The Connection, March 2006
Welcome back from Spring Break and Happy Spring! We have about six weeks left of school so keep working hard! There are some new and exciting services available that you may find useful as things are drawing to a close for the spring semester. Take a look at what’s new!
You are getting this newsletter because you are enrolled in at least one course that has a televideo or internet component. These types of courses are called eLearning courses. If you feel that you have received this newsletter in error or if you have a topic you would like to see addressed, please let me know by contacting me at DL@mail.twu.edu.
Important Dates
Mark your calendars! The following dates are important and may affect you:
- March 23 - Final installment payments due for tuition/fees and housing/meals
- March 30 - Last day to drop a class or withdraw from the University
- April 1 - Financial aid priority deadline for Fall 2006/spring 2007
- April 3 - Registration begins for Maymester, Summer, and Fall 2006
- May 5 - Last day of classes
- May 13 - Denton Commencement
Check out the Academic Calendar for more important dates.
Outstanding eLearner and eProfessor
Congratulations to our spring 2006 outstanding eLearner, Ms. Lisa Coltharp. Lisa is a senior Health Studies major. She was nominated by Dr. Jody Oomen. She works very hard in her online classes, assists faculty members with research, is a mother of three and does volunteer work.
Also, congratulations to Dr. Russell Greer, our spring 2006 Outstanding eProfessor. Dr. Greer was nominated by his students. He is a professor from the Department of English, Speech and Foreign Languages. He has taught at TWU for 10 years.
Thanks to everyone who submitted a nomination.
The OWL Helps You Write
With finals just around the corner, that can only mean one thing – final papers! If writing is not your strong point, don’t get stressed out; go to the OWL for help. OWL stands for Online Writing Lab and it is here to serve you with two options.
First is the Online Writing Lab, which (according to their website) is an email exchange with a cyber tutor. From their website http://www.twu.edu/as/engspfl/writesite/owl.htm, you can get detailed instructions on how to use this service as well as the E-Nest. The E-Nest is an email exchange with a tutor, followed by a virtual tutoring session in Blackboard.
Please know that the purpose of the OWL is to give you feedback and pointers to improve your writing. It is not an editing service, but do take advantage of this wonderful service as those writing assignments come up.
New TWU Bookstore Services
The TWU Campus Bookstore has added some new, online services to better serve our eLearners like you! You can now order your textbooks from their website without having a syllabus! Go to http://twu1.bkstore.com/bkstore/content and click on ‘Textbooks’ at the top. Next, select “Order Your Textbooks.” You will then be prompted to select the semester, department, course and section number you need.
BUYBACKS: When you get ready to sell your books back, it’s as easy as 1-2-3.
- Call the bookstore to make sure they are buying your book back. (940) 898-3103
- Mail the book to the bookstore and include a note providing them with your student ID number.
- The Bookstore will send you your refund.
For those of you who are graduating soon and are participating in commencement, you can now order your regalia online as well. Visit the website for more information.
Feel free to call the bookstore if you have any questions about these procedures.
Career Services
Career Days
There are two more career days for the spring semester. On Thursday, March 30 from 9 am to 1 pm, TWU will co-host a joint Teacher Career Day with UNT at the UNT Coliseum.
A Health Professionals Career Day will be held Tuesday, April 11 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Presbyterian Campus in Dallas.
Go to www.twu.edu/o-cs/CareerDays_Students.htm to see a list of participants for both of these events. Don’t forget to dress professionally and bring several copies of your résumé. This could be your chance at a great career!
Career Workshops
The Career Services Office is offering some great workshops for those of you who will be in the area. Call them at (940) 898-2950 to sign-up.
Wednesday, March 22 from 2:30 pm to 4 pm in room 109 of the Student Union, Dallas ISD will give a workshop entitled, “Alternative Teacher Certification.”
On Wednesday, March 29th from 12: 30 pm to 2 pm, Dillard’s Department Store will be on campus to present “Career Wardrobes that Win.” It will be held in room 207 of the Student Union. You won’t want to miss this one – A $500 grand prize will be awarded. You must be present to win.
Another workshop, “Mastering Your Next Interview” will be presented from 2:30 pm to 4 pm on Tuesday, April 4th in HDB 101. Deidre Leslie, Director of Career Services will be the presenter.
For more information about these workshops and others that will be offered in April, please go to http://www.twu.edu/o-cs/CareerWorkshops.htm.
Tuition Payment Reminders
Please remember that you cannot use the installation payment plan for summer sessions. When you use it for fall and spring, you now must enroll for the installment plan online through Portal Pay in Pioneer Portal.
If you have any questions about these or any other payment policies, please visit the Bursar’s webpage at http://www.twu.edu/o-controller/cashiers/tab4_cashier_bursar.html.
Schedule Changes (drops and adds)
Here are some important things to know about dropping and adding classes:
- The absolute last day to drop a class or withdraw from the University is Thursday, March 30.
- If you need to drop an eLearning course (Televideo or Internet only), I can assist you with that. You will simply need to call me at (940) 898-3411 or send an email to DL@mail.twu.edu. Please be prepared to give me your student ID# as well as the department, section, and course number of the class you want to drop.**Since we are in a period of academic penalty, I will need an email from your professor with a grade of W (withdrawal) or WF (withdrawal failing). I cannot process the drop until I have this information.
- The fee to drop or add a class is now $5. This is per each add and drop.
Library News
For those of you who occasionally come to campus and check books out from the library, there is an easy way to renew your books. You can go online through the TWU Online Catalog (available from the library homepage) or call the Telephone Renewal System at (940) 898-3786 for the Denton library or (214) 689-6602 for the Dallas library. Please note that you must have a library account to use this service.
