Academic Resources

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Greater Portland Alliance of Colleges & Universities
• Wellehan Library - Learning Commons
• Academic Advising
• Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)

The five Greater Portland institutions of higher education — Maine College of Art, Saint Joseph’s College, Southern Maine Community College, University of New England and University of Southern Maine — have established the Greater Portland Alliance of Colleges & Universities (GPACU) as a means of enriching and expanding educational opportunities for their students as well as for the people of Greater Portland. As a first step in linking our resources, Alliance members established a cross-registration program. It allows students to take classes at colleges other than their own for no additional tuition.

To be eligible, the Saint Joseph’s student must:

• be matriculated and in good academic standing;
   
• not be a first-semester freshman;
   
• have approval of appropriate academic authorities;
   
• meet all other requirements of the College.

Each student is limited to three courses per year and a total of five over the period of the student’s undergraduate studies.

Other activities and services that have been developed by GPACU include library borrowing program, jointly sponsored events and conferences, and international student exchange programs.

The Wellehan Library  - Learning Commons is located on the ground floor of the Heffernan Center. During the academic year, the Library is open 7 days/81 hours per week, and the physical facility offers study space (quiet and collaborative) and access to technology (computers, wifi, printers.)

The Wellehan Library - Learning Commons fosters academic success and personal growth by providing and facilitating use of library resources and services designed to meet the teaching, learning, and research needs of the College community in a manner consistent with its mission and core values.

Resources

• Physical materials - Books, DVDs, journals, newspapers
• Online resources - Ebooks, research databases, journals, and newspapers are accessible both on and off-campus.
• Website - Serves as a gateway to searching for resources and information and also includes a comprehensive range of helpful tutorials and guides.
• Technology - Mac computers, PC laptops, portable power banks, wireless printing, color printing, copying/scanning, TVs for mirroring in group study rooms, One Button Studio.

Services

• Educational technology support - Assistance with Brightspace,ePortfolio and Microsoft Office.
• Professional reference and research assistance is available in person as well as via chat, email, and telephone.
• Information literacy instruction - Developing skills in how to find, analyze, evaluate, and use information is vitally important for academic success.  Librarians provide formal instruction by teaching tailored information literacy sessions in classes throughout the College.
• Interlibrary loan - Should the library not have the material a patron needs, items may be borrowed from other libraries in the region, throughout Maine, and across the country.
• Satellite Writing Center - Students may meet with a Writing Tutor during designated hours.
   

Academic advising is a highly personalized experience at Saint Joseph’s College.  The Registrar, in consultation with Department Chairs, ensures that each student is assigned a faculty advisor.  The academic advisors’ primary role is to consistently guide and mentor students utilizing best practices.  In doing so, advisors help students make thoughtful decisions about their academic pursuits and future professional/career goals.  Students are mentored in such a way that allows them to adapt to academic life by establishing goals, setting objectives, and planning accordingly.

The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), located on the third floor in Alfond Hall, provides students one-stop shop access to academic support and career services.  The ACE team is committed to serving all students, providing individualized support as they strive for academic, personal, and career success during their time at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.

Services Include but are not limited to:

• Academic & Career Coaching
• ADA Accommodations
• Assistive Technology
• ELL Services
• First Year Experience (FYE) Seminar & Peer Mentor Program
• Individual Academic Support
• Peer Tutoring & Smarthinking
• Probation counseling (at-risk and early warning intervention)
• SophoMORE & Peer Academic Leaders (PALs)
• Student-Athlete support
• Transfer Advising
• Writing Center Assistance

Integrated within ACE’s academic support servies is the college’s Academic and Career Center.The center allows students to engage in career discussions from the start of their academic experience and helps then to identify their purpose, keeping them interested as they persist toward graduation.

For more informtiaon about the Academic Center for Excellence, contact the Assistant Dean & Director at 207-893-7563.