1. Family Weekend Academic Affairs
Friday February 8, 2019
Dr. Bill Daub
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Dr. Elizabeth Connolly
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
Dean Amy Bibbens
Associate Dean for Academic Resources & Student Success
Amy - lead; introduce self; Bill & Liz introduce selves
2018
Welcome DSA for half hour
Me alone for an hour, not split
All years together
Less of the first year stuff, keep all the upper div
Could talk about stems
ADAA always held by a faculty member that has that kind of experience with students – goal of position is to be bridge
We are constantly reviewing our curriculum and chekcing ourselves – give gender result from stems
Academic excellence through whole career

2. What we’ll touch on Student paths through the curriculum
Core, Majors, HSA
Academic resources
Summer plans
Questions
Amy

3. First-Year Students Mostly Core courses this semester
Core samples all disciplines
2nd semester includes: biology, physics (mechanics), chemistry, linear algebra, differential equations, HSA10 (Critical Inquiry, multiple discipline choices), lab
Building blocks for what students do later
Liz
A large number of you are parents of first year students. they are deep in our core curriculum.
You parents of sophomores and juniors are sitting here saying I remember that, it was rough.
But now I hope you see you students using all that breadth and applying it to what they are now choosing as their focus and settling into their academic “homes” here

4. Sophomore/Junior Students
Sophomores beginning to focus on majors – GPAs rise for many
Juniors solidly in majors and looking toward capstone research/Clinic
Continuing work on HSA requirements
Planning path to 128 credits
Liz
majors typically declared in fourth semester
some certain in freshman year. Some here in sophomore spring are still trying to keep engineering, CS, physics and chemistry open.
That’s distressing to them right now,which makes sense, but big picture, isn’t it great to have such intellectual curiosity and love of learning and breadth of interest? I try to convince them that these four years are not their last chance to learn, and share with them that because of the breadth of the education and the focus we have on open ended problems and learning how to learn to solve them, students of every major go on to do every thing.
Are there parents of seniors here – your students are bringing it all together now in thesis and research
Before talking about what resources to help your students with all these things, I want to take a short diversion

5. What’s next after Core? Choosing a major Required courses
Major electives
Capstone experiences (research, Clinic)
Individual Program of Studies & off-campus majors
Bill

6. What’s next after Core? Capstone experience
CS, Engineering: all Clinic
Math, Physics: departments offer Clinic or research
Biology, Chemistry: departments offer research, but Clinic available
Bill

7. What’s next after Core? Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts (HSA)
Ten courses beyond the core
Concentration and distribution requirements
Writing intensive course
Minimum five on-campus courses
Bill

8. What’s next after Core? Advice for course selection in major
Major advisor
Other professors in the major
Registrar
Website, catalogue, resources sent by registrar
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Advice for HSA course selection
HSA advisor
HSA professors
Bill
these are all the resources we really want them to use.
really for usually better but sometimes worse, a lot of their info comes from other students - not always accurate or the best advice for the student

9. Academic Requirements
128 credits to graduate
Core + major + HSA < 128
Number of elective units is major-dependent
Average course load 16 units per semester (5 classes plus lab/PE/colloquium)
Bill

10. Academic Resources & Support
The Three Deans
Dean Bibbens: academic or personal support, communicating with faculty, study strategies, time management
Deans Daub & Connolly: course selection, core and major requirements, drops/withdrawals
Workshops & events: pre-registration, study strategies, time management
Amy - initial entry point for students, triage & connect to resources; all three deans are available by appt; ADAAs have open office hours throughout the week

11. Academic Resources & Support
Professors
Advisors
Academic Excellence for Core courses
Writing Center
Proctors, Mentors, PALs (Peer Academic Liaisons)
Study groups
Amy
Professors in classes, in major - FY/Major/HSA advisors
office hours - connect with professors - students often intimidated - work with students to learn how to communicate with faculty - ask for help
Study groups - HMC encourages students to work collaboratively, and for many students, study groups are a key strategy to get their work done; independent work also important
don’t focus on group too much - indep. - start on own

12. How can you help? Remind them…
Academic challenge is part of learning experience
Access available resources
Develop a network of support
Amy
academic standards higher - challenge is part of learning process

13. Summer – what to do with it?
Spend time with family & friends
Decompress
Travel
Work
Summer research
Internship
Summer math
Bill

14. Summer Research engineering chemistry Australian collaborator physics
Bill

15. Summer research 10 week immersive experience Stipend provided
Close to 200 students work with 40+ faculty each summer
All departments well represented
Even rising sophomores may get positions
Bill

16. Summer Math
Two half courses normally taken in sophomore fall taken over first three weeks of summer
Costs: tuition, room and board
Provides flexibility in sophomore fall semester
Fast-paced and intense academic experience which may not fit everyone’s learning style
Liz
Last thing before I take your questions - I want to tell parents of first year students about is summer math

17. Questions? Dr. Bill Daub daub@hmc.edu Dr. Elizabeth Connolly
Dean Amy Bibbens

18. Computer Science Policies

19. Summer experiences
No evidence any one summer makes a huge difference for “next steps”
Good, just not critical
Definitely not critical for first-years!
Grad schools want HMC students
Clinic guarantees work-like experience