UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

SECOND YEAR NEWSLETTER

March 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

• Academic Related News
  • Last Day to Withdraw From a Class - March 27
  • Summer Courses on and off campus
  • Retaining your scholarship
  • Maintaining Academic Good Standing
  • Completion of Incomplete Grades- March 27
  • SIs and Peer Tutoring Available for 2nd Year Classes
• Additional Opportunities and Programs
  
  • Study Abroad- Meet with Reps from different programs
  • Scholarships available for second year students
    • Peter Witt Scholarships- Apps due March 6
    • Noyce Teacher Scholarship- Apps due March 18
      
    • Phi Beta Kappa Research Grants - Apps due April 15
      
    • Merit-Based Scholarships - Apps due April 27
  • Become an SI Leader- Apps due April 3
• Important Upcoming Dates
  • Academic Calendar Highlights
• Upcoming Campus Events
• Nominations for Jackson Award- Due Mar 6
• Summer Information Fair - Mar 24-25 Win Prizes and Giveaways!
  Community Hour Programming- Every Friday 12:30-2:00
• Support your fellow student athletes - various dates and times

Academic Related News

Last Day to Withdraw From a Class

Remember that the last day to withdraw from individual classes is Friday, March 27 at 5:00pm. When deciding to withdraw, remember to review the standards for academic good standing and for merit-based scholarship retention. To withdraw from a class, you must complete an add/drop form, have it signed by a dean in the UGS Office (Sears 357 or walk-in hours at Wade and Fribley) and then bring it to the Registrar's Office in Yost 110.

Summer Classes On and Off Campus

If you are planning on taking summer classes at Case, the first day to register is March 30. You need to have your advisor release your advising hold in order to register. Remember tuition is 1/2 price for the summer! Summer courses are now listed on the searchable schedule.

You should also check out the May semester. Complete a 3 credit course in 3 weeks! Courses end by May 30, so you have the rest of the summer to work, do research, travel or take other classes.

If you are planning on taking classes off campus, there are some polices and paperwork that you must follow and complete. The policies are listed on the Off-Campus Study Request Form. In order to complete the Off-Campus Study Request Form, you must collect course descriptions for the courses(s) that you are interested in taking and bring them to the department for the course to be evaluated. The completed and approved form should then be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Studies in Sears 357. The deadline for submissions of that request is April 15.

For those of you who live in Cuyahoga County, please pay special attention to the specific residency restrictions listed in the student handbook.

Retaining Your Scholarship

As the semester progresses and you consider dropping a course, please consult the standards for academic good standing. The retention standards for merit based (Full tuition, Trustee's, President's and Provost's) scholarships are different from the first year.

At the end of each academic year (June), the records of all scholarship recipients are reviewed. To have a scholarship renewed for the following academic year, a recipient is expected to satisfy two requirements:

1. A minimum number of hours earned after enrolling at Case. For second year students the requirement is 54 hours by the end of the second year. This does not include AP/IB/transfer or Pre-College Scholar credit earned prior to enrollment at Case.
2. A minimum cumulative scholarship gpa of 3.00. If you have used the repeat option remember your scholarship gpa will include both grades;your cumulative gpa does not include both grades.

If you have a Provost's Special Scholarship, you must maintain academic good standing.

For complete scholarship retention information, is on page A-83 of the 2006-2007 Student Handbook.

Maintaining Academic Good Standing

As the semester progresses and you consider dropping a course, please consult the standards for academic good standing. Remember that there is a gpa and credit hour component to maintaining academic good standing. Following the first year, the requirements for good standing for full-time students are:

1. a semester grade point average of 2.00 or higher and
2. a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher and
3. a minimum of nine credit hours earned each semester and
4. at least 24 credit hours earned at Case over two consecutive semesters of full time enrollment.

Changing An Incomplete Grade

If you received grades of I (incomplete) for any courses from the fall semester, you are expected to make the work up as quickly as possible. The amount of time allowed by a professor for making up an incomplete should be consistent with the length of the your absence(s) in the fall semester. The latest deadline by which work must be completed and grades reported is Friday, March 27. Petitions for extensions may be considered by the Deans Committee in the Office of Undergraduate Studies only in cases where there are valid extenuating circumstances and a petition with appropriate supporting documentation (including a letter from the professor) has been submitted prior to March 27. Incompletes not completed by the deadline and for which no extension has been approved, will be converted to F grades.

Supplemental Instruction (SI)/Peer Tutoring for Second Year Classes

If you find yourself either wanting to reinforce material presented in class or seeking guidance in understanding material, there are two excellent services available to you. You may want to consider attending Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions facilitated by your peers or signing up for a Peer Tutoring appointment.

SI sessions are available for many courses, but these may be most relevant to you as a second year student: BIOL 216, CHEM 224, PHYS 116, and PHYS 122. View the complete SI schedule.

