The spring semester can be a stressful time of year. With May soon approaching, it is a time to evaluate your academic progress. The Department of Computer Science & Engineering is constantly looking for ways to help its students succeed. In line with this aim, we have developed five steps to help improve your academic performance.
#1 - Talk to your instructors.
Establishing contact puts a face to a name and creates a personal connection. It also shows that you are trying to do well in the class and that you care about your work. Try to find common ground. Discuss lectures or computer science and engineering interests. Professors want to get to know their students, and this is a great way of accomplishing this.
Also, remember that you will need letters of recommendation when applying for internships, full-time jobs, and grad school. Employers highly value these recommendations and the better your relationship with your professors, the better the recommendations.
#2 - Go to TA office hours.
One of the main purposes of having teaching assistants for classes is to provide an additional resource for students. TA's are very knowledgeable about the course matter and hold regular office hours in the Student Resource Center (Avery 13A) every week. There is a schedule of their hours on the bulletin board in the SRC and online at http://cse.unl.edu/src/index.shtml.
#3 - Student Resource Center.
The SRC is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. It is staffed by knowledgable CSE students who can help with a variety of problems and can answer most homework questions. The center provides a casual environment where staff can provide technical support to students, assist with course work and assignments, offer encouragement and advice, tech support, and provide support to students by sharing their enthusiasm for computing. The area has been designed with students in mind, with computers available for use and comfortable seating and lighting. Stop by for Popcorn Pick-Me-Up Wednesdays each week for free popcorn and socializing.
The department also has a useful System FAQ's page, which can be found at http://cse.unl.edu/grad/resources/systems_faq.php. This is a great resource to help resolve technical problems quickly.
#4 - Talk to the chief undergraduate advisor, Dr. Chuck Riedesel.
Riedesel has been advising students in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering for 17 years and is committed to helping students. His office is Avery 259 and he has an open door policy. He will be able to review current and future courses and talk over academic concerns. Jenna Gronewold in Avery 269 and Chris Bourke in Avery 123E are also available to help.
#5 - If all else fails, contact Department Chair Dr. Steve Goddard.
Goddard wants all students to succeed and is willing to help in whatever way he can. His office is Avery 267.