Student studying on rooftop

Undergraduate Academics

Office of Undergraduate Academics

The Office of Undergraduate Academics (OUA), located on the ninth floor of the Wesley J. Howe Center, provides advising support for students referred by academic and faculty advisors. 

OUA’s Academic Support Center (ASC) provides a wide range of academic support services to undergraduate students. Services provided by the ASC include academic tutoring, freshman quiz review sessions, the Peer Leader Program and Academic Success Workshops. 

Programs

OUA administers the Early Alert System, the Reduced Load Program and the Academic Support Program. 

The Early Alert System is a way to identify students who may be struggling, exhibiting risk factors for attrition or otherwise need more support. Faculty and other employees can use the Early Alert request in Workday to help document academic concerns regarding a student. Referred students will be contacted by OUA and academic advisors and other OUA staff will be included in the outreach as appropriate for the individual student.

The Reduced Load Program reduces a student’s workload in each semester by extending the time from entrance to graduation from eight semesters to ten semesters. The Freshman Option permits students to reduce their workload by one technical course in each of their first two semesters. The courses are made up the summer following the freshman year. 

The Academic Support Program serves students who have been placed on Academic Notice or Academic Warning. It is designed to guide students so they may take full advantage of available academic support services. Program elements include regular OUA advisor meetings throughout the semester, reduced course load options, tutoring services, academic success workshops and counseling services. 

Additional OUA Services

Assisting students considering leaves of absence or withdrawal. OUA also provides support to students returning from leaves of absence.

Processing Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and other transfer credit requests. OUA reviews student credit overload requests and undergraduate requests to enroll in graduate courses.

Providing support and guidance to students interested in pursuing prestigious scholarships and research fellowship opportunities. Past student awards include Goldwater Scholarships, Fulbright awards and Peace Corps opportunities.

Helping faculty develop coherent program study plan templates for use by advisors as they guide students in building study plans and semester registration plans. 

Working with faculty and administrators to develop curriculum-associated academic policies and procedures.

Creating a positive experience for first-generation and Pell Grant students by connecting them with academic resources that complement skills in the classroom.

OUA staff and related offices are available remotely.