This activity consists of four components:

1. Creation of a Student Resource and Academic Support Center (SRASC) to improve
Student Learning Outcomes

UPRA currently has a Tutoring Center and UPRH has a Center
for Communicative Competencies; both were established with Title V Individual grants. The
demand for their services is such that the institutions need to expand and provide new
alternatives to increase their scope and services. The enhanced facilities will provide student
support services to increase student persistence and success through student tutoring, mentoring, and workshops, providing services which will help students with critical academic needs. These SRASCs will develop online tutorials for general academic achievement and professional development. They will offer online tutorials and tutoring services in Math, Accounting, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Physics because a high percentage of participants enrolled in these courses are inadequately prepared and students and faculty have expressed the need of tutoring in these areas. Institutional research at both campuses shows that 40% to 71% obtained an F, D, or withdrew from those courses during the 2004-2005. Surveys show that 40% and 47% at UPRH and UPRA respectively, have low basic skills in computer skills. In addition, attrition rates fluctuate between 25 to 30% among the campuses. These services will be provided to students as an option. Peer tutors will be selected from the top 10% junior and senior students
from both campuses. Each tutor will offer tutoring 10 hours/week for 10 weeks each semester of
the academic year. There will be four tutors for Math and two tutors each for Accounting, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Physics. The SRASC Coordinator will help establish a
Tutoring Center at UPR Humacao. The Mentors Coordinator will coordinate the activities at
UPRH’s SRASC. The Mentors Coordinator will establish a Mentoring Program for freshmen science and computer science students at both institutions to help students in their adaptation to the
rigorousness and discipline of their fields. The mentors will provide support, encouragement, and
guidance, and act as role models for the undergraduate students to emulate, demonstrating
behaviors that lead to self-responsibility and self-directedness. Successful upper division
students will serve as peer mentors in both institutions. They will be students who have
demonstrated academic excellence and have the willingness to share their time with their fellow
students. Mentors can refer students for counseling, tutoring, or other services. There will be one
mentor for every four participants. Tutors and mentors will participate in special mandatory workshops to ensure an understanding of their roles, as well skills development and pedagogy. The Mentors Coordinator, in collaboration with the SRASC Coordinator will organize, manage, and select the institutions’ mentors and establish a mentoring program at UPRA. UPRH has experience with mentoring programs and will be the primary resource for the mentoring component, while UPRA has experience with tutoring and will be the primary resource for the tutoring component. All
tutoring and mentoring services will be integrated into the current resources available at each
institution. The Coordinators will publish in a Web page information regarding study habits,
career planning, and stress management, among others. The Web page developed by the
institutions’ web masters will also include links to other informative sites, as well as the
SRASC’s services and news for both institutions. An open computing lab will be built on the second floor of the distance learning facilities at UPRA and at UPRH, a room will be remodeled for these purposes. The open student labs will provide a place where students can find the computing equipment and software necessary to practice and access the online content that will be made available to them.

Click for Component 2