Monetha R. Reaves, D. A., Director
102, Harold M. Love Sr. Learning Resources Center
Faculty: H. Adi, M. Akbari, S. Arefin, J. Asamani, V. Batten, J. Culp, J. Grimes, C. Helton, H. Kuzat, J. Sargent, M. Shirani, S. Talevero, D. Thomas, J. Thompson, D. Wynn.
General Statement
Academic Enrichment, Advisement, and Orientation (AEAO) administers the
University’s Developmental Studies Program, operates the University’s
academic support laboratories (the Writing Center, the Math Lab, the
Tutorial Computer Lab, and the Reading Lab); plans and implements advisement
strategies and enrichment programs; and manages the Advisement Center for
students who are enrolled in Developmental Studies courses and those who
have not decided on a major.
Orientation and the
Academic Advisement Center
All full-time students who have not declared a major must enroll in
orientation. Orientation for Undecided Majors (ORN 100) introduces the
student to University policies, exposes the student to career interests, and
provides opportunities for selecting a major. Orientation for
Non-Traditional Students (ORN 101) is designed for students who are 21 years
of age or older who are returning to an academic setting. It also introduces
the adult learner to the TSU community and to all facets of university life.
The Advisement Center is the academic counseling component of the AEAO. The
Center handles the academic matters of students who take developmental
courses or who have not yet chosen a major. Intrusive advisement is
conducted by full-time academic advisors who staff the Center, and referrals
to other University support services are made as needed. All services are
provided daily on a first come, first-serve basis.
Academic Support Services
Academic Enrichment also provides a variety of academic support services for
all students at the University whether they are taking developmental or
college-level courses. There are tutorial labs for all levels of math, for
problems in reading comprehension and speed, and for problems in writing
that range from basic English skills to major term papers. The Academic
Enrichment Academic Support Program offers a variety of tutorial delivery
methods, including one-to-one sessions, workshops, and small group sessions.
There are computer tutorials, including special instructional software and
on-line material. Tutorials are available not only for general courses, such
as reading, writing, and math, but also for such disciplines as business,
chemistry, biology, literature, foreign languages, and psychology. There are
special tutorials for students preparing for licensure examinations in
health care areas. Services are available on both a walk-in and appointment
basis depending on the nature of the assistance needed. All support services
are free to TSU students.
The Developmental
Studies Program
The Tennessee Board of Regents of State University and Community College
System required that, beginning in fall, 1985, freshman students seeking
regular admission to a technical institute, community college, or university
within the Tennessee State Board of Regents (TBR) who meet the criteria
listed below must participate in assessment and placement as a condition of
enrollment.
At present, ACT/SAT scores are used for placement purposes. Subscores in
writing of 18, math of 18, and reading of 18 or SAT verbal susbscores of
459, math subscores of 459 and a composite score of 899 (The score is used
for reading placement) may be used for placement purposes.
Students who wish to challenge their ACT/SAT placement may take COMPASS, a
computerized adaptive placement test. Those who take this test as a
challenge must abide by the placement. The fee for challenge testing is
$20.00.
COMPASS is also used for placement purposes for non-traditional students who
do not have a valid ACT or SAT.
Transfer students who do not transfer college-level English or math from
their previous institutions must either present a valid ACT/SAT exempting
them from developmental placement, or they must undergo placement testing
with COMPASS.
The COMPASS test has three (3) components to measure the student’s readiness
for college-level courses: Writing, Reading Comprehension, and Mathematics.
The Testing Center periodically offers the COMPASS Test during each
semester. Students may contact the office of Mrs. Barbara Kannard (963-7419)
to schedule a time to take the COMPASS.
Diagnostic
Advancement
The Developmental Studies Program at Tennessee State University provides
students in developmental courses the opportunity for diagnostic advancement
into the next level course at the beginning of the term. For details, the
student should consult the course instructor or the Director of Academic
Enrichment. Students who diagnostically advance as a participant in the
Flexible Delivery Program are required to participate in supplemental
instruction. Students who are taking developmental courses to remove high
school deficiencies may not be diagnostically advanced out of English and
reading, but may be diagnostically advanced from Algebra I into Algebra II.
