This resource sheet is a quick guide to some of our students' more common questions; it isn't comprehensive. If your question isn't answered here, please consult the course catalog or contact the Registrar's Office (registrar@cmc.edu; x18101).
My advisee still doesn't understand the GE requirements. Can you help me with a quick overview?
Here is an overview of the GE requirements. See also the list of "Academic Resources" on the Faculty Gateway page.
What are the requirements for Phi Beta Kappa?
Here is an overview of the PBK requirements.
My advisee wants to satisfy one of the GEs by taking a course elsewhere over the summer. Is this okay?
It depends on the GE and the course your advisee selects. Your advisee needs to consult with the department that administers the GE and with the Registrar.
My advisee wants to take an online course and transfer the credit to CMC. Can students do that?
CMC will allow up to two units of online summer coursework to transfer. The courses need to be fully synchronous (zoom-style) with regular meeting times, they need to be pre-approved by the registrar's office, and they need approval of the appropriate department in Claremont. For more information, see the Transfer Credit Policy; students will also need to fill out the Transfer Credit Pre-Approval Request Form.
My advisee has questions about their area of academic interest. Where do I send them?
More information about Academic Areas of Interest (including dual majors, sequences, and integrated areas within other majors as well as intercollegiate majors and off-campus majors offered through the Claremont Colleges consortium) is available on the Academics: Majors and Departments page. When you select a particular Academic Area of Interest, click on "Catalog" to see the full catalog description, which will list the primary contact for that program.
My advisee wants to do an off-campus major. Anything special I should know about that?
Your advisee should make an appointment with the chair of the department housing the off-campus to get the most up-to-date information. The Registrar's Office has a form they will eventually fill out with that person in order to declare the major.
My advisee is in a different discipline. What do I need to do?
If both of you are happy with the advising relationship, there's no need to sever it, but your advisee should make sure to consult regularly with a faculty member assigned to advise majors in the relevant department. If your advisee does want to switch or add advisors there is an Advisor Change Form.
My advisee wants to study abroad. Where is the best place to start exploring those options?
Send your advisee to the Center for Global Education to get started on the study abroad process. For questions about transferring credit back from study abroad to satisfy specific CMC GEs and/or major requirements, your advisee should talk to the contact person listed above for the department/major.
My advisee's parent emailed me with a question about my advisee's academic progress. The parent says their child signed a FERPA waiver. How should I respond?
When a student signs a FERPA waiver, the advisor gets copied on the email the Registrar sends. You can always contact the Registrar to ask if your advisee has signed a FERPA waiver. Of course, if the student hasn't agreed to waive their FERPA rights to privacy, you can't communicate with the parent about the student's academic progress. If the student did sign a waiver allowing the parent access to their academic information, you may communicate with the parent, but you aren't required to. You might want to check to see what the advisee prefers you do in this situation.
My advisee seems to be struggling academically. What resources do we have?
The Dean of Students FAQ for Faculty describes a wide range of resources for academic success and mental health support.
The Academic Success website lists many useful resources for helping students navigate throughout the semester. Your advisee may benefit form peer tutoring or working with a Success Coach. If your student has a disability, refer them to the Assistant Dean of Students for Disability Services and Academic Success (accessibilityservices@cmc.edu). Students may also visit the Accessibility Services website to apply for accommodations and learn more about the process. The 7C Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) provides a variety of resources to students with accommodations.
For issues with writing: the Center for Writing and Public Discourse, which has trained student consultants who meet with writers at any stage of the writing process. The CWPD also offers support to international students, who should contact Mellissa Martinez (mmartinez@cmc.edu). Finally, the CWPD runs an academic mentoring program for first-year students, run by Megan Davidson (mdavidson@cmc.edu).
The Claremont Colleges Library offers a vast array of workshops. Topics include identifying and managing appropriate sources and citing them correctly, conducting research on different topics using different databases, using different presentation software, time management, and many more. Send your student to consult the "Research and instruction" tab of the Library website.
The Murty Sunak Quantitative and Computing Lab offers tutoring and project consulting for students in quantitative studies across the curriculum and in computing, and also sponsors workshops on different topics.
The Modern Language Resource Center (HUM 122, Scripps) is a joint resource for CMC, Scripps and Pitzer students studying foreign languages. They offer drop-in tutoring and other resources.
The CARE Center (Civility, Access, Resources, and Expression), Heggblade second floor; Associate Dean of Students for Diversity, Inclusion and Residential Life, Ashley Barton, is the director (ashley.barton@cmc.edu).
International Student Services in the Dean of Students Office is led by Taivna Mills (taivna.mills@cmc.edu).
The Chaplains' Office (McAlister Center for Religious Activities) has Protestant, Catholic, Muslim and Jewish chaplains who hold religious services and support all religious and spiritual student groups and communities on campus; chaplains@cuc.claremont.edu; x18685.
Hillel at the Claremont Colleges: Rabbi Danny Lutz (danny.lutz@claremont.edu); x18685.
The Asian American Resource Center is housed in the Smith Campus Center at Pomona; aarc@pomona.edu; x18639.
Chicano/Latino Student Affairs provides personal, cultural and academic support to Chicanx and Latinx students. They are on the second floor of Tranquada Student Services. clsa@claremont.edu; x18044.
The Office of Black Student Affairs holds activities and offers tutoring and academic support for students of African descent. They are housed in the OBSA House at 139 E. 7th St.; obsa@cuc.claremont.edu; x73669.
The Queer Resource Center is a 7Cs resource center housed at Pomona, in Walton Commons; QRCClaremont@gmail.com; x78187.
The Office of Title IX and Civil Rights; Athenaeum second floor. Joanna Rosas (joanna.rosas@cmc.edu) is Title IX Coordinator.