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Coaching and Mentoring

Is Coaching required?

Students with an Academic Warning or Probation status are expected to participate in Coaching as a requirement of their Academic Warning/Probation contract. These students will meet with an assigned Coach regularly for the the duration of their Warning/Probation term(s). After the Warning/Probation status is lifted, students will continue to see their Coach to ensure sustained success. While Coaching is not required for other groups, any student may choose to participate in Coaching.

Can anyone participate in Coaching?

Yes, Success Coaching is available to all students at all stages of the college experience. The personalized feedback and support offered through Coaching can help all students reach their academic, personal, and professional goals.

What does a Coaching meeting look like?

A one-on-one meeting with your Coach will typically last between 20-25 minutes. You and your coach will determine the topic of conversation based on your unique needs and goals. Topics may include time management, motivation, effective study habits, or test-taking strategies. Your coach will assist you in developing an action plan for success, and will hold you accountable to progressing toward your goals.

What is the difference between coaching and advising?

Coaching and advising both exist to help students connect to campus, identify goals, and develop a clear path to graduation. However, there are several distinctions between the two services:

Advisors are experts in your field of study and in academic policy. In addition to teaching courses, Advisors provide guidance in degree planning, program requirements, and course selection. It is essential that students who receive Coaching also meet with their Faculty Advisor at least once each semester.

Examples of topics to discuss with an Advisor:

• Course selection and registration
• How to get approval for adding or dropping a course
• How to withdraw from a course
• Understanding academic policies and how they affect you
• Requirements for your program
• Planning your path to graduation

Coaches are experts in student success. They meet with students on a more frequent basis than Faculty Advisors to discuss a broad range of topics related to your success, and help students develop the skills, habits, and resources needed to persist to graduation. While your Advisor helps you select the courses needed to graduate, your Coach will help you develop a plan to complete those courses successfully.

Examples of topics to discuss with a Coach:

• Time management
• How to stay motivated
• How to connect to resources on campus
• Stress management
• Career planning
• Developing study skills

In order to graduate from Lee University, a student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Our Academic Warning and Academic Probation statuses exist to alert students that they are not on track to meet this requirement so that they can make the necessary adjustments.

All students on Academic Warning and Probation are assigned to a Student Success Coach. Coaches help students identify strategies to succeed in the classroom and restore good academic standing with the University. Beyond this, Coaches care for the whole student and are committed to helping them develop skills necessary for long-term success.

Stages of Academic Warning & Probation

Academic Warning: Status applied to students who continue to earn a GPA below the minimum standard after their semester on Academic Warning. Students on Probation 1 are not considered to be in good academic standing and must bring their GPA above the minimum standard by the end of the subsequent semester. Probation 1 students can enroll for a maximum of 14 credit hours/semester.

Academic Probation 1: Status applied to students who continue to earn a GPA below the minimum standard after their semester on Academic Warning. Students on Probation 1 are not considered to be in good academic standing and must bring their GPA above the minimum standard by the end of the subsequent semester. Probation 1 students can enroll for a maximum of 14 credit hours/semester.

Academic Probation 2: Status applied to students who continue to earn a GPA below the minimum standard after their semester on Probation 1. Students on Probation 2 will be considered for academic suspension if their GPA is not raised to the minimum standard at the end of the semester. Students cannot exceed 12 credit hours while on Probation 2. A student may remain on Probation 2 if all 12 credit hours are passed with a minimum term GPA of 2.0

Academic Suspension: Status applied to students who do not meet minimum GPA standard after their semester on Probation 2. Students will be suspended from Lee University for a main (Fall or Spring) semester, and will then be permitted to re-apply to the University. Students can appeal their suspension in writing for review by the Retention Committee.

GPA Requirements

Peer Mentors assist our professional Coaching staff in serving the needs of students who engage in Success Coaching. These are high achieving undergraduate students who have learned to successfully navigate the challenges of university life and are eager to offer guidance and encouragement to their peers. Students can request a Peer Mentor by visiting the Student Hub link in Portico, found in the Campus Applications menu, and clicking ‘Assistance’ in the upper right corner of the screen.