By Kerry Thomas, Academic Advisor College of Liberal Arts

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying this gorgeous spring term.  By now I’m sure you all have had a chance to turn in a paper, take a test or do a large project in each of your classes.  After looking at those grades, you may be overjoyed with and feeling optimistic about the GPA you are going to earn this term.  Others of you may be getting concerned. You may be getting lower grades than you had wanted in one or more classes and are contemplating either S/Uing or Withdrawing from a class. There are a few things you should consider before making this decision.

1. Calculate your term GPA assuming the grades you currently have in your classes are your final grades.  If you are not sure how to do that, look at this worksheet for instructions on how to calculate your GPA. It is important for you to earn at least a 2.0 in the term to maintain good academic standing at the university, but there may be other GPA requirements for scholarships or your major that you need to consider as well.  If the GPA that you compute is below where you need to be and you don’t think you can bring your grade up in a class, it may be time to look at options that will help you salvage your GPA.

2. S/Uing a class- If you are doing poorly in a class that is not in your major but you think you will successfully pass it, you may be able to S/U it.  Changing the grading basis of a class to S/U means that if you earn a C- or better in a class, the grade that will show up on your transcript will be an S.  You will earn credit for the class, but the S grade will not impact your GPA.  If you earn a D+ or below in that class, you would earn a U.  Earning a U does not impact your GPA and you do not earn credit for the class.

Once you decide to change a class to S/U, you cannot change it back.  In other words, if you change to S/U grading, and end up earning an A in a class, you will not be able to change your S to an A.  To S/U a class, you need to go to your advising office and get the S/U form signed and take it to the registrar’s office  in Kerr by 5:00 pm on Friday, May 17th. You do not need an advising appointment to do this, but if you want to talk through whether or not it’s a good idea, you are welcome to make an advising appointment with a CLA advisor by calling 541-737-0561.

3. Withdrawing from a class- If you are in any class that you know you will not be able to successfully complete, you have the option to withdraw from it.  You can withdraw from a course, even if it is in your major.  You do not need to fill out a form to withdraw from a class, you just need to go to your “Register, Add, Drop” menu in student online services.  Find the drop down menu next to the class you want to withdraw from, select withdraw and press the “submit changes” button located towards the bottom of the page. Refresh the page and make sure that the class is now listed as withdrawn.  I recommend withdrawing from a class if you are sure that you cannot pass a class.  It saves you from earning an F that brings down your GPA and you can get rid of a class that is causing you stress which will provide you more time to focus on improving the final grades in all of your other classes.

4. Check with financial aid- Withdrawing or S/Uing may or may not impact your aid, loans, scholarships or other funds you are using to pay for your tuition at OSU. If you are concerned, make sure to contact the financial aid office and find out if your aid will be affected.

5. Seek help from the Academic Success Center– That’s right people, there is a whole center on campus dedicated to helping undergraduate students be more successful! They are located in Waldo 102 and offer services from Academic Coaching, workshops on success skills, tutoring, supplemental instruction, the writing center and different strategies that will help you be a better, more effective learner.

At the end of the day, you have to make the decision that is right for you.  Just remember, you do have options to help save your GPA and your advisors in CLA would be happy to help you choose which option is right for you.

By Katy Krieger

Looking for something fun to do with your mom and family this weekend? Well,  I’ve compiled a list of the hottest spots to be when your entourage arrives!

OSU sponsored events: The MUPC has a plethora of activities from the fashion show to making pottery for this weekend and most of them are FREE. Check out the entire list of events here http://mu.oregonstate.edu/mupc/momsweekend.

Baseball: We have a great team and why not grab some peanuts and crackerjacks with your family? Tickets are a good deal and it’ll get everyone outside enjoying the beautiful Corvallis spring weather.

Movies: Catch a matinee or even a late night flick! There are some romantic comedies like The Big Wedding or tonight’s release of Iron Man 3 (sure to be a crowd pleaser with the mom’s because who can’t resist Robert Downey Jr).

Wine/Beer Tasting: Over 21 and looking for the fun? Drive a little ways out of town and enjoy the MANY vineyards we have in the valley. Most have websites so check out their tasting hours or even a vineyard tour.(Here’s the site for one of my favorites: Willamette Valley Vineyards http://www.wvv.com/visit/). Also, if you are more of a beer drinker head over to Block 15 (http://block15.com/) or even try some Corvallis brewed cider at Two Towns Ciderhouse (http://2townsciderhouse.com/).

Spa day: Go to one of the local salons and get treated to massages, manicures, pedicures, or even a new hair style!

