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SHEPARD ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER
FRESHMAN NEWS SEPTEMBER 2017
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Welcome!
We are sure you had a very hectic first week moving into your dorms and getting familiar with your classes. Hopefully all of the activity helped you get acquainted with UP as well as meet new people. We at the Shepard Academic Resource Center would like to formally welcome you to UP! The Shepard Center exists to aid students in the transition from high school to college life and many other academic needs that occur along the way. Although UP is a small university, sometimes you may need some advice, ideas of what’s happening on campus or just an answer to a question that you can’t figure out who to ask. So if you have any questions or just want to know what’s going on, pay us a visit. If we can’t help you, we will be happy to direct you to someone who can. We are located in Buckley Center (BC) 101. Good luck with all your classes!
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Learning The Ropes
Truer words were never spoken, but with the Learning Commons you can get help with your math assignments, begin writing a paper, and record your speech for later review, all in one place!
The Learning Commons is centrally located in Buckley Center, room 163. When you visit the lab, the outer office has a check-in area. Math tutoring is available for that last-minute statistics question you may have, or tutors can help you prepare for a test. Different math tutors are capable of tutoring in different areas. For example, one tutor may be able to help with Statistics, while another is capable of tutoring Calculus.
The Learning Commons is also home to the Presentation Assistants. These individuals have taken two public speaking classes and are well trained to give you pointers on how to deliver an award-winning speech. They will help you work on techniques such as eye contact, voice tone, and speaking pace. They also have a small room with a video camera available so you can practice your completed speech and review it to make improvements.
The Learning Commons also house the Language Lab, a resource for students studying language. There are Macintosh computers with headsets and microphones for use, as well as free tutoring available in German, French, and Spanish. The tutors can help with conversation, homework prep and explanation, and correction of written assignments.
If you ever find yourself fretting over that speech for Tuesday, that paper due Wednesday, the math test on Thursday, or the Spanish assignment due Friday, the Learning Commons is your one stop shop for tutoring and advice!
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Study Help
Sometimes the stress will just get to you. It’s easy to fall behind, feel confused or frustrated. Fortunately, help exists.
If you are interested in improving your learning skills like time management, test taking skills and management of anxiety, you can check in with Bro. Thomas Giumenta, CSC, the learning assistance counselor in Buckley Center 163. You can schedule a private appointment by going to your list of classes in Moodle, finding the “Learning Assistance Scheduler” and selecting a date and time of your convenience and then saving your choice as you scroll down.
You can also come to drop in hours any morning from 9:00 am – 10:00 am and on Monday from 9:00 am – noon. All are welcome.
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Considering Dropping a Course, Understand the Rules
When thinking of changing your schedule or withdrawing from a class, be sure to check your requirements to graduate. Many times you will find that the class is necessary to fulfill core requirements or major requirements. Please see the Program Coordinator of your school (the College of Arts and Sciences, the Pamplin School of Business, the School of Nursing, the School of Engineering, or the School of Education) for more information.
Remember, if you want to withdraw from a class, you cannot go below 12 credits for the semester, or you will lose your full-time student status, which may affect your financial aid. Being below 15 credits can also affect your ability to graduate within four years. If you are still interested in withdrawing from a class after the first week of school, come by the Shepard Academic Center or Office of the Registrar to pick up and complete an Add/Drop form. Dropping a class after the first week of classes will result in a ‘W’ on your transcript. The deadline for class withdrawals is Monday, November 20th.
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Fitting In
UP is a community in which students, faculty, and staff participate in living, learning, working, and playing. All people are collectively involved in these activities. UP is full of people striving to make it a pleasant learning environment. Since this community relies on people, everyone has a place where he or she fits in, whether it’s on the soccer team, in KDUP, or even just with friends in the dorm. Look at it as a jigsaw puzzle; people are the pieces that together make the community a whole picture. The puzzle cannot be completed without all the pieces.
You may think, “No one is noticing me or spending time with me,” or “why does it seem like everyone else has a ‘friend group’ but me?” First and foremost, know you are not alone. There are many students on campus feeling the same exact way as you are. Try and take a moment to look at the bigger picture: you are at an amazing university providing you with an amazing education, with many people supporting you throughout this journey! On another note, try and also step outside your comfort zone. Take the initiative to notice someone else. Just think, this is only your first week at UP; freshmen want to meet other people and upperclassmen want to meet freshmen. No one thinks you're weird if you introduce yourself to someone new while standing in line at the Commons or while waiting for class to start. Try meeting new people in one of the many clubs on campus, or through campus activities, such as movie nights or intramural sports.
