MISSION
The B-CU Office of Student-Athlete Support (OSAS) Program is committed to providing the necessary support to assist all student-athletes in reaching their full potential academically, personally, and professionally. The OSAS Program is fully integrated with the University. Our program includes academic advising, career development, community service, tutorial programs, and learning specialists, which are all aimed at promoting a philosophy of individual responsibility so as to encourage each student-athlete to value their educational experience. In providing such services, student-athletes will be afforded the opportunity to develop the skills needed to persist towards graduation, become leaders within the community, and lead successful and productive lives.
VISION
Through the individual commitment of all members of the Bethune-Cookman University community, our students will actively participate in a high quality, holistic, transformative learning and life experience that will enable each of them to graduate with the values, skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in their meaningful contribution to the betterment of society as well as be fruitful in their pursuit of personal and professional excellence.
CORE BELIEF
Each and every student has the ability to learn. It is our responsibility to gather and utilize assessment data and student feedback to assist students in identifying their strengths and areas of improvement as learners. From there we work to craft uniquely creative problem solvers and enhance overall critical thinking skills.
We also believe that the Wildcat experience is filled with impactful teachable moments – to be found within and beyond the classroom.
MISSION STATEMENT
To foster a positive and engaging faith-based environment that will allow students to develop a success mindset across all aspects of life, which in turn propels our students to develop as leaders and life-long learners who passionately pursue their dreams with confidence and without hesitation. We will pursue this aim by accomplishing the following:
- Remaining in alignment with the vision, legacy and academic excellence of Bethune-Cookman University
- Preserving the academic integrity of B-CU and its Department of Athletics
- Graduating our student-athletes
- Promoting the overall health and well-being of all student-athletes
- Establishing programs to actively support career planning and workforce readiness
- Staying abreast and contributing to scholarly research to improve processes and methods related to student learning performance and outcomes
- Abiding by all NCAA, MEAC, and institutional rules and standards
COMMITMENT
Each day we will be committed to providing our students with a positive, welcoming and nurturing environment. Our students will be respected, supported, and valued as learners. They will be encouraged to take risks in order to enrich the learning experience. OSAS will provide the guidance, advisement and resources to enhance student learning outcomes and problem solving ability.
As a center for learning we will promote learning opportunities that are engaging, relevant, and hands-on. We will constantly seek instruction that is meaningful, purposeful, and takes into consideration the range of student learning styles and individual processes for learning.
Bethune-Cookman Athletics Tutoring
The OSAS assumes principal responsibility for assigning tutors to student-athletes in areas that are identified according to the specific needs of the University's student-athletes. While such subjects as English, Science, and Mathematics have consistent demands for tutors, the OSAS evaluates the tutoring needs of student-athletes each year.
Each year, the tutoring needs of our student-athletes are evaluated and the determination of tutoring needs is made, first, by the student-athlete who makes a request. Once the student-athlete has made a request for a tutor, the staff of the OSAS works with the student-athlete's major area academic advisor and athletic academic advisor to further identify and meet specific tutoring needs.
All tutoring sessions are held in either the OSAS or in spaces designated for office use by the University's coaching staff. Student-athletes and their tutors hold their tutoring sessions in areas that are always public, open, and readily accessible. Under no circumstances does the OSAS permit student-athletes and their tutors to meet outside of the confines of the University.
The OSAS has been purposively decorated to include items found in other parts of the University, including pictures of Dr. Bethune and President Reed as well as the University's Mission Statement, Academic Honesty, and Honor Codes. Even within tutoring environments, the intent is to communicate the inclusiveness of the student-athlete into the life of the University in general and to avoid communicating a separateness that keeps student-athletes from seeing themselves as students first.
To secure tutors, the Athletic Staff will initially turn to the different academic schools for a pool of on campus student-tutors. These tutors are paid according to rates that have been established by the University. There are times, however, when qualified on-campus tutors are not available for a particular subject area. In those instances, off-campus tutors are utilized. Off campus tutors are paid at standard open market rates.
The first and second criteria for the University's tutors are that they must have completed at least 12 credit hours in the subject which they will tutor and they must have a minimum cumulative grade point average for all 12 credits of 3.25 or better. Under no circumstances is a C grade permitted in any of the courses that make up the 12 credits. A third criterion is that tutors must also have completed a minimum of 5 semesters of college. The pupil load for tutors is 10:1. This ratio is excellent inasmuch as the student-teacher ratio at the University is 17:1. Both on-campus and off-campus tutors are also required to complete a NCAA rules seminar through the University's Office of Athletics Compliance.
The Wildcat experience is a “transformational life experience.”
We invite you to come walk on the WILD side.
HAIL WILDCATS!!
