Student Success Center

Welcome to Life University's Student Success Center!

We would like to introduce you to the many special services that the Student Success Center (SSC) has to offer by assisting student's academic, emotional, and disability needs. Our goal is to promote success throughout the students' collegiate years and beyond. The Center provides students with learning opportunities that develop skills and competencies to enrich the individual's educational experiences and assist them in achieving excellence throughout their career path.

The SSC offers services and support to all currently enrolled Life University students by providing the following services:

Academic Support:  Supplemental Instruction (SI)/Tutoring/Peer Mentoring, study skills, organizational skills, time management, educational workshops and make-up testing

Psychotherapeutic Counseling: Individual, couples, and group psychotherapy and psycho-educational services and workshops.

Disability Services: Provide accommodations according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines by supporting fair and reasonable accommodations.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Student Success Center at 770.426.2725.

Academic Support

The Student Success Center was designed to enhance academics through various tutoring modalities and improving study skills.  Our objective is to provide services that help students improve academic performance through the use of peer tutoring, peer supplemental instruction (SI) and Peer Mentoring while integrating learning strategies and study skills with course material.

TUTORING:  (Individual Focused)

• 10 or fewer students helped by a peer tutor for specific subject
• schedules are updated every quarter
• based upon availability
• help focus on improving study skills for specific topic
• all employed tutors are required to go through an interview process, have an “A” in the specific course, and three faculty letters of reference
• BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION (SI): (Group Focused)
Students in group settings are helped by peers who conduct weekly out of class sessions based upon specific class topics. Supplemental Instruction provides a chance for you to collaborate with individuals in your class, to compare notes, discuss important concepts, develop strategies for studying the subject, and to test yourself. SI is offered to students who want to improve their understanding of course material and improve their grades. In specific courses offered, a SI leader facilitates the sessions.

• 4 or more students helped by peers who conduct weekly out of class sessions designed to give student  ample time to process lecture notes.
• schedules are updated every quarter.
• based upon availability.
• all employed SI leaders are required to go through an interview process, have an “A” in the specific course, and three faculty letters of reference.

WAYS TO SUCCESS
The secret of success is to study proactively! Don't wait until the night before to study. Come to the SSC and make efficient use of your study time. Please remember to bring your notes, textbook, and other study material to the sessions along with questions that you might have.

What does it cost? Academic support does not cost anything except your time. Assistance is free and you can come as often as you like. Remember that the statistics show that the more you come, the better your grade.

How will I know if academic support is offered in my class? During the first week of classes the SI leaders and Tutors will come and make an announcement to your class letting you know the day and time for the session. Come to the Student Success Center and pick up a copy of the schedule. You can also ask the faculty if there is SI available for your class.

PEER MENTORING PROGRAM:
A peer mentor is one who supports and facilitates learning, resource sharing, problem solving, feedback, and reflection that are separate from evaluation.  The peer mentor will serve as a liaison between campus resources and students in need.  Peer mentors are Life University alumni who have shown proficiency in one or more areas of academic excellence, social development and leadership. 

Goals

• To improve academic study skills
• To improve communication skills
• To promote student engagement
• To promote responsible citizenship
• To develop lifelong learning skills
• To promote application of learning

Specific Role of Peer Mentors

• Provide academic support
• Provide academic direction to students
• Provide a link between student and campus resources
• Referral source for non-academic resources such as the wellness center, campus clubs, local health department, grocery stores, student discount offers, volunteer opportunities, local attractions, transportation systems etc.

The Peer Mentors create and present workshops on various areas of professional development including starting a business, managing insurance in practice and entrepreneurial and leadership skills.  The Peer Mentors also arrange for professionals to present workshops on other topics.

WORKSHOPS:
Workshops are offered throughout the quarter on various topics (i.e. note-taking, test taking, learning styles, study skills, time management, etc). Please let us know if you have a topic you would like covered in a workshop setting.

MAKE-UP TESTING:
Offered two days per week within a specific time slot. Doors will close 15 minutes after the hour in order to maintain a quiet testing environment.

• offered Tuesday and Wednesday at 11 AM  (week 1 & 10 only, Thursday’s at 11 am)
• in order to maintain a quiet testing environment, doors close 15 minutes after the hour of scheduled exam
• Must fill out appropriate form and have faculty member sign off for approval
• Cell phones turned off
• Books and backpacks on side counter
• Remove caps and hats
• Show ID

Counseling Center Services

Welcome to the Life University Counseling Center!  We are located at the Student Success Center in Annex C.  We are committed to the personal growth and life satisfaction of Life University students.  We offer free and confidential individual, group, and couples counseling.  In addition, workshops targeting common issues that students face are offered throughout the quarter.

