Academic Information

Academic Advising

The variety of programs both in major departments and in interdisciplinary areas at Fredonia requires that every student meet with an academic advisor periodically to review progress and plan his or her academic future. It is particularly important for a student to be aware of requirements for graduation including General Education requirements and those necessary to complete a chosen degree program.

Academic advisors can help students plan educational programs and keep up with new courses and programs, but students should not expect advisors to be knowledgeable about the content in detail of the many individual courses throughout the university and the teaching methods and evaluation procedures of the many individual teachers. Further, students are ultimately responsible for adhering to academic policies as stated in the University Catalog and determining that they have met degree requirements (including general education, major, and minor or concentration requirements).

At the orientation program, new students have an opportunity to discuss educational objectives with an advisor who will be knowledgeable in an area of preference and who will help students understand their schedule for the first semester. Shortly after the start of the first semester, students are assigned an academic advisor by their department. Students can find out the name of their advisor by going on the university website at http://home.fredonia.edu/, signing on to "Your Connection" and going to the General Student Information screen.

Students are required to make an appointment with their advisor prior to course selection to discuss their academic future, review their mid-semester grade report, and plan a program of study for the coming semester.

Academic advising will be successful and help students only if they actively seek advice about their education at Fredonia. Advising is one of the obligations of the university teaching profession. Students should not feel they are imposing on their advisors by discussing academic progress more than the minimum requirement of once each semester. Students are encouraged to seek advice as often as needed. It is one of the marks of a successful student.

Furthermore, if academic advising is to be successful, students should have confidence in their advisors. If students wish to change advisors, they should contact their department chairperson who will make a new assignment mutually agreeable to students and their new academic advisor.

Questions pertaining to academic advising may be directed to the Coordinator of Academic Advising & Liberal Arts Program, Office of the Registrar, 1st Floor, Reed Library, (716) 673-3188 or by checking the web site at http://home.fredonia.edu/liberalarts or by emailing advising.center@fredonia.edu.

Academic Calendar

Fall 2016

Spring 2017

Academic Organization of the Campus

Below is a listing of the Deans, Associate Provosts, and Associate Deans all reporting to the Provost. All of the undergraduate programs, graduate degree programs, and advanced certificate programs registered with the State University of New York and New York State Education Department fall under one or more of the individuals listed below.

Division of Academic Affairs

Dr. Terry Brown, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

801 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3335

terry.brown@fredonia.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Dr. J. Andy Karafa, Dean

804 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3173
joseph.karafa@fredonia.edu

School of Business

Dr. Russell Boisjoly, Dean

709 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-4813

russell.boisjoly@fredonia.edu

College of Education

Dr. Christine Givner, Dean

704 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3311

christine.givner@fredonia.edu

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Dr. Ralph Blasting, Dean

807 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3174

ralph.blasting@fredonia.edu

Graduate Studies, Sponsored Research, and Faculty Development

Dr. Judith Horowitz, Associate Provost

803 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-4708

judith.horowitz@fredonia.edu

Interdisciplinary Studies

Dr. Carmen Rivera, Associate Dean of College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

804 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3173

carmen.rivera@fredonia.edu

Curriculum, Assessment, and Academic Support
General Education
Dr. Lisa Hunter, Associate Provost

810 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3717

lisa.hunter@fredonia.edu

apcaas@fredonia.edu

Information Technology Services

Dr. Stephen J. Rieks, Associate Vice President for IT, Chief Information Officer
118 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-4670
stephen.rieks@fredonia.edu 

Associate Deans

Dr. Carmen Rivera, Associate Dean

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

806 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3173

carmen.rivera@fredonia.edu

Dr. Barbara Nolan, Associate Dean

College of Education

706 Maytum Hall

(716) 673-3311
barbara.nolan@fredonia.edu

Academic Program and Course Selection

The All Programs section of this catalog lists the academic departments and the graduate and undergraduate major and minor programs housed within those departments. Students should check the online Course Offerings available during the pre-registration period each semester for an accurate list of proposed courses.

