Academic Services

REACH for academic success through our tutorials. Make your appointment today! 

Academic Tutorial Services will continue for the Spring 2020 term through the usage of Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BCU) is a tool that is associated with the Tuskegee University Blackboard platform. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is a real-time video conferencing tool that lets the students and tutor/coach add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact. It opens right in students and tutor/coach browsers, so there is no need to install any software to join a session. 

REACH/Tutoring already has a course shell in Blackboard. This course shell will be used not only for tutorial sessions but also for academic skills and academic coaching. It is an easy and practical approach to continuing to provide services to students in need of tutorial or even to have a one on one sessions with an academic coach to maneuver through the online process.  

Online Academic Tutorial Services Process 

For Students 

• Step 1: Students will use EAB (Navigate) to schedule their appointments with a tutor or academic coach. 
• Step 2: Students will receive a confirmation email from the tutor/coach. The confirmation will have a link attached for the student to enter the session. 
• Step 3: Once the student enters the session, the session will be recording through BCU. The student will also be allowed to share documents and have access to the whiteboard. 
• Step 4: Once the session has ended, the recording of the session will be emailed to them as a review of what they discussed in the session. 

For Tutors/Coaches 

• Step 1: Tutor/Coach will confirm the appointment request and send a link to enter the session. 
• Step 2: Tutor/Coach will record each session and share documents and whiteboards in every session. 
• Step 3:  Tutor/Coach will use EAB (Navigate) to record the outcome of the session. The session outcome will be available to the faculty and student for review.   
• Step 4: Tutor/Coach will send a link of the recorded session to the student for review. 

Training for Tutors/Coaches 

The training session will utilize the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra tool in Blackboard on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at 10 am. This session will be recorded on BCU and sent to all Tutors/Coaches to use as a reference. We will be discussing the how-to of Blackboard Collaborative Ultra and EAB (Navigate).  

Reporting of Services and Users 

Both platforms will be used to report the services and users of Online Academic Tutorial Services. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra provides an overview of when attendees joined and left sessions. It also gives you an idea of how long attendees were present in the session on average and what tools were used during the session. EAB (Navigate) has three report options that will be utilized to report the efforts of the REACH care unit. The three report options are: 

Appointment Summary Reports 

Appointment Summary Reports allow the Tutor/Coaches to document information about the student's appointment, whether the appointment was scheduled, a walk-in, in person, phone/video conference, or if the student was a no show.  

Appointment Requests Reports 

This report provides information about Academic Tutorial Services requests and students who made the request.  

Notes Reports 

This report will display all notes that have been created about the student sessions. 

Get a jump start on your success by gaining academic skills! Make your appointment today!

Academic Coaching (Onsite Support)

Academic coaching is about teaching students skills and strategies that apply to all classes and helping them become confident and independent learners, no matter what subject they are tackling.

 While academic coaching includes elements of traditional tutoring, the goals and process of academic coaching reach further and deeper to teach students to become more effective learners, not simply to survive the crisis of the day. Using current school challenges as a springboard T-CAEIL helps them develop the habits that allow them to succeed in school and beyond. Academic Coaching helps students gain knowledge and skills in the following areas:

Homework Management

• Test Preparation
• Developing Executive Function Skills for Project Management
• Developing Active Reading Strategies

Tutoring

REACH Tutoring services are centralized in the John A. Kenney Hall building (70-127). These sessions consist of peer-facilitated learning experiences for undergraduates interested in requesting a tutor at Tuskegee University.  We work with students to identify and mobilize resources that facilitate learning and promote success.

 REACH is dedicated to providing quality small group tutoring, consisting of 2 to 5 students, for many undergraduate courses. All tutors and tutees are currently enrolled students at TU. Each tutoring group is led by a qualified peer tutors. Groups meet at a consistent day and time during the academic year.

 There is no cost for a tutoring session.

Additional Support

Students waiting for a tutor appointment have many options:

• Review our academic resources
• Consult with the professor or an academic coach
• Check the availability of Supplemental Instruction
• Consider forming a peer study group

REACH advisors are here to help you balance your classes and explore university resources.

QEP-Certified Faculty Career Advising

The REACH Center provides Faculty Career Advising, conducted by the REACH Career Champions, who are credentialed as Certified Career Service Providers by the National Career Development Association. This multi-purpose, internationally recognized credential includes the demonstration of competence in the essential skills needed to provide career services in any setting, and is aligned with the current 12 competencies addressed by NCDA’s U.S. Facilitating Career Development curriculum.  Credentials require understanding and mastery of the following competencies: helping skills, labor market information, career theory, assessment, diverse populations, ethical and legal issues, career development models, employability skills, training clients and peers, program management/implementation, promotion and public relations, technology, and consultation. The REACH Career Champions are available to assist students in an array of career services from career assessment and interpretation using assessment tools such as FOCUS 2, to employability skills and much more!

 Services Offered

• FOCUS 2 analyses
• ePortfolio development and evaluation
• Experiential learning opportunities
• Guidance for independent career research

REACH for academic excellence and personal development as a student athlete! 

Structured Athletic Study Hall

Athletic Study Halls are designed to provide a structured study environment leading to academic success for Tuskegee University student-athletes. Four (4) hours are required per week.

Those required to be in Study Hall are-

• New freshmen and transfer student-athletes
• Student-athletes with a cumulative grade point average below a 2.50

Need help with your paper or report? The Writing Center has the resources that you need.

During academic semesters, the Tuskegee University Writing Center provides students with writing support through a variety of meeting options. In Fall 2020, we offered limited face-to-face sessions and two options for online assistance: virutal conferencing (through Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate) and draft comments (students submit their writing drafts for feedback from writing coaches). We expect to offer all three options again when Spring semester begins in February 2021, and we expect to have more times available for face-to-face sessions with our writing coaches. Our physical location (for face-to-face sessions) is on the third floor of the Ford Motor Company Library.

Our services are funded by Title III and are free to all current TU students!

If you have questions or problems with setting up an appointment, contact Writing Center Director Dr. Kristen Hill at khill@tuskegee.edu.

What types of assistance does the Writing Center offer?

Our writing coaches have all participated in approximately 30 hours of training to provide quality feedback to TU students in any area of study without being overly directive or doing the work for the student. We can work with you on any type of writing (for coursework, creative writing projects, scholarship/application essays, and more), concentrating on the following tasks:

• understanding an assignment
• brainstorming/generating topics
• developing ideas
• drafting strategies
• revising content
• organizing
• transitioning between ideas
• proofreading
• citing sources

Do I need an appointment?

For online assistance (virtual conferencing and draft comments), an appointment is required and can be made through Navigate (EAB). Instructions for making an appointment are availble in this pdf, and if you have any trouble, you may email Dr. Hill for assistance at khill@tuskegee.edu.

For face-to-face sessions, you may either make an appointment or just drop in to the Writing Center during face-to-face hours.

What should I expect from a writing center session?

All of the following resources can help you understand what to expect from a session:

How to use the Tuskegee University Writing Center, Fall 2020 (PDF)

TU website news article about the opening of the Writing Center

New Student Orientation Video about the Tuskegee University Writing Center