Director: David Zerangue
Office: 234 Elkins Hall
Phone: 985-448-4089 or 985-448-4146
Mission
The Academic Services Center, through academic advising and support, assists students in clarifying academic goals, and, through fostering of growth and independence, empowers them to successfully meet the challenges of higher education.
General Information
The Academic Services Center offers comprehensive programs and services to promote scholastic success at Nicholls State University. In this capacity, the Center coordinates academic advising for all first-time freshmen and makes initial contact with all transfer students regardless of the intended major. Each first-time freshman is advised by a faculty member who is part of a first-year advising team. First-year advisors are trained to help students develop a greater sense of responsibility for their academic progress.
To assist all students with progress toward their degrees, the Academic Services Center oversees vital academic support and enrichment services such as tutoring and the enhanced curriculum options found in the University Honors Program. Academic Services houses the Tutorial and Academic Enhancement Center, which provides peer tutoring, writing and other forms of academic assistance to all Nicholls State University students. Also part of Academic Services is the Academic Testing Center which provides testing for the placement of freshman students into Mathematics and English courses.
Advising Statement
The Academic Services Center treats academic advising as one of the foundations for student achievement and as an essential element of the first-year experience and beyond. By insuring that advisors are rigorously trained, the Center demonstrates its commitment to a philosophy of academic advising. Effective academic advising also requires familiarity with college programs, degree requirements, academic and support services, and administrative policies and regulations related to academic performance. Advising patterns adjust to the various stages of student development, becoming more collegial over time as students mature in their academic programs and life skills.
Relationship of Academic Advising to the University Mission
The relationship of advising to retention is an important part of the enrollment management plan for Nicholls State University. A campus-wide commitment to advising is essential if Nicholls is to maintain its enrollment goals while continuing to raise admission standards.
Academic advising is a university-related activity in which all students participate. Because academic advising includes a relationship between each student and a member of the faculty and professional staff, the advising relationship provides a unique forum for discussions about the benefits of higher education and about individual student goals and responsibilities. This form of advising contributes to the educational environment of each community served by the university.
Exploratory Student Resources
The Academic Services Center takes special care to assist students who have not decided on a particular major. Advisors understand that most undergraduates will change their minds about their majors several times before graduating. Many first-year students are not sure what they want to study and others have made only tentative choices and wish to explore several possibilities.
As part of its mission to help students clarify their educational goals, Academic Services provides information about all of the programs and majors on campus. Advisors stand ready to direct exploratory students to career services specialists.
Relationship of the Academic Services Center to General Education
The advising practices of the Academic Services Center include approaches designed to assist students with successful completion of general education courses. It is the policy of Academic Services that students are advised of the existence of optional alternative educational experiences after a pattern of unsuccessful attempts in general education classes. These experiences may include coordinated efforts with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
Academic Advising Center
| Office: | 234 Elkins Hall |
| Phone: | 985-448-4117 |
| Email: | advising@www.nicholls.edu |
| Coordinator: | Cambria Bouzigard |
| Professional Advisors: | C. Bouzigard, C. Byles, H. Hodson, D. Jefferson, J. Landry, J. Rebstock, N. Simmons-Rochon. |
As a part of the university’s commitment to excellence in undergraduate education, the Academic Advising Center was created to provide academic advising and support to Nicholls State University students from the time of their admission until they transition to a faculty advisor in the department of their major. Professional advisors meet regularly with students, assisting them in goal clarification, in selection of a major, and in educational planning and course selection. Professional advisors will work closely with departmental liaisons to provide students with up-to-date program changes and other information as it applies to their major. Advisors monitor student progress and refer students to other campus resources as necessary. Students may stop by the Academic Advising Center for a quick answer or may set up an appointment with an advisor through a web-based advising management tool.
Students will be advised through the Academic Advising Center until a minimum of 30 hours of coursework has been completed. Thereafter, students will be assigned a faculty advisor in the department of their major for career mentoring and graduation advising. Transfer students who have successfully completed 30 hours of non-developmental coursework may be accepted into a major provided all entry criteria established by the major have been met.
University Studies
University Studies 101, University Prep, maximizes the student’s potential to achieve scholastic success and to adjust responsibly to the individual and interpersonal challenges presented by collegiate life. In UNIV 101 students are provided with an introduction to the nature of higher education and are given an extended orientation to the functions and resources of the university. Each of these courses is designed to help first-semester freshmen and first-year transfer students adjust to the university, develop a better understanding of the learning process, and acquire essential academic survival skills.
