Academic Resources

September 20, 2022

 
Dear MSU Students:
 
I hope you are getting acclimated to your classes and beginning to establish a routine for studying and keeping up with the expectations of your coursework. To support you and your academic needs, I am sharing some valuable MSU resources, below. As provost, the university’s chief academic officer, my primary responsibility is to advance the academic mission of MSU, with a focus on supporting academic excellence and your success as a student. I want to take this opportunity to foreground resources for undergraduate and graduate students that support your academic success at MSU.
 
ACADEMIC ADVISING
Check in and schedule an appointment with an academic advisor often, especially when you are thinking about your current and future course schedule as well as your career aspirations. Undergraduate students can find advising contacts on this list of academic advising resources by college. I encourage graduate students to take advantage of mentoring and career development advising opportunities through The Graduate School.
 
TUTORING AND HELP ROOMS
Seek help when you need it. There are a number of resources for academic success available to students, including tutoring opportunities and help rooms. For a full list of tutoring and help room opportunities, organized by department and area of study, expand the “Academic” tab on the Resources for Success page of the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative’s website.
 
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Take care of your whole self. Student Health and Wellness provides a broad range of health services and health promotions designed to support multiple dimensions of overall health and wellness. MSU has made deliberate efforts and investments to improve and expand resources in support of students’ mental health and wellness, both of which play central roles in enabling students’ intellectual health and academic success. Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) provides a broad range of resources and services, including triage, consultation, counseling (for individuals, couples, and a host of groups), psychiatric care, referral services, and outreach. Our culture of support encourages us to: Know more. Do more. Support more. We remain committed to creating a safer, more secure, more supportive, and inclusive campus.
 
KEEP LEARNING WEBSITE
As the academic year progresses, keep in mind that the Keep Learning website offers a broad range of resources in support of your academic success. Reference it often to find the help and guidance you need.
 
During your time at MSU you will be challenged to think, to explore, to create, to learn, and to know. As you engage across the width and breadth of this world-class and world-leading university, you will experience opportunities not available at other institutions of higher education. You will learn from a diverse community of educators who are also scholars, artists, and scientists – creating the next breakthrough in environmental science, writing the next piece of breathtaking poetry, or working in food security. These three examples represent just a few of the many upward spirals of academic excellence propelling our great university. I am confident that our many and diverse spirals of excellence will provide you with a sound academic foundation to help you move from major to mission – fostering your intellectual, professional, and personal growth during your studies here at Michigan State University.
 
Best wishes for continued success this fall semester!

Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
MSU Foundation Professor