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Freshman Advising Newsletter
Dear Class of 2013,
This is your November advising newsletter containing information on academic calendar deadlines, course selection, majors, research opportunities, opportunities to study/work away from Stanford, academic coaching/tutoring and Thanksgiving Week resources. Please give it a quick read so that you are familiar with the various events and deadlines listed. Don’t forget that your Autumn Quarter study list must be finalized by November 13, 5 p.m. (deadline to withdraw from a class or change its grading basis).
Happy November!
Dean Julie
Academic Calendar Deadlines
Deadline for Withdrawing from Class and/or Changing Grading Basis
is Friday, November 13, 5 p.m. We encourage you to consult with your Academic Director if you are considering withdrawing from a class or taking a class pass/no credit. Even if you plan to make no such changes, review your study list to be certain it reflects your intentions. After November 13, your Autumn Quarter study list is considered final. For a full list of academic dates and deadlines, please refer to the Stanford Academic Calendar for 2009-10.
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Selecting Winter Quarter IHUM/PWR/Introductory Seminar Courses
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Introductory Seminars’ application deadline is Monday, November 30, 2009 at noon; you will learn of your application status on Friday, December 11, 2009. To help you write the best possible application essay, consider checking out the services of the Hume Writing Center. For information about winter quarter Introductory Seminar offerings, go to https://vcasis.stanford.edu/.
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IHUM is a two-quarter commitment in winter and spring. Because no course changes are permitted between winter and spring, you should learn as much as possible about the course sequences. The IHUM Open House will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2009, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall, Building 160. Faculty and fellows will be available from all winter/spring courses to answer questions and talk about the course themes and texts. IHUM Course Preference Forms can be submitted from November 18 through Friday, December 4, 2009 at 5 p.m. IHUM assignments are posted on Friday, December 11, 2009. For course information click here http://ual.stanford.edu/AP/univ_req/IHUM_SLE/Courses.html#2.
- PWR will enroll about one third of the class of 2013 in winter quarter. By Wednesday, November 11, 2009, when the PWR Open House takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall, you will be able to read all winter course descriptions. The Open House is an opportunity to meet PWR instructors and learn about their courses in person. PWR Course Preference Forms are open from November 11 through Friday, December 4, 2009 at 5 p.m. Like IHUM, PWR assignments are posted on Friday, December 11, 2009. For more information about PWR, click here http://ual.stanford.edu/AP/univ_req/PWR/Courses.html.
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Academic Opportunities
Humanities and Sciences Dinners about Majors
The Humanities and Sciences Dean's Office is hosting a series of dinners that allow pre-major students to meet faculty, staff, students, and alumni from departments/programs of interest. The schedule and sign-up instructions are posted at the Facebook group "Humanities and Sciences majors." If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Lorraine Sterritt (sterritt@stanford.edu) Associate Dean for Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in H&S. All dinners are from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The dinners planned for the month of November are below.
- English – Monday, Nov. 2, Building 460, Room 426
- Iberian & Latin American Studies – Thursday, Nov. 12, Building 50, Room 51
- Linguistics – Tuesday, Nov. 17, Building 50, Room 51
Away from Stanford Fair: Tuesday, November 3, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., in Toyon Hall’s Main Lounge
Over 25 booths with Stanford students/staff and program representatives available to discuss opportunities for study, research, internships, teaching, and volunteering in the US and over 40 countries. Free literature and materials will be available to take home as well. Refreshments also provided. Sponsored by Undergraduate Advising & Research, the Career Services Center, and Bing Overseas Studies Program.
Academic Resources
Tutoring and Academic Skills
VPUE offers free academic skills coaching and peer tutoring to all undergraduates in biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, engineering, human biology, foreign languages, math, physics, psychology, and statistics. Tutoring is used by students in all years and at all levels of understanding. Tutoring office hours (no appointment needed) are available in many of the dorms, and individual appointments can be scheduled online. Academic skills coaching, which focuses on helping your reading, time management, test-taking, and other strategies, can be scheduled by visiting http://academicskills.stanford.edu. Resources for free peer tutoring may be found at http://tutoring.stanford.edu. The Hume Writing Center offers one-one sessions with tutors trained specifically to help students in WIM courses; appointments can be scheduled by visiting http://hwc.stanford.edu/tutoring/index.htm.
Oral Communication Tutoring
The Center for Teaching and Learning offers free oral communication tutoring for all Stanford undergraduate and graduate students. Oral Communication Tutors (OCTs) can help with:
- Brainstorming, organizing, and rehearsing oral presentations
- Preparing for job interviews
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Using PowerPoint and other visual aids effectively
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Overcoming speech anxiety
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Any other oral communication needs you may have
To schedule an appointment, visit http://speakinghelp.stanford.edu.
Special Assistant for Diversity Outreach, Laura Selznick
A Stanford staff member and academic advisor for over 37 years, and winner of the Dinkelspiel Award in 2000, Laura Selznick is an invaluable resource for both students and their advisors. In her role as John Bravman’s Special Assistant for Diversity Outreach, Laura is responsible for ensuring that all undergraduates in Stanford’s diverse student body access the wealth of academic opportunities available to them and enjoy success while they are here. She is available for individual meetings with students, to learn about their experiences and aspirations, and to help them develop strategies for success. The Diversity Outreach portfolio includes the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (a program to diversify the faculty of the future), Exchange programs with Morehouse and Spelman College in Atlanta, Howard University in Washington, DC and the Native American Studies program at Dartmouth College. Laura welcomes referrals from academic advisors and invites students to drop in to her office in Grove Lasuen. Reach her at selznick@stanford.edu.
Thanksgiving Week Resources
During the week of Thanksgiving (Monday November 23 – Friday November 27), classes will not be held but undergraduate and graduate residences will remain open. For those remaining on campus, a limited number of UAR Advisors and Academic Directors will be available for drop-in advising appointments during their regular hours on Monday and Tuesday and for a half-day on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact an Academic Director or the UAR Front Desk at 723-2426. Dining service will remain open in one central location (for students served by University Dining). Students in residence will receive details of offices and recreation facilities that will be available during this period through their residential staff.