While the university guarantees each accepted student a full schedule of courses each semester pertinent to his/her academic objectives and in partial fulfillment of degree requirements, it cannot assure a desired time schedule, a preferred instructor, or a given course.

The university reserves the right to cancel any course for which the enrollment is deemed insufficient or for other administrative reasons. The university also reserves the right to change faculty assignments and therefore cannot guarantee students the faculty of their choice.

Advisement Guides, including general requirements, format of courses, and grading procedures, are available in department offices.

Convocation

The Convocation theme is a series of lectures held each year presenting a major scholar of national reputation to the campus community. Students, faculty, staff, and community guests gather for a Convocation address on a major subject by prominent figures such as anthropologist Richard Leakey, author Dr. Maya Angelou, musician Sarah Caldwell, biologists Dr. James Watson and Dr. Ruth Hubbard, philosopher Dr. Robert Nozick, historian Dr. Christopher Lasch, environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, population geneticist Dr. Spencer Wells, and civil and children’s rights advocate Marian Wright Edelman. A panel discussion on a related topic typically follows the lecture. A convocation theme is chosen based on the speaker's topic of interest and various events take place throughout the year that are consistent with this theme.

Dates and Deadlines

Fall 2016

Spring 2017

*Deadlines are for full semester courses; mini-courses are pro-rated. Any registration activity after the established deadline will incur a $20 fee.

All course withdrawals incur a $20 fee.

Degree Evaluation

As students approach the completion of 75 credit hours, they are encouraged to use the online degree evaluation available through "Your Connection." Department chairpersons will work with students who have questions about the results of the audit, to make sure progress is being made towards completing degree requirements.

Fredonia Baccalaureate Goals

Fredonia's mission is to ensure that all Fredonia students, utilizing knowledge developed through a broad range of intellectual experiences, will be:

• Skilled (develop Intellectual and applied Skills, Literacies and Knowledges),
• Connected (engage Community and Diversity: Local Stewardship, Global Citizenship),
• Creative (demonstrate Scholarship, Artistry, and Innovation), and
• Responsible (activate Sustainability, Ethics, Leadership, and Professionalism)

The Baccalaureate Goals Implementation Team and the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment will oversee the implementation of the baccalaureate goals.  Through a process of assessment and review, Fredonia will continually monitor the campus's progress in meeting these goals.

Fredonia in 4

Fredonia in 4 is a four-year guarantee program for first-time freshmen by which the university pledges to adhere to a commonly understood agreement with students to schedule sufficient class offerings, provide required courses or suitable substitutes as determined by the department, and ensure qualified academic advising.

With the assistance of the Coordinator of Academic Advising & Liberal Arts, faculty and staff advisors are able to ensure that students who are willing to adhere to the requirements for doing so will graduate within four years. The spirit of the four-year agreement at Fredonia is to emphasize the university’s commitment to provide all the essential ingredients that enable a student to graduate with a degree in four years. The rest is up to the student.

For more information about Fredonia in 4, students should contact the chairperson of their major department, or contact the Coordinator of Academic Advising & Liberal Arts, Office of the Registrar, First Floor, Reed Library, (716) 673-3188, or by emailing advising.center@fredonia.edu. See http://home.fredonia.edu/advising.

Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts students are those students who are exploring the major options offered at Fredonia. The Liberal Arts program is not a major. Exploration will occur as the student takes courses that fulfill the General Education Program required of all students. Declaration of a major is not required until the second semester of the sophomore year, the semester in which one customarily completes 60 credit hours. Most students decide on their major during the sophomore year, prior to reaching 60 credit hours.

The Coordinator of Academic Advising & Liberal Arts is the primary advisor for Liberal Arts students. The Coordinator of Academic Advising & Liberal Arts is located in the Office of the Registrar, First Floor, Reed Library. The Coordinator assigns the Liberal Arts student an advisor, who may be a faculty member or a qualified member of the professional staff.

