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USM Undergraduate Catalog 2008-2009
Academic Support Services
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[Academic Advising | Academic Assessment
Academic Support Program | Computing Services
Instructional Technology and Media Services
Support for Students with Disabilities | University Libraries]
The University offers students a wide range of academic support services to facilitate and enhance their education. The breadth of these services is designed to accommodate the needs of a diverse student population.
Following initial advising and registration, students, during their first semester at the University, are assigned a permanent advisor within their academic department. Students are encouraged to maintain close contact with their department advisor once this assignment has been made.
For certain students, however, the assignment of a permanent Department advisor is not appropriate. For such students the following arrangements are made.
Students who have not declared a major are provided academic advising by professional academic advisors in Advising Services. An academic advisor assists the student in the development of educational goals and the selection of an appropriate major. Students should be ready to declare a major before completing 60 credits of coursework at the University.
Students admitted to GO are provided academic advising through this academic success and support program. Academic advisors from Advising Services advise students during the period they complete required coursework. The academic advisor will work with students to develop an individual academic support plan. Upon completion of the requirements of the academic support plan, the student is transitioned from GO and assigned an advisor in his or her major department.
Non-matriculated students are students who are enrolled in courses at the University on a space available basis and who have not applied for admission. They are advised by the Advising Services staff.
The USM Early Study Aspirations Program offers opportunities for high school students to take college courses to enrich their high school experience. The program is designed to help students supplement, not supplant, the academic program of the high school. Home-schooled students are also accepted. Academic requirements must be met, and permission from high school and parent(s) is expected. Financial assistance is available. For more information visit www.usm.maine.edu/advising/earlystudy or call (207) 780-4040.
Students who have questions regarding general academic policies and procedures, as well as about other aspects of University programs, are encouraged to contact Advising Services in Payson Smith Hall on the Portland campus (780-4040), in Upton Hall on the Gorham campus (780-5652), and in Enrollment Services at Lewiston-Auburn College in Lewiston (753-6500).
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The University Libraries provide a full range of services in person and virtually via the Libraries’ Web site at http://library.usm.maine.edu. In Portland, the Albert Brenner Glickman Family Library is located at the corner of Forest Avenue and Bedford Street. The Gorham library is located in Bailey Hall. The Lewiston-Auburn College library is located in the center of the Lewiston-Auburn College building. During fall and spring semesters, the Portland and Gorham libraries are open seven days a week for 95 hours. The Lewiston-Auburn College library is open Monday-Saturday for a total of 62.5 hours. The Libraries are committed to service, both in person and virtually through the Web site. Services include circulation, course reserves, informational and research assistance, instruction in using library resources, Internet and database searching, and interlibrary loan. For full information on the Libraries’ resources and services, visit the Web site.
The collection of the USM Libraries contains 1.5 million items, including approximately 450,000 volumes; 3,000 subscriptions to periodicals, journals, newspapers, and yearbooks; over 785,000 million microforms; more than 130,000 state and U.S. government documents; a growing collection of audiovisual materials; and access to a large number of electronic information resources, including over 200 databases and 27,000 electronic journals. Included in the Library’s special collections is the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, the only separately established rare map library in northern New England. The cartographic collections contain fine examples of original maps, atlases, geographies, and globes spanning the years 1475 to the present. The original materials of some 60,000 maps are augmented by a 4,000- volume reference collection of related works, including carto-bibliographies, regional histories, dealer and exhibition catalogs, and monographs and journals on the history of cartography. The USM Libraries also includes the Special Collections Department which consists of a rare books and manuscripts collection, the University Archives, and the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, which includes the African American, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, and the Judaica Collections. The rare book collections include textbooks, movable books, children’s literature, American political history from the 17th to the 20th centuries, and a book history collection that spans 5 centuries with books from Medici Italy to American 20th-century fine press.
