Academic Advising

ACCESS Center, Stevenson Union 134
541-552-6213

The purpose of advising at SOU is to provide students with the information, training, and guidance necessary to complete an academic program that meets their personal and career objectives. The University considers academic advising part of the teaching mission and a very important faculty responsibility.

SOU faculty make every effort to provide high-quality advising, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the student to become informed about graduation requirements and to engage in realistic educational planning. This personal responsibility extends to reading and understanding the degree requirements outlined in this catalog, consulting advisors, and charting progress toward graduation.

New Students: All new students should arrange to attend a new student orientation meeting through the Admissions Office. Students with declared majors should also meet with an advisor from their academic department. New students should read and understand the General Education Requirements that begin on printed catalog page 33 of this catalog, as well as the Components in the Major section on printed catalog page 35. New students should also read and understand the departmental requirements for their chosen major.

Freshmen: The University Colloquium (Core) instructor provides advising during the freshman year. Students with declared majors also receive advising from their academic departments. Students develop a freshman year plan during their first academic quarter and a sophomore year plan during the third academic quarter of the freshman year.

Sophomores: Students with declared majors should meet with advisors from their academic departments. Undeclared students should see advisors in the Student ACCESS Center. All sophomores develop a junior year plan.

Juniors: Upon reaching junior standing (90 credits), students must have a declared major and a junior year plan on file with their major department. Course registration is blocked if these two conditions are not met.

Seniors: Upon reaching senior standing (135 credits), students must have developed a senior year plan with their department. Seniors without a senior year plan will be blocked from registration. Seniors should remember to file for graduation with the Office of the Registrar two terms before their expected graduation date.

Undeclared students and those contemplating a change in major may contact advisors in the ACCESS Center for guidance. Interdisciplinary students need to develop an academic plan with the chair of the department for the emphasis listed in their degree.

Academic Resource Services

Marianne O'Sheeran, Director

SOU provides a number of services designed to improve the academic skills of students. The goal of the University is to provide each student with the best possible opportunity for successful completion of a degree program.

Academic Resource Services offers individual and group study skills instruction, advising for students experiencing academic difficulties, selected tutorial assistance, and referral and coordination with other campus services. This office also coordinates the math placement testing.

Information Technology

Computing Services 119
541-552-6449
Kevin Talbert, Chief Information Officer

Information Technology (IT) includes campus Computing Services, Media Services, Telecommunications, technical support for Distance Learning, and Web support. In addition to providing enterprise-wide voice, data, and video services for students, faculty, and staff, Information Technology supports instruction, scholarly activities, administrative services, and Web development throughout the campus.

Students have access to the campus network and the Internet through twenty-three laboratories distributed across campus. The largest computer lab on campus and one of the largest facilities of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the main Computing Services lab houses more than 200 microcomputers. Services operate on a Novell NetWare network with software for both PC and Macintosh computers, as well as access to email and the Internet. Areas of the lab are used for classes, but a portion is always available for general walk-in use, seven days a week. All major categories of software (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation graphics) and many curriculum-specific customized programs are available to users. Output for the entire laboratory is done on high-speed laser printers. Scanners and color printers provide specialized input and output capabilities. Many campus information services are supported in part by the student Technology Resource Fee. Use of the computing facilities is free to Alumni Association members and registered students, who automatically receive accounts for email and Internet access.

Media Services

Library 310
541-552-6393
Don Hill, Associate Director

Media Services provides instructional support and equipment for classroom use. In addition, Media Services performs equipment installation and repair, videotape dubbing and foreign format transfers, audio setups, videotaping of lectures and special events, and instructional design and media graphics support for faculty. SOU faculty may arrange equipment checkout by students.

Telecommunications Services

Computing Services 117
541-552-6419

SOU's Telecommunications Services provides faculty, staff, and residence hall students with telephone and voice-mail services, as well as operator and directory assistance.

Library

Library Hours: 541-552-6856
Reference Services: 541-552-6442
Loan Services and Information: 541-552-6860
Sue Burkholder, Director

The University Library provides resources for students' instructional, research, recreational, and general information needs.

SOU's well-trained and enthusiastic staff of librarians and paraprofessionals assist students with reference needs, electronic and Web information resources, interlibrary borrowing, and materials checkout. Librarians aid students in developing their research and evaluation skills, providing specialized instruction in library research in a wide range of classes. Subject specialist librarians also offer indepth research and reference assistance in specific areas.

The SOU Library is open seventyeight hours a week each term. There are more than 300,000 volumes in the general collection and 2,000 journal, serial, and newspaper subscriptions. There is also a federal and state government publications collection with 280,000 items. Some 790,000 pieces of microform provide additional materials, ranging from popular magazines to historical materials of scholarly interest.

A growing collection of electronic information resources, including indexes and text journal articles, can be accessed inside and outside the library via computer. Other electronic and multimedia resources comprise videotapes, remote databases, CDROMs, and library Web pages on a variety of subject areas. Special collections include the 7,450-volume Margery Bailey Collection of Shakespeare and Renaissance materials, a local history collection covering the six counties of southern Oregon, an extensive Native American studies collection, a children's literature collection, and an art print collection.

Students may use the University Library's online catalog to find information about SOU collections or to link to Orbis, a catalog of more than twelve million volumes held by twenty libraries in Oregon and Washington, and the Center for Research Libraries (Chicago). The library's Information Technology Center (ITC) provides access to desktop computing software and electronic information, with expert staff to assist patrons with using these technologies for research, writing, and presentation.

Success at Southern

1056 Henry Street, Ashland
541-552-6062
Kathleen McNeill, Director

Success at Southern/Student Support Services is a federally funded TRIO grant program that helps eligible students (low-income or first-generation students, as well as those with disabilities) succeed in college and eventually graduate. Success at Southern provides a range of services, including college success classes; tutoring; academic advising; mentoring; assistance with completing scholarship applications; access to cultural activities; and career, personal, and financial counseling.

Success at Southern Courses

Lower Division Courses

SAS 101, 102, 103 College Success and Academic Development Classes

1 credit each

This sequence is available to students enrolled in the Success at Southern/Student Support Services program. College Success classes have been developed to help facilitate students' academic and personal success in college. While SAS 101 is designed for newly enrolled freshmen, SAS 102 is designed for newly enrolled transfer students with 36 or more credits. Both classes cover the clarification of academic goals, planning, study skills, financial planning, collaborative skills, and assessment targeted at heightening students' understanding of themselves as learners. Academic Development (SAS 103) provides a structured setting in which students may access professional and tutoring support to enhance their academic skills and performance.

Upper Division Courses

SAS 301, 302, 303 Career Exploration, Graduate School Planning, and School-to-Work Transition

1 credit each

Offered in cooperation with Career Services, this sequence is available to both Success at Southern/Student Support Services students and other undergraduate students. Career Exploration (SAS 301) focuses on clarification of career and academic goals, such as choosing a major. Students are encouraged to begin or continue practicum, service-learning, or internship experiences aligned with their career goals. Graduate School Planning (SAS 302) is designed for juniors who are considering graduate school. This course helps students respond to questions about graduate school, such as the following: Is graduate school right for me? How do I apply? How do I finance graduate school? How do I prepare to take the entrance exams?

School-to-Work Transition (SAS 303) focuses on the transition from the academic environment to employment in one's chosen career field. The course covers finding and applying for jobs, creating a résumé and cover letter, interviewing, job negotiating, and coping with the anxiety that may accompany this process.