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Category: Life at Dartmouth

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The Academic Skills Center & The Tutor Clearinghouse are gearing up for a new remote term. With more time to plan to accommodate the many needs of our undergraduate students, we have revised our priorities for summer 2020. 

We thought that it would be helpful to clearly state what our initiatives are for 20X so that we can best help you. During this time, remember that you are not alone and that you have a whole team behind you rooting for your success. 

Beginning Summer 2020, the Tutor Clearinghouse is prioritizing Tutoring Groups to continue to offer its services for free while meeting student tutoring demands. 

Tutoring Groups consists of up to five students, in addition to a Group Tutor, and meets weekly for 1.5-hour tutorial sessions. Group tutoring is available for introductory STEM and social science classes, introductory language courses (Numbers 1 through 3), as well as some other courses that have had historically high demand.

Students can register for a Tutoring Group throughout the term. Learn more about becoming a Group Tutor and how to register for Group Tutoring.

Individual Tutoring is very limited and is intended for students who demonstrate a specific need for individual tutorial support. Individual Tutors are allowed to tutor their tutee(s) for one hour per week. Here is the application to request an Individual Tutor. 

Students who are approved for an Individual Tutor are also strongly encouraged to also join a Tutoring Group.

The Conversation Partners and Resident Experts programs have been discontinued!

ALL tutoring services are FREE for enrolled students for the allowed amount of time per week. 

In addition, we will continue to conduct our personal academic coaching sessions through Zoom led by Carl Thum, PH.D. and Karen Afre.  Visit our website for remote learning tips and information about our remote summer term services. We will also be conducting our Tutor Clearinghouse office hours during new times. See here for our updated office hours times. 

Check out more posts on the Academic Skills Center’s blog for tips on how to survive this remote summer term. 

Please do not hesitate to contact the Academic Skills Center & the Tutor Clearinghouse if you have any questions regarding 20X, remote academic programming, and/or our tutoring services!

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Reflect on the Year As a Whole

Look holistically at your accomplishments and things that you want to improve on. This has been a crazy year with a lot of emotions and stressors. Be gentle with yourself, and try not to judge yourself too harshly. 

Michelle Shory, Ed.S. and Irina V. McGrath, Ph.D. are both district instructional coaches and Google Certified Trainers in public school districts. They both state that, “reflection is also a great way to consolidate learning, process our feelings, and share about ourselves [...] Creating a year-end reflection is often a good culminating project, but it seems to be essential this year. Allowing students to reflect, share, and document their feelings about this time in an open-ended way can serve as a reflection of learning, as well as documentation of a once-in-a-lifetime event (Ferlazzo).

 

Plan for Your Triggers 

As a college student, you probably know what your usual end-of-the-year triggers are (rise in temperatures, dehydration, allergies, etc.). Those are things that you hopefully have figured out a way to combat as the final weeks of the spring term wind down. Of course now, with Covid-19, there will most likely be some additional triggers that you will need to combat in order to stay positive and focused.

Negative thoughts about the future and a lack of a usual study space could be an example. Take some time to plan ahead so that you can alleviate some of that anxiety. Some ways to combat these issues could be journaling, drinking enough water, investing in an extra fan, stocking up on your allergy medication ahead of time, etc.

 

Incorporate Self-Care and Positive Thinking

We’ve talked about these two aspects quite a lot in this blog. Now more than ever is the time to put those practices that we’ve discussed into use. “Self-care activities like deep breathing, quick exercises/stretches, and mini-breaks really do have physical and psychological calming effects” (Waters, MSW).

Even if they seem insignificant as you're reading about them, make a commitment to incorporate some of them into your day, especially as you go through long periods of studying or sitting at a desk.

In addition, it’s important to do our best to avoid negative thoughts and ideation as much as possible. Of course, we are all human and we’re bound to get sad and down on ourselves and our situations during this time.

But it’s a good idea to practice mindfulness and avoid indulging in “catastrophizing (magnifying the negative aspects of a situation while discounting the positive ones), permanence thinking (assuming that setbacks are going to last forever and problems never improve), and/or false helplessness (assuming–without evidence–that you are powerless over a situation)” (Watson). Doing so will leave you feeling healthier, happier, and more motivated overall.  

