Instructional Support

Center for Student Success (CSS)

Through the Center for Student Success, St. Francis College facilitates a positive transition to college and ongoing academic advisement and support for all undergraduate students. Advisors are assigned to students upon enrollment, and they follow the same students through to graduation. The Center facilitates registration onboarding for all incoming freshmen and transfer students, oversees academic planning and course registration for continuing students each term, assists with orientation, as well as works hand in hand with academic support and success programs in other areas of the College to connect students to needed resources.

Advisement

Advisement is an important aspect of each student’s academic career. Advisement is an opportunity for students to discuss academic goals, understand degree requirements, and connect to campus resources. It is the responsibility of each student to know and meet graduation and other school requirements and to meet with an academic advisor in the Center for Student Success during the advisement period, as needed. During advisement meetings, advisors assist students with clarification of their educational and career goals, review their academic progress, and assist with selection of an appropriate coursework. Furthermore, each student will have an academic plan built out in Self-Service by their advisor to help create transparency in the academic planning process, and guide the student towards their needed coursework – students can view their academic plans 24/7 in Self-Service. Click here to make an appointment through SFC navigate or for additional information.

The Center for Learning and Leadership (CLL)

At the Center for Learning and Leadership, students receive academic support, content & writing tutoring, life coaching, skill development and financial literacy coaching. These essential services will help ensure academic success and independence throughout your college experience. The Center provides wrap around support with a team of professional and peer tutors as well as academic and financial literacy support coaches excited to support you in your development. Services Include:
Skills Assessment in Writing and Mathematics are required for incoming students. Transfer students who have received transfer credit for writing and/or mathematics may be exempt from taking one or both parts of the assessment. Results are used to place students in Composition and Math courses based on their demonstrated proficiency and degree needs.

Tutoring and Academic Support Coaching: tutoring in content area courses, writing skill support, study strategy, financial literacy, and life coaching.

Workshops and Events on a variety of skill development topics including how to take good notes, how to be present in class, what it takes to achieve academic excellence, time management, learning strategies everyone should know and the following writing topics including: starting the essay; thesis development, identifying and gathering pertinent research; and revising strategies are offered each semester.

SFC Tech Program provides support for students in need of a loaner laptop or iPad device.

Removing Obstacles for Success (ROS) Program is an academic support program aimed to help students recover their academic standing after being placed on academic probation. Through academic planning, tutoring, monthly check-ins, and one-on-one academic success coaching, students develop the necessary skills to elevate their GPA and implement habits for academic success.

Project Access is an academic support program for incoming first-year students who demonstrate a need to develop their reading, writing, critical thinking skills while transitioning to college. The program begins with a Summer Bridge program which serves as a primer for becoming a college student by presenting intensive lessons in reading and writing. Project Access students are enrolled in the SFC 0040 course, which focuses on helping students develop strong writing and study strategies for academic success that will be applicable across their college experience. Other components of the program include tutoring, peer-led interactions, community building events and programing focused on personal and professional skill development. Click here to make an appointment for the above services.

Accessibility and Accommodations

Disability Support and Resources

SFC is dedicated to providing students with disabilities access to College courses, programs, and activities. The Office Accessibility and Accommodations ("OAA") helps make that happen. Their services include ensuring that qualified students receive reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids. Details on OAA services and how to access them can be found on the College website.

Office of Opportunity Programs

The Office of Opportunity Programs advocates and provides students with meaningful academic opportunities. Students in our signature programs are often awarded scholarships, receive targeted academic support, gain guidance on applying to internships or research experiences, have access to exclusive opportunities, and so much more. Programs and services include:

McGuire Scholars Program

The Robert J. McGuire Scholarship was established in 2015 in support of St. Francis College’s mission to make possible the gift of education and opportunity for our future leaders. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of Mr. Fred Wilpon, former chairman and CEO of the NY Mets, and his wife Judy, as well as other generous McGuire Scholar believers, the program has already provided more than $6 million in scholarships to more than 150 students., many of whom are first-generation college students. Once accepted into the program, McGuire Scholars are introduced to their support system at both the student and staff level to ensure early on support and sense of belonging. Each McGuire Scholar will have a dedicated success coach to support their academic, career, and community goals all the way to graduation. Building community is a point of emphasis in the McGuire Scholars Program, and beyond the St. Francis College community as each scholar has a beneficial impact within their own communities. Our support to our scholars contributes to lifelong leadership and multi-generational impact at St. Francis College and beyond.

Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)

The St. Francis College Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) serves approximately 170 undergraduate students interested in the sciences, health related fields, and careers in licensed professions such as psychology, social work, and accounting. Funded by a grant from the New York State Department of Education, CSTEP fosters academic excellence by ensuring students have the support services, summer programming, financial assistance, and career and research opportunities they need to succeed. CSTEP students receive professional development and academic success coaching, as well as financial support through book vouchers professional exam test prep, and stipends to complete research and internship experiences. CSTEP students are part of a vibrant community of scholars who dream, serve, and achieve together as they pursue their professional goals. By graduation, students in CSTEP are highly prepared to enter the workforce and pursue graduate work in their field of study.
STEM Resource Center

Funded by the Department of Education, Title V Hispanic Serving STEM Success & Articulation grant, the STEM Resource Center (SRC) provides academic support, professional development and career readiness initiatives to students pursuing STEM fields. The STEM Resource Center (SRC) provides focused support to undergraduate students who identify as Hispanic/Latinx or students from lower-income households. Programs and services include- career and professional development coaching to ensure students are on path to pursue their graduate study and careers in STEM, academic support, faculty and peer mentorship, stipends for conducting research, support with participation in academic conferences, STEM community-building events, and more!
Click here to make an appointment through SFC navigate or for additional information.

Travel Programs

Study Abroad Programs

Study Abroad Programs give students the opportunity to enrich their academic careers and further their professional goals by studying abroad in a variety of international locations. Students who choose to study abroad while at St. Francis have the opportunity to earn university credit at a foreign institution, learn a foreign language, make friends in a culture other than their own, gain a sense of personal independence, change their world view and enjoy unique travel opportunities.

Please consult the SFC Study Abroad webpage to obtain a procedures checklist and answers to frequently asked questions, financial aid and scholarships.

Scholarships

Interested in study abroad but wondering how you can afford it? Study-abroad scholarships are available.

Instructional Computing

Technology plays an important role in the academic lives of students at St. Francis College. More than 900 computers are continually upgraded to ensure that state-of-the-art computer hardware. In instructional and general computer lab spaces  computers, scanners, printers, internet, and software are available to students and faculty. In our dozens of Smart interactive classrooms and science computer labs we provide our students and faculty the latest technology for their academic disciplines. Our state of the art High Definition Television Studio provides students the ability to learn film and media technology in both theory and practice with hands on instruction in the use of the technology. Each of the College’s computers can access file directories and software on local-area-network-based file servers and through the College’s Intranet and Internet facilities. High-speed Internet access opens the campus to the World Wide Web for email and research. The McArdle Student Center is equipped with wireless Internet access, plasma televisions and computer kiosks for web surfing. Academic departments utilize specialized hardware and software, leveraging technology in the classroom for instructional presentations with Smartboard technology, and introducing technologies related to students’ fields of study. Students have the opportunity to work hands-on with the technology they will encounter in the workplace when they begin their professional careers. The College currently provides the following student-centered technology services:

Canvas Learning Management System provides access to SFC courses through online syllabi, notes, links to sites, and online discussions/chat sessions. Students and faculty are able to send e‑mail to an entire class or a selected group as well as create announcements throughout the semester. Students also have access to “digital drop boxes” for assignments.

WebAdvisor provides students access to academic information, including web registration from any browser. Features include e‑mailing an advisor, spam filtering, student e‑mail directory and address book, and the ability for SFC administra­tion to send important messages to students. Students can check their records by entering the appropriate SFC login.

The library provides an online portal that allows students to use the library’s circulation system to access its catalog and select websites from a single, easy-to-use home page.

SFC Files provides students access to their files, on campus or remotely, from any web browser using cloud technology. Files stored here are backed up nightly.

Student Technology Services provide students with support for Canvas Learning Management System, WebAdvisor, SFC Files, printing, and other technology resources. Students may contact STS in room 4211 by calling 718.489.5454 or emailing servicedesk@sfc.edu to create a workorder request for help with technology.

Information Technology Resources 

The primary purpose of student related information technology resources at St. Francis College (SFC) is to enhance and support the educational mission of the College. Access to the College's student related technology resources is a privilege granted to SFC students. These resources include hardware, software, computer accounts, local area networks as well as connections to other computer networks via the Internet. All students using these resources are responsible for using them in an appropriate, ethical and lawful manner. Your use of these resources must conform to laws and College policies regarding protection of intellectual property, including laws and policies regarding copyright, patents, and trademarks. This applies to the downloading or distribution of protected material in any form, including text, photographic images, audio, video, graphic illustrations, and computer software.

