Tutoring Programs & Policies

Services

The Tutoring Program is one of the many resources offered to student-athletes in The Herbst Academic Center (HAC). The Tutoring Program offers 1:1 and small group sessions for student-athletes.

Student-Athletes Requesting a Tutor

Student-athletes can request a tutor through the Tutor Coordinator (tutoring@colorado.edu) or their Academic Coordinator. Please include details with your request such as days, time ranges, and frequency. Please allow at least 48 hours’ notice for your request to be matched.

Tutoring Policies

Tiered Study Hall Program

Each student-athlete at the University of Colorado has an individualized academic plan (IAP).  The IAP considers the student-athletes’ college and high school academic records. This program combines study hall hour requirements with specific academic objectives. To ensure both short-term and long-term academic success, academic objectives are assigned to a student-athlete by their Academic Coordinator or their Academic Mentor.  Subject Tutors assist student-athletes to meet those academic objectives by providing subject specific tutorials in an ethical, appropriate manner.  

Below is a brief description of each tier designation.
  • Tier 1 students either have struggled academically in the past or are new freshman. These students have a more structured daily and weekly study schedule that divides their time into blocks. The block schedule is created by the Academic Coordinator for that team and helps the student identify productive blocks of time to do their work around their class, training and competition schedules.  Academic Coordinators will schedule tutor sessions on behalf of their Tier 1 students and will assign them required weekly study hall hours.
  • Tier 2 students are making the transition to solid time management plan and study skill behaviors. These students will request their tutoring appointments with subject tutors via Academic Coordinators.
  • Tier 3 students have earned at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and therefore request their own subject tutor appointments and do not have study hall obligations.
Athletic Academic Coordinating
Each student-athlete is assigned an Athletic Academic Coordinator to aid them in their pursuit of stimulating academic, athletic and student developmental growth.  Academic Coordinators serve student-athletes at CU Boulder through the following services. 
  • Providing overall support to the Mission of the Herbst Academic Center
  • Coordinating and monitoring the use of campus-wide resources that would best allow each individual student-athlete to succeed academically
  • Collaborating with Academic Advisors for course selection
  • Monitoring NCAA, Big 12, and CU academic eligibility standards
  • Tracking eligibility benchmarks and progress towards degree completion
  • Helping facilitate the student-athlete’s academic transition to college
  • Motivating students to actively engage in their college life by promoting the importance of academic success
  • Educating students about academic integrity, academic fraud and everything related to academic dishonesty
  • Providing general academic guidance, not specific subject tutoring
  • Teaching academic accountability to student-athletes through academic counseling strategies
  • Communicate with University faculty, staff and administration on issues related to student-athlete welfare
  • Communicating regularly with coaches and report academic progress including grades, tutoring appointments, academic meetings, and study hall hours
  • Meet with prospective student-athletes on recruiting visits

Academic Mentorship

Each first year student-athlete is assigned an Academic Mentor to aid them in their pursuit of academic skill development. Academic Mentors serve student-athletes at CU Boulder through the following services. 
  • Helping facilitate the student-athlete’s academic transition to college
  • Motivating students to actively engage in their college life by promoting the importance of academic success
  • Educating students about academic integrity, academic fraud and everything related to academic dishonesty
  • Providing general academic guidance, not specific subject tutoring
  • Assist students in organizing their time, priorities, and obligations
  • Teach executive skills such as goal setting, time management, organization and prioritization using the curriculum in the Mentor Packet and other resources
  • Educating students how to create attainable and measurable  academic objectives
  • Providing general academic guidance, not specific subject tutoring
  • Teaching academic accountability to student-athletes through academic counseling strategies
  • Communicating regularly with Academic Coordinators

Subject Tutor

  • As part of the HAC tutoring program, CU Student-athletes have access to a variety of subject tutors. Tutors are expert learning resources and serve student-athletes through the following services.
  • Facilitate student’s learning of the concepts and methods required to tackle course assessments
  • Provide one-on-one or small group tutoring to students to assist them in understanding the academic subject material by utilizing specialized backgrounds for which they were hired
  • Compile and provide timely and accurate reports to HAC staff
  • Hold students accountable through consistent supervision and reporting

Learning Facilitator

Learning facilitators are another layer of academic support to assist student-athletes as they transition into college life.  Learning facilitators serve student-athletes through the following services.
  • Supervise and maintain appropriate study hall work environment
  • Facilitate a positive learning environment conducive for optimal academic performance. 
  • Assist student-athletes in the development of their weekly academic objectives.
  • Communicate with Academic Coordinators and Learning Specialist regarding  
            student-athlete academic performance. 