 

Listen To Your Brain and Take Breaks

Give yourself a break! Be kind to yourself and recognize that most people don’t function optimally with the incorporation of eight-hour studying days or all-nighters. Space out your work, and take plenty of water and stretching breaks.

Break down large tasks into smaller chunks so that they feel more manageable. That way, you can feel a sense of accomplishment every time that you complete a position of the task, and you can avoid that dreaded “burn out”. You can read more about that here. 

 

References: 

 

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Whether you are well into or just beginning your Dartmouth undergraduate experience, it is never too early to look forward to the future. Many of you will be going straight into the workforce once you graduate. Others will take a year or two off to figure out exactly what you want to do with your life. And there are those of you that will be considering graduate programs in order to be an even bigger force in your chosen field.

While none of these paths are better or worse than the others, I wanted to highlight some of the graduate program options available to you specifically at Dartmouth. The four graduate schools at Dartmouth (Geisel School of Medicine, Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business) all offer an abundance of opportunities for advanced academic study and placement. 

The newest of all of the graduate schools, Guarini, became an official graduate school of the college in 2017. The Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies oversees mostly STEM Masters and Ph.D. programs. However, there are also three humanities master’s programs that reside under Guarini.

Digital Music, Comparative Literature, and Master of Arts in Liberal Studies are all strong humanities programs with excellent facilities and resources connected to them. Click here to see a list of all of the programs in Guarini. 

Being that I am enrolled in the program, I wanted to put a special focus on the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program (MALS). This program is not as widely known on the Dartmouth campus as it could be. It can be a great opportunity for any of you to explore creative and critical theory through an interdisciplinary lens once you graduate.

The MALS program has four tracks that one can choose from: Creative Writing, Cultural Studies, Globalization, and the General Track which is open-ended and allows for a combination of disciplines. See a more detailed description of the MALS concentrations here.

 The MALS program requires all of its students to complete at least one independent study project and one long term thesis paper/presentation. These two opportunities allow students to hone into their individualized research for a great chunk of their time in the program.

As MALS runs on a flexible schedule catered to the needs of its students, you would have the possibility to finish the program anywhere from 1.5 to 6 years. However, most full-time students usually finish in about 2-3 years.

With the MALS program, you are able to build a repertoire of writing and research that will prepare you for the workforce, doctoral programs, and/or professional schools. MALS at Dartmouth is a full-degree-awarding, masters-level program at Dartmouth College - not a continuing education program.  Click on this link to see more information on why MALS may be the program for you. 

While in MALS, I was able to complete my Creative Writing concentration while also further strengthening my research skills and my overall love for academia. If you have any individual questions about the MALS Program or the MALS application process, feel free to reach out to MALS.Admissions@Dartmouth.edu or to me at Ashley.E.Wells.GR@Dartmouth.edu.

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Here are some remote resources that Dartmouth undergraduate students can utilize in order to make themselves feel safe, supported, and engaged throughout this remote Spring term.

 

Resource #1: Student Organizations & Community Engagement

Just because classes are being held virtually, for the time being, does not mean that student enrichment efforts will be lessening at Dartmouth. On the contrary, resource groups like the Division of Student Affairs and the Council on Student Organizations are still dedicated to supporting your extracurricular and social activities this spring term. They both hope that “groups will continue to foster their strong communities and bring students together during this time of uncertainty”. They readily welcome students’ ideas and feedback about how they can best support you during this remote spring term.

For those looking for ways to keep manage your club or organization remotely or for those looking for ways to stay connected with the Dartmouth Community in general during this time of isolation, the Collis Center for Student Involvement has provided resources that are sure to help you on your journey. Click here to learn more. 

 

Resource #2: Title IX

Safety is, as always, of the utmost priority to Dartmouth. With this in mind, the Title IX Office continues to be available to all students during this remote period.  Reports can still be made directly to the office via email or phone, and meetings can be held on Zoom.  Dartmouth College remains committed to a safe and welcoming environment, even when that environment is virtual.  Informal and formal remedies, including but not limited to no-contact orders, academic adjustments, and formal investigations are still available in a prompt and fair manner.