UP is a friendly community, so take advantage and meet people. Remember, you are in college now. You are out on your own. People are expecting you to be disciplined and responsible. You are out of your high school comfort zone, and so are all your classmates — so step up to the challenge and meet more people. Over time you will begin to feel more comfortable with this next chapter in your life! The first few months transitioning into a new routine in a new environment is tough for everyone, but that is why we at the Shepard Center are here to help in any way possible. Make sure to stop in to our BC 101 office to say hi and maybe have a conversation with a student ambassador or staff – we were all freshman at one point too!
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Work for The Beacon!
Interested in writing, photography or videography? Getting paid for your work? Working with an award-winning team? The University of Portland’s award-winning online publication The Beacon is hiring for the fall semester! The Beacon is looking to hire candidates for PAID positions such as sports reporter, videographer, photographer and sports editor. APPLY NOW for positions starting in the fall. Not convinced? Listen to our senior reporter and copy editor Dora Totoian, who started The Beacon last year as a freshman: “Working for The Beacon is one of the best decisions I made freshman year! I encourage you to apply even (no, especially) if you're not a communications major as the job forces you to think critically in a way that is crucial for all majors and careers. Moreover, you get to talk to all kinds of amazing, interesting people from the UP community and become a part of that community in a unique way. Go apply already!” Follow us! Wondering where you can keep up with all happenings on campus, hear compelling stories about students and faculty and read entertaining content all the time? Follow The Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep with all our content. Facebook: The Beacon Twitter: @UPBeacon Instagram: @UPBeacon If you’re old school, just hit up our website at upbeacon.com.
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Pilots After Dark
After a long summer of waiting, Pilots After Dark is back! Pilots After Dark provides UP students with late night fun every Friday and Saturday night in the Pilot House. Students can expect local bands, trivia, karaoke, comedy, and more. The events are always free and all students are welcome to enjoy the late night food options and—if you’re over 21—the Pilot House bar. For ADA questions, please email zimmerma@up.edu
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Did you Know... - You can reserve a music practice room through the Music Department?
- You can sign up for intramural sports at the Beauchamp Center?
- You need to carry your student ID card with you at all times so you can always get into your dorm?
- That UP considers your UP email address your official email address? You should check it at least once a day for official announcements and emails from faculty or staff.
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Tips for Success in Physics Come hear from physics faculty and a panel of upper-division science and engineering students about tips for being successful in your introductory physics course. When: Friday, September 8, Franz 120 4:00 – 5:00 pm. Hosted by Dr. Shannon Mayer, Chair of the Physics Department
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Is Your Major Undeclared?
If you remember during Orientation weekend, we had a session specifically for you to talk about being undeclared and an opportunity for you to meet your academic advisor. The Shepard Academic Resource Center and the Career Center have teamed up to provide targeted information and resources for students who are undeclared. This semester we plan to offer a few sessions to assist with the journey of discovering what you want to study while at UP and what you want to consider as career choices.
If you are not officially Undeclared, but you are wondering if your major is the right fit, we would be happy to talk with you at the Shepard Center! Stop by BC 101 or give us a call at (503) 943-7895 to set up an appointment.
We will be offering three workshops for Undeclared students in the upcoming months- more information coming soon!
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| Quick Intro to the Clark Library Welcome to UP! The Clark Library is at the center of campus and you are likely to visit multiple times a day to do things like studying, checking out course readings, scanning and printing, using a group study room, relaxing in a comfy chair, and more. Library staff and student assistants like to help, so don’t hesitate to ask us questions as you settle into university life. We also have library chat, so you can ask questions from anywhere at any time. Computers are an essential part of the college experience and the library has the largest lab on campus, with 50 computers on the main floor. If you prefer Macs, there are 14 Macs in the Digital Lab on the upper floor. There are many outlets to plug into throughout the building, so you can keep your devices charged. And if you forget your laptop or charger, we have some available to check out from the Service Desk on the main floor. There’s also helpful resources on the library website. A good way to sample the variety of information resources is to search the library catalog, UP Library Search. You can connect to a mind-boggling amount of online content through the catalog including ebooks, eJournals, and streaming videos (kind of like a Netflix for educationally-oriented shows and movies). If you want searching tips or to find out more about what we have, just ask us. We look forward to getting to know you during your UP career.
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Meal Plan Change Deadline - September 9th
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