Deals and Steals: Be on the lookout for specials or events at local businesses specifcally for mom’s and family weekend. Many places will give you an extra 20% off or even free desserts.

Whatever you end up doing with your mom or family, make sure you show them the best of Corvallis and give them the royal treatment!

By Katy Kreiger

Last week the state capitol in Salem hosted OSU Day where representatives from all over campus including more than 150 students gave legislators a reason to fight for higher education and a budget increase statewide. Personally this experience opened my eyes to how the government system operates and gave me the opportunity to share my passion for OSU with those who make legislative decisions.

By Angel Martinez

Hey everyone! Between the beginning of midterms as we enter week 4 and sun bathing in the new spring weather, I want to introduce something else that you all can add to your to-do list. Going to the Farmers’ Market!

Every year starting around this time the Farmers’ Market sets up shop on 1^st and Jackson Street here in downtown Corvallis. This year it will be running from April 20^th thru November 27^th, Wednesdays and Saturdays 9-1pm.

The Farmers’ Market consists of an array of street vendors. A majority of the vendors are set up by local farmers that sell their own produce that they had grown themselves. So if you want to buy your produce, know exactly how it was grown and support your local farmer then this place will be a food paradise for you.

Another great incentive is that they accept Food Stamps. Being a college student myself I know that there are a good number of us that rely on SNAP every month to eat. To accommodate for the slightly elevated prices you’ll encounter at the Farmers Market as opposed to a place like WinCo, they will actually give you extra money to spend there for using your SNAP card.

The market doesn’t just sell food, although that is what it’s primarily known for. There are other vendors that sell things like flowers, freshly baked pies, trinkets, etc. There is always music being played, and it is right next to that park. It’s a pet and children friendly atmosphere and it is a delightful way to spend a couple hours in the sun.

If you want more information on the Farmers’ Market, or even volunteer to help, go to their homepage at http://locallygrown.org/home/. I recommend that everyone should visit at least once in their college career. I’ve been going since I was a freshman. Even if you don’t intend on buying anything, it’s still fun to look around and soak up the atmosphere. Also when you’re done drifting through the vendors you can walk around downtown Corvallis and see the stores and local businesses that you may not have been aware existed.

So branch out, experience something new between your studies and most of all enjoy yourself. Spring is here, the sun is out, and the Farmers’ Market is finally open!

By Katy Krieger

Yikes! Grad School Already?

Grad school selection can be a very difficult and scary process. I myself am going through it as I prepare for my last year at OSU next year. Many questions come to mind about where the right program will be for you; so here is some friendly advice from somebody in the midst of the craziness.

PLAN! Plan early and plan a lot. Schedule dates for conferences, schedule your courses so you will actually graduate as expected, plan to go to interviews, and plan to apply as well. Make a master document with all of your deadlines to stay on track.

Take your GRE early! Deadlines usually need you to have it done by mid-November so take it at least once before then (get school codes if you know where you’ll be applying so they can send them early and for free- up to 3 schools). Give yourself time to even take the GRE a second time too because often you want to improve your score after your first try at the exam.

Attend conferences in your field to meet with potential programs (especially useful when meeting other grads in the current program and get their insider info). Also, it’s a great way to put a face with a name so that you will get an interview!

Don’t procrastinate! This is awful and your future literally depends on it. You need to be on top of things and great personal statements don’t come from a 5 minute cram session on your MAC.

Ask advisors, masters and grad students, and professors where they would suggest (based on your interests) and if they have any advice. They have been or are going through the process so they can give you the do’s and dont’s of the whole thing.

And last but not least, FEEL IT! Most of the time as you interview and meet with programs you will get a sense of where you belong and where you want to be for the next 4+ years of your life.

Good luck and may the force be with you all as you apply!

By Morgan Wagner

As you were wandering around campus this past week, you may have noticed chalk writing all over the sidewalks talking about an event called Mock Rock.  If you are not familiar with this event, I encourage you to read on to hear about Greek Pride, Philanthropy and how our sorority worked to unite campus for a great cause! This last Friday evening Gill Coliseum was filled with members of Greek Life, the Oregon State campus, and of the Corvallis community all in an attempt to raise money for Kappa Delta Sorority’s philanthropy Mock Rock. Last year they raised was about $35,000 dollars, and this year’s total shot up to $41,968.50!

Mock Rock is a week-long event with check-ins, activities, and at the end of the week, dance performances from the participating houses. 80% of the money raised during the week stays right here in Corvallis to support the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence, while the other 20% is donated to the national organization Prevent Child Abuse America. This was the first year Kappa Delta had Mock Rock at Gill, having sold out LaSells auditorium in 8 minutes last year. However, these are just the little details. To understand what Mock Rock is really about you have to look a little deeper and talk to the girls who put the event on, as well as the wonderful supporters of Mock Rock in the Greek community.

