Nov 04, 2024  
2018-2019 SUNY Potsdam Academic Catalog 
    
2018-2019 SUNY Potsdam Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Academic Philosophy


The academic programs at SUNY Potsdam offer students the opportunity to combine career preparation with strong liberal arts education. The College maintains its emphasis on the liberal arts because we believe that liberally educated individuals are best equipped to respond to challenges and to take advantage of opportunities in all areas of life. The liberal arts foster the flexibility needed to adapt to our rapidly changing a society by developing skills in observation, analysis, communication, research, and judgment that are applicable in any situation. With an emphasis on providing students with experiential learning opportunities that broaden and integrate knowledge, SUNY Potsdam also is home to the Lougheed Center for Applied Learning, the first integrated academic opportunity center of its kind in SUNY.

The curriculum at SUNY Potsdam also encourages students to pursue professional preparation through selected degree and certification programs as well as second majors and minors at the same time that they study the liberal arts. The curriculum at SUNY Potsdam blends the liberal and the professional to prepare the whole person for the challenges of living in a complex and changing global environment. This philosophy governs all of the programs of the College, from performance in The Crane School of Music to secondary education certification in the School of Education and Professional Studies, from studio art to biology or sociology in the School of Arts and Sciences.

The College desires to provide the opportunities for students to develop into citizens who are able to contribute in a positive, creative way to the demands of our society, and who have the knowledge, skills, and experiences to accomplish their personal goals. The Potsdam Graduate, adopted by the Faculty and SUNY Potsdam, is a statement of the College’s expectations of the SUNY Potsdam student expressed in terms of knowledge, skills, and experiences to be acquired during the college experience.

Advising Mission Statement

SUNY Potsdam is committed to promoting student success through responsible academic advising. Our mission is to foster dynamic and interactive relationships between advisers and advisees that help students satisfy the academic requirements of the College, take advantage of support services, explore career opportunities, and develop skills necessary to thrive and provide leadership in a complex world.

Philosophy

Advising is a crucial personal and professional relationship between a student and their faculty adviser, built through the process of periodic communication. Advising focuses on utilizing campus resources to assist students in selecting courses and formulating sound educational, career and life goals. The advising relationship provides students with a direct mentoring link to teaching faculty and professional staff, encouraging active engagement in their educational process, increasing their overall connection the College and its mission, as well as assisting them in making the academic decisions that are ultimately their responsibility. Personal and professional advising also promotes a supportive educational and social environment. The advising process enables students to pursue their educational goals and encourages them to become successful and productive members of the College community.