CASA

Center For Academic Success and Advising

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Center for Academic Success and Advising We are CASA

Through a range of customized services — from First-Year Academic Advising and individualized academic success coaching to professional tutoring to financial aid counseling — CASA ensures that students have the support they need to realize their full potential at Barry University. 

Our team of expert coaches and advisors collaborates across campus systems, working with faculty and administrators to provide academic resources necessary for each student to become an independent and confident learner. 

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CASA strives to foster the skills and mindset needed for students to achieve their fullest potential and realize their successes.

Our Support Services

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    Academic Success Center

    Whatever your academic question or concern, we can help! Our advisors provide private academic coaching and develop individualized plans for student success. CASA is the home of academic advising for every first-year Barry student, providing support and advocacy from the start. Recognizing that no two learners are alike, CASA fosters academic skills by connecting students with the resources they need to reach their unique goals.
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    The Glenn Hubert Learning Center

    Glenn Hubert Learning Center (GHLC) offers academic support services in the areas of writing, math, and reading that are customized to students’ individual needs and facilitated by professional tutors. GHLC conducts workshops and seminars on a variety of writing topics ranging from the APA Documentation Style to paraphrasing, grammar, and mechanics throughout the academic year.
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    The University Testing Center

    The University Testing Center provides placement and challenge testing in math, English, chemistry, reading, and foreign languages to ensure that students are placed into appropriate courses.

The Glenn Hubert Learning Center

Mission

The Glenn Hubert Learning Center (GHLC), comprised of the Mathematics Laboratory, the Reading Center, and the Writing Center, seeks to develop independent, confident, and successful learners. Named for its benefactor, Mr. Glenn Hubert, it aims to provide specialized academic services that are tailored to meet the learning needs of all Barry students. Our mission is to support student success.

Purpose

Barry University’s Glenn Hubert Learning Center serves as an academic resource for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students seeking assistance with college-level reading and analytical thinking skills, writing, and mathematics. Through GHLC’s Mathematics Laboratory, Reading Center, and Writing Center, students can work one-on-one with experienced professional tutors and obtain necessary support to be successful in a college-classroom setting. Services provided by the GHLC include customized directed tutorials, workshops, seminars, and classroom visitations, among others.

Reading Center

Through the Learning Center’s Reading Center, located in Garner Hall 115, Barry University undergraduate and graduate students are able to meet the demands of college-level reading by developing reading comprehension skills, improving reading fluency and building vocabulary.

The Learning Center’s professional tutors work one-on-one with students to help them develop reading strategies and study techniques that can be applied to college-level texts. In addition, diagnostic assessments are used to design tutorial programs tailored to students’ needs.

Tutoring Schedule

Provided Services

  • Remote Tutoring Sessions via Microsoft Teams
  • Reading Strategies Tutorial (6 weeks)
  • Reading Strategies Tutorial (12 weeks)
  • Study Skills Seminar (6 weeks)
  • Test-Taking Strategies (6 weeks)
  • Vocabulary Development Tutorial (12 weeks)
  • Individualized computer-based instruction
  • Diagnostic assessments
  • SI 010 Active Reading and Learning Strategies Class

Math Lab

The Mathematics Laboratory located in Garner 107 provides assistance in mathematics to all students enrolled in Barry University. The goal of the Math Lab is to enhance students’ skills in mathematics and help them to become independent learners. 

During the tutorial session, the Math Lab tutors do not just provide answers on homework assignment, but rather teach the concepts, explain different solutions to the assignment, and work with students on similar problems. The Math Lab offers both walk-in sessions and the customized directed tutorials on various topics.

In addition to tutoring services, the Mathematics Laboratory has a reference library, handouts, computer software and video tapes. The Math Lab library of reference books is open to all students, faculty, or staff during our regular hours.

