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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1999)
Battalion Page 3A • Monday, August 30, 1999 FOR COLLECE xas A&M students enjoy academic resources beyond study buddies :Y ATCHISON Till senior biocl day for the ui :ounter. Tote vomen partici Nate from thei ing semester. >ids in the fall their chapter; her of Zeta It ore animal so planned fortl s will have a ch planned i: ledge retreati > and mixers’ portant to get ey meet more, BY SUZANNE BRABECK The Battalion s freshmen are dropped off and left nd their way, dazed and confused, exas A&M, many services are reach- out to ensure academic success for Class of 2003. here are advertisements on and around campus for freshmen needing just a little help making the transition a high school to college, hough academic assistance may be lething associated with underclass- 1, older students who are on scholas- probation or who have had too re- Ing of a summer may be inclined to lip into the academic resources avail- Je to them, as well. Jrhe Center for Academic Enhance- Bnt, in the Blocker building, has six programs within its division to help stu dents succeed in college. artha Josephy, a lecturer for the iter of Academic Enhancement, said Academic Assistance Clearing |use, a lesser-known program, is a id resource. This Website, ://www.tamu.edu/aac/, is a link to er academic resources and even le class notes. J“Many students don’t know about is resource; students really need to Ik at our Website,” Josephy said. [“There are many tools available that ;e here to help students do well at M.” The service provides a calendar of demic-assistance programs and ser- iles, which are free of charge and range from access to old tests, Supple- Bntal Instruction (SI), a list of depart mental contacts, lecture notes and re view sessions. For students who are lucky enough not to have 8 a.m. classes and who can roll out of bed, both drop-in tutoring and tutoring by appointment are avail able from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by faculty members. There are two labs in Blocker, a math lab in room 526 and a reading and writ ing lab in room 524. If these hours are not sufficient enough or convenient for students, there is also an online Aggie tutor avail able for those after-hour problems. For students who require a personal touch, many core curriculum classes benefit from the assistance of the SI pro gram. “Supplemental Instruction is a na tionwide program that targets harder classes to improve academic perfor mance and retention,” Josephy said. “Harder” is defined by two different criteria: a class’s high enrollment or a class’s history of many Q-drops, Jose phy said. However, most of the classes that have Sis are lower level classes. “Sis are 50 minutes long and are of fered three times a week,” Josephy said. “A national statistic shows that stu dents who attend 10 or more sessions in a semester improve their grade by half to a whole letter grade.” SI leaders are undergraduate students who attend the core curriculum class every day, take notes and do the re quired reading for the class and serve as a free resource for students. To be an SI leader students must have excelled in the class and have been trained in learning and study strategies. Nicole Anatalffy, a junior biomedical science major, said free tutoring and Sis are a great idea because it provides ex tra help geared toward the specific pro fessor. “SI sessions are nice because they make the learning environment smaller since not many people attend Sis,” Ana talffy said. “This smaller environment makes many timid students more comfortable asking questions, and in my experience, SI leaders are more approachable than professors.” Educators say there is a wide variety of learning styles. While many students honestly need extra help,.some academic services also cater to both the procrastinator and partier. Entrepreneurs have tapped into the opportunity to both help and profit from students, which is evident by the numerous tutoring services listed in the Yellow Pages. The typical “tutoring” business has both small group and individual tutor ing to help students with classes with high enrollment or difficult material. Kristy Rodgers, a senior animal sci ence and agricultural economics major, and a student manager for Notes-N- Quotes, said lecture notes are popular with students who have more time than money “We have 150 to 160 packets for different classes that cover a wide range of classes,” Rodgers said. “The employees that take the class notes, in the predominately lower-level classes, are usually graduate students or seniors. ” Whether it is just purchasing or pur loining lecture notes or full-blown tutor ing, students at A&M have a variety of re sources to help them despite late nights, broken alarm clocks and homework- munching pets. X •ms COLLEGES Our Vacuums Really SUCK! Seriously... Bring in this ad for a FREE package of vacuum bags (with purchase of equal or lesser priced bags) We service all makes of vacuum cleaners and sewing machines 693-6592 Sew Vac City 1667 Texas Avenue South (Culpepper Plaza) www.sewvaccity.com □ □ OWEN TEMPLE €1) mimi PARTY THURSDAY, SEPT. 2 at SHADOW CANYON Opening: Houston Marchman “Passing Through”avaUable at Hastings Brought to you by Mustang Entertainment BEiNl/VtVMIN KNOX G A. t L E R Y HIRING ENTHUSIASTIC AGGIES FOR THE FALL Application deadline: September 17th (409)696-5669 404 University Drive E. Suite G or both »- ving location; luilding) MSC) ; Building) je) Floor Rud* jdent Adi'' 11 ?. They ntf! i rough Can applicate 1 indy Briers Student Counseling Service Division of Student Affairs Texas A&M University