Class Participation
Students are expected to attend regularly all courses in which they are
enrolled. Student participation in developmental studies courses is
mandatory, and monitoring is ongoing. Irregular attendance or any
substantial number of unexcused absences may weigh adversely in the
consideration of grades or any petition for a special academic privilege
such as make-up assignments and/or examinations. To be allowed to make up
work, the student must secure an excused-absence form from the Vice
President for Student Affairs’ Office before presenting the work to the
instructor of the course. Students who have excused absences must arrange
with the course instructor to make up class and laboratory work immediately.
Information on attendance and participation becomes a part of the student’s
file.
Class Withdrawals
Students placed and enrolled in DSP courses are not permitted to withdraw
except for extenuating circumstances. Students who are denied permission to
withdraw may appeal their denial to the individual designated by the
institution to hear withdrawal appeals.
Credit Hours Earned
All credit hours earned in courses preceded by the course prefix DSP (DSPW
0800, DSPM 0800/0850, DSPR 0800, etc) will be in addition to the hours
required for graduation. Grades earned in these courses, however, are
computed in the student’s grade point average.
Readmission After a
Suspension
In order to be readmitted, a student in DSP who has been suspended must have
the recommendation of the Director of Academic Enrichment and must comply
with all readmission conditions.
Grading
Grades of completion in DSP
courses are A, B, and C. A student will be judged to have achieved minimum
competency if he/she achieves an average of at least 70 percent. D’s are not
awarded in DSP courses. Students who receive IP’s or W’s in DSP courses must
re-enroll in the courses. The I may be awarded if the student cannot take
the final examination because of extenuating circumstances. If the student
receives an I, he/she does not re-enroll in the course.
Testing
All developmental studies courses include a pretest, a post test, and an
exit examination. These tests are integral parts of the course design.
Students must complete all required tests as well as other course
assignments satisfactorily in order to pass developmental courses.
Transfer of Developmental
Credit
Developmental work successfully completed at another System institution (and
shown on the student’s transcript) will be accepted as equivalent to TSU
courses and /or laboratories that cover the same skills and competencies as
the courses or laboratories at the other institution. A student who
transfers developmental work from another TBR institution may, however, be
referred to the Director of Academic Enrichment by a classroom instructor if
the student demonstrates deficiency or weakness in a college-level program.
Forms for referral are available from the Director’s office. If it is
determined that the referred student is in need of course work or laboratory
assistance, the student will be required to enroll in the appropriate course
or laboratory. The student, however, will not be required to enroll in a
course at another institution. Students who have been tested and have taken
course work in other states may still be required to undergo ACT/SAT
assessment for placement.
Orientation
AEAO 1000 Orientation for Undecided Students (1).
A course required of all full-time students who have not declared majors. It
introduces students to university policies and procedures, exposes them to
various careers and provides guidance in selecting majors. The course must
be taken during the first term of enrollment.
AEAO 1010 Orientation for Non-Traditional Students (1).
A course designed primarily for non-traditional adult students (21 years of
age or older). It may be taken instead of the major orientation course.
Students under the age of 21 may also take the course if there are problems
scheduling the required orientation class. The adult learner will be
introduced to the college community and to all facets of university life.
Effective study habits, student support services, interpersonal skills, and
basic computer skills are included. The class will meet three times during
the semester. The remainder of the work will be completed via the Web. The
course must be taken during the first semester of enrollment.
AEAO 1020 Academic Recovery (0).
A non-credit course designed to monitor students who have been readmitted to
the University after suspension, as well as those students who have chosen
to sit out a semester. In addition to monitoring a student’s progress, this
course covers applied study skills and activities to assist students in
regaining skills. The class meets one day a week for two hours. Academic
study skills are taught during the first hour, and tutorials in the area of
weakness are covered in the second hour. IT IS REQUIRED OF ALL READMITTED
STUDENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM. The course is co-requisite to
the DSP course the student must repeat and must be taken upon re-enrollment
into the University.
Basic Studies
Basic (Remedial) courses are offered on the Tennessee State University
campus by Nashville State Community College.