  • General Knowledge Test (GKT): Information, Sample Diagnostic Test
  • Test Reviews for Math Courses
  • Math Seminars
  • Physics Seminars
  • Reference books
Tutoring Schedule Online Resources

Provided Services

  • Remote Tutoring Sessions via Microsoft Teams
  • One-to-one tutoring with professional tutors
  • Computerized skills-building resources including Minitab, SPSS, PHStat
  • Group tutoring sessions for MAT 090, MAT 091, and MAT 095
  • Walk-in sessions for intermediate algebra, precalculus, calculus , and MAT 152
  • Tutorial for General Knowledge Test (GKT)
  • Workshops on the use of scientific calculators
  • Tutorials for basic computer programming
  • Directed tutorials for advanced math and physics courses
  • Customized workshops for CHE 111 and CHE112 courses
  • Review sessions related to pharmacological calculations for nursing students

Writing Center

The Writing Center, located in Garner Hall 110, provides assistance to undergraduate and graduate students with all types of writing, including research paper writing, essay writing and crafting resumes and personal statements, among other forms of writing. 

Students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with professional tutors to develop the connection between writing and knowledge while addressing specific writing problems. Although tutors assist students in the editing process, tutoring sessions ultimately seek to develop stronger writers, not produce perfect papers.

Tutoring Schedule

Provided Services

  • Download and install the Microsoft Teams app to computer prior to your appointment.

  • During these sessions, students work in collaboration with a tutor on their writing concerns. Given the time limitations of the typical 30-45 minute session, it is impossible to consider all the problems in a student paper. That is why at the beginning of each tutoring session, students and tutors set up the priorities based on the nature of a specific writing context. Typically, tutors start with the Higher Order Concerns such as understanding of the assignment, thesis/focus of the paper, organization, flow, and voice. Then they move on to address the Lower Order Concerns, i.e., grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Tutoring sessions are not intended to produce impeccable papers; rather, the goal is to teach students to become more capable writers so that they can use this knowledge to bear in future papers. An assessment tool, the analytic rubric developed by the Writing Center tutors in collaboration with the Writing Center Coordinator, is being used during the tutorials to assess student writing. The scores on the rubric of those students who attend the Writing Center six or more times will be compared in order to obtain data regarding student learning outcomes. These data will also provide useful insights in regards to what other services must be designed to meet student individual needs.

  • Even though appointments are not required, for papers that have 10 or more pages, students are recommended to schedule a one- or one-hour and 30 minute appointments allowing them to spend more time with a tutor. Appointments are scheduled by phone or an e-mail sent to the Learning Center Manager.

  • The Online Writing Lab provides asynchronous online tutorial services primarily for students taking classes off the main campus; however, students who are enrolled and take classes at the Main Campus can also utilize this service.

  • This seminar focuses on basic sentence grammar skills. At the beginning and at the end of this seminar, students are required to take two pre- and post-assessment tests to determine if the seminar produced any impact on their learning. One of the diagnostic tests included into this seminar is the Test of Written Language (TOWL). Also, web-based pre- and post-assessments provided by the Pearson Publishing My Writing Lab are used in the 7-week Sentence Grammar seminar. The topics covered during this seminar include: 1) phrases, clauses, run-ons, and comma splices; 2) fragments; 3) subjects, verbs, and subject-verb agreement; 4) pronoun case, pronoun reference, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and point of view; and 5) combining sentences. This seminar is useful for any students who wish to refresh their knowledge of the basic sentence grammar skills, including English Language Learners (ELLs).

    • Writing Workshops
    • Modern Language Association LA Documentation Style
    • American Psychological Association Documentation Style
    • Avoiding Plagiarism
    • Essay Structure & Grammar
    • How to Write a Position Paper?

    The MLA and APA Documentation Style workshops provide students with the introduction to the conventions of various documentation styles such as MLA and APA. The Avoiding Plagiarism workshop provides students with a definition of the concept of plagiarism, informs students about the cases where citations are not needed, and, most importantly, clarifies what effective paraphrase is. The Essay Structure and Grammar workshop focuses on the writing process, the structure, and the organization of a college essay. Comma usage is covered during the second part of this workshop. How to Write a Position Paper introduces students to the concept of one of the most frequent college writing assignments, i.e. a position paper. During this workshop, students are taught a specific technique called “Frames.” This engaging, collaborative technique stimulates and shapes students’ thoughts as they work as a group trying to identify the pros and the cons of a controversial issue and take their own stand on the problem.

