STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER

Phone: 265-3747

It is the mission of the Northern Student Success Center to provide a comprehensive range of career, academic, testing, placement, counseling, guidance, disabilities, and other programs to enhance student personal and professional preparation for a successful future.

The Student Success Center professional staff are trained to assist students with a variety of questions and needs. The Student Success Center supports intellectual, social, cultural, physical, emotional, vocational and spiritual development to prepare students for their upcoming leadership roles in this rapidly changing world. Services and programs which can be accessed through the Student Success Center in Cowan Hall include:

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF SERVICES:

Adjustment to College

Advisement by Faculty

Career Exploration

Chemical Abuse and Dependency Assessment

CLEP Testing

Conflict Resolution

Counseling (Personal and Group)

Crisis Intervention

Disability

Early Warning Alert Interventions

Extended Learning Support

GED Testing

Gender Equity Programming

Learning Style Assessment

Math and English Testing Placement

Multicultural Programming and Counseling

Native American Student Services

Northern Leadership Seminar 309 or 101

NTE Preparation

Peer Mentoring, Peer Guidance

Personality Assessment and Inventories

Relationship Harmonizing

SAT Testing

Single Parent Support Services

"Students Over 21" Support

Study Skills

Support for Parents of Chemically Dependent

Support for Roommates, Partners of Chemically Dependent

Support for Chemically Dependent in Recovery

Support for Students from Abusive Backgrounds

Tutoring Support

Undecided Majors Advising

Wilderness and Challenge Programs

All students at MSU-Northern are welcome at the Center and are invited to obtain any of the above services, just by signing in and making the request.

PERSONAL COUNSELING: Confidential individual and small group counseling on specific topics assists students to solve situational problems. Personal
issues, family concerns, academic difficulties, stress related issues, personal or family problems with drug and alcohol abuse, and conflict resolution are but a few of the many areas of counseling support available. Students may get referrals to off-campus mental health agencies and professionals in the community when requested or required. Sign in and request to see a counselor.

CAREER EXPLORATION SERVICES: Career related concerns can be addressed through career counseling; interest inventories; ability and personality testing; occupational guidance; and career exploration and decision-making. Sign in and request assistance with career decision-making.

TUTORING SERVICES: Any student enrolled at Northern whose motivation is to succeed in a course which is difficult for him/her may obtain free tutoring for that course through the Student Success Center. Group sessions and open lab tutoring are available throughout the semester. Sign in and request assistance with tutoring.

NATIVE AMERICAN PEER MENTORING: All new Native American Students will be assigned a peer mentor/guide. The mentors will contact students and introduce themselves, making themselves available to answer questions, help students locate classes, meet new people, get involved in campus activities and groups, and to help students get settled. The Peer Mentors are carefully selected and trained. Their goal is to promote success and to help new students feel comfortable at MSU-N.

VOCATIONAL PEER MENTORING: Northern students enrolled in the first two years of a Vocational Program will be assigned a Peer Mentor. These Mentors will contact students and introduce themselves, offering opportunities to get answers to questions, to locate places or to meet new people, get acquainted with campus groups and activities, and to help students get settled. Their goal is to promote success and to help new students feel comfortable at MSU-N.

TESTING AND PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Standardized Assessments available to students through the Learning Specialist at MSU-N include: GED (High School Equivalency Examinations), CLEP (University Level Examination Program), NTE preparation (National Teachers' Exam), ACT Examination (American College Testing) and SAT (Scholastic Assessment Testing), along with a variety of other instruments designed to aid in academic evaluation and success.

DISABILITIES SERVICES: A Professional Learning Specialist is available to identify and assist students to obtain accommodations with reading, visual, auditory, and other disabilities, in a supportive
environment. A writing lab is available to offer assistance in English, reading skills, written assignments and to support the strengthening of other basic skills.

ACADEMIC PROGRESS INTERVENTION: The Student Success Center staff coordinates an early warning reporting in readiness to step forward to assist students who are struggling in one or more of their classes and have received a pink slip from the instructor. Instructors have been requested to refer students to us who have not attended classes or who have not exceeded a "D" in the class so the instructor and our staff may combine efforts to better support student academic success before the semester ends. Our staff requests students to contact us.

