SFSU offers students support in their course work through tutoring, specialized courses, academic support programs, and individual conferences with instructors. There is no fee for SFSU students for most options.
All faculty maintain regular office hours and they encourage students to meet with them. Meeting with the instructors can help the student answer questions, solve problems, prepare for tests, figure out how to do assignments, find additional help if needed, and even plan academic and career goals.
Students can find out about faculty office hours from course syllabus, department offices, or instructors. If a student feels a conference is necessary, it is best to arrange it in advance if possible.
The Learning Assistance Center (LAC) is the central source of information about campus learning assistance and is where a student can find out about tutoring services offered by specific programs and departments. This information is available on the web at www.sfsu.edu/~lac/tutorsubj.htm.
The LAC also offers tutoring for both native and non-native speakers in the following areas: reading, writing, and study skills for introductory course work across disciplines and for introductory GE mathematics and science courses. The LAC is located in HSS 348 and is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00-4:00, and Friday, 9:00-12:00. The LAC can be reached at (415) 338-1993 or on the web at www.sfsu.edu/~lac.
The Community Access and Retention Program (CARP) is dedicated to providing academic support to undergraduate students. CARP offers free, evening tutorial services in most undergraduate courses with an emphasis on remedial courses. CARP also collaborates with faculty, campus programs, and student organizations to provide tutoring and academic support workshops. CARP is located in HSS 344 and is open Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. CARP can be reached at (415) 405-0316 or on the web at www.sfsu.edu/~carp1.
Academic departments are possible sources of tutorial assistance. For example, the following departments have offered tutorial support in the past: Accounting, Chemistry, Classics, Economics, English Composition (arrangements made through English instructors for the English Tutoring Center), Finance, Mathematics, Philosophy (Critical Thinking), Physics, and Psychology. Check with particular departments to find out if they offer tutoring or visit www.sfsu.edu/~lac/tutorsubj.htm. Consult SFSU home page directory for department office locations and web sites.
For many courses, instructors have student assistants who can work with a student on his/her course work. The student should take the opportunity to get to know these assistants—ask questions about course material or assignments and, if appropriate, set up tutorial time.
The tutorial services offered by the Disability Programs and Resource Center, the Intensive Learning Program (ILP), the Faculty/Student Mentorship Program (FSMP), and the MESA Engineering Program (MEP) are presented elsewhere in this section. The following programs are additional examples of tutorial assistance which are available:
Women in Engineering Program (WEP) (SCI 255): Tutoring assistance available for WEP students in any of the 99 units required for the B.S. in Engineering.
Computer Instruction (ADM 107): Computer Short Courses are available for novice or experienced computer users to promote user awareness of computer facilities and to provide users with basic skills to access and utilize these services.
Media Access Center (LIB 308): ENG 111 is offered as a self-paced course to improve reading rate, comprehension, and vocabulary skills.