Faculty members should be aware of the wide variety of academic and non-academic services and programs available to students. Through their contact with students in class and outside of class, faculty members may refer students to these services or recommend that they avail themselves of these services. In instances of problem behaviors in the classroom, the instructor should inform the Office of the Assistant Dean of Students.

Although the services listed below are available to students, several of them are also available to faculty members and their families (e.g., Community Counseling Center, Wellness Program).

1. Academic Advisement
Advising offices in each college are responsible for advising all freshmen, all new transfer students, and all sophomores who have not filed official degree audits with an academic department. Other students who have not declared majors by filing a degree audit should begin the process of scheduling classes each semester with the advising office. Students who have not met the TSI requirements and/or Basic Skills requirements in English and Math must register through Advisement Services. Any student who has questions or problems affecting his or her academic progress should be encouraged to visit the advising office for help.

In addition to the advising offices, faculty members are also expected to engage in student advising. Per System Policy 12.03 faculty responsibilities include commonly accepted duties which will enhance the teaching/learning process and the quality of the institution's programs. Among those recognized duties is student advising.

2. Career Services
This office serves students, alumni, and employers as well as A&M-Commerce's academic departments through programming and information dissemination, providing a bridge between academic preparation and professional careers. Regularly scheduled programs include Job Fairs, Teacher Career Days, Career Directions Workshops, and on-campus interviews with business and government recruiters. Information on current job openings in business, higher education, and public schools is published twice-monthly; reference information on career choices, the job-search process, and on a variety of specific employers is provided; internship and co-op opportunity information is published and posted; and computer access to job-search resources on the Internet is also available (along with a brief guide and directory).

This office administers Veterans' Administration educational benefit programs for veterans and their dependents who may be eligible to receive benefits under any one of several programs. Applications and further information are available in the Veterans' Affairs office or by calling 903-886-5123.

3. Communication Skills Center
The Communications Skills Center, located on the first floor of the Hall of Languages, provides individual assistance in reading, writing and study skills to all university students. The Center is designed to help students learn to organize written assignments such as essays, term papers, and reports, and to help with problems in spelling and punctuation, with vocabulary building, textbook reading, and other study skills such as note taking and test taking. Students may also receive help in preparing for the JLE and THEA tests. Hours are posted each semester. No appointments are necessary.

4. Counseling Center
The Counseling Center offers a wide range or programs and services to assist students in accomplishing their personal, academic, and career goals. The staff provides both individual and group counseling. Other services include relaxation training to help alleviate stress-related problems and career assistance facilitated by the use of various computer-delivered career guidance systems. Legal advice is available by appointment with the student attorney. Numerous groups, programs, and workshops are presented each semester. Educational materials may be checked out from the Center's information library. All programs and services are free to University students, and the staff respects each student's right to confidentiality and privacy. Please call the Center for information about programs and services or to make an appointment.

5. Credit by Examination and/or Advanced Placement
Students may earn academic course credit for individual study or formal and information educational experience through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Advanced Placement Program (AP), and departmental tests of competency in specific courses. Credit earned through such examinations is recorded on the student's transcript without a grade, and may be used to satisfy degree requirements. Further information is available at the Office of Student Assessment and Evaluation.

6. Early Intervention
Early intervention for freshmen is designed to communicate the University's interest in the success of freshman students and to show a willingness to participate fully to help students accomplish their academic objectives. The University, through Advisement Services, faculty advisors, and mentors, will assist students who may be experiencing difficulty to focus on improvement and course completion. The process will allow students to be knowledgeable about their academic progress early in the semester and will provide faculty and staff with useful data for assisting students and enhancing retention. Faculty who teach freshmen will include in their course syllabi a statement explaining the Early Intervention Procedures and will schedule assignments or exams before the fifth week of classes so that grades may be reported. A&M-commerce Procedures A11.28.

7. Freshman Success Seminar
The Freshman Success Seminar program provides students assistance in the development of life skills and study skills, the utilization of resources, and the application of critical thinking. It is one of the courses included in the Mayo College clusters. Other students interested in utilizing these services should contact the director for additional information.

8. Honors Program
Two distinct Honors phases are available. University Studies Honors is designed primarily for promising freshman and sophomore students who take courses designed for greater instructor contact, wider opportunities for critical analysis, and independent study.

University Honors is a formal program of independent studies beginning with the junior year for students achieving a grade point average of at least 3.25. The program culminates in the writing of an Honors thesis and an Honors Comprehensive Oral Examination must be completed at the end of the student's work. A&M-Commerce Procedure A13.23.

9. International Students Office
The International Student Office serves as a liaison with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It issues the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) to students who have been officially admitted to the University as well as assists students in reviewing their visas and in obtaining work permits and permission to transfer schools. The office assists international students in adapting to life at the University and in the local community. Students should contact the office with regard to other services provided by various University, civic, and religious organizations.