PASS (Providing Academic Assistance for Student-Athlete Success)

The mission of the PASS program is to provide academic support to student-athletes who have a learning disability and/or ADHD. Collaboration with campus and educational evaluators/professionals creates an enriched and specialized learning environment for students.  The PASS program provides an individualized support system to meet each individual student’s unique learning needs as they progress toward graduation. This program teaches learning and organizational strategies as well as study skills to promote autonomy and increased confidence within student-athletes. The PASS program is administered by Michele Brannigan, Senior Learning Specialist for the Herbst Academic Center.
 
PASS Services Include the following: 
  • Specialized mentors assist with time management and learning strategies
  • Individual tutoring sessions with experienced content-based tutors
  • Private study area
  • Collaboration with the Office of Disability Services for processing required documentation and accommodations
  • Foster communication and collaboration with professors and instructors on recommended learning styles for individuals
  • Provides training in specific skill development
  • Utilize cutting edge technology to promote academic success
  • Referrals to counseling services

Campus Disability Services

DS provides students with disabilities the tools, reasonable accommodations and support services to participate fully in the academic environment.  Furthermore, DS promotes an accessible and culturally sensitive campus through outreach and by building partnerships within the university community and beyond. 

Campus Disability Services: http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/

Missed Class/Exam Policy

It is the student-athlete’s responsibility to discuss any missed class time and missed assignments for team travel or competitions with course instructors well in advance of their departure from campus.  Student-athletes are provided travel notice letters from their Academic Coordinator at the beginning of each semester which outlines the dates they may be absent due to team travel and competition. These dates must be discussed with each instructor during the first week of the semester so that accommodations can be made for any missed work. Accommodations for travel are entirely at the discretion of the instructor who has the right to refuse making accommodations.  We encourage student-athletes to create a communicative relationship with instructors early in the semester and remind them of missed class dates a week or two prior to the date. Academic Coordinators may be able to assist instructors with accommodations if appropriate.

Boulder Faculty Assembly Executive Committee – Motion Regarding Class Conflicts: http://www.cubuffs.com/cubfa

First Year Program

The CU Athletics First Year Program (FYP) is designed to equip freshmen student-athletes with the skills needed to flourish at CU through an Individualized Academic Plan and a series of functional educational seminars. The intention of the program is to create a socially inclusive and supportive academic environment that addresses the social, emotional, and academic needs of students.  During the student-athletes first year there are six mandatory first year program seminars.

Seminar Series:

Seminar 1:  “Building a New Community”
Seminar 2:  “Academic Planning”
Seminar 3:  “Decision Making"
Seminar 4:  “Networking/Career Planning”
Seminar 5: “All about the Money- Financial Literacy”
Seminar 6: “Freshman Celebration /Personal Branding/Legacy” 

Summer Bridge

The Summer Bridge Program at the University of Colorado allows for new student-athletes to attend classes in the summer prior to the students’ initial, full-time enrollment in order to transition into the college experience. The summer bridge program also educates student-athletes on the following foundational academic skills.
  • Course Selection
  • Time Management
  • Academic Integrity
  • Testing-Taking
  • Note-Taking
  • Academic Writing
  • Professor Communication
  • Nutrition and Elite Performance
  • Leadership Development

Textbook Program

Student-athletes who receive athletic aid are entitled to course related books as required or suggested by the course syllabus. The CU Bookstore is the primary provider for course related books. The CU Bookstore has a staff member to serve as a liaison assigned to work with the Athletic Department on textbooks. Academic Coordinators will preorder student-athlete textbooks at the beginning of each semester. The CU Bookstore will fulfill their orders and each student-athlete will pick their textbooks up from the bookstore.  Textbook returns for spring and fall semesters are held during finals week in the Herbst Academic Study Hall. For summer returns, student-athletes can return their books to Tricia Clesi or their Academic Coordinator. If a student would like to keep a textbook beyond that term, it is allowable with proper documentation obtained from their Academic Coordinator.

Priority Class Registration

Student-athletes are among the very first populations of students who are permitted to register for classes each term.  The Herbst Academic Center works with the Office of the Registrar and each of the colleges to prepare for “priority registration.”  Prior to the enrollment period, each student-athlete must meet with his/her academic advisor in their program of study and discuss class selection and degree completion.  The academic advisor must confirm this meeting has taken place by signing and dating a planning form. The student-athlete must return this planning form verification to his/her academic coordinator in the Herbst Academic Center.  Only at that point may the academic coordinator remove the advising hold that Athletics has placed on the student’s record. Student-athletes must also eliminate all holds/stops (negative service indicators in CU-SIS) that would prohibit the student from registering.  These holds can include immunization, selective service, transcripts, financial, and disciplinary.