Welcome to the College Restoration Program's web site. Whether you're a student, parent, instructor, department head, academic coordinator or advisor, you will find useful information regarding the Academic Support Center's College Restoration Program.

General Description and Overview:
The College Restoration Program is a specialized academic intervention program based on the belief that a student's academic performance is the result of much more than native intelligence. Academic performance is also a reflection of the student's learning skills, self-awareness, attitude, study strategies, organization, and time management. Students in serious academic difficulty can dramatically improve their performance with appropriate training and support.

The College Restoration Program was started in 1970 to assist students facing academic probation or suspension. More than thirty-five years of experience has taught us how to build a curriculum which addresses problems shared by all students, while at the same time allowing for flexibility and individual attention. Our classes are based on the latest research in brain-based learning and developmental education. In the early years, only four or five students participated in CRP each quarter. Today the program has grown to a capacity of 50 students per quarter, and it has been extended to include transitional support during the quarter following CRP. As many as 85 students may be involved with some aspect of CRP during a given quarter.

CRP plays a significant role in Institute retention, and it has had a powerful impact on the lives of many students. On average, approximately 70-75% of our students return to RIT colleges the quarter following CRP, and around 70% of those returned remain at RIT after three quarters. See our stats page for more detailed and current information.

Overview of the Program:
No one plans to be suspended, and CRP students are usually surprised to find themselves on the verge of having to leave RIT. In hindsight, CRP students can point to many possible causes of their failing grades: not learning how to study in high school, choosing in the wrong major, poor time management skills, personal problems, inability to set and follow priorities, not accessing resources, and poor self-awareness. They see CRP as a welcome alternative to suspension and as an opportunity to identify and address the factors which have contributed to their academic difficulties.

Admission to CRP begins with a referral from the student's department head. The referring department then notifies the student to go to the CRP web site to complete an application. Once we have received both the referral and the application, the student is screened for eligibility.

Eligible Students must meet the following in order to be eligible to participate in CRP.

• We must have received both the referral from the student's department and the student's application.
• The student cannot have any financial or disciplinary holds on his/her RIT account.
• The student cannot have any more than one Incomplete on his/her RIT transcript.
• The student must use his/her RIT e-mail address and read his/er RIT e-mail at least once a day while in CRP.

If there's a financial or judicial hold on your account, you are not eligible to participate in CRP until the holds are lifted. If a student is ineligible, s/he will be notified as soon as possible. If you have a financial or disciplinary HOLD on your RIT account, you must take immediate action to remove it.

If you have more than one Incomplete, you must complete the work and have the grade changed so only one Incomplete remains on your transcript at the time of applying to CRP. We will not be able to reserve a spot for any student with HOLDS or more than one pending Incomplete.

Once you have applied to CRP, you must use your RIT e-mail address for any RIT/CRP electronic communication. It is also expected that you will read your RIT e-mail at least once a day while in CRP, and that you will provide a working phone number where we can reach you. Cell phone numbers are helpful.

An electronic confirmation is sent to students to verify receipt of their application. The confirmation message includes important contact information regarding housing, food service, and financial aid. Students are responsible for arranging their own housing and meal plans. All students receiving financial aid are responsible for contacting their financial aid counselor to discuss their aid eligibility for the CRP quarter. Generally, students in good standing with the Office of Financial Aid continue to receive aid when they attend CRP.

Joette Hartman, the CRP staff assistant, will contact eligible students to schedule their two intake testing appointments and their scheduling conference. Testing begins at 9:00 a.m. of day four of break week for fall, winter, and spring quarters. Students should come to the main Academic Support Center office in 2309 Eastman for all of their appointments. Because there is so little time between quarters, it is important that students show up at their scheduled time for intake appointments. If a student misses an appointment, s/he risks being dropped to the end of the list of eligible students, which may result in being placed on the waiting list.

CRP can enroll up to 50 students each fall, winter, and spring quarter. We will continue to accept referrals and applications and list eligible students in the order we receive both their referral and their application. Once we have 50 students, we will start a waiting list. Students on the waiting list will be contacted as soon as we know we have an opening. If a student doesn't get into CRP, s/he can request to be included in the next quarter's program. Students need to contact either Joette Hartman (475-5536) or Belinda Bryce (475-7818) to confirm their plans to participate in CRP at least two weeks prior to the intake start date. Without hearing from the student, we cannot hold a spot for him or her in the following quarter.

CRP Intake involves several diagnostic tests, a self report, a transcript analysis, and input from the student's referring department. Based on a synthesis of this information and the results of the diagnostic testing, students are scheduled for their CRP classes and up to two credit classes.

Students in CRP as "part-time matriculated" students and temporarily placed on the TCRP program code. However, they take a full-time equivalent course load (CRP classes and up to two credit courses) and pay full-time tuition which allows them to have access to RIT facilities such as the Student Health Center, campus housing, etc. At the scheduling conference, students are given a "Certificate of Enrollment" which overrides their part-time status. Students need to take this form to their financial aid counselor as soon as they are scheduled in order to have their aid for the quarter released. In addition, students may need to submit a copy of the Certificate of Enrollment to the Student Employment Office (if they wish to work part-time on campus), the Student Life Center (to access the gym and other facilities), and to their family's health insurance company if they receive their health insurance through their family's policy. Copies of the Certificate can be requested through the main ASC office.

All CRP students take the core curriculum which consists of two courses: Academic Strategies and Time Management. Academic Strategies provides a thorough overview of effective study techniques for college learning and application to current credit courses. Time Management addresses organization, scheduling, goal-setting, motivation, concentration, procrastination and stress management.

