 Mission Statement and Office Functions
The Office of the Dean of Studies directly supports the academic goals of the College—its opportunities, policies, programs, and standards. The Dean of Studies Office embraces these responsibilities:
- As an "advising" unit, the Dean of Studies Office offers academic counsel, information, and support to a wide spectrum of student and faculty concerns.
- As an office responsible for academic policies and programs, the Dean of Studies Office works closely with the faculty and members of the academic administration to interpret and shape policy, coordinates or directs a number of academic programs, events, and affiliations, and participates in curricular changes and clarifications.
The philosophy of the Office as it pertains to the lives of students is commensurate with Academic Affairs commitments in general. We help students clarify academic issues and choices, make them aware of academic necessities and resources, and in general foster students' abilities to make their own informed and responsible choices. For the student with academic difficulties, we engage in supportive advising interventions in order to bring the student's attention to available services and to his or her obligations. In cases of extreme academic jeopardy, we sometimes seek the extra support of parents. For students with average to excellent records of achievement we coordinate a range of academic resources and special opportunities (for example, internships, and Student Opportunity Funds for special academic projects), in addition to regular advising services.
Our relationships with faculty are critical to all these functions, for we not only advise faculty on a host of academic questions and programs but also depend on the faculty as our chief advising resource, contribute to and implement curricular and policy decisions, and derive from the faculty much of our authority for making academic and co-curricular decisions.
In its relationships with both students and faculty, the Office is committed not only to providing academic support and guidance but also to promoting rigorous academic expectations and enhancing the intellectual tone of the Skidmore College community. This Office commitment to academic standards and expectations is reflected in our responsibility for such programs as the Periclean Honor Society, the Honors Forum, the residential honors floors, and the Student Opportunity Funds; in ongoing curricular and academic policy contributions to the Curriculum Committee and the Committee on Academic Standing (CAS); in policy guidelines promulgated and/or disseminated through such publications as the Student Academic Handbook and contributions to the Skidmore College Catalog; through our responsibility for all academic honors and prizes at the College and responsibility for graduate fellowships; in responsibility for academic integrity policies and procedures; and through office responsibility for off-campus domestic academic affiliations. On a more general level, our daily interactions with students, faculty, and parents are infused with a commitment to fostering strong academic standards while at the same time offering support and guidance.
- Design, organize, and inform the faculty advising system;
- Advise students on a wide range of academic programs, policies, and support services;
- Serve on such committees and staff structures as the Committee on Academic Standing, the Curriculum Committee, the Self-Determined Majors Subcommittee of Curriculum Committee, the First-Year Experience Advisory Council, Athletics Council, the Orientation Committee, Honors Forum Council, Academic Affairs Staff, and Student Affairs Staff;
- Organize and track changes in student status, including leaves of absence, disqualifications, readmissions;
- Coordinate domestic off-campus study;
- Oversee policies and procedures for credit-bearing internships;
- Organize such academic honors and events as Honors Convocation, the Periclean Honor Society, Palamountain Prose Awards, graduation honors, and the Student Opportunity Funds; contribute to Honors Forum programming including Academic Festival;
- Coordinate and implement the Academic Integrity system;
- Coordinate major national graduate fellowship opportunities;
- Promulgate, clarify, and implement academic policies and guidelines;
- Sustain coordinating links with various offices and programs, including the First-Year Experience, Dean of the Faculty, Office of the Registrar, Student Academic Services, and the Opportunity Programs (Higher Educaiton Opportunity Program and Academic Opportunity Program).
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