Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

College Student Success (Face-to-Face)

SUU 1050-02

Course: SUU 1050-02
Credits: 2
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: INDS
CRN: 12385

Course Description

This course focuses on student success through systematic exploration of values and skills that will assist students in becoming successful in their academic endeavors. Topics include campus resources for individual challenges, motivation, time management, knowledge acquisition and retention, and academic performance. Admission requirement for students participating in the COMPASS program. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll

Course Information

Course: SUU 1050-01: College Student Success

We meet: face to face, Tu/Th 11:00 - 11:50AM, in in EVT 229 (America First Event Center - AFEC)

Credits earned by completing this course with a C (73%) or higher: 2

About the Instructor

Hello, I'm Julie! I look forward to getting to know each of you this semester!

I currently work as the Budget Analyst for Student Affairs here at SUU, so teaching isn't my full-time gig. I have a B.S. in Economics and a M.S. in Taxation/Accounting. I'm also playing around in Data Analytics. As you might guess, I love working with numbers!

I enjoy a variety of activities; camping with my family, going on bike rides, walking, swimming, crocheting, putting together puzzles, and reading, to name several. I speak French and hope to take my family to France with me someday. I have lived in New York and Montreal, among other places, and have traveled all over the US and to several different countries. I want to travel all over the world but the top 5 destinations that I want to explore are Denmark, Japan, Spain, Croatia, and any tropical island. 

I'm looking forward to this semester and hope to both challenge and support you as you begin this wonderful adventure!

Here are the best ways to get a hold of me:
Email: julieellis@suu.edu
Book an appointment: Calendly
Drop-in office hours: Tuesdays 4pm to 5pm
Office: ST 201 I
(Coming to office hours or scheduling an appointment is the best way to catch me in my office.)
I do not always receive Canvas messages in a timely manner, so be careful when using that platform. 

Required Texts

No textbook is required. All needed readings or documents will be provided in class or through Canvas.

You will need to bring these materials with you to each class session:
  • Pen or pencil
  • Wi-Fi-enabled device (laptop, tablet, or cell phone), as we'll often access digital documents during class.
  • Notebook

Learning Outcomes

  1. Intro to College: a quick study of things every new student should be aware of. 
  2. Academic Skills: learn and improve your study skills, academic writing, note-taking, and preparing for tests.
  3. Campus Resources: learn what resources SUU offers to help you accomplish your academic and personal goals.
  4. Life Skills: learn and improve other life skills (financial literacy, motivation, productivity, etc.) that will help you academically and outside of school.

Course Requirements

  • Students will be expected to attend each class during the assigned time; attendance will be taken at the start of each class.
  • Students will be expected to participate in class discussions and activities and to complete a variety of assignments designed to help them practice the course material.
  • Students will respectfully and attentively listen to guest speakers from on-campus departments who will present about their office and its resources. Students will practice taking notes during the presentation and turn in their notes.
  • Students will be expected to meet with a peer mentor at least three times during the semester to get additional support.
  • Students will be expected to meet with their academic advisor and prepare to register for the following semester.
  • Students will be expected to meet with the instructor at least once during the semester to check-in on the student's progress.

Possible Points

Description        Points
Attendance:         130
Assignments:       270
Advisory mtgs:     150
Midterm:               50
Final:                   100
TOTAL                 700  

Grading

Grade                 Range
A                   100% to 93.0%
A-                 <93.0% to 90.0%
B+                <90.0% to 87.0%
B                  < 87.0% to 83.0%
B-                 <83.0% to 80.0%
C+                <80.0% to 77.0%
C                  <77.0% to 73.0%
C-                 <73.0% to 70.0%
D+                <70.0% to 67.0%
D                  <67.0% to 63.0%
D-                 <63.0% to 60.0%
F                   <60.0%

Course Outline


Week 1 (Jan. 8)
TH: Introductions / Syllabus overview / Using Canvas

Week 2 (Jan. 13, 15)
T: Knowing your why
TH: How to succeed in college / Understanding university deadlines (tuition, withdrawing, etc.)   

Week 3 (Jan. 20, 22)
T: Cognitive Biases
TH: Academic writing

Week 4 (Jan. 27, 29)     
T: Academic writing (Continued)
TH: Academic writing (Continued)

Week 5 (Feb. 3, 5)
T: Note-taking methods
TH: Note-taking methods (Continued)

Week 6 (Feb. 10, 12)
T: Preparing for tests / Test taking strategies / Self-testing / Using technology
TH: Guest speaker

Week 7 (Feb. 17, 19)
T: Midterm test
TH: Guest speaker

Week 8 (Feb. 24, 26)
T: Motivation 
TH: Guest speaker 

Week 9 (Mar. 3, 5)
T: Financial Literacy / Personal Budgeting 
TH: Guest speaker

Week 10 (Mar. 10, 12)
NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK 

Week 11 (Mar. 17, 19)
T: Career Prep
TH: Guest speaker 

Week 12 (Mar. 24, 26)
T: Time Management
TH: Guest speaker 

Week 13 (Mar. 31, Apr. 2)
T: NO CLASS - Festival of Excellence
TH: Guest speaker 

Week 14 (Apr. 7, 9)
T: Taking Tests Recap / Finals Preparation
TH: Guest speaker 

Week 15 (Apr. 14, 16)
T: Last Class / What did we learn / Review for Final
TH: Final exam - in class

Week 16 (Apr. 20-24)
FINALS WEEK

Please note that this schedule could change depending on the needs of the class.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Most of our assignments will be completed in class. Late assignments will automatically be worth half the points possible, with additional points deducted if the assignment doesn’t meet the requirements. Knowing and meeting deadlines is an essential skill for academic success.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is crucial to succeeding in this class, so part of students' grades will be based on attendance. A large portion of work will be done in-class, so missing a class will mean missing those assignments. Please review the policy on late assignments and makeup work.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.