-If you would like to schedule an individual Peer Tutoring appointment, schedule your appointment on-line.  ESS provides tutoring for over 170 undergraduate courses.
Learn more about these and other ESS services by visiting the ESS web site or stopping by ESS located in Sears 470.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNIES AND PROGRAMS

Study Abroad

Study abroad opportunities at Case span five continents. Study abroad offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture and university, as well as participate in internships and community service in a variety of fields, including business, engineering, policy development, and health education.

If you are interested in studying abroad, visit the Study Abroad web site or feel free to stop by 357 Sears and explore the Study Abroad Office; no appointment is needed. You can also email the JYA Office and make an appointment to talk with our student staff. All of the students have studied abroad and can give you some really good first hand information about their experiences.

The Office of Undergraduate Studies will host several study abroad visitors on campus during the next few weeks.  If you are at all interested in studying abroad, including those in pre-med and pre-law, I would encourage you to attend.  Stop by for a few minutes to learn more about them! 

If you are interested in studying abroad, visit the Study Abroad web site or feel free to stop by 357 Sears and explore the Study Abroad Office; no appointment is needed.

Scholarships available for Second Year Students

There are various scholarships and research grants for which second year students can apply including

Peter Witt Scholarship

Are you involved in the community? Do you perform community service work in Cleveland or the greater Cleveland area? Are you interested in city planning or social work? The Peter Witt Scholarship recognizes students in the College of Arts and Science who are active members of their community. The scholarship can provide up to $5000 or more to deserving students to use towards tuition in their third year.

Students usually have above a 3.00 gpa and leadership experience in community service and leadership roles on and off campus.

Visit the Undergraduate Studies scholarship web page to see the eligibility requirements and to download an application. The due date is March 6, 2009.

CWRU Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

ATTENTION MATH AND SCIENCE MAJORS : Scholarships are available for the 2009-2010 school year to support math or science majors to become high school teachers in high needs school districts. The National Science Foundation is providing funding for six $15,0000 scholarships as part of the CWRU Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. Students successfully completing their junior year will be eligible for a second $15,000 scholarship in their senior year. For more information, contact Ed Bernetich. The due date is March 18.

Phi Beta Kappa Research Grants

Phi Beta Kappa Reserch Grants are for students in undergraduate or graduate degree programs of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Case chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society sponsors research grants ranging up to a few hundred dollars for undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Application Deadline:  April 15.  You can you find more information and an application on the Undergraduate Studies Fellowship and Scholarship Website

Merit Based Scholarships for Current Case Students

Case will award a limited number of scholarships for 2009-2010 and subsequent years for students who are currently enrolled at Case and who have completed a record of achievement, participation and leadership that distinguishes them from their peers.

What will be awarded:

• One Trustees' Scholarship
• Two President's Scholarships
• Four Provost Scholarships

Eligibility requirements include

1. Applicants must be US citizens or Permanent Residents
2. Applicants must be a first, second or third year student in 2008-2009 who have not previously received a Trustees, President's, Provost's, FPB Scholarship or similar scholarship.
3. Students who entered as first year students in the fall 2008 will need to have earned a cumulative gpa of at least 3.75 and at least 30 credit hours earned at Case in the 2008-2009 academic year (AP, IB and transfer credit hours will not be considered).
4. Students who entered Case in the fall 2006 or 2007 will need to have earned a cumulative gpa of at least 3.75 and averaged at least 15 credit hours for each semester since enrollment at Case.

Full eligibility requirements can be found on the application. Applications are available in the Office of Undergraduate Studies in Sears 357, the Office of Financial Aid in Yost 417A or can be downloaded from the Undergraduate Studies web site. Applications due April 27, 2009.

Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader Opportunities

On March 2, 2009, the ESS Supplemental Instruction (SI) Team will begin accepting SI Leader applications for the fall 2009 semester!  
• Must have earned a grade of "A" in the course
• Must be recommended by course professor
• Must have a minimum overall 3.25 GPA
• Must demonstrate good communications skills; possess ability to work autonomously;
and have an interest in helping students
 
Visit ess.case.edu/si for a list of potential openings and application materials. 

Applications are due by Friday, April 3, 2009. 

Important Upcoming Dates

Click here fore a complete 5 year academic calendar.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

Summer Information Fair

The Summer Information Fair will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24 and 25, 10:00am-4:00pm. in the SAGES Cafe. There will be information on summer classes, fun give-aways and chances to win Barnes and Noble gift certificates! Make sure to stop by and check it out!

Community Hour Programming

Every Friday, 12:30pm - 2pm
Various Events and Locations!
The University Community Hour facilitates student and faculty attendance at campus-wide gatherings and special events, especially those that foster community building at Case Western Reserve University.  For more information, visit the Community Hour homepage.

Support your fellow student athletes

From basketball to swimming to baseball, many of your friends are competing on varsity athletic teams. Show your Spartan spirit and come out and cheer for them! Check out the Athletics web site for a complete listing of schedules.