First-Year Seminar Dean Model
HWS Deans’ Mission Statement
The Office of the Deans supports all undergraduate students in their learning and academic goals from their first semester to graduation. Deans are assigned to new first-year students through their First-Year Seminar, or FSEM. New transfer students and continuing students have assigned deans listed in their PeopleSoft/Student Information portal. The deans focus on a holistic sense of academic belonging; they work in close collaboration and partnership with faculty instructors and advisors as well as the academic support staff in key offices such as the Center for Teaching and Learning, Global Education, Career Services, and the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning.
Embedded in the FSEMs with students from day one, the deans model academic engagement and help students develop academic belonging by encouraging connection to significant experiences, faculty of interest, and departments and programs aligned with students’ educational and life-long learning goals. The deans continue to draw upon the connections formed during the first year of study to build meaningful bridges into the sophomore and junior years as well as foster a greater sense of belonging for seniors and alumni in the years following graduation.
HWS Deans’ Syllabus Statement
At Hobart and William Smith, the deans are one of the academic resources that will enable you to succeed in your learning and degree goals. The Office of the HWS Deans (located on the first floor of Smith Hall) is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is a central space where students can meet with a dean to: 1) talk about academic plans; 2) be connected to resources and assistance for academic success; 3) learn about honor societies, mentorship, and deeper academic involvement; 4) receive help communicating with faculty and other staff on campus; and 5) discuss challenges that impact academics. We encourage you to learn about your dean (individual dean assignments are listed in PeopleSoft) by visiting our website (Office of the Deans) and our Resources page to help you have the best possible learning experiences on campus. Students can schedule individual meetings with a dean by calling (315) 781-3467 or emailing HWSdeans@hws.edu.
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