Students must refrain from the following activities:

  • Using computing resources to violate any college policy or regulation, or federal, state or local law including those related to copyright, patents, and trademarks.
  • Entering, without authorization, into any user account to use, read, transfer or change the contents in any way.
  • Using computing facilities to send obscene, abusive, threatening, defamatory, or harassing messages.
  • Using the resources for activities not directly related to academic or research endeavors in such a way that it causes disruption to other users.
  • Installing or using unauthorized copyrighted materials or licensed software.
  • Using computing resources to interfere with the normal operation of college computing systems and connected networks including, but not limited to, introducing viruses, flooding the network with messages, sending chain letters, or unfairly monopolizing resources that results in the exclusion of others.
  • Sharing or downloading of copyrighted material without permission is illegal and as such is against college policy. If you share copyrighted files without the permission of the copyright holder, you are breaking the law and may face civil and/or criminal prosecution, in addition to college discipline.
  • Intentional failure to comply with this policy may result in action that may include suspension of user privileges or other disciplinary action.

SFC Policy Regarding Copyright, Intellectual Property and File-Sharing

The St. Francis College Copyright, Intellectual Property, and File-sharing Policy creates guidelines regarding the use of copyrighted materials.

The use of file-sharing networks by students or employees to download and share copyrighted works without written permission from the copyright owner – like software, music, movies, TV shows, games and images – violates copyright laws and the policies of St. Francis College (the “College”).

Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may subject you to civil and criminal liabilities in addition to sanctions imposed by the College. Both the person who makes a copy of a copyrighted work available for unlawful download and the person who receives or downloads an illegal copy have violated copyright laws and College policies.

Even if you lawfully purchased a song, it is illegal to allow others to make and keep a copy of that song. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a copyright owner or an authorized agent may lawfully scan Internet traffic and send a complaint to the College. If the copyright owner chooses to follow-up with civil litigation, it may file a “John Doe” lawsuit against your IP address, and the College would have to provide the identity of the College network user in response to a valid subpoena. Infringement of a copyright can result in substantial penalties including any of the following:

  • Actual damages
  • Statutory damages fixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per violation
  • In cases of “willful” infringement the court can impose a penalty of $150,000 per work infringed
  • Cost and attorney’s fees
  • Injunction
  • Impoundment of the illegal work
  • Criminal penalties including up to five years imprisonment for “willful” infringement and fines up to $250,000 per offense

Campus Security Information
Building Access and Maintenance
The College campus is for the use of students, faculty, staff, their invited guests, and those on official business. The entrance of St. Francis College is located at 179 Livingston Street. All members of the College community must swipe their identification card at the bollards upon arrival.
All guests, including former employees and alumni, must present identification and register with our Security and Concierge Team. Guests will then be directed to their intended destination. As people enter the building they are monitored by our Security Team, which covers the front desk, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Patrols are done hourly to ensure all exits are properly closed and to ensure the safety of everyone in the building. In addition to our Security Team, security cameras monitor all exits and entrances and certain areas on Campus. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are encouraged to report needed repairs to the Facilities Department.
Security Desk
Silverseal Security has been retained by SFC to provide security at all four of the College’s current campus locations: 179 Livingston Street, 180 Remsen Street, 97 Columbia Heights (Residence Hall), and Bridge Street (athletics training facility). Members of the Silverseal team include former NYPD chiefs and high-ranking military officers with years of security experience. Silverseal guards are trained and tested to create a safe and positive environment in line with the College’s policies, procedures and best practices. Their core values of Integrity, Teamwork, Professionalism, and Mission-Focus make them an excellent partner for the College. Learn more about Silver Seal Security here: https://www.silverseal.net/about-our-company/
Security staff at building entrances provide entry and egress control; manage staff, student and guest identification verification; and monitor building intrusion systems, alarms, and fire detection equipment. Silverseal staff are trained on the location of all fire exits, floor plans, internal stairwells and our EAP. The 179 Livingston Street Security team is available at 718-489-2100 or 718-489-2105 and at security@sfc.edu. If using SFC phones, security is accessible on extensions 2100 or 2105. In case of emergency please call 911.
Reporting Criminal Activity
St. Francis College encourages all students and members of the College community to be fully aware of any safety issues on campus and promptly report any illegal or dangerous activities.
To report a crime in progress or an emergency, please contact 911. Then, call (718) 489-5333, the College’s dedicated emergency line.
For additional information about St. Francis College’s safety and security policies, please refer to the College’s Annual Security Report, available on the College website.
Clery Report
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or the Clery Act, requires public and private colleges and universities to disclose information about certain crimes that occur on or near campus. This information can be found in online in SFC’s Annual Security Report.
Emergency Notification
Students are asked to register for SFCALERTS, the College’s emergency notification system. It will automatically send a message to your cell phone and home should an emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat on campus occur. Please visit SFC Alerts for further information.
Students can update their notification information by visiting mySFC portal.
For Emergency Update information, check www.sfc.edu, or call security at (718) 489-2100 or (718) 489-2105.
Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
The College’s Emergency Action Plan (“EAP”) is a guide to facilitate and organize faculty, staff, and students during an emergency at SFC. It is designed to familiarize and customize our community with the following:
1. Emergency preparation and prevention
2. Emergency response insights
3. Emergency reporting procedures and notifications
4. Evacuation routes and procedures
5. Emergency response chain of command and assignments
6. Post-emergency reporting to ensure future individual and campus safety
7. Risk minimization to facilities and timely response to a variety of situations
In the event of a medical emergency, the first call should always be to 911. Additional response may also occur through the EAP. Students should familiarize themselves with the EAP including campus evacuation routes and maps available here: https://www.sfc.edu/emergency-action-plan and at the end of this note. In addition to that website, the EAP for 179 Livingston Street is also available in pdf here: https://www.sfc.edu/emergency-action-plan/179-livingston-st