University Studies 100, Strategies for College Success, offers students who may be experiencing difficulties the opportunity to improve their academic standing. The instructor and student mentors assigned to the class assist students in developing the organizational, time-management, and study skills necessary for optimizing academic performance.
Transfer Student Resource Center
| Office: | 234 Elkins |
| Phone: | 985-448-4462 |
| Advisor: | Mary DeLaune |
The Transfer Student Resource Center was created to assist transfer students in making the transition to a new academic environment, and its staff is dedicated to making the process as simple as possible. This process may begin even before admission. Students considering transferring to Nicholls may request an unofficial evaluation of transcripts and a departmental review of courses. Once admitted, the Center staff may assist students with initial academic advising and course registration. In addition, the Transfer Student Resource Center serves as a point of contact for students needing information regarding course equivalencies and for those Louisiana community college students pursuing the Louisiana Transfer Degree.
Academic Testing Center
| Office: | 234 Elkins |
| Phone: | 985-493-2596 |
| Coordinator: | Elaine Benoit |
The Academic Testing Center administers a variety of tests to both college and prospective college students. The following tests are of particular importance to future Nicholls students: the American College Test (ACT), the ACT Residual, and ACCUPLACER. These tests are commonly used for mathematics and English placement. Other tests administered by Academic Testing include the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the Nicholls Advance Credit Tests, and the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. The SAT may also be used for mathematics and English placement. The proctoring of correspondence course and Web-based course testing is also available.
Tutorial and Academic Enhancement Center
| Office: | 143 Peltier Hall (Tutoring Center) / 144 Peltier Hall (Writing Center) |
| Phone: | 985-448-4100 |
| Email: | tutoring@www.nicholls.edu |
| Coordinator: | Denise Collins |
The Tutorial and Academic Enhancement Center (TAEC) is committed to assisting students in reaching their full learning potential and becoming proficient, independent learners. The TAEC is divided into two units: The Tutoring Center and The Writing Center. The Tutoring Center offers peer tutoring in several levels of mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, accounting, foreign languages, and more. The Writing Center’s peer coaches assist students with writing assignments in any discipline. The TAEC offers appointment-based, drop-in, and limited evening tutoring as well as subject-based test reviews and special topics workshops.
University Honors Program
| Office: | 111 Gouaux Hall |
| Phone: | 985-448-4721 |
| Director: | Dr. Brigett Scott |
With the University Honors Program, Nicholls offers special experiences and curriculum enhancements to high-achieving and highly motivated students. Honors Program students become part of a community of like-minded colleagues through small, personalized classes directed by outstanding professors, through reserved residence hall suites and dedicated study centers, and through participation in exclusive extramural academic activities. In this fashion, honors students receive a greater college experience, a distinctly personal education that directly involves them in the learning process, and an exceptional preparation for the competitive world beyond the university.
The University Honors Program provides honors courses as alternatives to several general education courses, as well as advanced elective courses in specific fields of study. In addition to this privilege, honors students also enjoy first-day registration each semester, self-governance through an honors student council, and opportunities for both independent research (the Honors Thesis) and international study (Honors Abroad).
Eligibility for membership in the University Honors Program can be achieved in two ways. Entering freshmen must have a minimum composite ACT score of 25 with no sub-score below 20. Current students or transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours at Nicholls with a minimum GPA of 3.2. Students may apply for membership by completing an application available from the Honors office or from www.nicholls.edu/honors.
Nicholls offers the University Honors Award to honors students who complete with a minimum 3.2 GPA at least 24 hours of honors credits, including two hours of Honors Forum (HUMA 111) and four hours of honors thesis research (HONR 401-402). In addition, the official grade transcripts of students who complete the above curriculum will be certified with “Completed the University Honors Program” upon graduation.
See Courses of Instruction – Honors for a listing of the honors courses the university currently offers.
Dual Enrollment Program
| Office: | 234 Elkins Hall |
| Phone: | 985-448-4117 |
| Coordinator: | David Zerangue |
The Dual Enrollment Program, gives high school students the opportunity to earn college credit while working towards a high school diploma. The Dual Enrollment Program is available only to qualifying students. For more information please visit the Nicholls State University website or contact the Academic Advising Center.
