The Center for Academic Success (CAS) is a name many students, new and returning, may have heard mention of since the start of this term. The department is new to Lawrence this year, but the programs the CAS provides have been offered in the past through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and Student Academic Services (SAS). “Most of the services that those two departments provided have been restructured into one unit called the Center for Academic Success. The reorganization gives us an increased focus on success—it’s right there in the name,” said Associate Dean of Academic Success Julie Haurykiewicz. “We are trying to be more effective and efficient in how we support students at Lawrence.”
The CAS offers an array of programs and services to students, such as academic counseling, special accommodations for students with disabilities, assistance for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners and tutoring. “We have free tutoring available for any Lawrence student. We have it for almost every 100-level class and a lot of upper level classes as well.
If we don’t happen to have a tutor for a class, I’ll make every effort to hire somebody,” Haurykiewicz said. “Every year we have over 200 student tutors, so well over 10 percent of the student body is a tutor, and every year over half of the student body works with a tutor.”
Haurykiewicz emphasized the fact that the services the CAS provides are not just remedial, but useful for any student looking to hone their academic abilities. “We really want to support any Lawrentian wherever they’re at in achieving even more success.”
One of the new parts of the CAS is the creation of the position of dean of academic success. Monita Mohammadian Gray ’92, who will be at Lawrence full-time starting Nov. 1, will fill the position. The Lawrence alumna worked as an admissions counselor in the past and recently served on the Lawrence University Alumni Association Board of Directors. She is coming from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., where she has worked for the past eight-and-a-half years.
“I am excited about the model of success Lawrence is using as its foundation for the position of dean of academic success,” Gray said. “I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff and students to best meet the needs of our students. The Center for Academic Success will provide services all students can use at any point during their time at Lawrence to help them reach their full academic potential.”
She continued, “Our committed staff can assist students to improve study skills, motivation or time management skills. We also can assist with writing, speaking and quantitative skills and skills needed by students who speak English as a second language. If students require accommodations in the classroom, we will work with them to support their needs. We recognized that there may be other concerns in students’ lives that impact how they perform in their classes. Please find us.”
Provost and Dean of the Faculty David Burrows echoed this sentiment. “The mission of the Center for Academic Success is to help all Lawrence students realize their full potential. This mission is based on our strong dedication to the concept of learning. Each of us has the ability to learn, and by learning, to transform ourselves and the world around us. The staff of the Center wants to bring out this capacity for learning in everyone and help them get the most out of a Lawrence education. The important word is ‘success.’ We want everyone to be successful.”
The CAS office is located on the first floor of Briggs Hall. Students interested in getting in contact with the CAS can email cas@lawrence.edu or call 920-832-6530. More information about the CAS, the services offered and the staff members is available on the CAS webpage at www.lawrence.edu/academics/academic-success.