Academic Assistance

Math Center
Peer tutors are available evenings during the year at no charge and on a “drop-in basis” to assist students enrolled in Calculus I and II with concepts, applications, and use of the graphing calculator. The Mathematics Department coordinates the Math Center and supervises the peer tutors.

Writing Center
Peer tutors are available to assist any student with both general and discipline-specific writing problems. The Director of the Writing Center teaches writing courses and provides training and supervision for the peer tutors. The Center is free and is open for walk-in tutorials from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 - 11:00 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. It is located in the north basement of Chambers (039).

Tutoring Program   
The Office of the Dean of Students coordinates a tutorial program for students desiring academic assistance. Specially trained students are available to tutor in most subject areas. Tutors do charge by the hour and students pay their tutors directly. Tutoring services are free for students receiving need-based financial aid.

Economics Center
Peer tutors are available to assist students with economics courses, especially Economics 101. The Economics Center is usually open Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 8:00 – 11:00pm in Chambers 2187. Contact the Economics department if you need more information.

Add/Drop Period
At the beginning of each academic semester, the Registrar distributes procedures for course schedule adjustment. A course may be added or dropped from your class schedule during a pre-semester period or the first week of each semester. To add courses during the second week of each semester, you need the written approval of the professor of the course to be added. During the third week of each semester, a student can drop the fifth course from their schedule. A $20.00 late fee is charged for courses added or dropped after the first week of the semester. After the third week, a student who drops a course without special permission from the Dean of Students (for medical or psychological reasons) receives an “F” in the course.

Assistant Teachers (ATs)
Assistant Teachers (or ATs) help foreign language professors by teaching conversation classes. ATs work mainly for the Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian and French departments. In the beginning of the school year there is a two-day selection and training for ATs. If you are interested in being an AT, you can find out from the Language Departments about the time and place for the workshop when you arrive at Davidson. The position is considered an on-campus job, and you will receive a salary every month. An added bonus if you are a native speaker, you get to speak your own language!

Class Attendance
Regular class attendance is a student’s obligation. The student is responsible for all the work of all class meetings. A student who is absent from more than one-fourth of the course meetings scheduled by the professor shall be assigned a grade of F unless the instructor specifies a different policy at the beginning of the course. Students should note that each professor has the discretion to establish the attendance policy in each class. Ask your professor if it is not stated.

Class Participation
Do participate! American professors expect you to talk, to discuss, and to add your opinions. Discussion and class participation is frequently a part of your grade. If you are uncomfortable speaking up in class go talk to your professor after class or make an appointment. Professors are happy to help you. Ask!

Course Load
The normal academic load is four or five credit courses per semester. Seniors who have extra credits may petition the Curriculum Requirements Committee for a three-course load in one semester of the senior year. During the regular academic year, there is no reduction in tuition for a reduced course load, nor is there an additional fee for an overload. Foreign National students must carry a full course load or they must go home. Students also cannot take time off from study without going home.

Course Materials
There is a bookstore located on campus where students can purchase materials required for class, especially textbooks. International students on financial aid should charge textbooks to their student account. This could lower tax costs since books are a tax deduction for some countries. The Bookstore offers a limited number of used textbooks as well as new editions.

Also, the store sponsors a “buy back” of books at the end of the term. An outside representative will be available during exam time to purchase books which a student no longer needs/wants. You should be aware, however, the “buy back” policy gives you a minimal return (if you get any money back at all).

Hint: If you want to save money on books, many students sell their used books. You may also ask friends who could sell or loan you books, especially for intro courses.

Faculty Advisor
Each student is assigned a faculty or academic advisor who assists the student in selecting courses. Time is scheduled during Orientation for students to meet individually with their advisor. If in doubt about course selection, do not hesitate to ask for the faculty advisor’s help.

An academic advisor in this country doesn’t dictate what classes students should take, but makes suggestions. Advisors expect you to make your own choices about courses and expect you to keep up with curriculum requirements as specifically outlined in the college catalog. Other people can help too - the Registrar, the International Student Advisor, other professors, and even other international students. Always feel free to ask and to discuss your selections. You are in charge!

Self-Scheduled Exams
The ultimate expression of Davidson’s Honor Code is the self-scheduling of semester examinations for most classes. The academic calendar provides ten or eleven three-hour examination periods at the end of each semester during which students may take examinations on a self-scheduled basis. Office of the Registrar administers this program and is obviously bound by the Honor Code. The day before exams start is called Reading Day. There are no classes on this day in order to give students time to study.

Semester System
The fall and spring semesters run for 15 weeks each. Classes are held Monday through Friday during the semester. Each student is required to take four (4) courses each semester. The fall semester begins in late August and continues into mid-December. Fall Break is in mid-October and Thanksgiving Holiday is in late November. Final exams are given in December. Spring semester begins in mid-January and ends in mid-May. Spring Break is in March. Final exams are in May.