested in assisting a student submit their academic-related concerns and questions through the Division’s website (http://www.uga.edu/dae/services/care/early_alert_form.html) via a simple online form. During weekdays an academic specialist responds within 24 to 48 hours to address the student’s specific needs.
Freshman College Summer Experience (FCSE)
The Freshman College Summer Experience is a four-week residential program offered to regularly admitted freshmen that incorporates six hours of coursework, including a core academic class and a class designed to enhance the transition to college. Participants are also exposed to events and programs that introduce the variety of co-curricular opportunities at the University of Georgia (http://freshmancollege.uga.edu). This successful academic program marks the beginning for many of UGA's future leaders.
Introductory UNIV Curriculum
Based upon performance on University placement tests, students may be strongly recommended to take Introductory UNIV courses in some or all of the following areas: English, mathematics, and critical reading/studying. These courses carry elective credit that counts toward graduation and maintaining the HOPE Scholarship. Students who enroll in these courses should do so in their first year.
- English (UNIV 1115)
The objective of the English course is to prepare students for the kinds of writing required in English 1101 and other University courses. To meet that objective, Introductory UNIV English (UNIV 1115: Introduction to Academic Writing) stresses strategies for generating ideas and improving writing fluency, conventions of academic usage and style, patterns for organizing thought and arranging written material, and critical thinking and analysis. In the classroom and in individualized instruction, students receive extensive practice drafting, editing, and revising expository and persuasive essays.
- Mathematics (UNIV 1108)
UNIV 1108: Introduction to Data Analysis provides an introduction to the concepts of analyzing and describing data using statistics, mathematical models, and other quantitative tools. Emphasis is placed on conducting the analysis and interpreting the results. This course, which prepares students for MATH 1101, also helps develop and strengthen students’ reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities.
- Mathematics (UNIV 1110)
UNIV 1110: Introduction to Pre-Calculus provides a complete review of algebra and a brief overview of trigonometry to prepare students for MATH 1113. Topics include factoring; solving equations and inequalities; rational, radical, exponential, logarithmic functions; graphing; and basic trigonometry.
- Reading/Studying (UNIV 1111)
The goal of the critical reading/studying course UNIV 1111: Text Comprehension and Vocabulary Improvement is to encourage autonomous learning by increasing reading proficiency and by teaching students reading and study strategies prerequisite for success in University courses. Instruction and practice are provided in reading comprehension, general study strategies, vocabulary development, and test preparation techniques. Instruction is linked to University reading/studying demands, and the course incorporates applications to university-level texts and supplementary materials.
Other UNIV Courses
In addition to Introductory UNIV courses, the Division offers elective courses to all entering and continuing students under the UNIV prefix. Two UNIV courses, UNIV 1102: Learning to Learn and UNIV 1103: Strategies and Life-Skills Needed for Success, are the oldest of the series. These courses assist students in becoming life-long learners by focusing on cognitive, metacognitive, and affective strategies that students need to be successful in college. Other UNIV courses help students transition to college or focus on improving writing, grammar, critical thinking, problem solving, and mathematics. Most UNIV courses offer elective degree credit while others offer institutional credit.
Academic Counseling
Counselors in the Division of Academic Enhancement offer both individual and small group assistance to students needing academic counseling. Specific academic concerns, such as time management, test anxiety, and motivational problems, are addressed in these sessions. Counselors also teach structured courses under the UNIV prefix. One of these courses is designed specifically for First-Year students (i.e., UNIV 1113: University Success for Freshmen).
Academic Resource Center (ARC)
The mission of the Academic Resource Center (ARC) is to assist students in developing the skills necessary to achieve academic success at the University of Georgia. The staff in the ARC strive to provide individual, group, audio-visual, and computer-assisted approaches to learning in an effort to improve students' math, writing, reading, learning, thinking, and study skills. The ARC houses the Peer Tutorial Program and the Learning Center, and offers an Outreach Service and Academic Workshops. The ARC occupies the entire first floor of Milledge Hall, and all services provided there are free to University students.
- Peer Tutorial Program
The Peer Tutorial Program provides free individual and small group tutoring to all University students. Trained undergraduate and graduate peer tutors offer assistance in many undergraduate level core courses, including mathematics, chemistry, biology, accounting, economics, statistics, Spanish, French, and Italian. Appointments and drop-in services are available. More information can be found at http://www.uga.edu/dae/services/tutoring/tutoring_index.html or by calling 706-542-7575.
- Academic Resource Center
Graduate, undergraduate, and professional level staff located in the Academic Resource Center (Milledge Hall) work with students individually and in groups in several areas of instruction:
- Mathematics: Drop-in and appointment-based tutoring as well as computer-based assistance in MATH 1101, 1113, 2200, 2250 and 2260; UNIV 1108 and 1110.
- Chemistry: Drop-in and appointment-based tutoring for CHEM 1110, 1211, 1212, 2100, 2211, and 2212.
- Study Skills: Help with topics such as test taking, reading rate and comprehension, note-taking, and test preparation skills.
- Writing: Help with writing assignments, grammar, English as a Second Language (ESL), and preparation for standardized tests.
- Counseling: Academic counseling on topics such as test anxiety, personality assessment, time management, career exploration, and learning styles.
Academic Workshops
A series of free workshops are offered and available upon request for a variety of topics related to academic success, including "Test Preparation", "Avoiding Procrastination", "Time Management", "Academic Stress Reduction", and "Learning Styles".
Satellite Offices
The Division of Academic Enhancement also offers services through satellite offices located in the rotunda in Brumby Hall. A Residence Hall and First Year Retention Programs Coordinator organizes a variety of services for residential students, including free tutoring in Brumby, Creswell, and Russell Halls, academic workshops, and academic counseling. Call 706-583-0403 for further information or consult our Webpage at www.uga.edu/dae/services/residence_halls/satellite_office_index.html.
Courses of Instruction
Courses offered under the Division of Academic Enhancement are listed under the following prefix: