Academic Programs and Support Services

General Education Program

Effective with the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year all CUNY colleges offered a new General Education program commonly referred to as Pathways. A small number of courses in the new program are simply revisions of courses in the former program. A large portion of the new program is congruent with the former General Education program. The philosophy and purpose of general education at Medgar Evers College have not changed. The new program, like the former program, is supported by the philosophy that education has the power to transform positively the lives of individuals. The new program, like the former program, seeks to provide students with the knowledge and skills for lifelong learning, and a personal value system to enable them to contribute positively to their communities and professions

MEC General Education Program Statement of Purpose

The General Education Program (GEP) of Medgar Evers College (CUNY) provides students with general knowledge and intellectual skills, actively engages them in making connections across disciplines, and prepares them for civic responsibility and leadership roles in their own communities and in a rapidly changing technological world. Graduates of Medgar Evers College, as a result of completing courses in the General Education Program and their academic majors, will possess the knowledge, skills, and enhanced personal value system that will provide them with a foundation for life-long learning and empower them to promote the quality of their personal lives and contribute to their communities, their professions, the nation, and the world.

MEC General Education Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

The educational goals/competencies of the General Education Program are based on the competencies identified by the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AACU) in their publication, “Liberal Education and America’s Promise” (LEAP), (2005). The LEAP competencies or Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO’s) are an outgrowth of the 2000 AAC&U panel of higher education faculty, administrators, and scholars from across the country who met over a two-year period. The National panel published a report, Greater Expectations: The Commitment to Quality as a Nation Goes to College (2002), which presented recommendations focused on models of learning and innovative practices characterized by high expectations and an engaged, practical liberal education for all students.

The LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes are the learning goals for the Medgar Evers College General Education Program. Graduates of Medgar Evers College will be prepared to meet twenty-first century challenges by gaining knowledge of and demonstrating competence in Liberal Arts and the foundation skills that will enable them to function effectively after they graduate in their chosen fields and professions.

The four GEP learning outcomes areas/goals are:

1. Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World
   • Through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts, focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and enduring
2. Intellectual and Practical Skills, including:
   • Inquiry and analysis
   • Critical and creative thinking
   • Written and oral communication
   • Quantitative literacy
   • Information literacy
   • Teamwork and problem solving
     
     Practiced extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standards for performance
3. Personal and Social Responsibility, including
   • Civic knowledge and engagement-local and global
   • Intercultural knowledge and competence
   • Ethical reasoning and action
   • Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
     
     Anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges
4. Integrative Learning, including
   • Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems

The new General Education program consists of three major components: The Required (Fixed) Core (12 credits); the Flexible Core (18 credits); and the Medgar Evers College Option (12 credits). The Required Core and The Flexible Core compose what has been termed the Common Core (30 credits). The framework provided by the Fixed Core, the Flexible Core, and the Medgar Evers College Option has resulted in a reorganization of the former general education curriculum. The total number of credits in the new General Education Program is forty-two (42). All associate degree-seeking students must complete the Common Core and all baccalaureate degree-seeking students must complete the Common Core and the Medgar Evers College Option. The Common Core can actually range from 30 to 34 credits since a student may elect to use four-credit courses in mathematics, in the life and physical sciences, and in the area of the scientific world to fulfill requirements. Such courses are herein referred to as STEM variants. Students who transfer to Medgar Evers must meet the new requirements and at a minimum number of College Option Courses will be required to complete a portion of the College Option.

The Required Fixed Core

The Required Core is comprised of four courses (12 credits) that provide the fundamental knowledge and skills to enable a student to pursue successfully his/her higher education goals. These courses offer students a foundation in critical thinking, effective writing, quantitative reasoning, research, ethics and ethical behavior, and scientific principles governing natural phenomena. The particular requirements in The Fixed Core are as shown:

• English Composition (two courses, six credits)
• Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (one course, three credits)
• Life and Physical Sciences (one course, three credits)

The Flexible Core

The Flexible Core consists of six courses (18 credits) in the arts and sciences that broaden the perspectives of students, while strengthening their knowledge about world cultures and global issues, diversity in the growth of America, development of social institutions, and the roles of creative work and of science and technology in advancing society. A student must take six courses in The Flexible Core with at least one course in each of the five general knowledge areas listed. World Cultures and Global Issues

• U. S. Experience in its Diversity
• Creative Expression
• Individual and Society
• Scientific World

The Medgar Evers College Option - Baccalaureate Degree-Seeking Students Only

The Medgar Evers College Option (for baccalaureate degree-seeking students, only) involves four courses (12 credits) from two clusters of the former General Education program. The Option requirements are as listed: One course from the Socio-Cultural Cluster and three courses from the Integrative Knowledge.

The Medgar Evers College Option is a set of courses that complements and supplements the Required Core and the Flexible Core. Associate degree-seeking students are not required to take the College Option. [Associate degree-seeking students take only the Common Core of 30 to 34 credits to meet the new General Education requirements.] The Medgar Option courses have been chosen because they have the potential to enrich both the student’s experience at the College and in the future as a lifelong learner. The Option requires that a student take from 6 to 12 credits, depending on the status of the student at the time of entry.

A student who enters the College in the fall of 2013 as a baccalaureate degree seeking student must take all 12 credits in the College Option. A course taken to meet the requirement in one part of the program cannot be used to meet the requirement in another part of the program. For example, a course taken and passed to fulfill a requirement in The Flexible Core cannot be used to satisfy a requirement in the Medgar Evers College Option. In selecting courses to satisfy the new general education requirements all students should consult their respective academic advisors.

STEM Variants

In attempting to meet the general education requirements in Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning, in the Life and Physical Sciences, and in the area of the Scientific World, students may elect to take a more demanding course in each category. Such a decision might be based on the major program of study and/or the interest of the student. For example, baccalaureate degree-seeking students with majors in Biology, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics, and Nursing have the option of fulfilling the Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning requirement by taking a mathematics course that also fulfills a major requirement. These students can also fulfill the Life and Physical Sciences and the Scientific World requirements by taking science courses that also meet major degree requirements. Courses that can be used this way are referred to as STEM Variants. A STEM variant is available for business majors in mathematics.

Sharing Courses Policy

Students may choose Common Core courses that also meet their degree program requirements. In many situations, colleges might advise or encourage them to do so. Students who select a course that fulfills both Common Core and degree program requirements cannot be assigned additional degree program requirements as a result.

New General Education Core Requirements Effective Fall 2013

Starting in Fall 2013 all new first-time freshmen and transfer students must enroll in the CUNY Pathways curriculum: a 30-credit Common Core for all students and an additional 6-12 credits in the College Option for baccalaureate students. The Common Core consists of 12 credits in the Required Core and 18 credits in the Flexible Core. All continuing students can opt-in to the Pathways Curriculum and are encouraged to meet with an advisor to determine the best course of action based on their goals and credits earned.

Credit for Prior Learning By Portfolio

Adult learners returning or entering Medgar Evers College with prior knowledge now have an opportunity to translate their prior learning into college credits. Students can earn college credits for their prior knowledge in two ways:

1. Take and pass a College Board CLEP exam
2. Develop a Portfolio (Contact Academic Affairs)

College Level Exam Program (CLEP)

College Board created the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) to allow students to earn college credits for knowledge they possess, but could not measure otherwise. College Board offers 33 introductory college level subjects. Students can earn credits for what they already know. Medgar Evers College is a CLEP test center.

1. CLEP exams are computerized.
2. CLEP exams are 90 minutes long. However, College Composition is 120 minutes.
3. CLEP exams contain mainly multiple-choice questions. College Composition may include essays.
4. The recommended passing score is 50, a score equivalent to a grade of C.
5. An unofficial score report is available upon completion of each exam, excluding College Composition and College Composition Modular.
6. The American Council on Education (ACE) recognizes CLEP.
7. Each CLEP exam costs $87. The administrative fee at Medgar Evers College is $40 for each exam. Contact the Testing Center at 718-270-4835 for test dates

CLEP Eligibility

CLEP exams are available to students enrolled at Medgar Evers College as well as individuals of the community. All students should consult their college or university before registering for and taking a CLEP exam to know whether the credits will be accepted. Medgar Evers College students must consult a Testing Center before scheduling a CLEP exam.

Medgar Evers College Students Eligibility Requirements

• Students must have satisfied the University’s basic skills requirement in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Students are required to have a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better.

CLEP Application Process

The Testing Center staff administers CLEP exams once a month on a walk-in basis from 10:00am-3:00pm. Exam candidates should contact the Testing Center at 718-270-4835 for test dates.

• The fee is paid to College Board (collegeboard.org) when the student sets up an account online and purchases the exam. Once the exam purchase is confirmed, the student may reserve a seat to take the exam with the Testing Center.
• The administrative fee is $40.00 per exam and must be paid to the Bursar’s Office prior to taking the test.
• Exam fees are non-refundable.

CLEP Exam Day

Please bring two forms of ID, at least one must be a government issued ID.

• Candidates must arrive before 3:00pm. Testing Center staff will not allow any student into the testing laboratory after 3:00pm.
• Candidates taking two CLEP exams on the same day must arrive no later than 1:00pm.
• Examination candidates, must complete the CLEP application at collegeboard.org and pay all fees before arriving to do the test.
• Examination regulations, do NOT allow candidates to take books, notes, practice exams, calculators, cell phones, pagers, and watches with alarms, other electronic devices, food, and beverages into the testing laboratory.

Special Accommodations

Any student requiring special accommodations for the CLEP exam because of a disability, must contact the Office of Services for Differently Abled (ODA) at 718-270-5027 at least 1 week prior to the exam. Accommodations based on disabilities will be granted to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ODA is responsible for identifying and evaluating students with disabilities. If the student is eligible, that office will coordinate accommodations with the Testing Center.

Portfolio Development

A portfolio is a document presented by a student to the college requesting credits for knowledge about a subject that occurred outside the classroom. The portfolio must be well documented and organized. It is a collection of evidence to support the student’s claim for credit, through a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process.

Students must align their knowledge with the course(s) they are petitioning. The respective academic department performing the assessment, will award credits for learning as it relates to the course rather than, solely on years of experience.

Portfolio Eligibility

• Students must be enrolled at Medgar Evers College.
• A student must complete a minimum of 24 college credits before developing a portfolio.
• Students must complete English 112 and English 150 before developing a portfolio.
• Students are required to have a GPA of 2.0 or better.
• Students must have satisfied the University’s basic skills requirement in reading, writing, and mathematics before developing a portfolio.
• A student must consult and receive approval from the Credit for Prior Learning Coordinator and the Chairperson of the department of his/her declared course of study.
• Students must consult and receive approval from the Chairperson of the department before developing a portfolio.
• Students must register for a Portfolio Development Seminar.

Portfolio Application Process

• Students must obtain an application from the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Coordinator.
• The department Chairperson must sign the application form.
• Students must consult the CPL Coordinator to register for the CPL seminar.
• Before submission of the portfolio for assessment, students must pay a non-refundable fee of $75.00 to the Bursar’s Office.

Testing Center Contact Information

1150 Carroll Street Room 311
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Ph: 718-270-4835
Fax: 718-270-4845
Email: asktesting@mec.cuny.edu

CLEP Exam Equivalent at Medgar Evers College

Academic Advising Center

Academic Advising Center

The Academic Advising Center (AAC)  mission is to provide students above 29 credits with accurate advisement, information, and resources related to curriculum requirements, academic standards, college policies, procedures and regulations, and personal concerns that may impact students’ academic performance. Each student is assigned a trained academic advisor and receives a comprehensive advising program from sophomore status through graduation.

Our advising philosophy takes a developmental approach, stressing the advisor-student relationship and the active role of students in developing an academic plan that is consistent with their academic and professional goals. The AAC’s operation is based on a dual model, which entails providing academic advisement and faculty mentoring services to students via an assigned academic advisor and department faculty. This model enables academic advisors, and faculty mentors to work collaboratively in meeting students’ needs and simultaneously address factors which impact student retention. In addition, the AAC forges strong collaborative working relationships between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs in its delivery of academic advising services.

The primary goal of the Academic Advising Center is to provide effective academic advising services to our students. The Center’s motto – “Preparation, Professionalism, Dedication”- reinforces our intrusive advisement methodology that provides for initial review, follow-up, continued outreach and appropriate interventions to cultivate students’ academic progress and success. Each Academic Advisor reports to the Director of the Academic Advising Center, and assists students with the following:

• Creating an Education Action Plan if student is on academic probation
• Mapping four-year degree plan via DegreeWorks to ensure timely graduation
• Utilizing DegreeWorks advising/graduation audit system and Navigate appointment and communication systems
• Developing academic and professional goals during their undergraduate college experience and beyond
• Understanding the purpose of general education and its relation to curricula
• Identifying and assisting with resolving academic issues related to grades, academic progress, and degree completion
• Addressing personal, social, and financial issues which serve as barriers to academic success

Students can schedule a thirty-minute appointment to speak with their assigned academic advisor or “walk-in” to utilize our fifteen-minute fast-track available advisor service.

Additional available services may include:

• Academic advisement via email, phone, or zoom,
• Assist with various academic applications and appeals,
• Avid caseload management and communication,
• Course review for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) eligibility,
• DegreeWorks Student Audit and Educational Plan review and tutorial,
• Early Alert Warning review and interventions,
• Graduation audit review and filing,
• Maor exploration/Change of major,
• Registration assistance,
• Review of transcript evaluation,
• Review of academic guidelines,
• Referral to relevant department or resource.

The Academic Advising Center is located in the Student Services Building, Room S-220. The telephone number is 718 270-5170.

Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP)

The mission of the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) is to assist students in earning an associate degree within three years by providing a range of financial, academic, and personal supports. Our goal is to graduate at least 50% of our students within three years. 

Benefits

Benefits received by ASAP students include:

• Access to an unlimited MetroCard while registered for classes.
• A stipend to assist with the cost of textbooks.
• A tuition scholarship for any gap between tuition and your financial aid award (for students in receipt of financial aid).
• A dedicated ASAP advisor to guide your progress from entry to graduation.
• Special registration options that help you get the classes you need that also fit your schedule.
• Opportunities to take classes with fellow ASAP students to foster community and build your network.
• Enhanced career development and academic support service.

Eligibility Criteria

All students must:

Complete all CUNY admissions requirements. To apply to CUNY visit: www.cuny.edu/admissions.

Be a New York City resident and/or eligible for in-state tuition.

Agree to study full-time (minimum 12 credits per semester) in an ASAP-approved Associate degree program.

Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov and the New York State TAP application at www.hesc.ny.gov. (Students not in receipt of financial aid but otherwise eligible may join ASAP but are responsible for paying all tuition and fees.)

Undocumented students are eligible to apply for ASAP and should apply to Senator’s Jose Peralta NYS Dream Act for additional financial assistance (https://www.hesc.ny.gov/dream/).

Current CUNY or transfer students may have 16 or fewer college credits at the completion of the semester prior to entering the program and must be in good academic standing (GPA of 2.0 or above).

Be fully skills proficient or have no more than one outstanding deep developmental course needs at the time of entry. 

Students cannot participate in both ASAP and another MEC special program (SEEK or Honors Scholars). Current SEEK or Honors Scholars are not eligible to apply to ASAP.

To determine whether you are eligible for ASAP, try the quick and easy ASAP Eligibility Checklist http://www1.cuny.edu/sites/asap/checklist/.

Programs of Study

The following are ASAP-approved majors:

• Liberal Arts (All Concentrations)
• Business Administration
• Science (Concentrations in Biology/Pre-Allied Health and Math)
• Teacher Education
• Public Administration
• Computer Science
• Computer Applications
• English
• African Diaspora

How to Apply

Program spaces are limited. Information Session attendance is required to join the program. Call 718-804-8209, email asap@mec.cuny.edu or visit the ASAP office in the S-Building (1637 Bedford), Room 206 with any questions.

College Now

College Now, a free college transition and dual enrollment program, is a major partnership between CUNY and NYCDOE enlisting 18 colleges and over 420 NYC public high schools in its mission to help students successfully transition to college. Offered after the students’ high school day, the program gives scholars the opportunity to gain a full college experience by attending classes on campus at Medgar Evers College or their high school. College Now also provides the applicants with college credit courses aligned with the first-year study at CUNY. These pre-college courses increase students’ academic readiness for college without a need for remediation, college awareness courses and activities, full-day summer programs and access to CUNY campus facilities and events.

Evening and Weekend Programs

The mission of the Office of Evening and Weekend Programs (OEW) is to deliver services to evening and weekend students and faculty. We serve as a liaison for students to the administrative and academic offices. We are available to assist with all issues related to evening and weekend classes, including advisement and accelerated courses to accommodate evening and weekend students. OEW is charged with increasing evening, weekend and accelerated courses. Therefore, OEW serves as a bridge for our constituents by providing information, resources, policies, procedures and directing students to appropriate departments.

The college experience should enrich a student’s life, as such, it is our goal to extend services to evening and weekend students and faculty that will enhance their educational and professional goals and accomplishments.

The following degrees can be earned while attending at night and on the weekends:

Associate Degrees

• Associate of Arts in English
• Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts (Emphasis in, Psychology, Social Sciences)
• Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
• Associate of Science in Science (Biology Concentration)
• Associate of Science in Public Administration

Baccalaureate Degrees

• Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (Social Sciences Concentration)
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Science in Accounting
• Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics

Educational Options and Flexibility

As an evening and weekend student, you are not limited; you will have the flexibility of attending college on a full-time or a part-time basis. Monday thru Friday, evening classes begin as early as 4:00 p.m.; however, the largest selection of evening courses start at 6:00 p.m. or thereafter. Students who wish to take classes at a later time will have the opportunity, the evening course schedule ends between 10-10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday courses begin as early as 8:30 a.m. Students can also select from a substantial number of weekend courses, which begin at a variety of times.

Accelerated Studies

Students can fast-track their undergraduate degrees by taking advantage of accelerated courses (AC). AC courses meet for seven weeks and allow students to complete two courses within the same timeslot for one complete semester Students can also fast-track their degree by taking online courses; registering for 18 credits a semester; and enroll in summer and winter intersessions. Other options to fast track are College Level Examination Program (CLEP); request department challenge exams; and approval of portfolio development by earning credit for prior learning/life experiences. All of the above must be relative to your degree of study

Freshman Year Program

The mission of the Freshman Year Program (FYP) is to provide a comprehensive guide to being successful in college as well as a foundation to a particular area of study or concentration. It is meant to assist students in developing the confidence and necessary drive and skill set to transition from high school to college, and to complete their course of study in a timely manner. FYP intends to fulfill this mission via the following goals/objectives: 1) demonstration of knowledge of self; 2) exiting developmental/remedial skills courses; 3) accumulating 30 credits prior to the start of their second academic year; 4) demonstrating critical thinking skills; 5) technological proficiency; 6) civic engagement; 7) career orientation; 8) relating to diversity, and 8) providing students with a smooth transition into their Sophomore Year of College. It culminates into a Freshman Year Experience that integrates and incorporates both academic and non-academic programming that facilitates a socially inclusive and supportive environment to address the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students. The Freshman Year Experience includes Freshman Seminar

Freshman Seminar I (FS 101) focuses on five interdisciplinary modules (Bonding, Orientation, Study Library Skills, Wellness and Education/Careers), an extensive orientation to Medgar Evers College, and how to successfully meet the demands of college and personal responsibilities while maintaining physical, emotional and social health.

Freshman Seminar II (FS 102) primarily focuses on the Education/ Careers module introduced in FS 101 and enhancing students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills in written and oral expressions.

Honors Program

The MEC Honors Program provides an enhanced Pathways curriculum that is designed to assist students to become critical and independent thinkers through small, seminar-style classes that emphasize experiential and interdisciplinary learning.

Why Choose the Honors Program?

The MEC Honors Program provides an enhanced Pathways curriculum that is designed to assist students to become critical and independent thinkers through small, seminar-style classes that emphasize experiential and interdisciplinary learning.

We will help you become a member of a network of scholars across the country through membership in the National Collegiate Honors Council’s regional and national conferences, research opportunities, and much, much more!

The Honors curriculum allows students to foster independent thinking and conduct independent research, experience travel abroad, participate in service learning, and cultivate future leaders.

• Honors students will be awarded Academic Scholarships!
• Students will receive a personal Computer.
• Students will receive one-on-one faculty Mentoring.

Honors Pathway Courses

Students will register for Medgar Evers College Honors Pathways courses to meet General Education requirements and to successfully complete the Honors Freshmen Seminar Class in their first semester.

Interdisciplinary Honors Electives

Aside from the Honors Pathway Courses, students will be required to take 9 Honors Elective credits. Proposed annually by interested faculty, they are based on the following themes: leadership, science, citizenship, and globalization.

Service Experience

Students will participate in local or national service projects for one spring break (at least 40 hours) during their program matriculation.

Senior Project/Thesis

Students will complete a Senior Project/Thesis working together with an Honors Faculty Mentor in their major. Students will be required to present an oral seminar of their findings at the Senior Honors Symposium, or National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) conference.

Students are strongly encouraged to participate in one Study Abroad experience that will be connected to either a course in their major or as independent study.

The Medgar Evers College (MEC) Honors Program is designed to help students reach their personal, academic, and career potential. How we do this is by creating an exciting and challenging environment where students and faculty can partner together to elevate learning to a new level.

Through experiences inside and outside classroom, students will become engaged and involved in learning about social justice, community engagement, and understanding global perspectives from an interdisciplinary lens.

You will feel a part of a close-knit community from your first day on campus; I can promise you that your involvement in the program will transform your college experience like no other.

Learning Center

The Learning Center’s mission is to provide academic support to meet the needs of our students. Through its various programs and services, the Academic Support/Learning Center aims to empower students to become independent learners.

The Learning Center is the central unit for the recruitment and referral of tutors to on and off-campus academic support programs.

The Learning Center collaborates with academic departments for the recommendation, approval, and training of tutors. Our tutors range from peer tutors with outstanding grades in the subject areas they are selected to tutor, to tutors with baccalaureate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees. Tutors must have an overall GPA of 3.0 and above and must have at least a “B” in the area they are selected to tutor.

The Learning Center generally has a staff of 60 tutors providing flexible hours of tutoring today, evening and weekend students, and 6 days per week.

Services provided to Medgar Evers College students include tutoring, supervision of peer study groups, study skills instruction, computer, video-assisted learning, preparation for standardized exams, and accommodations for Differently Abled students. The Learning Center also provides tutors for some supplemental lab classes and teacher assistants for specific courses.

On-Campus and virtual scheduled and walk-in tutoring are available. Tutoring is done in small groups, of two to four students; scheduled tutoring is also provided for Differently Abled students and students on probation, where suited; workshops are also conducted with five or more students.

The Learning Center provides academic support in several subject areas, which include computer literacy, computer science, accounting, chemistry, biology, economics, finance, Spanish, French, psychology, political science, physical science, physics, mathematics, logic, college English, English as a Second Language, study skills, nursing exam (NLN and RN) Workshops for LPN and pre-nursing students, and Ability to Benefit (ATB) workshops and tutoring in reading, sentence skills and math workshops for students who did not receive their high school diplomas in the U.S.A. The Learning Center also works with academic and counseling departments to provide other support services to students who need them.

Department of Special Programs

Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program

The Department of Special Programs houses the Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) Program, a major CUNY initiative. Created by the Board of Higher Education of The City University in 1964, SEEK targets students who require financial and academic support to complete a college education. SEEK students receive up to ten semesters of economic and academic support while meeting the requirements for a baccalaureate degree.

SEEK’s mission is to help students overcome social, academic and economic barriers to the pursuit of their education through the provision of individual and group counseling, comprehensive academic support services and financial aid counseling and support. In addition, the program helps students develop strategies to explore academic, career and interpersonal issues related to their educational goals. Academic support services, individual and group counseling and financial aid, including a book stipend, up to three summer stipends, and additional semesters of financial aid are provided to Department of Special Programs-SEEK students through the New York State Higher Education Opportunity Program Act.

SEEK’s objectives are:

1. To provide a permanent and structured program of special assistance to selected students who can utilize supportive services to assist them in their efforts to obtain a quality college education and to expand the career and social options available to them.
2. To provide, by means of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, a range of intensive supportive services to help Special Programs students to successfully meet the challenge of college study.
3. To explore, develop, and demonstrate innovative techniques to enable students to achieve their academic goals.

SEEK Counseling

The SEEK Program provides individual/small-group counseling to all SEEK students. First and second-year students meet with counselors once a week in SEEK Counseling Courses (SP/C, AGRO, or SPAE). These courses are structured forums in which students explore topics that facilitate their adjustment to college, provide information about career and graduate school opportunities, and promote participation in community outreach activities. All SEEK students can meet with their counselors on an individual basis for academic advisement and personal and career counseling.

The primary goal of SEEK counseling is to develop, monitor and assess programs that help students successfully meet the challenges of college level work, overcome their educational limitations and enhance their ability to perform as students and as individuals. Student achievement, retention, and satisfactory progress towards degree completion are the basic objectives of the SEEK Program.

Admission

To apply for admission to the SEEK Program, an applicant should complete the “Special Programs” section of the CUNY application. In accordance with State Education Law, an individual is eligible for admission to the SEEK Program if he/she meets the following criteria:

1. Is economically disadvantaged.
2. Is educationally disadvantaged.
3. Is a graduate of an approved high school or has attained a New York high school equivalency diploma or its equivalent as determined by the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York.
4. Has not previously attended a college or university, except in the case of students enrolled in the HEOP or EOP programs, or veterans who may have earned up to 18 credits of college-level work prior to entrance into the service (except for USAFI and service-connected University of Maryland credits).
5. Has resided in New York State for one year prior to the semester for which he or she is applying and has met the test for “bona fide domicile.”

After acceptance into a CUNY college, SEEK applicants must submit a copy of their Federal Income Tax Return, Form 1040, and other supporting documentation to verify income eligibility and residence. Applications are available at individual CUNY College Financial Aid Offices and online at: www.fafsa.ed.gov/. (See Financial Aid  section in this catalog for further information)

If you are accepted into SEEK you will be required to show proof of having filed for Pell and TAP prior to being awarded any Special Programs financial assistance.

The following items are required proof:

1. Electronic notification to CUNY
2. “Student Notification” sent to you by the Pell Grant processor
3. TAP Award Certificate

Academic Eligibility

An applicant is academically eligible for SEEK if he/she:

1. has received a general equivalency diploma, or
2. has a high school academic average of less than 80% or ranks at the 65th or lower percentile of is/her graduating class.

Economic Eligibility

A student is considered economically disadvantaged if he or she is a member of a household whose total annual income falls within the limits indicated on the economic guidelines chart below. All economic eligibility criteria apply to the calendar year prior to the academic year of first entry to college. For 2018-19, it is the 2016 calendar year.

Fall 2018

Number in Household Estimated Gross Annual Family Income: Including Head of Household:

1. $22,311
2. $30,044
3. $37,777
4. $45,510
5. $53,243
6. $60,976
7. $68,709
8. $76,442

*Plus $7,733 for family member in excess of eight (8)
An applicant is economically eligible if the applicant is part of a household where any member is a recipient of public assistance.

The foregoing eligibility requirements, except those relating to economic need and residency, shall not apply to students who have been determined eligible for entry to the SEEK Program by virtue of their satisfactory completion of the College Discovery Program.

In program standards, maintenance of SEEK status requires that a student:

1. registers as a full-time student each semester
2. enrolls in group counseling each semester
3. files a financial aid form, annually, and
4. attends tutoring

For further information on admissions procedures and eligibility, please telephone the University Office of Admission Services at 212 947-4800 or the Director of Special Programs at 718 270-4973.

Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI)

The Predominately Black Institutions Program (PBI) at Medgar Evers College provides academic support services known as Supplemental Instruction (SI), SI is a student-centred program that utilizes peer-led study groups to help students succeed in traditionally difficult courses such as; ENGL 112 , ENGL 150 , MTH 136 , MTH 138 , MTH 151 , BIO 201 , CHM/CHML 105 , CHM/CHML/CHMW 201  and Developmental Math MTHP 009 , MTHP 010 . These study groups are conducted by peer students who have previously completed these courses and have demonstrated competency in these classes and are recommended by a professor. Furthermore, PBI conducts graduate school awareness activities, workshops and campus tours within CUNY and private colleges or universities to increase students’ awareness and involvement in their field of study. These activities support students’ progress toward the achievement of their academic goals through workshops, field trips, research and community networks. For additional information; contact mtzehaie@mec.cuny.edu or call 718-270-4953.

Graduate School Awareness

A series of informational seminars and graduate school activities to increase students’ involvement in their field of study.

Promote activities that support student development of academic goals through workshops, field trips, research and the use of community networks in their field of study.

Study Abroad/International Education

Medgar Evers College strives to have its students attain cutting-edge international education and experiences that would prepare them to effectively negotiate the opportunities and challenges of today’s globalized world. The Office of International Education/Study Abroad offers a variety of overseas programs for undergraduate credit in destinations that add value beyond the traditional classroom setting. Programs include: Cultural Anthropology in the Galapagos Islands; Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination in Barbados; Environmental Science/Climate Change in the Bahamas; French Language and Culture in Paris; African History in Ghana. The College also offers Experiential Learning Opportunities for the students and Faculty. Study Abroad programs may be long term - one year; medium-range - one semester; or short term - 2-4 weeks. MEC students may participate in study abroad trips sponsored by any other CUNY institutions as well as through other International Education Consortia with which MEC is a member.

Internationalization of the Campus

The Office of International Education is also engaged in ongoing programs to internationalize the campus. This involves virtual study abroad programs; international conferences and workshops; Presentations by world leaders; International Concerts and Cultural Festivities.

Financial aid grants and loans can be transferred to study abroad programs. The Office of International Education/Study Abroad is located at 1150 Carroll Street, Suite 412. The Office is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 Pm from Monday to Friday. For additional information, please visit www.mec.cuny.edu/study_abroad/.

Writing Center

The Writing Center at Medgar Evers College (MEC) offers an array of services designed to help students with all stages of the writing process that will assist them with essays and other writing assignments. Our mission is to mold students into writers who can articulate creative r4ideas both inside and outside of the classroom. CUNY Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Fellows and peer tutors serve as writing coaches and are trained to help students improve their writing skills across all disciplines. The Writing Center provides one-on-one tutoring services for students at all stages of the writing process. We emphasize structure, mechanics, organization, clarity, and style, as well as the development of students’ critical thinking and reading skills.

Please visit us at the Writing Center to get assistance and learn strategies for crafting research papers, essays, personal statements, essays for scholarships, and more.to when you need help crafting research papers, essays, personal statement essays for scholarships and more. In addition, the Library in conjunction with the Center, conducts an array of grammar, research, writing, website development, and graphic design workshops throughout the year. These Workshops are led by CUNY WAC Fellows, librarians, and senior tutors. Moreover, CUNY WAC Fellows and peer tutors work directly with professors to tailor group workshops for specific courses. For more information please email writingcenter@mec.cuny.edu or call 718-270-6953.