Did You Know: Adelphi Started Out As A Prepatory School In Brooklyn?

With 57 students and 16 instructors, Adelphi University came from very humble beginnings. In 1863 what is now called Adelphi University was once called Adelphi Academy. According to the Adelphi University website, Adelphi Academy was a prepatory school in Brooklyn, NY located on 412 Adelphi Street headed by Dr. Charles H. Levermore. 147 years later Adelphi Academy has grown from being on a street in Brooklyn to establishing a University campus in  Garden City with additional centers in  Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Hudson Valley.

Myth: Advisors Are In Charge Of Choosing Courses That Students Take

Parking, food, and the amount of days off are just are just a few of the many things that students at Adelphi complain about. Year after year, topping the list of student grievances is the dissatisfaction with academic advisement. Many students feel as though their advisors are not very helpful in the process of choosing courses or coordinating their academic work to their career goals outside of Adelphi.

“We want students to own their academic education,” said Lester B. Baltimore, Associate Provost of Academic Affairs in the Office of Academic Services and Retention. The idea that role of an advisor is to choose which courses students enroll is a common misconception that couldn’t be any farther from the truth. “The slogan of this office is ‘advisors just advise students make choices,’” said Baltimore.  

When it comes to learning it is highly encouraged and recommended that students be proactive about their education and not rely solely on the help of their advisors. “Students should come having some thought and maybe some research on the topic/subject that they would like to discuss,” said Baltimore. He goes on to say that the responsibility of an advisor is a “heavy” one that “includes informing students about what they need to know” and helping them to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to set academic expectations.

“If you’re considering going on an archeological dig an advisor would say, ‘here are some courses for that,’” explains Baltimore. “Advising is not just picking courses... Advisors help students develop in their academic area of interest.”

Planning your future and making important decisions is a significant part of the college experience. By Adelphi requiring students to be at the forefront of their academic decision making process the university is inertly helping students engage and develop necessary life skills sooner rather than later.    

Did You Know: The Idea For Adelphi's Mascot Was First Proposed By A Student?

On the totem pole of life no one likes being the "new guy". Whether your new on the job, school, or sports team, society has trained the masses to believe that being the "new person" in an unfamiliar environment is a negative thing and therefore brands you as inferior. In 1946 Jim Young, an Adelphi freshman defied the  preconceived stereotype of inferiority by leaving his mark at Adelphi by proposing the idea for the university mascot and emblem which was later implemented.

FAQ: Is It Better To Withdraw From A Class OR Accept A Failing Grade?

Choosing the right courses, professors, and class times can be some of the most stressful and frustrating part of the registration process. Many students spend a great deal of time choosing these variables in order to create the optimum environment conducive to their learning. Unfortunately, some time despite all the planning, things don't work out favorably and students are put in a position to determine whether or not they will withdraw from a class or accept a failing grade.

A course withdrawal is when a student officially removes them self from a course with the instructors written consent. If a student chooses to withdraw from a course they receive no credit for that course and the withdrawal appears on their transcript as a "W." On the contrary, accepting a failing grade results in the acquisition of course credit, but a decrease in Grade Point Average.

"A 'W' is always gunna hurt you better than a poor grade," said Annette Uvena, Coordinator of Academic Services. "A 'W' doesn't affect your GPA."

Lester B. Baltimore
Associate Provost, Academic Affairs,
 Academic Services & Retention

In order to help assess if you need to withdraw from a course in the early stages of the semester, early warning letters are sent out by Lester B. Baltimore, Associate Provost of Academic Affairs Academic Services and Retention. The early warning system was created to help identify students who are experiencing academic anxiety. Frequent absences, failure to complete assignments, and poor class participation are just some of the examples of actions that would result in an early warning letter.

“We recommend students who are getting ‘D’s’ and ‘F’s’ that is going to lower your grade to withdraw,” said Uvena. Uvena adds that it if a student is contemplating withdrawing they should have exhausted all of their possibilities such as “speaking with the professor and going to the learning center.”

For those who are considering just sticking it out, all hope is not lost. If you receive a poor grade and you choose to repeat the course, you won’t get the credit again, you’ll get the grade and both grades will be averaged into your GPA, stated Uvena.

This decision may be a little more critical for students planning to continue their education in grad school where their transcript is a major determinant of their acceptance. Before making any rash decisions Uvena advises that you talk with someone about it. “Your transcript wants to look consistent of what you’re capable of.”

Did You Know: Adelphi's Flower Is The Brown Eyed Susan ?

Brown-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), also called Black-Eyed Susan, is a flower that significantly contributes to the aesthetics of Adelphi’s landscape as well as its tradition. As a member of the sunflower family, the Brown - Eyed Susan holds the title as Adelphi’s university flower. Native to North America, this flower can be found in bloom campus wide throughout the summer.

FAQ: Do Resident Assistants Have Swipe Access To All Residence Halls On Campus?

Here at Adelphi there are six residence halls on campus that house a little more than 25% of Adelphi’s student population. Each residence hall is run by a Resident Hall Director and a minimum of four resident assistants who advise residents, promote a healthy and positive residential community, as well as confront and document disciplinary issues or policy violation. 

Each RA is assigned a primary residence hall and floor that they must supervise however their position does not limit them to only overseeing their designated building which has led residents and other members of the Adelphi community to think that RA’s have swipe access into all residence hall’s but contrary to popular belief that is not the case.

Guy Seneque,  Director of Residential Life

“I personally don’t think that RA’s need 24/7 access to the buildings,” said Guy Seneque, Director of Residential Life and Housing. “RA’s are not entitled to have access to every building. You have an assigned area.”

Many RA’s such as first year RA Christianna Molina and third year RA Arielle Hall feel as though swipe access into all of the residence halls will aid them in being able to do their job more efficiently.

“If there is an incident and you need to call an RA from another hall for assistance you need to leave the incident to get help,” said Molina. During RA training Residents are strongly encouraged to gain assistance from other staff members when handling various incidents especially when working in a building with a smaller staff (Waldo Hall, Chapman Hall, and Linen Hall) which consists of four Resident Assistants as opposed to a building with a larger staff that consists of six or more Resident Assistants.