Support Services
Dolphin PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Developing Excellence)
Dolphin PRIDE is a program molded after the NCAA's CHAMPS/Life Skills program. It is designed to help students achieve academically, become well-rounded individuals, and help prepare for life after sport. This program comprises a coordinated effort involving academic support, career counseling, personal development and community service.

Academic Support
At JU we provide a number of initiatives designed to help you achieve your academic goals, such as individualized academic advising, tutoring, academic intervention, study skills instruction, and study halls.

Academic Advising 256-7170
The advising center (located in Founders 10) should be your first resource for information on scheduling. You will be given an advisor in your first year at JU and then transferred to a faculty advisor when you decide upon a major. Checksheets are offered for all majors, displaying all the classes that you will need to take in order to graduate. It will be up to you to decide when to take the classes and with what professor. Keep in mind that some majors have a great deal more flexibility than others. The most restrictive majors allow few, if any electives - taking elective classes for these majors will prolong your stay at JU.

Tip: Friends are always a good source of information about classes and professors.

Try and come to the advising center, or to your faculty advisor with a strong idea of the classes you would like to take. The advisor should be able to guide you as to course content and to some extent professor's expectations. During your major season of competition (e.g., the fall semester for football), attempt to balance out your schedule. Schedule your strength courses when you are in-season. For example, if you are a good writer, but poor in math, schedule writing classes and save math for the off-season.

Tip: Schedules for the spring semester are printed in November, and in March for the fall semester. Figure out your classes for the upcoming semester when these are published and register quickly. You will avoid classes closing because they are too full - allowing you to get the classes and the professors you want.

Students with special scheduling needs, as a result of a Learning Disability or Attention Deficit Disorder, should bring these issues to the Director of Student Services for Athletics to receive appropriate direction, or directly to the office of the Coordinator for Disabled Student Services.

Problem Solving
The professor should be your first resource if you're having difficulty in a particular class. Often, they will be easily able to tell you that (e.g.) your notes are not comprehensive enough, or that you studied the wrong material. This is the advantage of being at a small school, the professors know you and most of the time they will go out of their way to help you.

Tip: Getting along with your professor is a crucial skill here at JU. One of the most important things you can do is make a good impression. Professors want to know that you are serious about your studies - they will work with you if you show them that you are committed. Sit in the front, take comprehensive notes, dress like a serious student, stay after class to ask questions. Prepare before class, so that you are aware of what the teacher is talking about. Conduct yourself with class and respect at all times. Do not sit in the back of the class, show up late, be half - asleep, talk to your friends, read the paper, or wise-crack, professors may make your life very difficult.

The advising center is also another good resource if you are struggling in class. The advisors are trained to help you isolate the problem and learn to overcome it. Advisors may help you with organization, test preparation, essay writing and time management.

Tutoring
For special assistance in a class (after you've gone to the professor and the advising center), to help you understand complex material, tutors are available Monday-Thursday from 12:00 - 9:00. They are available for all student-athletes, regardless, of whether you are required to be in study hall. The tutors have special areas of expertise such as Math, English, Business, Natural Science, and Social Science (History, Psychology). If the staff does not have expertise in your area, please contact the Director of Student Services for Athletics, who will attempt to make alternative arrangements. Tutoring is also available during the day through the different LRNet centers on campus (Math, Writing, Reading/Studying Skills).

Tutoring works best when you do not wait until the last minute. The biggest mistake that student-athletes have made in the past is waiting until they are in serious trouble before asking for help. Most everyone will need some degree of tutoring while at the University. Some people can get the help they need from their friends, some from their professors, and others from tutors. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help, the tutors can save you a great deal of time and frustration. Our staff comprises some of the brightest and most compassionate students at JU. We expect you to treat them with respect.

Tip: Have your work completed to the best of your ability before you meet with your tutor. The tutor is there to help you and will not do your work for you. Bring all materials that might be necessary (notes, books, handouts) for the tutor to familiarize himself/herself with your situation - they are not familiar with every class and every assignment. Tutoring works best when you develop a personal relationship with the tutor. People learn in different ways, it will take time for the tutor to learn how to best teach you, be patient. The night before the exam is a bad time to start asking questions, many other people will probably be demanding the tutor's time and you may not get the help that you need.

Study Hall
Study hall is conducted four nights per week - Monday through Thursday, 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 pm. All resources necessary for success are available there, computers, tutors, reference materials, areas to meet with study groups, etc. You will be informed by your coach whether you are required to go to study hall. Each coach has a different requirement for placement in the study hall program, and requirements to be released from study hall. However, if you are required to go, you must be present every evening, and you are advised not to test the system. Penalties for absence range from "extra credit" physical training sessions, reduction of playing time, suspension, to loss of scholarship. In case you are wondering, several coaches each year use lack of study hall attendance to decrease and remove scholarships. In general, it is not a good idea to give coaches a reason to be angry with you, as there is always another recruit waiting in the wings.