When you talk to the women of Kappa Delta about Mock Rock you instantly hear about how much they love their house and how proud they are of what they have accomplished. But what they also tell you is how grateful they are. Junior Chelsea Rowell, one of this year’s Mock Rock chairs, along with senior Tori Lynch, says it best when talking about the Greek community, “We obviously would not be able to pull off an event like that without their support and spirit throughout the week. Each year I am shocked that we are able to raise that amount of money in one week’s time, but somehow we do it, thanks to friends, family, and our Greek community”. Tori also mentions the loyalty of the Greek Community, “My favorite part is seeing different houses each year commit themselves to Mock Rock. As a house, they choose to support our philanthropy and they work together in all of Mock Rock’s activities in the hopes of winning. It is extremely encouraging to see other chapters on campus familiarize themselves with our values and our philanthropy”.

Personally being a part of Mock Rock is one of the best feelings in the world. You get invested in each houses’ performance and you want to see everyone do well. The best part is at the very end of the night when we announce how much money everyone was able to raise together, and everyone in attendance is so excited, you feel this huge wave of energy because we all did something great together as a community. When the awards are announced for the sorority and fraternity chapters that won Mock Rock it’s clear that this event means a lot to everyone involved. I think we all realize that it’s all about the support we are giving to the victims of domestic violence, and the support that we are able to give to the Corvallis community; a community that supports us and Oregon State University. As Tori mentioned earlier, a lot of Mock Rock is based on Kappa Delta’s values, represented by our open motto Ta Kala Diokomen, meaning “Let us strive for that which is honorable, beautiful, and highest”. I think the whole Greek community represented this motto perfectly with their effort and dedication last Friday night. So, even if you were not in attendance, or had never heard of Mock Rock before, I hope you take away a little bit of happiness from this post knowing that some good was done on the Oregon State campus last Friday night.

Last but not least, here is a picture of representatives from Delta Gamma and Phi Kappa Psi collecting their first place awards.

By Casey Colvin

It’s almost time to register for summer classes!! This is a great opportunity to get caught up if you are feeling behind in your requirements or to work ahead if you want to finish college sooner rather than later!

One of the really cool opportunities that students can take advantage of is to take an entire year of a language at an accelerate pace during the summer time. For example, if you want to start taking Spanish for your BA or maybe you’ve done your first year already and want to finish your second year, you can enroll in either Spanish 117 or Spanish 217. These eight week long classes cover the entire first and second years of Spanish during the eight week summer session.  These classes are a very intensive program and are often compared to a language immersion experience because you meet for multiple hours a day and four or five days a week!

If you are considering taking one, two, or five summer classes, I highly recommend it. Registration begins April 14th at 12:01 AM which is early this Sunday morning. Mark your calendars!  I took two summer classes online last year during the first four-week session, yes I said four (not ten) weeks. Wowzers! These classes move at a very different pace, so if you sign up for summer classes make sure to double check when the class starts and ends.

There are six sessions to choose from when considering taking summer classes. The break down is like this: There is one session that last for ten weeks, three sessions that last four weeks each, one session that lasts eight weeks and finally one session that only lasts one week. For more information about when they start and end, please view the summer calendar here.

As you can see, there are many options to chose from, so no excuses people! Not only are there multiple session to pick from, but there are 1300 classes available!

For a whole bucket load of information regarding summer classes, go to the following link: http://summer.oregonstate.edu/new-visiting/

By Alison Blazer

We’re a little over a week away from the College of Liberal Arts Annual Matriculation Ceremony. If you’re anything like me, you’re reading this blog thinking to yourself “what the heck is a matriculation ceremony?”– I’m here to tell you that it’s really less complicated and fancy than it sounds. Each and every first year Liberal Arts Major that attends Oregon State receives first-year general advising through their college in Gilkey 213. If you’re a freshman or a first-year student, you’ve been meeting with a general advisor over the past 6 months or so and recieving guidance regarding Bacc Core courses and your first year at OSU. The goal of the Matriculation ceremony is to facilitate the transition of students from general advising to major-specific advising. While you may have been eager to jump into your major coursework long ago, or are hesitant to change advisors because you’ve developed a comfort with the CLA advising office, trust me when I say this transition is significant and exciting!