All currently enrolled students are eligible to receive short-term counseling services at the Student Success Center.  Students are eligible for twenty individual sessions per calendar year.  During peak demand, a student may be placed on a waiting list until therapists have availability, however, referrals will be given to therapists in the community. 

If you would like to request counseling, call or visit the Student Success Center which is located in Annex C.  The phone number is (770) 426-2725

Crisis Intervention

A student in crisis, after operating hours, should call 911. If during operating hours, a staff member can help access a referral resource or campus police (770-426-2911).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

--What is counseling?

Counseling is a collaborative process that involves the development of a unique, confidential, helping relationship.  In this relationship, therapists serve as facilitators who help their clients understand themselves and their environments more accurately.  Individuals are encouraged to understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.  Discussion of these enables growth in making healthier choices and taking responsible action with themselves, academics, families, and relationships. 

Counseling can help you learn to manage short-term problems or situations, like how to get through finals, or long term issues like depression and anxiety.

--What can I expect from my counselor?

You can expect someone who is interested in listening to your concerns and in helping you develop a better understanding of them so that you may deal with them more easily and effectively. Your counselor will take you seriously and be willing to openly discuss anything you wish to discuss. Your counselor will be willing to answer some questions about herself or himself directly and honestly. Because counselors have different beliefs about how people change, they differ on how much talking they do in sessions, whether they ask you to do "homework", and their focus of discussion. If you have any questions about what is going on, by all means ask. Counselors have no "magical" skills or knowledge, and will be unable to solve your problems directly for you. Your counselor will want to work with you, but won’t do for you what you are capable of doing for yourself. Except under unusual circumstances such as imminent risk of harm to self or others or lawful subpoena of client files, your counselor will maintain strict confidentiality about you, and will openly discuss this with you.

--Why should I come to counseling?

Among the concerns that students bring to counseling are:

● Academic adjustment	● Low self-confidence
● Adjusting to college	● Anxiety (test, performance, social, panic)
● Depression	● Controlling the use of alcohol/drugs
● Relationship issues	● Personal growth
● Anger	● Concerned with the way they eat
● Self-defeating behaviors	● Sexual identity concerns

--What are my responsibilities in counseling?

Your main responsibilities in counseling are to attend your regularly scheduled sessions, talk about what is bothering you as openly and honestly as you can, and complete any tasks or "homework" assignments you may be asked to do. You are expected to let your counselor know if you are unable to make it to a session. Most counseling will require you to try something new or a "different approach." Another thing your counselor will expect is for you to be willing to experiment and try things out without jumping to conclusions. You are also expected to let your counselor know when your problems have been solved as well as let your counselor know if you don’t feel like you’re making any progress. This latter point is most important; your counselor is most interested in your benefiting from counseling.

--What are common difficulties in counseling?

One of the most difficult steps in counseling occurs before you even see a counselor for the first time. Deciding to seek counseling is the first step in change. Once this decision has been made, the mechanics for change have been set in motion. In the process of changing the way you think, feel, or behave, you usually must try out new ways of doing things. This can make you anxious or frustrated. Also, in the course of counseling you may come to realize that things you once thought of only in a positive or negative way you may see a bit differently. The challenges of pushing on your limitations may also cause you frustrations, but with commitment and practice, you will find that you can stretch your limits and find new and exciting aspects of yourself.

-- What are the limits to confidentiality?
There are some limits to confidentiality to consider and be aware of.  These include:

• Consultation and Supervision:  Your therapist may be supervised by the Director of the SSC, Lisa E. Rubin, PhD, in order to ensure that you are receiving the best treatment possible.  However, your therapist will discuss this with you during the first visit and if you are not comfortable with this, outside referrals can be made.
• Intent to harm self or others:  Your therapist is a mandated reporter, which means that if he/she believes that you may have intent to harm yourself or someone else, they may have to break confidentiality in order to maintain safety.
• Abuse of dependents:  If you disclose to your therapist that you know of an elder or child who is being abused, he/she is mandated to break confidentiality in order to ensure safety.
• A court order:  A court order issued by a judge, may require counseling staff to release information contained in your records and/or require a therapist to testify in a court hearing.  In most judicial proceedings, you have the right to prevent your therapist from testifying.  However, in proceedings in which your emotional condition is an important element, a judge may require your therapist’s testimony. 

--Who are the Counselors?

The Director is a licensed clinical psychologist and directs the counseling center and coordinates other services.  The other counselors consist of qualified, trained mental health professionals and graduate psychology practicum students that are supervised by the director of the department.

-- How do I see a counselor?

Call or visit the Student Success Center (770) 426-2725 and fill out a counseling request form.  You will be given an appointment as soon as possible, if there is no waiting list. 

-- What happens next?

