Frederick Douglass Academic Success Center: Services

SERVICES

Starfish

The Starfish platform connects students, faculty and advisors who monitor student achievement and get students help when needed. The software offers students real time access to faculty, giving them the ability to offer help, guidance and resources. Students have access to this tool as soon as they arrive at Morehouse.

Peer Tutoring

Peer Tutors begin the third week and end the last week of classes in Fall and Spring semesters. Tutors attend weekly meetings with the Academic Skills Enhancement Specialist to identify and address faculty and student concerns. Course instructors may also be in attendance to offer best practices advice. Subjects tutored vary by semester based upon the subjects offered by paid tutors and student volunteers. Students are required to sign up one day in advance via Starfish. Sessions per subject are limited to one hour per week.

Athletic Academic Advising

Throughout this process, the athletic academic advisor assists student-athletes with course registration and scheduling. Additionally, they coordinate tutoring and study hall sessions for student-athletes who need more academic support. The athletic academic advisor monitors a player’s eligibility during college and helps them prepare for a career after graduation through student-athlete development.

Academic Grievances

Morehouse seeks to cultivate an academic community that encourages tolerant, respectful, and non-discriminatory behavior from all of its members. An environment that promotes communication, fairness, and deference among students, faculty, staff, and administration is of our highest priorities. To ensure we appropriately facilitate these behaviors, we instituted policies that provide a medium for resolving discrepancies of an academic nature by allowing students to file a grievance against Morehouse community members. You may file an informal academic grievance with the department chair in which you have the grievance.  You may follow up with the dean of the division, if you have further questions regarding the academic grievance, only after the informal resolution has been rendered by the professor and the department chair.

Academic Skills Enhancement Coaching

Academic coaching is available to help students overcome obstacles that may interrupt or impede their academic progress and achievement. An Academic Skills Enhancement Specialist trained in teaching effective college success skills is available to help students identify their unique learning strengths, develop individual plans for academic support, and promote self-confidence and agency.

One-on-one coaching and group meetings aimed at further developing skills include:

 

• improving study habits
• time management
• prioritizing and motivation
• test-preparation/ test anxiety
• memory strategies
• note-taking

 

In one-on-one sessions, the content and structure of each coaching session is determined collaboratively by the student and the specialist. All sessions are conducted by appointment or during open office hours and are confidential.

The Academic Skills Enhancement Specialist and peer tutors are available to visit classes, present at meetings to discuss best learning practices. Requests must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Study Groups

Study group leaders review course material with students and integrate study strategies—note-taking, problem-solving, and test preparation—that link course content with cognitive skill development. Study group leaders are trained and supervised Morehouse students recommended by professors in the department. They are not course instructors and are present only to facilitate a study session.

Testing

The FDASC can also serve as an alternative test location as well as provide a separate room for testing. Students will have a room alone (with a proctor) or a proctor in visual contact at all times. Instructors must request this service via the Director.

Reserved Course Material

Instructors and students who have completed courses may contribute textbooks, graphing calculators, and other study aids for use in the Center. Inquire with the Director.

Seminars and Workshops

The FDASC holds free seminars and workshops on a variety of topics that provide techniques and strategies to help students succeed at Morehouse and beyond. Programs may be offered by Center staff, registered student organizations, faculty around campus, etc.

Computer and Printing Services

The computer lab gives patrons access to:

• 32 computer terminals (28 PC and four iMac)
• My Portal and Internet
• Virtually all databases and online resources licensed by Woodruff Library
• Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Printers