Any absences must be preapproved by the Director of Student Services for Athletics. An excused absence form is available from the coach who monitors study hall. Our policy is that if you are well enough to practice, you are well enough to study. In addition, you will not be excused to study anywhere else on campus, nor will you be released to do work study. You must earn your way out of study hall through solid academic performance.

Study hall is designed as a "discipline support measure" - if you don't have the discipline to study on your own, we will give it to you. However, we will not hover over you and check your work. If you don't have the good sense to use this time wisely, you won't be here long enough to have us spend much time with you.

The philosophy of the academic support program is: once you demonstrate the ability to successfully negotiate all of your academic and athletic obligations, you have earned the right to chart your own course with no interference from anyone. In general, you may be required to attend mandatory study halls, meeting with advisors, study skills sessions or whatever intervention is deemed appropriate to help you succeed.

One extremely important rule - we will not tolerate noise in the library. We are extremely fortunate to be able to use this facility - it offers the best study atmosphere and all the resources that we could offer. If others around you are talking, remind them to whisper or remove yourself. Violations will be dealt with harshly.

Progress Reports
At approximately the fifth week of the semester, the Director of Student Services for Athletics sends a progress report out to each professor. On the report, the professor indicates the number of unexcused absences, current estimate of grade and any comments. These are complied and forwarded to the coaches and the athletic administration. If you are unsure of your standing in a particular class, please ask your coach to see a copy of the report. In the event that you are doing poorly, you will be notified as these reports are used to intervene with struggling students.

Note: Progress Report information may, in some circumstances, be communicated to parents and guardians. Your signature on the student-athlete code of conduct agreement authorizes the Department of Athletics or its representatives to relay this information when it is deemed to be in your best interest to involve parents and/or legal guardians.

Tip: Coaches don't like to deal with poor academic performances, they regard it as a distraction. If they see comments which indicate a lack of effort on your part or unexcused absences, coaches tend to get very upset. However, most coaches are quite patient if you are putting forth the effort, but not getting the results.

ASAP (Achieving Success and Academic Potential)
Based on incoming academic credentials, some student-athletes will be selected for the ASAP program. This program is designed to help you adjust to the academic rigors of college life, if it is anticipated that you might have difficulty. You will be required to meet regularly with your academic advisor, once per week, or every other week. At these sessions, your advisor will help you learn strategies necessary to be successful in your classes, and also support you as you adjust to college life. These sessions are mandatory, and you are expected to be on time. Coaches will be informed of any absences - expect repercussions.

Study Tips

Attendance: The most important thing that you can do to succeed in college is attend class. Instructors usually test more on materials that have been covered in lectures rather than in the book. The lecture represents a compilation of the instructor's thoughts on the subject (while the book represents some unknown author's point of view). The professors spend a great deal of time preparing a lecture, and years of study to get to this point. They probably care as much about the subject they teach as your coach cares about his/her sport. Show the same kind of hustle for your professor that you would do for your coach; be prepared before class and show them that you care about what is most important to them (e.g.) whether it is his thoughts on the fall of the Roman Empire, or her perspective on marketing to a mass audience - even if it is not important to you. For each missed class, you will probably lose a number of points on the ensuing test - unless you get a tape recording, or very, very, good notes. Don't assume that when you miss class, the professor will know - remind them prior to leaving for a road trip, and make arrangements well in advance. At JU, this is very important, as the professor may simply assume that you did not show up and are not serious about his/her class. Remember, almost all grading is subjective.

Test Preparation: The following is a good protocol to use when preparing for an upcoming exam.

5 days before test
1. Look over all materials in detail - notes, book, handouts, labs, anything that could be covered on the test (should take several hours).
2. WRITE DOWN any questions that you have - include concepts you don't understand or half-way understand.
3. Begin to look over key terms, pick out most important material and start memorizing.

3-4 days before test
1. Get questions answered so that you fully understand all materials (ask professor, tutor, or really smart classmates).
2. Ask professor to help you focus your studying - what's important, test format.
3. Begin memorizing in earnest (if using flashcards - include details, details, details - the more you have in front of you, the more you can forget and still be okay).
4. Begin anticipating essays - Outline possible questions. Anticipate double the number of questions - if two essays are on the test, outline four.

day before
1. Look over all materials that could be on test. (If using flash cards, make sure you go over notes- sometimes there are things in the notes that are not in the cards).
2. Continue memorizing key terms and lists.

Test day
1. Study lists and outlines until moments before the test.
2. Write out lists and essay outlines on a blank piece of paper (or back of test) immediately after professor hands out the test. (Legal cheat sheet!)
3. Remember that the instructors are typically looking for a summary of concepts they have presented in class.

Study Strategies: