Faculty and Academic Advising

Faculty and Academic Advisors serve to support and challenge the student in developing meaningful educational plans that are consistent with their academic, personal, and professional goals.

Faculty Advising

Each student is required to have one primary faculty advisor. The first-year faculty advisor is assigned to the student during registration. In spring of the first year each student transitions to a faculty advisor, usually from the department of the student's intended major. “Exploring” students will be assigned to a member of the Academic Advising Office. Students may enlist additional faculty advisors from areas related to other academic or pre-professional interests.

During registration each semester, the student is required to consult with the primary faculty advisor and obtain the Personal ID Number (PIN) before they can access the registration system online.

Academic Advising

The Academic Advising Office empowers students in developing meaningful educational plans that support their academic, personal, and professional goals. The office also provides assistance and support to students and faculty across the campuses. The office monitors academic progress oversees academic probation, and proactively reaches out to a variety of student groups.

Student Accessibility Services

The Student Accessibility Services Office at CSB/SJU is dedicated to reducing barriers in our campus community for individuals with disabilities by:

• Providing appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities
• Educating the campus community regarding issues of accessibility
• Advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities
• Fulfilling the institutional obligations in accordance with federal disability laws
• Empowering students to become more effective self-advocates
• Providing exceptional student support in an organized and timely manner

Experience and Professional Development - XPD

XPD - Experience & Professional Development empowers students to connect their aspirations with opportunities and translate their liberal arts education to achieve meaningful personal and professional lives.

We coach students to explore, do, reflect, and connect.  To learn more about our experience-based programs and ways to engage in major and career exploration, visit  https://www.csbsju.edu/xpd.

Libraries

The libraries at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University serve the combined student body with a joint staff and coordinated programs and services. The libraries support the development of critical thinking, personal inquiry, and lifelong learning in addition to providing resources needed for assignments. Together, Clemens Library at Saint Benedict's and Alcuin Library at Saint John's hold over a million items, including over 650,000 print volumes, 600,000 electronic books, 200 active print periodical subscriptions, 88,000 electronic periodical titles, and 40,000 streaming media materials. The libraries' online catalog, (see http://csbsju.worldcat.org/) allows students to search the collections of both facilities, as well as thousands of libraries around the world.

Eleven librarians and ten support staff provide a full range of services to students, including personalized reference consultations and classroom instruction in library use and research strategies. Users can borrow from the collections of the University of Minnesota, other Minnesota libraries (MINITEX), as well as libraries throughout the U.S. through an interlibrary lending service. Both libraries feature Creative Labs with extensive audio and video resources including media production programs.

The joint libraries' website provides access to the online catalog and also to research support services from citation management to subject specialists. The campus computing network enables students and faculty to utilize these resources from virtually any computer connected to the internet. Wireless network access is available at both libraries.

Clemens Library at the College of Saint Benedict provides study spaces for 225 students, as well as two computer labs with 36 computers available and 10 collaborative work rooms. In addition to an excellent core collection of resources to support the curriculum of both colleges, Clemens Library features materials in the fields of health sciences, education, fine arts, literature, religion, and women's studies. The resources of the Music Library at the Benedicta Arts Center are also available to students at both schools.  Additional services, including the Experiential Learning and Professional Development Office, IT Services, Instructional Technology, and a coffee shop, are co-located in Clemens Library.  

Alcuin Library at Saint John's University, designed by architect Marcel Breuer, was built in 1966 and renovated in 2017 with the addition of the Dietrich Reinhart Learning Commons.   The Library and Learning Commons have individual seating for 265 students, as well as three classrooms, an auditorium, and 18 collaborative work rooms.  The Learning Commons houses a video studio, editing lab, and training room as well as a coffee shop.  Other campus partners located in the Library include the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, the Writing Center, The Study, and The Saint John’s Bible. In addition to its robust core collection, Alcuin Library includes many specialized and scholarly works, especially in the areas of theology, life sciences, environment, and history.

