University Launches Center for Learning and Student Success

A new Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS) to better support students in their academic endeavors has officially opened this semester on the third floor of E.S. Bird Library. The center unites the Tutoring and Study Center with the Academic Integrity Office in a central location and aims to enhance academic support services available to undergraduate and graduate students.

The merger is a step toward providing one-stop shopping for all Syracuse University students seeking academic support, with coordinated referrals to academic services across campus. In addition, it will help with the transition to the University’s new Academic Integrity Policy, which went into effect Jan. 1. Margaret Usdansky, director of the Academic Integrity Office, will serve as director of the new center.

The Center for Learning and Student Success grew out of a recommendation of the Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion that Syracuse University provide free tutoring for all undergraduates. Toward that end, this spring the center will pilot free small-group tutoring for students enrolled in selected large undergraduate courses that have traditionally created hurdles for students.

Other initial steps that are being taken toward achieving the recommendation of the workgroup include:

• offering free hour-long workshops to teach undergraduate and graduate students the latest cognitive science about how we learn and why many of our favorite approaches—including re-reading and relying heavily on answer keys for quantitative problems—are often ineffective;
• continuing to provide fee-based, one-on-one tutoring paid for by students, schools and colleges, and academic support units;
• developing research-based tutor training programs to enhance the value of tutoring offered by the center both for students who receive tutoring and for students who serve as tutors; and
• providing academic integrity education and resources for all Syracuse University students and instructors as well as training for faculty, students and staff serving as school and college Academic Integrity Panel members.

A Universitywide advisory group is being formed, including representation from faculty, students and staff, to set center goals and plan the phased development of additional services in the future.

For more information, go to the CLASS website at class.syr.edu.