Important Information and Upcoming Deadlines

First-Year News

Tuesday, January 8th, 2019

IMPORTANT note from the Dean

Happy New Year!

The beginning of the calendar year and the midpoint of your first academic year at Queen's offers a good opportunity to evaluate your academic progress. All instructors have been asked to provide first-year students with feedback on their performance in 100-level full-year classes via SOLUS by 5 January. You can view your final grades in Fall Term classes, and mid-year grades in full-year classes, by selecting 'Grades' under Other Academics in the Student Centre. Select Fall Term 2018, and either the Official Grades or the Mid-Year Grades tab.

In some cases, your mid-year grades may reflect that you are making a smooth transition to the academic demands of university; in others, they may provide an early indication that you may benefit from some academic advice and/or learning support.

Mid-year grades do not necessarily reflect the final grade you will receive in the class; however, they do give an indication of your performance to date. For those of you for whom the news is good, keep up the good work. For those of you whose grades are below your expectations, now is the time to take steps to improve your situation.

For some, the solution may be as simple as taking advantage of the many academic and personal-support services offered by Queen's. You may contact your instructor or the department offering the class for advice on specific classes. Personal counselling is available at Student Wellness Services located in the LaSalle Building at 146 Stuart Street. Learning Strategies, located in Stauffer Library's Student Academic Success Centre, provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life. They also offer individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.

In addition, academic counselling is available from any one of a number of advisors in the Faculty of Arts and Science Student Services office located on the First Floor, Dunning Hall. Academic counselling will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis from 7 to 18 January 2019, in-person appointments only. Beginning 21 January you may make a same-day appointment by dropping into our office or by phoning us at 613-533-2470, early in the day. Appointments are offered either in person, via telephone or via Skype.

Some of you may face more serious decisions. You should be aware that low final grades on your transcript can lead to academic penalties ranging from being place on probation (for achieving a grade point average (GPA) of less than 1.60) to being required to withdraw from the University for a year (for achieving a GPA of less than 0.70). An estimate of your GPA may be made by using the GPA calculator.

If you have any questions about how a mid-year grade was calculated, please contact your instructor. If you are struggling with a class, you should seek academic advice immediately and consider the possibility that you may have to drop the class. Note that the deadline for dropping the B half of a Fall-Winter class is Friday 1 March 2019. Additionally, the deadline for adding a Winter Term class is Friday 18 January, the end of the second week of term. While dropping classes will have financial implications for you, there are no academic restrictions on the number of classes a student must complete in any one year.

If your unofficial mid-year GPA is below 1.60, you will need to make some improvement in order to avoid being placed on academic probation at the end of the academic year. In order to help you improve, you will receive an email invitation in January from the Bounce Back Program.

Bounce back is a confidential one-on-one peer mentorship program designed to help get you back on track academically. We strongly encourage your participation in that program. Spaces are limited and fill quickly, so register early. If you have any questions visit their website.

The Arts and Science Faculty Office is always available to answer any questions you may have about your academic program. We hope that you had an enjoyable holiday, and we wish you success in your future academic endeavours.

Yours sincerely,

Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D

Associate Dean (Studies)

Important Dates

January 7

Winter Term classes begin

January 10

Winter Term Tuition and SAL due

January 18

Last date to drop Winter Term classes without financial penalty

January 18

Last date to add Winter Term classes

Applications for Queen's Cares participants are open until filled! We have a few spots left!

Engage with diverse communities, develop skills and gain experience outside the classroom over the February Reading Week. In addition to local partnerships, this year Queen's Cares will be working with community organizations in New Orleans and Ecuador!

Find out more and apply at here .

Winter Term FAQs

Have questions about the Winter Term? Please see the list below for answers to commonly asked questions.

When can I add a winter term class?

You can add winter term classes now. The deadline to add a winter term class is January 18, 2019. This is also the deadline date to drop a winter term class without financial penalty.

How much money will I get back if I drop a class?

If you drop a winter term class by January 18, you will receive a full refund. If you drop between January 19 and February 1, you will receive a 50% refund. If you drop between February 2 and March 1, you will receive a 25% refund.

When is the last day I can drop a winter term class or a full year class?

The deadline date to drop winter term classes and full year classes is March 2nd.

How do I change sections of my full year course?

If you want to change your lecture, lab or tutorial section of a full year class, you need to get permission from the department offering the class. DO NOT attempt to do this yourself on SOLUS as you could mistakenly drop the class.

I am in first year and need some help with my courses / schedule. Who can I talk to?

First-year students can stop by our office in Dunning Hall anytime between 9 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday from January 7 - 18 to speak with a Peer Academic Advisor. The PASS advisors get quite busy during the first two weeks of term, so we recommend that you get to the office early for assistance.

The class I want to enrol in is full. Can I still enrol in it?

We know how disappointing this can be but we cannot over-enrol any classes. Our course enrolment capacities are based on room size and strict fire code regulations which means we cannot over-enrol any classes. However, if there is a waitlist available, you can add yourself to the waitlist by selecting "Wait List if Class is Full" when you add it to your shopping cart.

How can I add myself to a waitlist?

Add yourself to the waitlist by selecting "Wait List if Class is Full" when you add the course to your shopping cart. Make sure you proceed to "Finish Enrolling." To view your status on the waitlist, look under "My Class Schedule" (list view).

Note that waitlists are not available for online courses. If you find that an on-campus course that should have a waitlist is showing up as Closed, this means that both the course and the waitlist are at capacity and as such you won't be able to add yourself to the list. For more information on waiting lists, please see here .

Professional Development Opportunities to Bolster your Resume

Queen’s University Professional Studies offers certificate programs in editing and international education administration. Courses are written and taught by experts in the field, offered in a flexible, online environment, and can be completed concurrently with work or other educational opportunities. Network with prospective colleagues, develop job-specific skills, and work on authentic tasks in a field that interests you.

For monthly contests and professional resources, visit the Queens’ Professional Studies Facebook page.

Our next session begins on January 28, 2019. For course offerings, please visit our website here .

Student Academic Success Services (SASS)

Check out the SASS website for great tips and resources to start the new semester out on the right foot. Be prepared by creating a weekly schedule, attend workshops on improving your essay writing, or book a one-on-one appointment with a learning strategies advisor to go over your strength and areas of improvement for the Winter term.

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To book an Advising Appointment, call us at (613) 533-2470 or visit:

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