Campus Academic Services
Learning and Academic Resource Center
Foremost of the campus-wide programs is the Learning and Academic Resource Center, also known as LARC, and its premier program, LARC Tutoring. LARC Tutoring is a more formal tutoring process than the Athletics Tutoring Program, but with a narrower focus. Tutoring is available in many lower-division courses, with tutoring available in a limited number of upper-division courses as well. It is a peer group tutoring process, and restricts enrollment to no more than seven students in any Tutoring section. Each session meets twice weekly for 1 hour beginning in Week #2 and lasts through the end of each quarter.
Per the Tutoring Program, "Our tutors aid students in understanding and retaining course specific materials and in developing the skills necessary for successful academic performance. Tutors encourage you to learn actively and involve you as much as possible in the tutorial group's activities. Group discussion, sharing of ideas and solutions, working out problems at the chalkboard, and other methods are used to stimulate learning, test your understanding, and develop your self-confidence."
Though this program normally costs $60 per quarter, Student-Athletes are entitled to receive one complimentary enrollment per quarter, as long as they are in good academic standing, and remain members of their respective squads.
Learning Skills Workshops
Additional LARC programs that provide great service are the various offerings of Learning Skills. These provide several different avenues through which students can receive assistance; Workshops, Seminars, Labs, and Adjuncts. Adjuncts are simply another way to access LARC assistance in courses in lower-division Math and Chemistry. The Adjuncts also provide some open hours in a lab setting, allowing for a more informal discussion with someone in that field for quick and easy answers to your questions. Of particular note is the computer lab open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Workshops are truly the focal point of this very effective program. According to Learning Skills, "A Workshop is a single, fifty minute group session designed to give students effective study techniques in a specific skill area. No sign-up is necessary. Just show up!" Workshops are available in the Writing 39 series, the Humanities Core series, Biology, Political Science, Psychology, and others on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Workshops are also available in specific studying skills; Reading, Communication Skills, Note Taking, Test Anxiety Management, Time Management, and Graduate Exams preparation to name a few.
Academic Advising
Another resource that Intercollegiate Athletics relies upon is one of our greatest assets. Academic Advising is available within each school of the institution. Student-Athletes are mandated to make and keep an appointment to see the academic advisor in their major each quarter, and return a signed Academic Planning Guide to our staff. UCI's advisors are trained to assist each student in their specific major, even if the student-athlete has not yet declared a course of study (Unaffiliated/Undeclared). Advisors see each of our Student-Athletes as individuals, and not just another name or number.
Not only have UCI's Advisors been trained in the specific academic requirements and policies of UCI, but also are keenly aware of the rules dictated to Student-Athletes by the NCAA. Advisors keep our students on track to graduate in a timely fashion, and help monitor the Satisfactory Progress and Continuing Eligibility regulations of the NCAA. In order to avoid any potential for conflicts of interest, they are employed by the individual schools within the University and not the Athletic Department, ensuring that each time they meet with a student-athlete, academic progress is their primary focus. Academic Advisors are the most frequently used of our assistance mechanisms.
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center is committed to helping you achieve maximum benefit from your experience at UCI. Support may include helping you to perform better academically, to cope with your emotions, or to be more effective in your relationships with others. The University environment can be exciting and challenging. It also can be highly stressful since you may face academic pressures as well as pressures from family, friends, and loved ones at the same time. While we work with students who may be experiencing a crisis, our goal is to help you deal with your concerns before they develop into more serious problems. The services offered by the Counseling Center are designed to help you think and behave more effectively and to develop more control over your life. Counseling services are offered by a diverse staff of counseling and clinical psychologists, by psychology interns completing their professional training for doctoral degrees, and by masters level field placement students.
Career Center
The Career Center is known to provide students and alumni with the tools and support necessary to successfully attain their career goals. The career center team collaborates with the campus community as an indispensable partner in the education and development of students to provide exceptional customer service to our employers while recognizing individual recruiting needs.
