“My roommate and I are just incompatible – I can’t live with them anymore.” “My homework in biology is so hard.” “I think I have strep throat.”
Hopefully, these are words that you won’t hear from your student in the coming weeks, but if you do, there are people on campus to help. Tusculum encourages parents to listen to their students’ concerns and guide them in who they should call or consult in resolving an issuing with a roommate, finding academic tutoring or finding assistance when they are ill. Encourage them to try to resolve the issue on their own, an important step in developing independence, offering them suggestions of whom to contact on campus.
Below is a listing of various topics and who should be contacted:
– Academic advising. For questions regarding declaring majors or changing majors, please contact the Director of Academic Advising in Room 121 of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building. The Director of Academic Advising can also answer questions about academic requirements. Advisors are assigned as a student enters Tusculum. Students who are undecided as majors are assigned to general advisors until they decide which major to pursue, when they are assigned an advisor in that discipline.
– Accessibility for students with disabilities. Students who may need accommodations for disabilities, should contact Dean of Students in the Office of Student Affairs on the main level of the Niswonger Commons.
– Arts and Lectures requirement – the Director of Academic Advising. Please see academic advising above.
– Athletics. Any issues with the College’s varsity sports should be address to the Athletic Director in Rankin Hall. Any issues with an intramural sport should be brought to the attention of the Office of Student Affairs in Niswonger Commons.
– Automobile registration. All students should have the cars they are driving on campus registered. Contact the Director of Campus Safety on the main level of the Niswonger Commons about car registration or parking questions.
– Bills and payments issues, including deferred payments. Please contact the Business Office on the first floor of McCormick Hall.
– Campus activities and club and organization information. For campus activities, please call the Student Life Coordinator for Campus Activities, whose office is in the Pioneer Gym. Club and organization questions should be directed to the Associate Dean of Students on the main level of the Niswonger Commons.
– Computer services. For computer issues, students should contact the Computer Help Desk Assistant, located on the top level of the Niswonger Commons.
– Personal counseling. For help with interpersonal issues, please contact the Campus Counselor in the Health and Wellness Center on the lower level of the Niswonger Commons.
– Financial aid. For assistance with financial aid, please contact the Director of Financial Aid in Virginia Hall on the second floor.
– Food services. For questions about dining options or concerns, please contact the Campus Dining Manger in the Niswonger Commons cafeteria.
– Grade appeals. Tusculum has a process, outlined in the College catalog, for making grading appeals. The first person to contact is the instructor for the course.
– Hometown news. If you have questions about getting news about your student in the local newspaper, please call the Office of College Communication at 423.636.7304. The office sends releases about academic honors and other student achievement and activities to hometown newspapers.
– ID cards. If a student loses a card or the magnetic strip on the back stops working, please contact the Student Life Administrative Assistant in the Office of Student Affairs on the main level of the Niswonger Commons.
– International student services. Please contact the Director of Academic Advising.
– Instructor/quality of instruction issues. The Academic Chair over that program should be contacted. Call the campus operator for contact information regarding the appropriate chair.
– Parking citation appeal. Appeals for parking tickets should be made to the Dean of Students in the Office of Student Affairs. The Motor Vehicle Operations Guide provides information about this process and can be found online under the “documents” menu on the Student Affairs Webpage.
– Paychecks. While students pick up paychecks in the Business Office, any issues regarding them need to be directed to the Director of Financial Aid in Virginia Hall.
– Physical illness or injury. Students who are ill or who have an injury may see the campus nurse in the Health and Wellness Center on the lower level of the Niswonger Commons. For an emergency or need for care at night, contact 911, the Office of Campus Safety or Student Affairs personnel.
– Roommate, residence hall issues. The Office of Student Affairs should be contacted for any issues regarding roommates, room assignments, switching rooms, etc.
– Transfer credit. Any questions or issues with transfer credit should be addressed by the Registrar’s Office on the ground level of Virginia Hall.
For issues not listed here, please contact the Dean of Students. A listing of issues and personnel and contact information can be found in the Student Handbook, which is provided online on the Student Affairs page.