The Liberal Arts Freshman Year Experience is a mandatory, year-long program designed to assist Liberal Arts students in their exploration and selection of a suitable major. The program has three major components: the Liberal Arts Advisement System, including Liberal Arts Liaisons; the Liberal Arts Freshman Seminar in the fall; and a Major and Career Exploration Course in the spring. For more information on the seminars, contact the Coordinator of Academic Advising & Liberal Arts in the Office of the Registrar. See http://home.fredonia.edu/advising.

Office of Sponsored Programs

Fredonia's Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) provides comprehensive grants development and management support to faculty and staff. The office offers a wide range of pre- and post-award services for external grants and contracts, including proposal and budget development, export control guidance, campus administration approvals, proposal submission, contract negotiation, and account establishment.

The OSP serves as liaison to The Research Foundation for SUNY (RF), the campus's fiscal agent for grants and contracts, and is responsible for the full range of post award functions through close-out, including budget and modification approvals and all expenditures and grant-funded employee processing.

Fredonia's Institutional Review Board (IRB), the Human Subjects Review Committee, is administered by the OSP, and can be reached at Human.Subjects@fredonia.edu. The office also works closely with the campus Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

For more information, please visit http://home.fredonia.edu/sponsoredprograms or email
http://home.fredonia.edu/sponsoredprograms/contact.

Pre-Professional Programs

Students may arrange pre-professional programs to prepare for specialized training in engineering; health related areas such as dentistry, medicine, optometry, and veterinary medicine; or law. Students seeking admission into professional schools should obtain the catalog of the institution they hope ultimately to enter and develop their academic program, insofar as possible, according to the listed entrance requirements.

Advisement on pre-medical, pre-dental, and other health related programs may be obtained from the Health Professions Advising Committee through the Department of Biology, located in the Science Center. Students interested in these careers are encouraged to register with the selection committee through the biology department as early as possible to ensure appropriate advising on matters of course and major choices, and application procedures to professional school.

Advisement for pre-law is available along with LSAT preparation workshops. Students should choose a major within any department and enroll in the Pre-Law Advisement group as soon as possible, to ensure appropriate advising on course choices and law school application procedures.

For information on Pre-Medicine and Allied Sciences, see those program pages.

For information on Pre-Law Advisement, see those program pages.

For information on engineering, please check with the Director of the Cooperative Engineering Program. Contact information is provided in the Engineering (Cooperative) portion of the catalog.

Student Creative Activity and Research

The mission of the Office of Student Creative Activity and Research (OSCAR) is to promote and support student scholarly activity and creative work across the Fredonia campus. Such an endeavor is integral to the teaching and learning experience. It provides an opportunity for students to become closely affiliated with a faculty mentor and to develop skills and knowledge that will benefit them in the future. Both students and faculty gain from such activity and the institution has made a concerted effort to promote such collaborations. Funding is available for student travel to conferences and an annual exposition is held in the spring to celebrate student achievements. For more information, students should contact the Office of Student Creative Activity and Research at (716) 673-3123 or the Office of Graduate Studies, Sponsored Research, and Faculty Development at (716) 673-4708, or visit OSCAR's web page at http://www.fredonia.edu/oscar.

3-1-3 Program

Fredonia's 3-1-3 program provides an opportunity for some high school seniors within driving distance of the university to take courses at Fredonia while they still have the close support of family and high school. The 3-1-3 program is a time-shortened, combined high school and college course of study that can lead to a B.A. or B.S. degree in three years after high school graduation. It is possible because the university gives credit for the successful completion of selected high school courses and the high school allows successfully completed college English and social science courses to count toward the high school diploma. Therefore, the name 3-1-3 means three years of high school, three years of university study and one transitional year during which the student is enrolled simultaneously at his/her high school and at the university.

3-1-3 students are selected by the Fredonia admissions staff on the same basis as regularly admitted students.

During the last semester of the 3-1-3 program, students are invited to apply for the Honors Program at Fredonia, based on their cumulative Grade Point Average.

Interested persons should contact the Fredonia Admissions Office at (716) 673-3251 for more information on the 3-1-3 program.