10. International Studies Program: The Joe B. Hinton Office of International Studies
The Office of International Studies provides information, assistance and scholarships for academically sound international studies programs that help students develop their understanding of international/multicultural issues in a changing world.

The primary purpose is to complement the University's academic mission by assisting students in their educational development.

The Office of International Studies will provide a variety of choices of international programs in different countries that are unique and academically challenging.

The Office of International Studies believes that educational experiences abroad provide an excellent opportunity for students to understand other cultures, reach a better understanding of American culture, develop a positive self-concept, and function effectively in an ever-changing world.

11. Lion Camp
Lion Camp is Step Two of Freshman Orientation. This three-day experience, just prior to the first week of the beginning of class, is designed to equip students with the skills, knowledge and support that will help them be successful the first critical week of college. During Lion Camp, new students will learn to navigate campus with their new schedules, meet freshmen core faculty in a non-classroom setting, and have the opportunity to develop relationships with other members of their entering class.

Academic Credit is available (1 hour) via University Life 101 - Counseling 101. The course covers goal setting, time organization, relationships, study skills and strategies for success in college.

Faculty involvement opportunities during Lion Camp include:

• Participation in the Pride Walk - when new students are greeted and applauded while walking into the Freshman Convocation by faculty
• Lunch with faculty - a great time to meet new students in small groups
• Evening social events and programs
• Working with the Lion Camp Counselors on the Freshman Road Trip to Lone Star, Texas, as students and faculty talk about traditions, social opportunities and engage in planned recreation

12. Mach III/Student Support Services
A variety of services are available to students who qualify on the basis of any of the following reasons: economic disadvantage, first-generation college students (parents did not attend college), and handicap, including those who are learning disabled.

The staff includes instructors, counselors, peer-counselors, tutors, and other student assistants. Services include the following:

• Counseling: Each student is assigned to a counselor who will help with personal problems
• Peer-Counseling: Freshmen area assigned to a peer counselor who assists them in developing academic skills such as note-taking and learning how to study for tests
• Tutoring: Tutorial assistance is available in a wide variety of subjects
• Cultural Experiences: Mach III sponsors field trips, dances, multi-ethnic programs, guest speakers, and athletic events
• Services for the Handicapped: Students with physical handicaps and learning disabilities are eligible for services provided by tutors, readers, interpreters, note takers, transcribers and mobility assistants
• Referral: Mach III also provides referral service for eligible students to other on-campus or off-campus services and facilities

13. Community Counseling Center
This Center, operated by the Department of Counseling and Guidance in the College of Education, provides counseling services to students, faculty, and staff members including their families. A variety of premarital, marital, divorce mediation, post-marital, family counseling, and play therapy services are provided on a sliding scale fee. Other area residents also take advantage of this Center's confidential services.

14. Mathematics Skills Center
The Mathematics Skills Center provides assistance to students wishing to improve their skills in areas of mathematics extending from arithmetic through calculus. Tutorial services are available and are concentrated on students enrolled in freshman courses.

15. Mayo College
The Mayo College is a student-centered college within Texas A&M University-Commerce. It provides undergraduate students a comprehensive educational environment comparable to those found at small, private, Liberal Arts colleges at the affordable costs of a mid-size comprehensive state university. It features residential learning communities comprised of students taking specially designed clusters of classes comprised of Freshman Success Seminar (Psychology 111: Critical Thinking) and one or two other classes that meet University Studies requirements for graduation regardless of the student's academic major (usually English, History, Mathematics, Speech or Science).

16. Office of Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid is a source of information for students seeking national, state and other grants and loans. The office also provides assistance with student work-study employment.

17. Office of Student Assessment and Evaluation
The Office of Student Assessment and Evaluation administers national, state, and local testing programs. Some of the national testing programs include the American College Test (ACT), the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT), the Law School Admission (LSAT), the Graduate School Foreign Language Test (GSFLT), and the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA). The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and the Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) examinations are also administered.

This Office is also responsible for administering the Math, and Diagnostic tests, and the Junior Level Essay.

18. Psycho Educational Clinic
The Psycho Educational Clinic is operated by the College of Education. The clinic is a training site for graduate students in applied programs in education and psychology, and provides diagnostic counseling services and referrals for clients and agencies in the University and surrounding areas. Fees are on a sliding scale based on the ability to pay.

19. Student Health Services
Medical services are available at the Student Health Center to those students who are currently attending classes at A&M-Commerce. Services include diagnosis and treatment of minor illnesses, minor injuries, minor surgery, x-ray and lab procedures. Students are seen only during regular clinic hours; all after-hours illnesses or emergencies may be seen at the local hospital at the expenses of the students.