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WELCOME TO THE CENTER FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

The Center for Academic Success is an “essential service and support area” for students working as a unit of the Office of Student Services. The major goal is to assist in the preparation of undergraduate teacher education majors’ entry into the professional teaching programs. Through academic advisement, course instruction, professional development, and student referral services, the Center strives to support the lifelong dream of students-becoming a teacher. The Center provides various activities that are designed to produce teachers who are respectful, ethical, reflective professionals who are effective communicators.

Academic Advisement

Academic advisement serves as the nucleus of the activities for the Center, and has been characterized as an exchange of information among faculty, advisors, and students. This process enables students to acquire information about the institution and plan educational programs consistent with identified goals, interests, and abilities. Specifically, academic advisement is a process which includes the collection, interpretation, and delivery of academic information regarding both university goals and capabilities and the students’ goals and potential. The focus is on students’ progress in gaining admission into their professional teacher education programs, internship placement, fulfilling graduation requirements, teacher certification, and insuring that teacher education graduates are prepared to meet the challenges confronting today’s educators.

Students admitted to the University are sent letters welcoming them to the College of Education and encouraging them to contact the Center for Academic Success upon arrival. Students admitted into the College of Education will be assigned an advisor. All students seeking admission to teacher education programs are advised to submit an Application for Admission to Teacher Education. This application starts the process for full participation in the professional teacher education programs at FAMU. Applications will be processed as follows:

1. Students should complete and file copies of the Application for Admission to Teacher Education with the Center for Academic Success (CAS).
2. The CAS advisors meet with the prospective students at least once each semester and review the students’ compliance with meeting the criteria for admission into teacher education programs.
3. The CAS advisors complete an Admission Status Report for Undergraduate Applicants and chart the students’ compliance with the criteria for admission. Once students satisfy the admission criteria, the applications are submitted, along with any other related information, to the College of Education (COE) Admissions Committee.
4. The COE Admissions Committee reviews the applications and record on the applications the decision of approval or denial by the committee membership.
5. If applications are approved by the COE Admissions Committee, the following steps will be taken:
   

•  The Application for Admission to Teacher Education is completed, and forwarded to the Director ; the appropriate Department Chair; and Dean of the College for signature.
• The approved Applications for Admission to Teacher Education are filed in the students’ folder and copies are forwarded to the department chairs and to the students informing them of the new major status.

6. If the Admissions Committee deny the applications, the applicants will be informed of the reason(s) for denial. Deficiencies are noted and students are advised of the corrective actions needed.

Students who are admitted into the professional teacher education programs are permitted to enroll in upper division teacher education courses; have their major status changed from pre-teacher education majors to professional teacher education majors; and have their names and academic profiles submitted to the Florida Department of Education. These students are eligible, along with other criteria, for teacher education financial aid programs. Students who are denied admission into the professional teacher education programs are restricted from enrolling into upper division professional teacher education courses; prevented from applying for teacher education financial aid programs and prevented from advancing toward internship and graduation.

On a continuous basis, College of Education students are emailed critical information such as, notices, deadline alerts, meetings, invitations, and other communications that  impact student success and enhance the matriculation toward admission into professional teacher education programs, internship and graduation. In order to reach a high volume of students, an email list serve of COE students’ personal and FAMU emails is used.

The Center recognizes that academic advisement is a necessary process for guiding students through their chosen degree programs. The purpose of the academic advisement program is:

• to assist pre-content teacher education students in the selection and registration of the courses for their degree program,
• to advise students of and assist students in meeting the academic criteria for admission into the professional teacher education programs,
• to monitor the student’s matriculation in an effort to avoid academic failures, and
• to encourage academic success.

Professional Development

In order to foster professional development among students, faculty, and staff, the Center provides professional development opportunities, services and activities to include:

• Mentoring services for First Time In College ( FTIC) and Transfer Students;
• Assistance in the presentation of Teacher Education Forums held each semester
• Professional Development Workshops for faculty concerns as they relate to student academic advising.

Referral Services

The Center for Academic Success also refers students to the various University student service agencies to foster the development of exemplary professionals. Those agencies and their services include:

• University Counseling Services- Inter-personal concerns
• Center for Disability Accessibility and Resources (CeDar)- Learning disabilities
• University Health Center- Health concerns
• Academic Labs-Tutorial and remediation for academic courses
• Career Counseling Center- Career choices, selections and options.

Center for Academic Success
College of Education
Florida A&M University
659 Ardelia Court
Tallahassee, Florida 32307-4900
Voice: 850-599-3619
Fax: 850-412-7669