My freshman year, I applied to Oregon State as an English major. Through some Bacc Core courses I not only realized that English wasn’t the right subject for me, but also discovered that Speech Communication was intriguing and incredibly relevant to my interests. I was so excited to start taking Communication courses on a larger scale, but my CLA advisors assured me taking Communication courses while also completing other Bacc Core requirements would be worth my while. The goal of this transition from general to major-specific advising is to ensure that no time is wasted at Oregon State. If I had spent my entire first term focusing on English and then discovered my love for Speech Communication, I would have completed a whole lot of unnecessary coursework, setting myself back in terms of graduation. Now, almost 3 years later, I am a Junior studying Speech Communication, minoring in Spanish and pursuing the International Degree. Every aspect of my degree involved a discovery process– a process in which I experienced something new and exciting and made the decision to commit to that subject or field for the remainder of my time here at Oregon State.

Transitioning from a first-year to a second-year is significant in itself, but the transition to major-specific advising is key. When I discovered my love for Speech Communication I couldn’t wait to meet a new advisor, hear the details of my coursework and get started on a new, more specific path. I hope that each and every one of you get to experience that same excitement through your own subjects and journeys here at Oregon State. The Matriculation Ceremony is the first step! Not only will College of Liberal Arts advisors be there to send you off, but they will help introduce you to advisors in your major field. Some of my wonderful fellow CLA Ambassadors will also be in attendance to help make this transition go more smoothly! When it’s time for you to make an appointment with your new major advisor, I can say from personal experience that it’s helpful to have already met them and broken the ice. So invite your friends, go in a group, enjoy the free food, and get out there and matriculate!

The ceremony will be held in Withycombe 109 on  Tuesday April 16^th at 5:30 pm.

Call the CLA office with any questions (541-737-0561), but other than that, congratulations on making it to Spring term of your first-year here at the Beaver nation and get excited to start the next chapter of your OSU experience!

By Katy Krieger

Welcome back to OSU for spring term everyone! Here are a few personal tricks I employ to beat spring fever and stay focused for the last term of the academic year.

Schedule mini breaks in between all of your homework and studying. You will work better knowing you have a reward coming to you and you’ll get some of that sunshine in so you can head into summer with a nice glow.

Write out weekly due dates and plan ahead when it comes to papers and projects. Having to do your work later can be bad when all of your friends are outside or at the coast celebrating without you and you’re stuck at home.

Limit what you are involved with or the number of plans you make; having too many can make you even more stressed (which you definitely don’t want).

Avoid sickness by eating healthy food, getting lots of rest, and washing your hands constantly!

Prioritize and organize your life: Use planners, phone reminders, or anything else that may help you to stay focused on your work.

Work on bigger assignments in stages or study in between classes to get everything in that you want to accomplish each day. Taking 10 minutes to read over notes will save you loads of time and will reduce pre-test stress!

And for all you seniors at there about to start your last term at OSU, keep your eyes on the prize (attend class, do your reading and turn your work in on time)! You don’t want to fail one of your last undergraduate classes this term and have to stay another term and finish up in the summer.

Have a great term everyone and remember to save time for a little spring fun when you’re working so hard!

By Katy Krieger

It’s winter term, it’s rainy and cold, and it’s hard living with other people! Don’t worry, I feel your pain. I have some great tips for making it through to spring with a roommate without having a breakdown!

Make sure during exam times and finals that you come to an understanding with your roommate(s) about expectations. Don’t get upset when chores start slipping or everyone has different sleep schedules. It’s always best to hash out your finals/exam plans to know what is going to happen and to make a plan.

Allocate time to spend together without doing homework. Go to a movie, dinner, or bowling. Getting outside of the apartment you live in is refreshing and reminds you of why you are friends and live together.

Spend time away from each other. Everyone gets sick of their friends and roommates so don’t feel bad for spending time with other people or going into your room to get away. It may help you in the long run so you don’t blow up at your roommate(s).

Always ask permission to use or eat anything that isn’t yours. Never assume anything is okay without asking because that is a disaster waiting to strike!

Pay attention to their moods and behaviors. Sometimes people don’t realize they have bad habits going on or they may feel lost and alone (or perhaps something personal has happened). You are living with them so it’s always nice to have each other’s backs.

Communicate openly and honestly. Say what you are expecting of the other person and remind them of your plans/agreements. Remember to be nice, wait for the opportune moment, and butter them up with sugary products!

Discuss plans for living with each other next year. If you don’t want to, Google tips on how to “break up” with your roommate without it being weird for the next few months. If you are, plan on solidifying where you are living and what each one of you is doing over the summer.

Having a good roommate(s) is like having a good sibling you live with. You love each other but you may also want to scream from time to time. Think of how they may feel and approach situations with positivity and politeness. Don’t always feel obligated to hang out with them all the time but also spend time together and make some great memories!