DUS News - December 14, 2020

News: 
Continuing to Explore Over Break

Winter break can be the perfect time to continue to explore various pathways to help in your major and career decision making. One way you can do this is by talking to people within your field of interest through an informational interview. Informational interviews allow you to gather relevant information to help you make an informed career and major choice. Whether it is interviewing a faculty member associated with a major you are considering or a family friend with an interesting job, most people love talking about their career path. Start to gather information about majors, and connect with people of interest today.

Leave of Absence

Are you considering taking some time off next semester? If so, you may want to think about filing a leave of absence, which allows you to return to the University without having to apply for re-enrollment and without having to change your academic program. If this is something you are pondering, please talk to your academic adviser as soon as possible, as there are still items that need to be considered (i.e. student aid). The deadline to file a leave of absence for spring 2021 is Friday, January 15, 2020.

Declaring Your Major—Also Known as “Update Academics”

If you have reached a decision about your choice of major and meet the qualifications to enter that major, you can use “Update Academics” in LionPATH to process a change into your major. Students who are completing their sophomore year need to be moving out of DUS. You can review the qualifications for your intended major by viewing the entrance-to-major requirements on your intended major's page in the Bulletin. 

Be aware, the "Update Academics" function on LionPATH will be turned off between December 18 and January 18.

Making Decisions About Alternative Grading for Fall 2020

When making decisions about alternative grading for the fall 2020 semester, you’ll want to consider how selecting SAT, V, or Z grades will impact your academic goals, keeping in mind that the rules for alternative grades this semester are different from this past spring.  

Most notably: 

  • Not all majors will count fall 2020 courses with alternative grades towards entrance-to-major requirements.
  • Courses in which academic sanctions have been received for academic integrity violations will be ineligible for alternative grading this semester.

There are additional considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether to take alternative grades such as financial aid status, program eligibility, Dean’s List eligibility, and the perception of alternative grades when applying to graduate or professional school. These are all reasons to use alternative grading very cautiously and only in situations where you faced significant, unexpected academic challenges due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Resources for considering alternative grading include: the Keep Learning website, the LionPATH GPA calculator, and the upcoming DUS alternative grading workshops. If you are still unsure whether you should elect alternative grades after using these resources, please reach out to your adviser. 

Alternative Grading Workshops:

Important Dates: 

  • December 23, 2020: A link to the online tool used to select alternative grades for each course will be available to students in LionPATH. This will be the same tool that was used for spring 2020.
  • January 12, 2021: All selections must be finalized by 11:59 p.m. (ET).
DUS Award Winners

Each year, the Division of Undergraduate Studies awards scholarships to sophomore DUS students who have exemplified thoughtful engagement with their educational decisions.

Congratulations to the 2020-21 DUS Award winners:

  • Madeleine Tenny (Joyce Buck Award)
  • Victoria Amato
  • Viktoriya Loshkarova

Madeleine, Victoria, and Viktoriya took advantage of their DUS experience to challenge their assumptions and find their true interests. 

 

Important Dates: 
Resource Spotlight: 
Academic Review

Keep checking your Penn State email. You will receive an academic review from your adviser during winter break, which will contain feedback about your schedule for the spring semester.

Events and Announcements: 
Alternative Grading Workshops
All Campuses

Curious about alternative grading and how it will influence your academic career? Come to the group advising session titled “Everything You Need to Know About the NEW Alternative Grading Policy,” to learn more about the fall 2020 alternative grading options.

In this workshop, you will learn:

  • What the NEW alternative grading policy is for fall 2020
  • Why letter grades matter
  • How decisions about opting in to alternative grading relates to entrance-to-major requirements, graduation, and beyond
  • How to make appropriate decisions regarding alternative grading for yourself

Three workshop dates are available, and students must register in advance:

Nominate an Excellent Adviser
All Campuses

Now through December 23, students may nominate advisers for the 2021 Penn State Excellence in Academic Advising Award. Sponsored by the University Advising Council and the Office of Undergraduate Education, the award recognizes and rewards advising excellence.

One award is given annually to a faculty member and one to a professional academic adviser. All current full-time University employees with advising responsibilities and two years of advising experience at Penn State are eligible.

Students who wish to honor an adviser who has helped them navigate the University’s academic system, plan a fulfilling program of study, consider co-curricular experiences, and learn to manage their own educational journey at Penn State are welcome to complete a short, online nomination form.

Advisers selected for the 2021 Excellence in Advising Award will be recognized by the University in the spring.

Join the New Student Orientation OTeam
All Campuses

Interested in helping the Class of 2025 to join Penn State? Join the Orientation Team! We are seeking diverse, dedicated, enthusiastic, resourceful, and motivated students to join our 2021 Orientation Team (OTeam). New Student Orientation (NSO) begins the transition to Penn State, and the OTeam makes the difference for new students and their families. Members of the OTeam will serve as group facilitators, resource persons, role models, and ambassadors for Penn State during NSO. You can learn more about the Orientation Team by visiting oteam.psu.edu.

Applications due by December 18, 2020.

Quick Question Advising
University Park

Have a question that can be resolved in a short 5–10 minute conversation? Join us for quick question advising via Zoom on the dates and times below. Some of these topics include: discussing adding/dropping courses within deadlines; getting a form signed; using LionPATH; reviewing entrance-to-major requirements; learning about general education information not related to schedule planning; and transferring credits. Quick question advising is not intended for in-depth conversations.

For students enrolled in DUS:

  • Click here for quick question advising via Zoom - Please note that a DUS adviser is only available during the times listed below. All times are Eastern Time. 
    Day Time
    Monday 1:00–3:00 p.m.
    Tuesday 9:00–11:00 a.m.
    Wednesday 9:00–11:00 a.m.
    Thursday 1:00–3:00 p.m.
    Friday No QQA on Fridays.

For students not enrolled in DUS:

Global Health Minor Info Sessions
University Park

Do you want to develop the capacity to think, talk, and write critically about global health issues and challenges? Would you want to complete a five-week fieldwork experience in South Africa, Tanzania, Germany, or Ecuador? Are you looking to prepare for occupations that demand global thinking, understanding, and experience? Consider the Global Health minor. Global Health is a competitive minor, open to any Penn State student who is enrolled at the University Park campus and who has declared a major field of study. Learn more about this minor on the Global Health website. 

Several information sessions are available (all at 12:00 p.m. ET via Zoom: https://psu.zoom.us/j/97667738065)

  • Thursday, January 14
  • Thursday, January 21
  • Monday, January 25