The Office of Retention & Academic Support (ORAS) is a multi-faceted, comprehensive department designed to facilitate and improve student success, retention, and graduation rates. Intrusive academic intervention is an integral part of ORAS, enhancing overall student academic and social development. We serve as "learning partners" for students in need of learning assistance. All retention initiatives are designed to assist students in becoming successfully acclimated to the university.
We are located on the first floor (Rooms 101 -109) in Buchanan Hall. Our hours of operation are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. After hours appointments are scheduled when students are unable to meet during regular hours. If you are interested in having one of our Academic Specialists call you about developing an academic support plan then simply contact us by using any information from the ORAS Staff Directory page.
Mission Statement
The Office of Retention and Academic Support (ORAS) partners with the University community to provide comprehensive academic support services to assist all students to achieve academic success and to help them to become independent, lifelong learners. ORAS is committed to creating a supportive learning environment that fosters intellectual development and challenges students to excel beyond their current expectations.
The strategies for accomplishing ORAS’s mission include:
Providing individualized academic counseling and teaching self-regulation processes through services offered by the Bulldog Academic Resource Center(BARC),
Offering structured one-on-one and group peer tutoring via the Tutorial Assistance Network (TAN),
Providing continuous academic skills and social development through the Academic Success Assistance Program (ASAP), the online Bulldog Success Seminars, the First-Time Freshmen Residential Hall Workshops, and the upper-Division Residential Hall Learning Strategies Workshops.
ORAS Values
The Office of Retention and Academic Support believes the primary key to creating an excellent organization is by focusing on the values that guide its staff’s actions. We offer services to students, staff, faculty and the community based on our core values that include integrity, accountability, scholarship, independent learning, resourcefulness, challenge and commitment.
ORAS is an office where students, faculty, staff and community are treated with respect and dignity and they feel appreciated and welcome as a part of the university community.
ORAS requires its staff to demonstrate integrity and honesty in all of its programs and services.
ORAS takes responsibility for our decisions and actions and encourages the students to embrace personal responsibility in all facets of their lives.
ORAS is committed to a team work environment where every staff is valued, treated with respect, encouraged to contribute and be recognized and rewarded for his/her efforts.
ORAS pushes its staff and students to aspire to the highest level of excellence in all aspects of their lives.
ORAS works tirelessly to keep its commitments to the students and the university community.