ADVISEMENT CENTER: Students can obtain faculty advisement from the Advisement Center at Cowan Hall 213 or by calling and requesting an appointment or by walking in the Center. Faculty advisors are on hand regularly during pre-registration and registration times. Many new students are assigned to faculty at the advisement Center.

STUDENT PRE-ADVISING GUIDANCE: Students will be referred to the Student Success Center or staff will contact students who have been admitted on probationary status, are undeclared majors, or who have received pink slips for Pre-Advisement Guidance Sessions. Identification of strategies and supportive activity for the success of MSU-Northern students is the focus of the Pre-Advisement Guidance Sessions.

CULTURAL AND GENDER EQUITY: MSU-Northern is committed to education in a culturally sensitive and gender fair environment. Personal support for students entering MSU-Northern may include assistance in meeting students, in obtaining campus and community services or referrals, and access to educational programs, workshops and campus activities which promote appreciation of cultural diversity. Assistance may be obtained for filling out financial aid forms, handling personal or family crises, obtaining counseling, tutoring, advice and personal assistance when equity is threatened to resolve it quickly and fairly. Informational workshops on sexual harassment, date rape, or other gender related issues will be supplemented with individual support and assistance through the Cultural and Gender Equity Office of the Student Success Center.

NORTHERN LEADERSHIP SEMINARS: New and transfer students will be advised to enroll in three credit hours of Northern Leadership Seminars offered under the Education Department as EDUC 190. All sections offered after the one credit earned through New Student Orientation will begin later in the semester to enable students to work with schedule changes which may result mid-semester. The focus for each of
these sections highlights a grouping of topics. with outcomes leading to skills and information readily transferable to a wide array of future settings as investment in student leadership potential. The various topics and sections listed in the catalog under EDUC 190 are coordinated and taught through cooperation between Academic and Student Affairs personnel. The one credit hour components offered for 1996-1997 include: Mind Over Matter, Professions and Personalities, Changing Leadership Roles, Mastering Academic Success Skills, Breaking Barriers to Success, Self-Discovery Through Creativity, and Bridges to the Future.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

(U.S. Department of Education Federally Funded Program)

Phone: 265-3783

Student Support Services is located in Cowan Hall Room 213 and offers a host of personalized services. This program is a federally funded support program for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who show an academic need (i.e. first-generation college student, low income, disabled) designed to provide basic skills instruction, individualized tutoring, personal and career counseling. The grant provides funding to serve 240 students attending Montana State University_Northern each year. We encourage you to come into Cowan Hall Room 213 to apply for the Student Support Services program.

Transitional Studies courses are available to Student Support Services students. These are college exploration courses designed to examine academic expectations and increase student success, promote better study skills and address life skills and career preparation.

The learning/disabilities specialist in the program is available to assist physically and learning disabled students in successfully completing university coursework.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER

(U.S. Department of Education Federally Funded Program)

Phone: 265-4141

The Montana State University_Northern Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) is one of 74 federally funded EOC programs in the United States designed to assist adults in assessing post-secondary education. EOC provides:

Information about colleges, universities, and vocational-technical schools

Information about scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial aid

Assistance in completing admissions and financial aid applications

Career exploration and counseling

Referral to support systems upon entering college

Help in knowing what to expect from college

The EOC program works closely with the supportive services available through community agencies and colleges to promote a smooth transition into the educational setting. EOC counselors are located in Kalispell, Browning, Rocky Boy, Poplar, Wolf Point, Helena, and Great Falls as well as on the Montana State University_Northern campus.

VETERAN'S UPWARD BOUND

(U.S. Department of Education Federally Funded Program)

Phone: 245-8212 or 1-800-356-VETS

The Veteran's Upward Bound program is a federally funded Department of Education Program designed to provide educational services to all low-income and/or first generation college bound students. Montana's VUB was written by Montana State University_Northern and is housed on the Montana State University-Billings campus. The program's primary mission is to provide basic skill development and instruction that will enable the student to succeed in post-secondary training or education. The student will also have the chance to explore career and educational opportunities through individual and group counseling. This program will provide an academic environment that is both challenging and supportive of student goals. There are no credits granted for courses and all instruction is offered at no cost to eligible veterans. Instruction is offered on the Montana State University-Billings with tuition assistance at all of the tribal colleges.