Math Center

The Math Center provides services to Saint Benedict's and Saint John's students, offering assistance with concepts and skills that are used in lower division mathematics courses. One-to-one tutoring help (from student tutors and/or a professional staff member) is available on a walk-in basis .

Reference books, workbooks, worksheets, and computer materials are also available to students who may be looking for help with math content in other courses, or who are preparing for pre-professional or graduate school exams.

Office of Academic Assessment and Effectiveness (OAAE) 

Overview

The Office of Academic Assessment and Effectiveness (OAAE) provides (a) guidance and support for CSB/SJU academic departments and programs undergoing disciplinary program review, (b) guidance and support for academic departments and programs preparing for required annual academic reporting, (c) the administration of end-of-semester course evaluations of the faculty, (d) leadership and guidance for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and (e) administration of CSB/SJU's participation in some national research studies and programs.

Institutional Accreditation

CSB and SJU are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. OAAE provides direct leadership and support to the institutions as we prepare for accreditation.

Program Review

Every 10 years, each academic department and program conducts disciplinary program review. Program review is an opportunity for programs to evaluate and continually enhance their curricula, pedagogy, student learning, and reflect upon the achievements of students and faculty. Departments and programs create a self-study document. An external disciplinary evaluator visits campus typically for 1-2 days and provides an independent evaluation of the department or program. At the end of the process, an action plan is developed to provide accountability and to ensure continued quality improvement.

Assessment

OAAE supports the improvement of teaching and learning on the campuses using student outcomes assessment. We support faculty efforts to advance the quality of teaching and student learning by assisting in the design, implementation, and measurement of assessment activities. We collaborate with faculty, staff, academic and non-academic departments.

End-of-Semester Course Evaluations of Faculty

OAAE administers course evaluations of the faculty for the campuses through an online system for all credit bearing courses each semester. OAAE supports faculty by assisting in developing course evaluations questions, educating them on the uses and features of the system, and providing technical support.

Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholars

The Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholars provides support and game-changing mentorship to student scholars in all disciplines throughout their four-year college experience. The office helps students secure competitive fellowships; uncover, plan, and execute research and creative work opportunities; participate in off-campus meetings and conferences, and much more. OURS is also the home for Pathways to Distinction, a new initiative providing students the opportunity to earn distinction upon graduation in alignment with the Institutional Learning Goals. OURS is part of the Experience Hub in Clemens Library.

To learn more about programs and funding, visit https://www.csbsju.edu/ours or book an appointment via the Hive.

The Study

Located in the Alcuin Library, The Study offers peer coaching and online resources to consistently build skill and confidence, reduce academic stress, and maximize opportunities during and after college. The study offers tools for time management, study skills & strategies, efficient reading. College work is challenging; the Study is here to share information and strategies with students for doing their best work with the least amount of stress and the most positive outcomes.  Access online resources or learn more at https://www.csbsju.edu/the-study. 

The Writing Center

The Writing Center provides writing assistance to all members of our academic community. Well-trained peer tutors offer free response to writers during individual writing consultations. Additionally, peer tutors help facilitate in-class writing workshops upon faculty request.

The Writing Center, with an office on each campus, welcomes writers of all backgrounds: honor students, first-year writers, writers from every major, students with learning differences, students for whom English is an additional language, graduate students, staff, and faculty. Writers are welcome to bring in any piece of writing, ranging from essays, lab reports, or letters of application to works of reflection, fact, or fiction. Some writers want a one-time-only appointment for work on a particular piece of writing; others want to establish a series of appointments to achieve personal or program goals.

During an appointment, the writer and the tutor work together to identify and meet the writer’s needs. Usually writers who use Writing Center services seek help in one of three general areas:

1. initiating the writing process (understanding the assignment, talking through a topic, organizing ideas),
2. revising (refocusing the text to better support the thesis, polishing an introduction or conclusion, taking the text to the next level),
3. managing conventions of standard written English (correcting sentence structures or grammatical forms).

Writers can make an appointment on The Hive; walk-in appointments are welcome if a tutor is available.