During your first meeting with a counselor you will be asked to fill out paperwork and to describe your concerns and what you hope to gain from counseling.  This is an opportunity for you and your counselor to decide what treatment options would be best for you.  You may decide to continue counseling with a Student Success Center therapist, or you may decide to seek therapy off-campus, but will incur a charge at these facilities. 

Disability Services

Students seeking academic accommodations for specific learning disabilities, medical disabilities, psychological disabilities, or Attention Deficit Disorder that substantially limits a major life activity, (such as walking, seeing, hearing, working or learning), are required to self-identify in the SSC.  Students are then required to submit documentation from a qualified licensed professional. The documentation must verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and ADA guidelines.  Life University may terminate any reasonable accommodation upon the student’s failure to provide appropriate documentation, misrepresentation, or failure to cooperate appropriately.

Appropriate paperwork must be filled out in the Student Success Center before each exam.  Please make an appointment with the Director in order to discuss your personal and individualized accommodation needs.

Our objective is to insure accommodated students have equal opportunity, within reason, to perform academically, regardless of their disability, in accordance with ADA guidelines and the Rehabilitation Act.

 

Procedures for students to follow:

Life University provides self-identified students with a documented disability with reasonable accommodations in order to provide equal opportunity to access the educational services and benefits available to all students at Life University. Life University may require updated documentation of the disability from time-to-time. In addition, to be "qualified," students must meet the entrance requirements of Life University with or without reasonable accommodation.

To obtain a copy of the "Test Accommodation Form," please stop by the Student Success Center's Forms Table.

All students are subject to academic and disciplinary rules published by Life University for failure to provide accurate information. Actions such as termination of accommodations, suspension and/or expulsion may result upon failure to provide accurate and up-to-date information.

All documentation is confidential and is secured in the Student Success Center.

Documentation Requirements for Accommodations

A disability is defined as impairment in a major life activity, such as walking, reading, writing, etc.  The disability must be clearly documented that the individual with a disability is substantially limited by the condition and that a need exists for the accommodation.

A student will not automatically be provided with accommodations based on a diagnosis alone.  Evidence must be presented that the disability is significantly interfering with their academic performance or any other accommodation request. Each accommodation is individualized to the particular student, as supported by their documentation.

All students must meet and follow all University rules, Student Handbook, Course Catalog and Technical Standards, including attendance, regardless of disability or approved accommodations.

All students are responsible to provide adequate documentation. Life University is not required to conduct or to pay for any evaluation to document a disability or need for an academic adjustment. Life University does not provide any evaluations or documentation for disabilities.  An outside independent professional documentation must be provided to the Student Success Center.  Individuals are responsible for all funding to pay for appropriate professional documentation. (Your state vocational rehabilitation agency through the Department of Education Web page may be able to assist: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/resources.html.).

Accommodation documentation must include all of the following:

1. Provided appropriate documentation from a qualified licensed professional with the ability to diagnose the specific disability.
2. Current documentation must be adult based (18 years or older, post high-school).Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 plan, &/or prior historical accommodations are not sufficient documentation for postsecondary education, since different demands are required and the nature of a disability may have changed due to maturation.
3. Submitted on professional letterhead which includes address and telephone number of facility &/or professional.
4. Original signature of licensed professional with listed degree and specialty.
5. Dated.
6. Comprehensive testing and clearly define the impact of the disability on the student’s functioning in daily life. Clearly define the limitations imposed and the support data verifying the impact of the condition.
7. Specific recommendations for academic accommodations must be listed with supported diagnostic information. Documentation must be specific in listing practical &/or written exam based accommodations, if appropriate.

***For Chiropractic Students, please see National Board of Chiropractic Examiners website for further details (“Guidelines for Acceptable Documentation”)***

Policies and Procedures for Academic Accommodations:

Please make yourself aware of some of the rules that govern your use of the services offered by the Student Success Center.

1) 72-hour Rule: All accommodation requests for written exams must be submitted within 72 hours to be signed and forwarded to the appropriate instructor by an SSC staff member.

Test Day	Request Completed by
Monday	Previous Wednesday
Tuesday	Previous Thursday
Wednesday	Previous Friday
Thursday	Previous Monday
Friday	Previous Tuesday

If your forms are submitted on time, they will be signed by an SSC staff member. If no one is available, you may drop the forms in the locked box outside the testing room. The accommodated form is in triplicate. Bear down hard with your pen to make sure all copies are legible. Once the form is signed, you keep the yellow copy. The white copy is retained here in the office for our records. The pink copy is delivered to the instructor by the SSC. If the form is late, you run the risk of having the instructor decline the request to test in the SSC. The 72 hour rule does not include any weekend days. Forms can not be called in or faxed; only original signatures can be accepted.

