Support Services

Explore support Services We Provide Students

We strive to build a partnership with parents and guardians throughout the academic career of their student. Undergraduates must create their own college experience by making educational decisions, but parents and guardians may provide guidance and support to ensure their student's success.

Academic Coaching

A free personal consultation with one of our academic success coordinators designed to help your student address specific academic issues. Together with an academic success coordinator, students examine habits of working, current academic difficulties, develop individual academic goals, and enhance knowledge of campus resources. It is a chance for a student to talk about his/her own experience at FGCU, in and out of the classroom. Academic success coordinators are available to coach students through obstacles that arise at any point in the academic career and to help students create positive, effective habits.

Academic Standing Hold

The Center for Academic Achievement is dedicated to assist students to return to and maintain good academic standing. An academic standing hold has significant impact on a student’s funding for college (now and in the future), course registration, and ultimately, their ability to graduate with a degree.

FERPA

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as The Buckley Amendment, the United States federal law that protects student records privacy and provides for review and disclosure rights. Review the information linked below to understand FERPA and what it means to you. These pages outline student rights under FERPA to review educational records and to allow or restrict access to third parties. Please note that some information, called "Directory Information," may be released to third parties without the student's prior consent, unless the student files a written request to restrict directory information access.

FERPA - Annual Notice to Students

Accurately Defining Supplemental Instruction (SI)

An SI session is similar to a weekly study group. The difference is that the SI “study group” is hosted by a SI leader. The SI leader is an experienced student with a strong academic background who is trained in hosting effective study sessions. In addition, the SI leader regularly attends the course’s lectures alongside enrolled students, taking lecture notes and preparing for the next SI session. The SI leader will have already received a high course grade, but attending lecture allows the SI leader to remain proficient in important course concepts.

Tutoring Services Available at FGCU

The CAA offers free appointment based tutoring in a small group setting in a variety of courses. We recommend that students frequently seek tutoring early in the semester. The tutor can give attention to the student's needs, while at the same time the student will benefit from the questions and experience of the other group members. While tutoring never replaces course work or class lecture, it does enhance material presented in the classroom. The underlying objective of tutoring is to assist students in becoming independent and confident learners.

Parent/Guardian Role

Parents or guardians are as important as professors, academic advisors and other FGCU staff in the educational experience. Your student will need your help to work through challenges. We encourage parents/guardians to advocate that your student regularly utilize campus resources to develop personal responsibility for the academic experience.

If you need help communicating the benefits of the CAA to your student, we will be happy to help. Please, email us or call 239-590-7906.

Further information for parents/guardians can be found at Parent and Family Programs in the Office of First Year Experience.

Faculty Members Can Connect Students With Our Resources

The CAA offers diverse programs and services to support academic achievement. The Academic Success Program is staffed with professional academic success coordinators who provide individualized academic coaching and workshops to support students. Additionally, the Instructional Support Program offers a Tutoring Lab and Supplemental Instruction to all students.

Academic Early Alert
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A collaborative and timely intervention to address obstacles, students’ needs, and assist the student in accessing support services before students fall behind. The program strives to assist faculty and staff in improving the motivation and performance of students to successfully persist and graduate timely. It is not intended to replace the necessity of faculty/student engagement. It is designed to be used when additional resources are needed after faculty intervention.

Academic Early Alerts should be used proactively to report students with academic issues (e.g. attendance, poor grades, low test/ quizzes, not completing assignments). If you have other concerns about a student beyond academics (e.g. their mental health, Financial, Interpersonal Relationships, Health & Wellness/ Medical), please refer this concern to Student Care Services.
Supplemental Instruction
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Supplemental Instruction is an academic support service offered by the CAA and an opportunity for students to enhance their learning in specific courses. Each SI leader attends one professor's course and conducts weekly study sessions. All students in the course can participate in these study groups to discuss content for the week's lecture. Led by the SI leaders, students work collaboratively in groups and brainstorm to solve problems and to increase understanding of course material. Additionally, the leaders help students develop study techniques such as note taking, exam formulation, time management and other skills critical for success.

SI QUESTIONS
SI Leader Responsibilities
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In small, informal groups, SI Leaders guide students in the study session and provide the tools students need to find answers on their own and gain confidence as a learner. SI Leader duties include:
- Attending class meetings and taking notes
- Designing creative lesson plans based on material emphasized in lectures, homework assignments, and exam objectives
- Holding two or three SI study sessions each week
- Meeting with the professor/instructor weekly for feedback
- Encouraging students to attend SI sessions
Faculty Contribution
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The SI program is designed to minimize additional faculty time commitment. On average, faculty commitments include:
- Promote SI Study Sessions though announcements at the beginning or end of each class and adding SI information to your syllabus (2 minutes)
- Weekly planning meetings with the SI Leader which can take place during office hours (10-30 minutes)
- Provide recommendations for new SI Leaders & encourage students to apply for the position
Tutoring
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The Instructional Support Tutoring Lab is a great place for students to supplement their classroom learning. The tutoring lab is currently set up for small group online sessions in a few select courses and offers appointment based scheduling. The tutoring that is offered will do more than assist students in completing assignments. Our tutors are trained to assist students in learning and understanding the underlying concepts behind what they have been learning in their lecture. The underlying objective of tutoring is to assist students in becoming independent and confident learners.
TUTORING QUESTIONS
Student Academic Resources
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