 

Resource #3: Spiritual & Emotional Support

The Tucker Center will be conducting Virtual & Confidential Pastoral Support. Feel free to speak to any of the ordained clergies in the Center about issues regarding faith, life issues, loss of a loved one, sexual assault or gender-based harassment, etc. All secular and religious undergraduates should feel free to seek out this spiritual care if they so desire. (This support should not be confused with virtual therapeutic counseling which is currently being offered through the Counseling Center at Dartmouth. Click here for some Spiritual Care Resource that you can utilize during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Resource #4: Financial Assistance

The College recognizes that times are tough and money is tighter than ever for college students. Dartmouth has established an emergency fund to help students experiencing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund is an opportunity for the Dartmouth community to assist students facing difficult circumstances during this ongoing health crisis. Especially if you’ve noticed that your financial aid package was cut from subsequent terms, this fund is for you. Apply for access to that fund here. 

In addition, the Finance Center staff are working remotely & are available to answer any questions you may have during their office hours of Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Appointments for Campus Billing & DartCard Services can be arranged as necessary by emailing Campus.Billing@Dartmouth.edu.

 

Resource #5: ITC & General Computer Assistance

In terms of ITC and computer help, there are still campus resources that are readily available for you to use. The ITC Service Desk staff will be providing remote support for services such as technology troubleshooting and new computer setups. Please submit a support request for help with your technology. New requests will be reviewed Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 7:00pm and weekends, 8:00am - 5:00pm. Service Desk staff will schedule time with you for a phone call or remote desktop session during business hours as needed. Check the status of your requests here.

In addition, the Computer Store is open on limited business days. Check their website for more information. Please bring any equipment needing repair into the repair shop during the hours listed above. They can deliver to a Dartmouth campus address or ship to FedEx address (No PO Boxes). Orders can also be placed online or over the phone by calling 603-646-3249. 

Please be mindful of your distance to others while in-store! They are adhering to CDC procedures by switching out gloves after each customer, consistently disinfecting equipment, and by no longer asking for signatures. Students in need of hardware repair should submit an Off-Campus Hardware Repair Request or work with the device manufacturer.

If you are a student without an Internet connection, Email the ITC team at Broadband.Evaluation@dartmouth.edu. 

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Now that we’re all gearing up to take on this new endeavor of remote learning, it’s time to buckle down and get to work. The Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth thought that it would be helpful to you all to receive some tips regarding remote learning from us and our fellow peer institutions. During this time, remember that you are not alone and that you have a whole team behind you and rooting for your success. 

Many colleges are conducting remote learning, so here are some good tips, tools, and strategies from our peer institutions regarding how you can best tackle your spring term: 

Northwestern University, Learning During COVID-19 

Harvard University, Learning Remotely 

Princeton University, Engaging and Learning Online

Yale University, Academic Continuity - Guiding Principles for Students 

Now, what are we at Dartmouth doing? The Academic Skills Center and the Tutor Clearinghouse strive to provide peer academic support to students taking online courses during Spring Term 2020.  Our priority will be on group tutoring offered through our Academic Study Groups and Resident Experts programs. 

Students can register for a study group and attend weekly virtual meetings for select courses. Resident Experts will provide remote weekly drop-in sessions for introductory/foundational courses in chemistry, economics, mathematics, and physics. Please consider enrolling in a study group or using a Resident Expert drop-in session before requesting an individual tutor.  

We will also be conducting Remote Reading Skills meetings for anyone that is interested in learning about how to enhance their study strategies and reading comprehension while taking online classes. Feel free to set up an individual Zoom meeting with Carl Thum, Ph.D., who will share strategies and techniques that can help you successfully complete your reading assignments.

We will also still be having our personal academic coaching sessions through Zoom lead by Carl Thum, PH.D.  and Karen Afre.  Visit our website for remote learning tips and information about our remote spring term services. And check out more posts on the Academic Skills Center’s blog for tips on how to survive this remote spring term. 

In addition, while you cannot physically visit the library during this time, the Baker-Berry library staff are still very much committed to seeing you succeed this spring term. Feel free to contact a librarian in your subject/department directly and visit their page on “Remote Teaching & Learning with Library Resources” to learn more.  

Please do not hesitate to contact the Academic Skills Center & the Tutor Clearinghouse if you have any questions regarding 20S, remote academic programming, and/or tutoring services!