Student Tips for Safety
SFC has partnered with the 84th precinct to provide students with the following tips for decreasing the likelihood of being the victim of a crime. : • Always be aware of your surroundings and be vigilant of activity around you. • Do not allow yourself to be distracted by activities such as talking on your cell phone, listening to music, or reading. • Travel with others whenever possible. Walk in well-traveled, and well-lit areas. • If you see something, say something; call 911 for any assistance. • Do not use ATMs located in remote areas. Instead use ATMs during the daylight hours in well populated areas • Be wary of people approaching you on the street asking you for donations, or anything that would cause you to go to an ATM machine with a stranger. • Do not display electronics in public.
• Do not open your wallet or display cash in public.
Identification Cards
In the interests of maintaining the safety and security of the campus, the College requires that all members of the SFC community have a properly validated identification card. Students and employees of the College must carry the card at all times and swipe it upon each entrance to the College. Students must also present their card when requested by any College official.
Faculty, staff, administration, and students can obtain an ID in the Office of Student Activities. Lost ID cards may be replaced at a cost of $10.00
Students who excessively seek access to campus via sign-in at the Security Desk may be denied entry to campus for failing to carry their ID.
Lost and Found
Articles that have been found should be given to the Office of Student Affairs or the College Security desk during working hours. If you lose something, check with these offices to see if the article has been recovered.
Student Technology Services
The College currently provides student centered technology services by using a single sign on for ease of use:
mySFC is a portal that takes all the online services listed below, plus much more, and brings them together for you all on one page. We recommend students bookmark SFC Portal for easy and convenient access.
Canvas Management System provides access to SFC courses through online syllabi, notes, links to sites, and online discussion boards. Students and faculty are able to communicate through several communication methods.
Mail provides students with access to a College issued email account which is used by the faculty and administrative offices to contact them. The College uses Microsoft Exchange® email system which includes calendar and other personal management tools.
SFC’s Online Bookstore and Marketplace offers, the books you need at affordable prices. All courses, required materials, and pricing options are displayed in a personalized, easy-to us format.
Ring Central is an app that allows students, faculty, and staff to call, text, or video chat each other. Students can access the app from anywhere and on any device (PC, smartphone, tablet, desk phone).
Navigate for Students is an academic success tool that brings critical resources and appointment scheduling to students with speed and ease. Students use Navigate to connect with their advisors, schedule appointments with advising and other student support services, connect with campus resources, view their course schedule (including any holds), connect with a study buddy in any class, stay on track with important To-Do list items, learn about College events, and more!
Information Technology Support Services Group
The Information Technology Support Services Group is responsible for all desktop/laptop computer systems on campus as well as supporting technology in specialty technology spaces, such as the College's computer labs, video/voice conferencing rooms, auditorium, and radio station. The Support Services group can be contacted by sending a message to servicedesk@sfc.edu. This is the first line of support for all technology related services at SFC.