  • Since the services of the OWL are conducted via asynchronous mode of communication (email), the brief phone consultations with a tutor provide students with the so much needed live interaction. Students can seek clarification, ask a question, and/or request an appointment with a tutor in the Writing Center.

  • The Learning Center Manager conducts classroom/course “Quick Talks” visits as per the request of the individual faculty members. The topics covered during these visits usually include a brief overview of the Writing Center services or focus on the topics covered during the on-campus workshops.

  • By logging in to the Writing Center’s sign-in station at http://doitapps.barry.edu/TSWL/Manager, faculty can verify their student attendance to the Writing Center.

  • The Writing Center website provides students with the detailed information about the Writing Center’s services, hours of operation, the mission statement, policies and procedures, and the list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). Three of the five writing seminars currently offered by the Writing Center had been videotaped and can be accessed for viewing on the Writing Center’s website. Most importantly, students can access a variety of handouts created by the Writing Center’s tutors. These handouts focus on grammar, the essay writing, and the conventions of the APA styles. Also, students can access the handout containing the list of useful and reliable links such as dictionary.com, apastyle.org, and others

Placement Testing

Scheduling your placement testing appointment

  • Students must make an appointment for a test at least 36 hours in advance. 
  • Students must use their Barry email account to schedule appointments and take the tests.
  • Students are required to provide a picture ID
    (i.e. student ID, driver’s license, passport, etc.)
  • Testing is available in person (on main campus) or remotely via Microsoft Teams.

Technical Requirements for Placement Testing

  • A desktop or laptop to take tests
    (no iPads, tablet, phones, Chromebooks, etc.).
  • Download and install the Microsoft Teams app to computer prior to test appointment.
  • High-speed internet access
  • Chrome or Firefox browser
  • A working computer camera and microphone
  • Ability to share your computer screen

Placement tests

  • 40 multiple-choice questions, including both chemical and mathematical foundations questions, comprise this test.

    *A calculator will be provided if testing in person.  If testing remotely, you must provide your own calculator.

    • 40 minutes
  • The test consists of responding to a short article (that will be provided) by constructing a well-organized essay of approximately 300 words in which students summarize the argument and state their own position on the argument, providing specific supporting evidence from the article, their own experiences, observations, or readings.

    Results of the English Challenge/Placement test will determine whether a student registers for ENG 095 or ENG 111.

    • 60 minutes
  • The French Placement Test measures language usage and reading skills.

    The test has three levels.  Level I consists of 31 multiple choice questions. Level II consists of 26 multiple choice questions and Level III 31 multiple choice questions.  Your score on Level I will determine your eligibility to continue on to Level II, and then so on with each Level. 

    • 60 minutes
  • The Math Placement Test I consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. Questions are arranged to gradually increase in difficulty, focusing on topics of real numbers and operations, Algebra I, and Geometry. 

    *Calculators may not be used for either of these tests.

    • 60 minutes

    The Math Placement Test IIA consists of 15 multiple-choice questions. Questions are arranged to gradually increase in difficulty, focusing on topics of real numbers and operations, Algebra I, and Algebra II.

    *Calculators may not be used for either of these tests.

    • 60 minutes
  • The test consists of seven short reading passages and 38 multiple-choice questions about the content of these passages.

    • 20 minutes
  • The Spanish Placement Test measures language usage and reading skills.

    The test has three levels.  Level I consists of 31 multiple choice questions. Level II consists of 28 multiple choice questions and Level III 36 multiple choice questions.  Your score on Level I will determine your eligibility to continue on to Level II, and then so on with each Level. 

    • 60 minutes

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