What is group counseling and how can it help? Group counseling involves about four to ten people meeting with one or two counselors serving as group leaders. Group leaders work to provide a safe, confi dential environment where group members are free to discuss their problems and concerns. Through the group, members identify with others who are experi encing similar issues and increase their self-awareness by obtaining genuine and honest feedback. ; News EdW us Editor tor r ftor n Editor nducer ations, a battstamv" 11 ' 1 **' How much you talk about yourself depends on what you are comfortable with. You can benefit from group even when you are saying little because you will learn about yourself as others talk about their cdncerns. Make an appointment at the SCS to^ speak to a screening counselor or to help you determine if a group might benefit you. Henderson Hall 845-4427 www.scs.tamu.edu Fall 1999 Groups Biofeedback Workshops Thursdays 5 - 6:30 PM One-session workshops that give an introduction to relaxation techniques, including how biofeedback aids in relaxation. Individual follow-up consultation is available. Facilitator: Carlos Orozco Conflict and Loss in Relationships Mondays 3 - 4:30 PM This group is for students who are currently or have previously experi enced conflict in interpersonal or romantic relationships, or who have recently experienced a loss of a meaningful relationship. Facilitators: Brian Williams & Ronke Lattimore Dissertation / Thesis Support Group Wednesdays 5 - 6:30 PM This group is for graduate students who are struggling in the process of writing a thesis or dissertation. Group topics include issues of competence, procrastination, anxiety, goal-setting, and bureaucratic struggles. Facilitators: Brian Williams & Mara Latts Eating Concerns & Body Image Issues Wednesdays 3 - 4:30 PM The purpose of this group is to increase insight about eating problems and make progress toward recovery. Group topics include daily eating and exercise behaviors, dealing with others about food issues, developing trusting relationships, expressing feelings, and managing stress. A PHYSICIAN’S RELEASE IS REQUIRED FOR GROUP PARTICIPATION. Facilitators: Debbie Rabinowitz & Mara Latts Empowering Yourself Mondays 1:30 - 3 PM A group for men and women with sexual molestation in their pasts. Identifying and exploring aftereffects of abuse will be the focus. Handling relationships, building self-esteem, and gaining personal power are emphasized. Facilitators: Robert Carter & Mara Latts Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, TLansgendered Mondays 3 - 4:30 pm This group will meet on various topics such as relationship issues, religious coricerns, self-esteem, and coming out to fami ly and friends. Facilitators: Mary Ann Moore & Arnie Abies International/Multicultural Discussion Group Wednesdays 4:30 - 6:15 PM A discussion group for 1) international students who want to learn about Aggie culture, U.S. culture, and to improve their English skills by interacting with native English speakers and 2) for U.S. students who are interested in interacting and sharing their cultural heritages with international students. Facilitators: Gisela Lin & Leen Batra Mind / Body Relationship Thursday 3 - 4:30 PM .There is strong evidence of the mind / body connection. Through Tai Chi, Yoga, relaxation, and discussion with others this group will allow you to learn about yourself, explore your spirituality, and learn to manage stress. Facilitators: Ron Lutz & Mara Latts Multicultural Issues & Relationships Tuesdays 5 - 6:30 PM The purpose of this group is to increase awareness of multicultural issues and improve communication and self-confidence when dealing with multicultural relation ships. Group topics include, but not limited to, cultural shock,; cultural, religious, and social differences; and bicultural/multicultural relationships issues. The group is open to all students. Facilitators: Gisela Lin & Arnie Abies Texas A&M has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, admission to Texas A&M University and any of its sponsored programs is open to all qualified individuals without regard to subgroup, class or stereotype. Personal Growth Group Tuesday (Group 1) 8:30 - 10 am Tuesday (Group 2) 5 - 6:30 pm Thursday (Group 3) 1:30 - 3 pm These groups facilitate self-exploration and personal growth through interaction with other students. Facilitators: Ron Lutz & Leena Batra (group 1) Ron Lutz & Heidi Koehler (group 2) Nancy Welch &c Carlos Orozco (group 3) Older Than Traditional Age Thursdays 3 - 4:30 PM This group addresses concerns that differ from those of the tra ditional undergraduate student. Potential topics are marriage, divorce, office politics,' committee chairpersons, dissertation projects, and dealing with children or partners. Facilitators: Robert Carter & Heidi Koehler Psychopharmacolocial Support Mondays 5 - 6:30 PM This group will provide students an opportunity to relate to and get support from others who are on psychiatric medication. Potential topics include self-esteem issues, family variables, and coping strategies. Facilitators: Steve Strawn & Robert Carter "Women of Color Thursdays 4 - 5:30 PM Join with other women of color to explore issues and concerns related to culture, relationships, self-esteem, body image and other issues pertinent to the group. Facilitators: Ronke Lattimore & Gisela Lin Women’s Self-Esteem Group Wednesdays 3 - 4:30 PM Come together with other women and work on becoming the woman you’ve always wanted to be! Improve your self-confi dence, assertiveness, and relationships. Leave your guilt and self-doubt at the door! Facilitators: Nancy Welch & Ronke Lattimore