Supplementing these collections are the more than 1 million print titles held in the libraries of the other campuses of the University of Maine System, along with the Maine State Library, the state’s Law and Legislative Reference Library, and the Bangor Public Library. The holdings of these libraries are represented in the URSUS online catalog and are available to the USM community through URSUS’s interlibrary lending system. MaineCat brings the collections of many Maine academic, public, and special libraries into one catalog, is also accessible through URSUS. Holdings of MaineCat libraries, which include collections from public and college libraries, are available, through online requesting, to the USM community. The Libraries offer a variety of individual and group study spaces, over 150 student computers, and wireless access.
The Libraries are engaged in the educational, scholarly, and public service activities of the University community. The Library staff is dedicated to supporting student success. The Libraries have an active information literacy program to assist students with finding, analyzing, and using information.
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The Computing Services departments provide a variety of technology support services to students, faculty, and staff at the University.
Computer labs for general student use are located at the Gorham, Lewiston-Auburn, and Portland campuses with Windows and Macintosh computer systems, software applications, e-mail, World Wide Web, and on-line course delivery systems. Laser printing is available for a fee. Computer classrooms are available for faculty to schedule class activity periods.
For dorm students with their own computer, the RESNET program can provide an Internet connection. For commuting students 50 free hours of dial-up networking are available, and in the Time Warner Cable service area of Cumberland County, the University offers discounted Road Runner cable-modem service for Internet access.
Networking Services maintains local area networks and Internet access for University office and academic activities. Students, faculty, and staff may purchase personal computers, printers, and peripherals at educationally discounted prices through the sales program.
The HelpDesk has technical staff available to assist with authentication ID, e mail, software, and general technology questions and problems. The HelpDesk and most department functions are located in 144 Luther Bonney Hall. More information may be found at www.usm.maine.edu/computing, 780-4029, or e-mail helpdesk@usm.maine.edu.
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The Instructional Technology and Media Services (ITMS) Department provides instructional support for the academic programs of the University. This support includes group or individual sessions on instructional applications of technology at either the Portland or Gorham ITMS office.
Other services include the delivery and maintenance of media equipment for classroom use in Portland and Gorham. The department maintains a collection of nonprint materials, with electronic listings available on the USM Web site (www.usm.maine.edu/itms).
ITMS staff are available to help with the rental of materials for classroom use. Help is also available for the production of instructional materials for classroom use.
Offices are located at 232 Luther Bonney Hall in Portland, (207) 780-4280, and 3 Bailey Hall in Gorham, (207) 780-5356.
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The Office of Academic Assessment coordinates the administration of various testing programs, such as USM’s Mathematics Placement Program (e.g., Accuplacer Math Tests) for incoming and transfer students, in addition to certification and national tests for graduating students (e.g., Miller Analogies Test, GRE Subject Tests, LSAT, PRAXIS, and others). Students are encouraged to contact the office for further information at 253 Luther Bonney Hall, Portland campus and visit our Web site for test registration and schedules at www.usm.maine.edu/assessment.
The Office also conducts student assessment studies and student surveys, assists departments in evaluating courses and programs, develops tests and assessment instruments, and provides technical support to the faculty.
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The developmental math course (MAT 009) helps students to achieve college readiness in mathematics. In addition to providing this math readiness course, the Learning Foundations Department also provides the following support services:
The Academic Self-Management course (FRS 180) is available to all students as an elective.
The Learning Centers Three Center locations offer variable tutorial services in mathematics, writing in all disciplines, and English for Speakers of Other Languages.
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Office of Support for Students with Disabilities (OSSD) OSSD provides services to qualified students with cognitive, psychological, sensory, physical or mobility disabilities currently enrolled in USM credit and noncredit courses and programs. For more information call (207) 780-4706 or TTY (207) 780-4395, or e-mail to ossd@usm.maine.edu. The Office is located at 242 Luther Bonney Hall in Portland; www.usm.maine.edu/oassd.
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