Letters to students
Letter from Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
Dear Lewis & Clark Student,
In the following pages you will learn about academic planning, a task that may sound daunting but is in reality very manageable. The key to success in this endeavor is taking advantage of the help available from our conscientious faculty and staff, who, along with you, make Lewis & Clark a vibrant academic community.
As you read on, be reminded that the liberal arts approach to education at Lewis & Clark seeks to create informed citizens who can engage in meaningful dialog about the causes of the intricate economic, political, social, and technological challenges that we face and will continue to face as a society. A key goal of our curriculum is to awaken interests that may otherwise lie dormant in students. By pursuing these interests under the guidance of faculty, a student can soar to unexpected heights.
The College’s faculty and staff expect you to take responsibility for articulating and realizing your academic goals, while simultaneously helping you take full advantage of the opportunities our academic program offers. I encourage you to work closely with your faculty advisor when you arrive on campus. The advisor will help you find courses that appeal to your academic interests and long-term plans. In addition to your faculty advisor, Professor Kurt Fosso, Director of Academic Advising, and Dr. Kristi Williams, Coordinator of Academic Advising Support, are also ready to help you.
I look forward to continuing our work together.
Sincerely,
Julio C. de Paula
Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
Letter from Director of Academic Advising
Dear Student,
Lewis & Clark’s college motto, Explorare, Discere, Sociare—“to explore, to learn, and to work together”—strikes the right chord. The LC student both explores and learns, and does so in the company of, and with the help of, numerous faculty, staff, and peers. In some measure, every student at the College must actively take the lead in guiding and gaining his or her education, from fulfilling requirements (and making them be fulfilling) to exploring and deciding upon a major. Ultimately, each one of you must lead forth your own education (educere, “to lead forth”), shaping your academic program and seeking out this college’s many resources.
The most important of those campus resources is of course the faculty, whose members teach your classes and provide vital academic advising. Prior to the start of your first semester at LC, each of you was assigned a pre-major faculty advisor to assist you in selecting courses, devising a four-year plan, strategizing about challenges, and even choosing a major. That personal advising process extends from matriculation to graduation, but it can only ever be as useful and fulfilling as each of you actively makes it. It is up to you to make appointments with your advisor, as it is up to you to arrive to your advising meetings on time and adequately prepared. It is also up to you to change advisors if you’re dissatisfied for some reason. In fact, any advisee can change his or her academic advisor at any time (albeit with due deliberation) by filling out a change-of-advisor form and asking the new advisor to sign it. That form is available from the Registrar’s Office and on-line at the Academic Advising website along with other important information, from majors and minors to graduation requirements and academic policies. Come take a look.
Still other advising and academic-planning information can be found right in this Pathfinder, the following pages of which can help you: - work effectively with your academic advisor
- plan your semester schedules and your four years at the College
- learn about academic support services
- become informed about scholarships and other opportunities
- understand college policies, including the College’s academic integrity policy
- organize your time efficiently and effectively
Happy reading! And happy exploring and learning at LC. Let me know if I can be of help.
Sincerely, Kurt Fosso
Director of Academic Advising
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