Navigating the System
Understanding campus resources
available to you!
Why learn about ‘Navigating the
System?’
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In this module, you will learn how to navigate academic and nonacademic resources. This means you will be able to locate campus
offices that will help your transition into college and assist you with
areas of concern.
You will also understand academic roles and relationships. This
means you will learn who to see if you are having trouble in a
course, who to meet for advising and what roles deans and chairs
play in your academic life.
This information is important because it will assist you in advocating
for yourself as well as where to go and who to see.
People in the know:
Academic Affairs
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Professors
 E-mail and office locations can be found in the Directory on the UMD home
webpage. Speak with them regarding course materials, your interests, major
options and career goals.
Department Chairs
 E-mail and office locations can be found in the Directory on the UMD home
webpage. Department Chairs manage academic departments and make decisions
about degree completion, exceptional circumstances, alternative course options,
degree requirements and career options. Chairs sign change of major forms.
Deans (including Associate/Assistant Deans)
 E-mail and office locations can be found in the Directory on the UMD home
webpage. Deans manage the colleges and approve degree completion and
exceptional circumstances. Speak with them regarding issues with courses and
departments.
People in the know (cont)
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Your Academic Advisor
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See him or her early in the registration process about
choosing courses, planning for future semesters,
course progress and career/major options.
Visit the Academic Advising Center website to view
your degree map and steps on how to make the most
of your advising session.
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http://www.umassd.edu/acadvising/degreemaps/
Departments in the know:
Student Affairs Resources
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Counseling: Auditorium annex
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Housing –Oak Glenn residence halls
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provides resources to create an education atmosphere rich in visible role models and free of sexual bias and
inequities and makes information available on lectures and events on campus and nearby communities.
Career Development Center – Campus Center, lower level
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provides access to clubs and organizations as well as UMD activities
Women’s Resource Center – Campus Center second floor
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addresses housing issues, roommate problems
SAIL – Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership – campus center, second floor
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assists students experiencing personal difficulties, test anxiety and stress.
provides information about our career options, career interests and internship opportunities.
Access and Success – Woodland Commons
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assists students who need accommodations for learning or physical disabilities.
Departments in the know (cont)
Administration Resources
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University Enrollment Center – First Floor, Foster Admin
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Registrar – First Floor, Foster Admin
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receives and provides transcripts, keeps university records, veteran
affairs, readmits students to the university.
Financial Aid – First Floor, Foster Admin
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receives housing deposits, tuition payments and disburses financial aid
refunds, and registers students for summer courses.
answers questions regarding your financial aid process, awards, loans
as well as satisfactory academic progress for financial aid.
Bursar – Second Floor, Foster Admin
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answers questions about tuition payments and bill disputes and is
responsible for University tuition billing,
Departments in the know (cont)
Academic Resources
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The Academic Advising Center – First Floor, Foster Admin
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Academic Resource Center
Tutoring Services—Various Locations on Campus
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advises Arts & Sciences undeclared students, Liberal Arts and Business students
to 45 credits, assists students with academic success, students in transition and
students changing majors. Faculty from nearly every college are available during
the week to assist students with questions in a particular major.
Math and Business Center – LARTS (Liberal Arts bldg.), lower level
Writing and Reading Center – LARTS, second floor
Science and Engineering Center – Second floor SENG bldg, second floor (Science
& Eng.)
Library – directly across the quad from the campus center
For a virtual tour of all the departments in this presentation visit:
http://www.umassd.edu/vtour/
Possible Activities:
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Locate the 3 resources that you will use the
most.
Visit the SAIL website to locate a club you may
be interested in, write a brief paragraph as to
why this club interests you.
Identify your department chair and your
academic advisor (typically assigned around the
3rd week of September) and note his/her
location on the campus map.