Office of the Dean of Students

The focus of the Office of the Dean of Students (Schleman Hall room 207) is students and their personal, academic, and social development. Staff members often consult with faculty, University Residences staff, and other administrators on matters pertaining to the interest and welfare of students. They frequently arrange referrals to other University or community agencies for specialized help for students. A complete list of services is available online at www.purdue.edu/odos, or call 494-1747 to speak with a staff member.

Students can drop in to talk with a counselor Monday through Friday during business hours (except Tuesday mornings) or they may schedule specific appointment times. Personal, academic, career, social, financial, and housing problems represent some of the topics of discussion. This counseling service is free and confidential to students. The ombudsman function also is provided by staff members who assist students and parents in solving their unique problems and help them express their concerns to appropriate University administrators.

To complement the vocational, educational, and personal counseling provided by staff members, career interest and personality testing and interpretation also are provided. In addition, the Office of the Dean of Students offers national examinations required for graduate and professional school admission. Other tests include the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). In conjunction with academic departments, Purdue advanced placement/credit examinations are offered during the Day on Campus program and the delayed registration periods, and at the beginning and end of each semester. Consult with the ODOS Testing Center and/or academic advisors for more information on advanced placement/credit exams.

Services for special groups of students also are provided. Staff members in the Span Plan area, for example, coordinate programs for the adult, non-traditional student, provide small educational grants, tutoring services, and offer special counseling and an orientation program. Students with temporary or permanent disabilities receive individual counseling and assistance as needed with course scheduling, parking, readers, notetakers, or sign language interpreters. Special programming, counseling, and services for multicultural students also are provided. The HORIZONS Program provides academic support and developmental services for first-generation college students, students who are income eligible, and students with disabilities.

The Office of the Dean of Students is also responsible for the recognition and administration of more than 800 student organizations. Office staff supervise and advise fraternity, sorority, and cooperative housing organizations. A Leadership Resource Center and wide array of leadership programming is available in the Dean of Students Student Activities and Organizations office, offering a wide range of resources to help students develop leadership, communication, financial, parliamentary, and social skills.

The Boiler Volunteer Network (BVN) is an ODOS office located in the basement level of Stewart Center. Professional staff and student volunteers in this office assist students in the planning, coordination, and implementation of volunteer and other community service activities.

Additional services of the Office of the Dean of Students include short-term emergency loans, counseling for students contemplating withdrawal from classes before the completion of an academic term, and readmission counseling for students dropped from Purdue for academic reasons. In some circumstances, assistance also is given to faculty and students who report extended student absences from classes. Services for students living off campus include computerized listings of rental properties. Referrals to other agencies and authorities also can be made.

The Office of the Dean of Students in Schleman Hall welcomes interest expressed by faculty members in the quality of life experienced by students. Those who have a special interest in informal contacts with students are urged to volunteer as advisors to student organizations.