CRP runs three curriculum tracks. During intake, students are placed in one of these tracks depending on their most salient needs and the results of their diagnostic testing. Students who need work in two to three skills areas are placed in the Skills/Flex Track which can address math, reading and writing. Students may take Individualized Math, Writing Skills, or Critical Reading depending on their skill level and the requirements of their academic program.

Students who possess adequate skills but who may benefit from exploring such factors as mood instability, anxiety, addictive or compulsive behaviors, difficulty in establishing independence or responsibility, low self-esteem, or relationship problems are placed in the Personal Development Track. In addition to the core curriculum, these students take the Personal Development course which helps them develop new patterns and approaches to coping with life's challenges. They may also take courses in one or two skills areas if needed. If appropriate, students may be referred to the Counseling Center for personal counseling either in lieu of or in addition to the Personal Development elective.

Students who are unsure of their major and wish to explore other options are placed in the Career Exploration Track. These students take the Self-Assessment/Career Exploration course along with the core curriculum. They may also take courses in one or two skills areas if needed. Again, if appropriate, students may be referred to the Counseling Center for career counseling either in lieu of or in addition to the Self-Assessment/Career Exploration elective.

Mentoring in CRP is part of the core curriculum. Every student is assigned a mentor, usually a faculty member in the Academic Support Center. Students meet once a week with their mentors to discuss progress and address individual problems and concerns. Past CRP students have commented on the significance of their mentoring relationship: over 93% of students rated their relationship with their mentor as excellent (70.7%) or good (23%). The mentoring component is perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of CRP.

Math is a big component of CRP. Since most of our students come from programs requiring a math sequence (26.4% of students come from the College of Computing & Information Sciences; 24.5% come from the College of Applied Science and Technology; and 26.4% come from the College of Engineering), CRP provides math support on several levels: students who need to fill gaps in math knowledge take CRP Individualized Math, whereby a prescribed succession of topics must be completed with an 80% or higher mastery. Students enrolled in a math credit course are grouped into weekly structured study groups by course number. Students may also be assigned to use the ASC's Math Lab a few hours each week and/or attend the ASC's math review workshops. Our goal is to address the obstacles while the student is in CRP so he/she can proceed with the required math sequence successfully.

Structured study groups are an important aspect of CRP. In addition to the math credit course study groups, students enrolled in writing intensive credit courses are placed in English Study Group. This class provides formal support for any writing, literature, or Arts of Expression liberal arts requirements for RIT. The instructor is a faculty member of the College of Liberal Arts as well as CRP, and students report positively on the help they receive towards their credit course.

Good health and stress management are critical to any college student. All CRP students are highly encouraged to take a lifetime recreation class or participate in some kind of regular physical activity for health and stress management. Broadly speaking, the principles and structure of CRP are designed to address each student individually in a holistic manner. New research continues to support the mind-body connection and the impact of good health on learning, behavior, memory, and performance. In the spirit of an integrated approach, CRP stresses the importance of creating healthy habits and reducing the threat of unhealthy habits on academic performance. RIT's quarter system is demanding and stressful, and poor health can have a serious impact on academic success. The faculty of CRP firmly believe that students cannot implement cognitive strategies if their brains and bodies are deprived. In the case of serious problems, referrals are made to the Counseling Center, Student Health, or an outside professional.

The CRP Transition Seminar is a non-credit, small group seminar class for students who have been accepted back into an academic department. It is designed to reinforce the skills and strategies learned in CRP the previous quarter. We have found that the first quarter transitioning back to a full-time academic program has its own particular challenges. Students meet in either small groups or one-on-one with a CRP faculty member once a week. Preliminary data indicate that quarter GPAs for students participating in CRP Transition Seminar are higher than for students who do not attend the Transition Seminar. We run six sections of this course each fall, winter, and spring quarter, and students can register through the Student Information System (SIS) online.

In essence, CRP is a two-quarter process: the first quarter under the TCRP program code and a follow-up quarter under an academic department code (often on a probationary contract). This process is driven by the academic departments and their focus on student success. It is supported by CRP and the other services in the Academic Support Center.

Welcome from the Director of CRP
As director of the College Restoration Program, I welcome you to our web site. For many years, CRP has been acknowledged for its one-of-a-kind academic intervention program. Strategically located within RIT's Academic Support Center, CRP facilitates access to other areas of academic support, such as the Office of Academic Assessment, Academic Accommodations, and Learning Support Services. We also have the Writing Lab and Math Lab where students can get extra help on a walk-in basis.

I started at RIT's Learning Development Center's Community Program as a clinical instructor in 1989. In 1991, I began teaching and mentoring in the College Restoration Program. In 1999, I stepped in as director of CRP. It's been a wonderful challenge to work with students at critical points in their college careers. It's clear the rewards continue long after our students leave CRP and return to an academic department. Often, students will stop by to touch base, access resources, or boast about their latest success. Many of our students go on building high GPAs, some even achieving Dean's List, and eventually they graduate from RIT.

Our 14+ faculty and 25+ mentors consist of college teaching professionals in various disciplines, all with experience and credentials in education, psychology, and various content areas. Every aspect of the College Restoration Program is guided by the same universal principles which have crossed the boundaries of time and history--that each individual creates his/her destiny through attitude, focus and hard work, that thoughts and actions must work together towards the common goals of learning and growth, and that there is no escaping personal responsibility if we want to be free and independent. It is our goal to help our students become captains of their own ship, whatever ship that might be.