DSPM 0700 Basic Mathematics (3).
A study of mathematical competencies that include whole numbers, fractions,
decimals, ratio and proportion, percents, and topics in algebra that include
signed numbers, exponents, algebraic expressions with sums and differences,
along with solving algebraic equations. If the student is placed by
ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is prerequisite to DSPM 0800-0850, all
college-level math, and all math-based courses, such as chemistry, physics,
accounting, and statistics.
DSPR 0700 Basic Reading (3).
A course which helps to improve students’ reading comprehension. Topics
include vocabulary improvement, literal reading comprehension (recalling
story detail, recognizing sequence, identifying main ideas, and identifying
major and minor support), and inferential reading comprehension (drawing
conclusions, making inferences, and recognizing implied main idea). If the
student is placed by ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is prerequisite to DSPR
0800 and all intensive college-level reading courses, such as history,
psychology, sociology, biology, and chemistry.
DSPW 0700 Basic Writing (3).
A course which focuses on grammar and sentence skills, leading to the
writing of effective paragraphs and essays. Writing skills may be further
improved through a computer-assisted laboratory. If the student is placed by
ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is prerequisite to DSPW 0800 and all
college-level English and language courses.
Developmental Studies
DSPM 0800 Elementary Algebra (3).
Development of mathematical competencies prerequisite for studying college
algebra. This course will provide the student with a foundation in the
following topics for fulfilling the requirements of elementary algebra:
fundamental operations and inequalities, graphing, factoring, exponents and
polynomials. (Principal topics covered: integers and rational numbers,
introduction to algebra, equalities and inequalities, word problems, and
polynomials). A student who enrolls in the course will spend three hours per
week in the classroom and at least one hour per week in mandatory lab. If
the student is placed by ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is prerequisite to DSPM
0850, all college-level math courses, and all math-based- courses, such as
chemistry, physics, accounting, and statistics.
DSPM 0850 Intermediate Algebra (3).
A course designed to develop mathematics competencies prerequisite for
studying college algebra. This course will provide the student with a
foundation in the following topics for fulfilling the requirements for
intermediate algebra: algebraic fractions, graphing equations, and
inequalities, systems of equations, radical expressions and quadriatic
equations. The ability to select and to use appropriate approaches in
solving problems that arise in everyday life and as a tool for thinking
logically and reasoning critically in decision-making will be emphasized.
Prerequisites: successful completion of DSM 0800, one year of high school
algebra, or the equivalent. A student who enrolls in this course will spend
three hours per week in the classroom and at least one hour per week in
mandatory lab. If the student is placed by ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is
prerequisite to all college-level math courses and all math based courses,
such as chemistry, physics, accounting, and statistics.
DSPM 0990 Geometry (3).
A basic course in geometry for students who did not have geometry in high
school. It may be used for removal of high school unit deficiency.
DSPR 0800 Developmental Reading (3).
A course designed as an experience in reception and processing of ideas in
the evaluation, application, and retention of textual materials and designed
to provide strategies, applying high-level reasoning skills to identify,
formulate, and solve problems. Emphasis will be placed upon methods and
procedures for use with interdisciplinary textbooks designed to provide a
link across the disciplines for directive work in all fields of college
study. A student who enrolls in this course will spend three hours per week
in the classroom and at least one hour per week in mandatory lab. If the
student is placed by ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is prerequisite to all
intensive college-level reading courses, such as history, psychology,
sociology, biology, and chemistry.
DSPS 0800 Learning Strategies (3).
A course designed to provide an integrated system of instruction,
application and assessment in major college survival skills essential for
success. Modules on general study skills and specific techniques for
studying reading, English, and math are included. The course must be taken
during the first semester of enrollment.
DSPW 0800 Developmental Writing (3).
A course designed to focus on the writing of sentences, paragraphs, and
short essays, with attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary
and similar matters as needed. Readings in current events and popular
literature will provide the basis for written assignments. A student who
enrolls in this course will spend three hours per week in the classroom and
at least one hour per week in mandatory lab. If the student is placed by the
ACT/SAT/COMPASS, the course is prerequisite to all college-level English and
language courses.