If the date for the exam changes or you are going to be absent from the exam, please call the SSC and leave a message. You may also fill out one of the request forms, located on the front desk. If there is no one at the front desk, you may drop the form in the locked box outside the testing room. There is no need to fill out a new form. The date will be changed on the original and on the pink copy that goes to the instructor.

During the quarter, you must be seated by 15 minutes after the hour. Late arrivals will not be allowed to take the exam. During finals week, there is no time grace period. Please be seated on time. 

2) Final Exam Requests: Accommodation requests for final exams must be submitted during week ten (10) or 110 hours (5 days) in advance. The schedule is listed below:

                                   
Also, the fifteen minute grace period is not in effect for finals week. You must be on time! Ideally, you should arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. Please take care of any restroom breaks before you enter the room. Once you enter, sign in, please be seated and remain quiet. If you have back-to-back exams, i.e. 8:00am, 9:30am and 11:00am, once you complete one exam in the one hour and 52 minutes, you must start on the next exam without a break (unless it’s an escorted restroom break) or unless you finish early. If you have multiple exams beginning at the same time, i.e. three exams for 9:30am, you will not be allowed to leave the SSC until all three exams are completed, except for escorted restroom breaks. Unless your documentation specifically allows for food or drink, please do not bring these items into the testing room. All back packs, briefcases and other bags or satchels are not allowed.

3) Blue Lab Practical Forms: The blue lab forms must be turned in by 3:00pm Friday at the end of week two for the entire quarter. These forms let your lab instructor know that you are to receive extended time or other accommodations on any lab practical. Please fill out one form for each lab session that you have. If you have three lab practicals during the quarter, you must fill out three separate lab forms. The forms will be distributed to the instructors at the beginning of the quarter, but it is your responsibility to remind the instructor verbally that you are to receive extra time or other accommodations for the practical approximately one week in advance of the practical. The instructor can then plan how to best accommodate you, whether before or after the rest of the class. If you are unsure as to which date the lab practical will be on, just indicate which week of the quarter you think the exam will be and go ahead and submit the form.

4) OSCE Accommodation Requests: Any 8th or 11th quarter students (or 9th or 12th for upcoming quarters) needing accommodations for OSCE must have their lab and accommodated forms submitted by 3:00 p.m. Friday at the end of week two. You must fill out one of each of the forms. Late forms will not be accepted.

5) OSCE Remediation: Any request for remediation on the OSCE requires separate accommodation and lab forms and must be submitted 72 hours after the posting of the grades.

6) CLET 3757 Assessment Exam: Any 7th quarter students preparing to take the CLET 3757 assessment exam should have their accommodation forms in following the 72-hour rule, as well.

7) Other Accommodation Requests: Any accommodation or special need above and beyond extended time/quiet environment should be communicated in writing by week 8 for the upcoming quarter. Special need accommodations include note takers and furniture requests, etc. You must schedule an appointment with Director of the SSC to start this process.

8) Updated Information: The SSC may need to reach you during the course of the quarter. Please make sure that you provide an updated phone number and e-mail address every quarter. Come in the office and fill out a request form with your information on it. Often the university will send messages to your Life University e-mail account. Please make sure you check it periodically, as well. Updates to the final exam schedule may be listed there.

If you have questions or problems, please feel free to contact the SSC at 770/426-2725.

Updated: Spring 2007

Policies and Procedures for Faculty to give Academic Accommodations:

What to Do When You Get a Blue Extended Time Lab Form
Submission of this form by a student needing accommodations indicates that the student should be provided extended time (time and a half) for any lab practical performed in the lab or classroom settings. The student is asked to communicate verbally with you to set up their testing schedule. Appropriate documentation is housed in the Student Success Center.

• Review the main instructor/lab instructor name
• Review the student name and make sure he/she is enrolled in your class.
• Review the course name/number.
• Check the date of the exam and make sure it matches the date/week that you listed in your syllabus for the lab practical.
• Make sure the form is signed by a member of the SSC staff.

What to Do When You Receive the Pink Accommodation Form
Once you receive the pink copy of the accommodated form, please
 

• Confirm that the student listed on the form is enrolled in the course.

• Confirm that the day, date and time of the exam is correct.

• Are there special considerations, i.e. is there class after the exam?

•  If there are slides, 48 hours advance notice will be needed to schedule and additional proctor.

• Please indicate, in writing, if the student is allowed to use a calculator, formulas, notes, books, spines, diagrams, etc.

• Indicate the amount of time the students will receive for testing in the classroom setting so that time and a half can be calculated.

• Please make sure you sign the pink form, indicating your approval for the student to take the test here in the SSC.

• This pink form should be returned along with the exam to the SSC, preferably 24 hours in advance of the test time.

• If you’d like to make copy of the pink form for your records, please feel free to do so, but the original pink copy must come back to the testing center.