Stress Relief

Finals Taking a Toll on You?

Here are some Techniques for Relieving Some of that Stress!

New course opportunity for first-year students!

This spring Univ 190P: Investigating Higher Education will be offered for the first time!  This 3-credit course is a chance for first-year students to have a small class, engage in a personal research project, and have an opportunity to present their work.  The topic of the class will focus on issues of access to and success in higher education.  Think you're interested?  More information can be found here.

Tip of the Week with Jess and Matt (#11)

Welcome back!! We hope you all had a relaxing break with lots of sleep and yummy food...But now it's back to work! Classes have been chosen, but I would say that at some point, almost everyone has experienced the letdown of seeing a class they wanted fill up...But not to fear! I would bet that many of those students could also tell you their story about getting into those.....

Closed Classes

Do you see that annoying blue square next to a class you need or are excited about? Spire may tell you it's closed (and, well, it is), but don't lose hope just yet--there are a couple actions you can take to get yourself in.

1) Keep checking Spire during winter break...Some students in that class may change their minds and drop the class, so spots can open up, allowing you to officially enroll right away.
2) If spots never open up, go to the class on the first day. If there is physical space for you in the classroom, many professors are happy to manually enroll you in Spire. To be ahead of the game, email the professor now or during winter break (if his or her name is listed in Spire) and ask if it would be possible to enroll later even though the class has filled. Being proactive and expressing your interest shows that you really care!

Hopefully these tips will ease your mind about that closed class--in the meantime, at least make sure you have a schedule that you are okay with...things like housing and financial aid may hinge upon you being a full-time student (12 credits). Also, if the class does open up, remember to "swap," don't "drop" when switching into that class and out of one that you previously had on your schedule.

Study hard!

Weekly Preview: December 3 through the end of the semester

It's December!  You'll notice that the number of academic activities & events offered will start to dwindle in these last weeks of the semester.  The assumption is that students are focusing on their studies, and not spending a lot of time investigating other opportunities.  Watch, however, for end-of-the-semester showcases of student work, be it in dance, music, art, or writing!

Here's what's coming up:

Friday, December 3, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm. Comparative Literature Junior Year Writing Conference. Look what they’ve done! Comparative Literature is proud to present this year's Junior Year Writing Conference, made up of presentations by this year's Junior Year Writing class, in panels chaired by the program's graduate students. Each year we acknowledge the hard work put in by our students and join them for a day of papers on topics of their choice. We welcome visitors from other areas of campus to enjoy these papers and support our students. Herter 601.

Friday, December 3, 10:00 – 12:00 pm. Open House for Prospective Graduate Students Interested in Public Health. Think you might consider graduate school after finishing your undergraduate degree? Plan ahead! Come meet Public Health faculty, staff and students from Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, Community Health Education, and Health Policy and Management. Learn about the admissions process, financial aid opportunities, and our curriculum. Campus Center 904-08.

Friday, December 3, 3:30-5:00pm. Computer Science First Friday Event: "Working at a Startup."  Prof. Mark Corner. First Friday Events are for all Computer Science Majors, Minors, and other interested students. 151 Computer Science Building.

Monday, December 6, 6:30pm. R1 (Tier 1) Basic Math Skills Exemption Test. Passing the R1 exam (at least 12 out of 20 correct) will satisfy the R1 requirement for graduation but will not result in the awarding of any credits. There are, however, credit courses that will also satisfy the R1 requirement. Click here for more information. A student ID and a #2 pencil are required. A calculator is recommended. There is no limit on the number of times a student may take this test. The focus of this exam is to measure knowledge of basic math skills. See website for details on topics covered by the test. Marcus 131.

Monday, December 6, 7-8:30pm. Residence Life SOM Fair. Whether you're in Isenberg School of Management or not, you can join a number of RSOs (student organizations) that relate to various business majors. Come to this fair to learn more about: Association for Diversity in Sports, Association for Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, Food and beverages Management Association, Isenberg Honors Council, Marketing Club, Meeting and Event Managers Association, Resource Economics Society, and the Women in Business Society. Build your resume! Melville Residence Hall Classroom, Room 112.

Wednesday, December 8, 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm or Thursday, December 9 at 1pm or Tuesday, December 14 at 2:30pm. Job Search Workshop for Seniors Graduating December 2010. Are you a senior graduating this December? Are you in search of a job? If so, then this workshop is for you. Career Advisors will go over the latest technology and job searching techniques that will help you find the right job for you. Open only to seniors graduating in December 2010. Goodell 508.

Friday, December 10, 2010. Last Day of Classes for the Fall 2010 Semester.

Saturday, December 11 through Sunday, December 12. Reading Period.

Monday, December 13 through Saturday, December 18. Final Exams.

Monday, December 20. Snow Day for December 18 exams; semester ends.

(Ongoing) Through the end of final exams, every Wednesday through Friday at 2:30-3:30 and every Wednesday from 4:45-5:30. Domestic Exchange Information Sessions for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 Exchanges. Want to spend a semester or year at another college or university in the U.S.? Check out the list of institutions in the National Student Exchange (nse.org) and also to the University of Massachusetts Exchange Schools, which currently include UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth, and UMass Lowell. Students MUST attend an information session to apply (and will receive applications and all the information necessary to apply). The deadline is March 1st for FALL 2011 AND/OR SPRING 2012. (There is also a Priority Deadline of February 7th. Meeting the priority deadline does increase the chances of a student placement.) 604 Goodell.

(Ongoing) Monday, October 25- Monday, January 3. Winter Session Registration, through Continuing & Professional Education. Registration is now open for UMass Amherst Winter Session. Online classes start December 20. Face-to-face classes start January 2. Speak with an advisor and/or the Financial Aid Office to understand how these courses work in your academic program. For more information visit www.umassulearn.net and/or SPIRE.

(Ongoing) For the Fall 2010 semester, BDIC will be holding information sessions every Tuesday at 11am and Friday at 2pm. BDIC Information Sessions. Cannot find exactly what you are looking for in a major on campus? Attend a BDIC information session to learn about designing your own interdisciplinary major. 608 Goodell.

(Ongoing) Field Experience Co-op and Internship Info Session. Join Career Services/Field Experience for an information session on co-ops and internships. Learn how to find them, what they can do for your career, and when you should start your search. These sessions are held every Monday from 5-6pm and every Tuesday from 12:45pm-1:15pm in 508 Goodell.

The FINAL Basic Math (R1) Exemption Test of the semester is being offered:

Monday, December 6th
6:30 p.m.

Marcus 131

Passing this test exempts you from the Basic Math (R1) Gen Ed requirement.

OK - but should I take it?

Here's what you should consider:

• Do any of your current or intended academic majors/minors/certificates require math-based courses? If so, the R1 Exemption Test may not be the best option for you. The test is only used to satisfy your Gen Ed requirement--it does NOT prepare you for further math-based courses.
• If you do NOT intend to pursue an academic path that requires math-based courses, the R1 Exemption Test is a great way to get your Basic Math Gen Ed out of the way! You can learn more about what to expect on the test from the Math Department's website and you can take the test multiple times if need be, without penalty, to pass.

As always, if you have any questions (like if you're not sure what majors/minors/certificates you might consider pursing or whether what you have already declared requires math-based courses) talk with an advisor!