Failing grades

The College Center for Advising Services (CCAS) facilitates academic and individual success by providing advisement to all undergraduate students in a respectful, supportive, and confidential environment. We are committed to assisting undergraduate students with their academic needs by helping them find accurate academic information, opportunities to make the most of their undergraduate years, and solutions to academic problems.

Academic advisors see students for walk-ins and scheduled appointments. Common reasons for meeting with an advisor include:

- Planning a program for the next semester or the next few years
- Registration and dropping or adding courses
- Discussing degree requirements
- Learning about academic resources, such as tutoring
- Major, minor, and cluster declaration
- Advanced placement, International Baccalaureate, A-Level and Transfer Credit
- Planning for independent study
- Academic petitions, comment forms, praise forms and complaint forms
- Leave of Absence and withdrawal
- Take Five Scholars and KEY Program
- Academic planning specific to the needs of international students
- Special approvals: overloads, underloads, S/F option and graduate-level courses

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) strives to promote quality teaching and learning through a range of programs for faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

CETL offers Arts, Science & Engineering faculty a series of workshops, a consulting service, a mini-grant program, and a repository of resources about designing, teaching, and evaluating courses.

Our program provides graduate students with resources to support their work as classroom TAs, laboratory TAs, and instructors. Graduate students are also welcome to make use of services that support their own learning.

CETL supports undergraduate students with services that promote academic success, including course-specific collaborative workshops and study groups, study skills support, study zone, and a study skills course.

CETL offers academic honesty support, including educational outreach programming and confidential counseling for students, faculty, staff, and parents.

The Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program, in concert with faculty across the college, builds a strong community of undergraduate and graduate writers, speakers, and researchers. Effective communication—including critical thinking, problem-solving, organization of ideas, and clarity, and power of expression—is of enormous importance both in academic and professional settings. Writing, speaking, and argument enables us to discover, develop, test, and share our ideas. Through communication, we see the truth, utility, or beauty of what we know, and make our knowledge have an impact on the world at large.

The Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program leads the effort to familiarize students with key principles and strategies for becoming successful communicators across different modes and contexts. For both undergraduates and graduates, the program fosters a culture of open, honest, and critical communication.

Program areas:

- The primary writing requirement (PWR)
- Undergraduate and graduate courses
- English for Academic Purposes Program (EAPP)
- Tutoring through the Writing and Speaking Center
- Upper-level writing support for faculty and instructors
- Graduate Writing Project (GWP)
- Annual Writing Colloquium Award
- Special writing events (UR Night to Write, Write-a-Thon, Inspiration Project)

Koru Mindfulness is an evidence-based program specifically designed for college students, teaching mindfulness and meditation to manage stress and reduce anxiety. You will learn skills that help calm and focus your mind, including breathing exercises, guided imagery, body scan, and more! Through learning how to be more mindful, you may experience less stress, better sleep, and less self-judgment.

The Mindful University Project is an interdisciplinary collaboration with a mission to empower our campus community to build a culture of mindful presence and compassion.

Relax and renew retreats are half-day, silent meditation retreats for students, faculty, and staff who are interested in a more immersive meditation experience. Held in the Spurrier Gymnasium, participants will experience four hours of noble silence while engaging in a variety of contemplative practices, including:

Breath awareness meditation
Gentle yoga
Mindful walking
Dharma talks (a lesson about the practice of mindfulness in everyday life)
Retreats are co-facilitated by four Koru Mindfulness teachers. Prior meditation experience is not necessary to participate. Please dress comfortably. Retreats are free of charge and open to any student, faculty, or staff member of the University community.