By Victoria Durgin, Co-editor-in-chief
Tutoring, counseling and other services provided by the Center for Academic Success (CAS) and the Counseling Center will continue to operate for all students even though classes will be conducted off-campus for the remainder of the semester.
While tutoring in multiple academic disciplines, mindfulness advice, time with licensed counselors and other services will continue in a virtual setting, officials say that students can expect the same quality they would see on campus.
“We want to provide students with as much support and consistency as we can,” said Ginny Motyka, the interim director of the CAS.
According to Motyka, CAS tutors will continue to offer help to students in several subjects including math, science and study skills.
The mySU page dedicated to the CAS has the link to sign up for calls via Zoom, a software that enables users to set up digital video, audio and text calls from anywhere.
The Counseling Center is also using Zoom to provide their services, which include “walk-in” hours with counselors to discuss anxieties and other mental health issues.
According to the Dean of Health and Wellness Dr. Stacey Wharton-Pearson, counseling services might be even more important now with the concern over COVID-19 and the impact it has had on most people’s lives.
“I think the crisis itself is very anxiety inducing,” Wharton-Pearson said.
To help students cope with the changes in schedule and life, many wellness initiatives will be offered via Zoom and the use of live video feeds on Facebook.
According to Wharton-Pearson, Koru meditation and yoga classes will be offered for all students. Additionally, the center will offer webinars once a week on Tuesdays with different topics all based on different aspects of life.
On March 31 the webinar will offer advice on adjusting to living with family, especially to students for whom life with family is difficult.
Wharton-Pearson and Motyka both said that they and their departments want to support students in any way they can.
“We want to send a sense of care to students and try to build up a community that is going to work together through the learning challenges that might come up,” Motyka said.
Wharton-Pearson also said she wants to be able to help students through challenges from afar.
“I want students to know we are still here for them,” she said.
Students can sign up for tutoring sessions on mySU. Any student looking to schedule an appointment with the Counseling Center can call 570-372-4751. Information on wellness initiatives such as yoga and Koru mindfulness classes will be available on the center’s social media pages.