Navigating Campus Academic Resources

At this point in your time at Oregon State University, you are probably being inundated with countless emails, social media posts, and Zoom invitations informing you about all the academic resources on campus. Though they seem quite overwhelming, each academic resource serves a unique purpose and can prove extremely useful to your studies—provided you know how to use them effectively.

The four primary academic resources on campus are the Academic Success Center, the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Center, Disability Access Services, and the Writing Center.

The Academic Success Center

The ASC delivers all of its support services and programs remotely to accommodate COVID-19 changes.

If you are confused about academics or resources at OSU in general, your first stop on the ASC website is to contact one of the ASC Strategists. Strategists are trained to help you understand and locate campus resources, identify strategies for learning course content and studying, improve communication with faculty and students and schedule an academic coaching appointment if you need one. Plus, Strategists are very easy to contact—they are available via a live chat from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as through text, email, or call.

An Academic Coaching appointment, like the ASC’s other services, are conducted via Zoom. The appointment is a series of conversations designed to enhance your well-being, academic performance and help you come up with your own insights and strategies. Your coach will also follow-up regularly throughout the term to check-in on your progress towards goals and new observations about yourself.

If you don’t need one-on-one guidance and are simply looking for learning tips, the ASC website has a virtual Learning Corner where you can explore various studies strategies. Whether you are looking for start-of-term advice, need to get organized, are trying to set up a study space or study group and even trying to understand Canvas—the Learning Corner is the place for you.

The ASC website can also relocate you to other academic resources, like the Writing Center, the MSLC, and tutoring options available through the Valley Library and other locations. Whatever questions you have, the ASC will direct you to the right place. Visit the ASC website here for more information.

Mathematics and Statistics Learning Center

Are you feeling completely confused about your math homework? Do you have a burning curiosity about a mathematical paradox? The MSLC will become your new favorite place. 

Now moved to an online setting, the Virtual MSLC offers real-time, personalized tutoring for all OSU students with Graduate Teaching Assistants, faculty members, and skilled undergraduate tutors available to help. The Virtual MSLC runs on Slack and Zoom, and if you’re a first-time visitor, you can access it easily with your ONID credentials.

While most of us are accustomed to Zoom for our classes, Slack may not be as commonly known, but is very user-friendly. Slack makes it easy for multiple people to communicate and work together online by sending messages and sharing files—like a math problem—over channels. Channels can be created for specific teams, projects, or classes. It’s the perfect platform for you to ask all your math related questions.

Daily hours for drop-in tutoring during fall 2020 begin Monday, September 28. Learn more about the Virtual MSLC here.

Disability Access Services

Like most campus resources, DAS continues to offer their services through fall 2020. They will continue to process new DAS student applications and provide accommodations for students in remote, Ecampus, and on-campus environments.

Other than special circumstances where visitors need to pick up materials/equipment, the DAS office is not open for in-person or drop-in appointments.

In circumstances where students or others may need to go to DAS to retrieve materials or equipment, they will need to make an appointment beforehand and wear a mask in the DAS office. Appointments can be made by emailing the main DAS office at [email protected] or by calling 541-737-4098. DAS is available by phone, email, and Zoom; Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Do you have a question about DAS? Worry not, because DAS has drop-in Zoom office hours Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m, where you can receive real-time assistance from a DAS Adviser. The Adviser will be available for a short, approximately 15-minute-long discussion to answer your questions or connect you with other resources.

Looking for information and resources on your own? The DAS website offers details on their Accessibility Resources and the DAS Testing Center under COVID-19 restrictions. The website also gives information for students new to DAS, students curious about becoming a Notetaker, and information for instructors. Additionally, the website features the DAS Student Handbook, DAS Student Tutorials, Faculty and Staff Trainings along with Tutorials, a Building Access Complaint Form and information about the DAS Testing Center. There are also options on the website to request an interpreter, transcriber, or video/audio captioning for an event. 

To learn more about DAS, visit the website here.

The Writing Center

Need help with your writing? During fall 2020, the Writing Center is delivering all of its support services and programs remotely. 

Writing and research consultants provide support with any type of writing project during any stage of the writing process.This includes but isn’t limited to: class assignments, research papers, CVs, resumes, cover letters, job or scholarship applications and more. 

The Writing Center primarily consists of four services: writing and research appointments, grammar appointments, written feedback, and writing workshops.

Writing and research appointments are 50 minutes long, focusing on general or specific writing and research support if needed. You can schedule an appointment and meet with a trained peer consultant via Zoom or phone to talk through your writing project. 

If you’re looking for a quick review session, you can schedule a 25-minute appointment to work on the grammar-related areas of your writing. You and a consultant can discuss grammar, syntax, word usage, identifying patterns and learning strategies for practicing grammar skills.

If you’d prefer receiving feedback without the one-on-one interaction, you can submit your draft to the Online Writing Suite for a written response from a trained peer consultant. It doesn’t matter what stage your writing is at—feedback will be provided. Submissions are quickly reviewed; you will typically receive a response by the end of the following business day.

Finally, if you’re simply looking to improve your writing skills, you can register for a writing workshop which is organized in conjunction with the Academic Success Center. In this workshop, you will learn to think through the steps of the writing process and how to manage your time effectively when writing.

Want to learn more about the Writing Center’s services? Visit the website here.