Academic Support Services

Table of Contents

• Academic Advising
  • Advising Center
  • Student Responsibilities
  • Advisor Responsibilities
• Credential Office
• Learning Resource Center
• University Writing Center

Academic Advising [top]

ADVISING CENTER

Location: Bell Tower Building, First Floor
Telephone: (805) 437-8571
Fax: (805) 437-8857
Office Hours:  Mon. – Thur., 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

At CSU Channel Islands, the role of advising is shared with faculty advisors and professional academic advisors. Academic advising is a continuous process that supports students throughout their academic journey at the University. Students are ultimately responsible for their educational planning and meeting all graduation requirements. Students need to be familiar with the University Catalog, policies and major and degree policies. To ensure academic success and to remain on course, students are encouraged to maintain regular contact with academic advisors.

Advisors in the Advising Center provide guidance with general education and graduation requirements, monitoring student degree progress, undeclared major advising, clarification of academic probation policies, and other institutional policies and procedures.

In addition to taking advantage of the center’s academic advisors, students can develop a mentoring relationship with a faculty advisor upon declaration of a major. Faculty advisors assist students with clarification of major requirements and assist students with internship and career opportunities.

Students may call or stop by the Advising Center check-in counter to schedule an appointment with one of our academic advisors. Major faculty advisors are available on a walk-in basis or by appointment (check the display case in front of the Advising Center for a list of faculty advisors with office locations and availability). Advisors are busiest during registration periods and the first few weeks of the semester. Therefore, students are encouraged to schedule advising sessions during non-peak times.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The following suggestions are offered to help enhance your experiences with your advisor:

• Meet with an academic advisor as often as necessary to acquire the information needed to take advantage of the educational opportunities available at CSUCI.
• Make and keep appointments or call if it is necessary to change or cancel an appointment.
• Come to your advising session prepared, with planning done and questions in mind.
• Bring all academic records such as an unofficial transcript and/or advising reports to advising sessions.
• Make decisions about your academic, career and personal goals.
• Ask about and take advantage of resources and assistance available to you.
• Be open to suggestions concerning schoolwork, study habits, academic progress, etc.
• Keep your academic advisor and program faculty advisor informed of academic progress.
• Read and review the University Catalog as necessary to understand University policies and program requirements – ask questions for clarification.

ADVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

To foster a successful student/advisor relationship advisors will:

• Be accessible to all students.
• Be familiar with University policies, procedures and academic requirements.
• Connect students to the best resources or individuals to help with concerns or issues.
• Assist with total academic planning and clarify all graduation requirements.
• Contact students and offer assistance to students experiencing academic difficulty.
• Listen and suggest various options.
• Encourage students to strive for and meet their academic potential.

Credential Office [top]

Location: Bell Tower Building East, Third Floor, Room 2805
Telephone: (805) 437-8953
Fax: (805) 437-8891

The Credential office is responsible for facilitating admission to all credential programs.  Our staff serves as a campus resource to provide advice, guidance, assistance, and current information to students, members of the faculty, county schools’ offices, the community and other interested parties on matters regarding the State and the campus credential requirements.  Credential staff members serve as a liaison between the campus and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing by recommending the issuance of teaching credentials. Advising services are available with the goal of supporting individuals interested or engaged in the teaching profession. Information meetings are conducted to provide admissions assistance and an overview of the teaching field.  Resource materials, including admission and credential materials, test bulletins, and test preparation referrals are provided.

Learning Resource Center [top]

Location:  Broome Library
(805) 437-8409

The Learning Resource Center offers individual and group tutoring for many general education and undergraduate courses.   Trained tutors guide and assist students with developing content area knowledge and skills.  Tutoring is offered for subjects such as ASL, biology, chemistry, physics and Spanish.  Students should contact the Learning Resource administrative assistant to obtain information regarding discipline tutoring available each semester.  Students can receive extensive assistance in courses dealing with basic mathematics, geometry, statistics, calculus, as well as higher mathematics.  Drop-in assistance is available throughout the semester.

University Writing Center [top]

Location:  Broome Library
(805) 437-8409

At the University Writing Center, trained tutors are available to assist students with composing a first draft, organizing their ideas, and polishing their completed work.  Students who would like to review the fundamentals of grammar, syntax, and word usage are invited to work with tutors on an individual basis or in small group sessions with the center’s director.  The center is also available to assist students with organizing their studies, taking notes, and using research materials.

The University Writing Center is open to talk with any student about writing -- whether it’s a term paper, lab report, or employment letter. Our writing tutors are available to help with editing, organizing a paper, and improving writing skills. Tutors assist students with any step in the writing process, from brainstorming to creating a final draft. The Writing Center provides individual and group tutoring, writing workshops, and other services to meet the writing needs of undergraduate and graduate students.  Appointments are at least 30 minutes, and can be as long as an hour. For more information, visit the Writing Center Web site at http://www.csuci.edu.