UCAM
UCAM Program Services
Looking for more details on what the University Coaching & Academic Mentoring program provides? This is the place. Southern Oregon University is an inclusive learning environment that provides opportunities for creative, connected learning. UCAM at SOU provides comprehensive support for students with academic need, executive function challenges (such as organization, planning, follow-through, and prioritization), neurodivergencies, learning differences, ADHD, ASD, and mental health challenges.
Start Out Right
Pre-Registration
UCAM students meet with their Academic Coach for a pre-registration and intake session prior to course registration. Topics for this session include credit load, matching students with instructors based on preferred learning style, reviewing required courses and electives, navigating SOU’s system for monitoring degree completion, connecting students with their Student Success Coordinator and faculty advisor, incorporating accommodations – if applicable – and more.
New Student Orientation
UCAM invites first-year students to move in a day prior to the general SOU population. UCAM Orientation begins with a paid dinner for all new UCAM students, the UCAM student mentor, and each of the Academic Coaches for the first night on campus. The following day, UCAM hosts a full-day orientation where we cover the wide variety of resources and technologies used at SOU. We strongly encourage all incoming UCAM students to participate.
UCAM Orientation has historically included the following:
- Guest speakers from across campus
- Transportation options
- SOU’s academic platforms (Moodle/InsideSOU)
- Accommodations
- Clubs and Resource Centers
- Class schedule
- Purchasing books and additional class materials
- Overview of SOU Orientation events
- Campus tour
- Social opportunities before fall term starts
- One-on-one student and coach meetings, as needed
3-Credit Course Sequence
UCAM offers a 3-credit course sequence on academic success building, transitioning to college, and SOU; subjects covered are ever-evolving to meet students’ needs. Topics may include community engagement, making connections and friendships across campus, stress and anxiety management, time management, organization, research, note-taking strategies, and sleep and wellness. UCAM supports you as a whole student!
New Parent Orientation
UCAM realizes the nuances and difficulties of the unwritten rules of higher education for not only students but parents as well. While students settle into their new room, parents can join UCAM’s New Parent Orientation.
During this orientation parents will:
- Learn about each of the Academic Coaches
- Get to know the various services UCAM offers
- Be introduced to the UCAM Professional Writing Tutor and the UCAM Student Mentor
- Meet other UCAM parents (potential rideshare connections have been made out of this orientation in the past!)
- Understand the Coach/Student Agreement
- Be provided with important contact information for across campus resources, such as Housing, Dean of Students Office, Raider Student Services, and more
- Learn how to stay connected through various social media platforms that SOU offers
- Leave knowing your student is in capable hands
Additionally, we offer one-on-one meetings where parents can meet with their student’s Academic Coach to express their hopes, dreams, and concerns for their student.
Keep On Track
Academic Coaching
Many students choose SOU because of UCAM’s Academic Coaching.
Students will meet with the same Academic Coach on a weekly basis. One-on-one sessions cover short and long-term goal setting, weekly progress checks, problem-solving, and self-evaluation. Academic Coaches will suggest skills and strategies specific to students’ individual needs. If needed, the Academic Coach will also refer students to other campus and community resources. In coaching, we address the whole student and cover a wide variety of topics.
We, as coaches, also modify our one-on-one coaching meetings based on student needs. Coaching meetings can include any of the following:
- Checking Moodle (SOU’s learning management system) for assignments, grades, and instructor feedback
- Tracking institutional deadlines and utilizing SOU’s Academic Calendar
- When and how to register for classes and lift appropriate holds
- Term-at-glance: a UCAM resource where students and coaches break down the entirety of the term’s academic and personal work into a large visual calendar
- Identify successful systems for tracking and remembering assignments
- Breaking down long term assignments and larger projects into manageable pieces
- Understanding course syllabi and assignment schedules
- Teach and model self-advocacy
- Facilitate communication with instructors and use of office hours
- Access Hannon Library circulation desk, tutoring services, research librarians, and private study rooms
- Work initiation as desired and needed by students
- Learn how to use accommodations and assistive technology
- Schedule exams through Disability Resources’ testing center per accommodations
- Connect students with Housing, Disability Resources, Student Health and Wellness’ medical and mental health providers, the Office of the Dean of Students, and additional campus resources
Levels of Support
Students select one of the following options:
- Tier 1 is the standard session with one hour of coaching per week.
- Tier 2 offers two hours of coaching each week (additional fees apply)
Visit our Program Fees Page for more information
Professional Writing Tutor
Many students need additional support in learning college-level writing skills. As a part of UCAM, you’ll have weekly access to a professional writing tutor to help you. Professional writing tutor to help with everything from small forum posts and finding sources to long research papers and navigating style guides. If students are unsure of where to start they can meet with the writing tutor and create an individualized plan and get started.
The writing tutor is a professional, not a peer.
End of Term Coaching Feedback
Each academic coach provides personalized feedback at the end of the term, reflecting on the student’s strengths, making observations about situations in which the student thrived and struggled, and providing guidance on self-improvement for future terms.
UCAM realizes how important reflection is in a student’s path to success. Coaches consistently notice the powerful impact that the delivery of thoughtful written feedback can have on students, their self-awareness and esteem, and the coaching relationship.
Build a Community
UCAM Peer Mentor
UCAM offers a paid Student Peer Mentor position each academic year. In this position, we have an experienced UCAM student assist our new UCAM students in their transition to Southern Oregon University. We realize the importance of making connections early, so our UCAM Peer Mentor joins our New Student Orientation in the fall, attends our UGS 199 class throughout the academic year, as well as, represents UCAM at admissions events, and meets with prospective students, when available.
Our UCAM Peer Mentor provides a safe and welcoming environment for new students to ask questions and inquire about what student life is like at Southern Oregon University. Meet this year’s UCAM Student Mentor on our About Our Coaches page!
Student Lounge / Community Space
Are you having difficulty finding a quiet place to study? Are you looking to find a space to hang out in between classes? Do you like puzzles? Then the UCAM Study lounge and community space is the place for you! UCAM has a welcoming and comfortable space with couches, tables and chairs, and access to computers, and more often than not, we have a puzzle going on that needs to be completed! Come join your peers and study, relax, and maybe meet someone new!
Our study lounge is nestled between the UCAM offices on the lower level of the Stevenson Union.
Power Hour
Power Hour is a semi-structured dedicated time in our study lounge. We offer students this time to study and get work done, make connections with other UCAM students and staff. Coaches and Peer Mentor will be in attendance to allow for extra assistance to students who want it. We offer Power Hour 5 days a week with virtual attendance as a possibility.
Social Events
Join UCAM’s Peer Mentor and the Academic Coaches for scheduled weekly social events and activities. We walk to downtown Ashland to eat and explore Lithia Park, go on hikes, have movie parties and video game nights, go ice skating at the local outdoor rink, carve pumpkins, have crafting sessions, and more.
Family Engagement
In addition to the New Parent Orientation, we provide ongoing ways for parents to connect with coaches and the overall program. Coaches host community check-in Zoom meetings throughout the year that allow parents to ask questions and connect with other families in the program.
Communication in higher education is subject to FERPA. If you are a current parent and want to inquire about how your student is doing, coaches are happy to engage with your student and formulate a response.
Parents have the opportunity to engage in an end-of-year feedback session in which individual parents, students, and their Academic Coach meet to debrief on the growth and challenges of the past year.