ACE Lab – Academic Center for Excellence

The ACE is located in the Utley Center, downstairs from the Auditorium and right next to the cafeteria. Connected to the ACE is the Community Hub for Integrated Living and Learning (CHILL), which provides a quiet and comfortable area for individual and group study.

• Monday – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Tuesday – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Wednesday – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Thursday – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Friday– 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Saturday & Sunday – CLOSED

Academic Hours •  9:00 am – 5:00 pm
During Academic Hours, the CHILL is used for academic endeavors including independent study, group study, office hour meetings, and the Athletic Study Hours program.

Recreational Hours •  5:01 pm – 11:00 pm
During Recreational Hours, the CHILL is used for recreational time. Students are welcome to watch television, play games, socialize, and host group functions with approval.

Tutoring: Walk-in tutoring is available for writing and basic math during most ACE hours. Walk-in sessions operate on a first-come, first-served basis and work great for students who have a quick question about their work.
Tutoring Appointments: Tutoring appointments are available for many foundational RU courses. During a session, you will work one-on-one with a tutor specialized in your subject. Appointments should be scheduled 24 hours in advance.

24/7 Online Tutoring: The ACE offers online tutoring support available 24/7 via Smarthinking. Smarthinking also provides students with access to subject study guides and video tutorials.

Time Management: Students can meet with a tutor to get help with time management, organization, study strategies, and test anxiety.
Academic Coaching: Students can meet with an academic coach to create an individualized plan for academic success.

Resources: The ACE has textbook, calculator, and headphone resources available for students to check out. Charging stations can also be found in the ACE and CHILL for electronic devices. A plethora of online resources are also available for student support.

Independent Study Spaces: The ACE and CHILL are great spaces for independent study. Students can work individually or with a group in this quiet, academic environment.

Additional Services: Students can request a meeting with a tutor for support in areas other than current coursework. Tutors provide assistance in MTTC prep, grammar practice, math study groups, speech writing assistance, ESL conversation practice, and technical assistance.

In addition to the in-person academic support available at the ACE, there are a variety of online resources and printable study pages available for academic support.

24/7 Online Tutoring Support for ALL subjects via Smarthinking
Smarthinking is an online-tutoring service designed for students who are taking core academic courses. Online learning assistance is available from tutors in mathematics, computer & technology (Word, Access, Excel, etc.), business, science, nursing, Spanish, and writing for all subjects.

Rochester University students must access and use Smarthinking via Canvas. In each course, at the bottom of the page is a “Quick Access Links” bar. Click on “Resources,” scroll down to “Other Campus Resources,” click on the “Smarthinking” button, and they will be dropped into Smarthinking. Smarthinking is a free resource for RU students.

Smarthinking Study Aids
In Smarthinking, students have access to student aids, including video lessons, general resources, and digital content.

Writing & English

• ACE Online Writing Support The ACE offers online writing support for students who are unable to schedule in-person writing consultations on campus.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a wonderful resource for any writing questions you may have. From common errors to proper citation formatting, OWL Purdue provides a variety of examples, explanations, and tools for you to improve your writing and style.
• Plagiarism.org This site offers a clear explanation of plagiarism and provides the tools to help you cite your work appropriately.
• How to Study.org Learn how to succeed in college with the latest study strategies and writing techniques. Get hints and tips for writing papers for your major and passing final exams.

Math

• Free Math Help This site provides lessons, games, and homework help on a variety of subject matters, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, and more.
  Khan Academy shows an extensive video library, interactive challenges, and assessments for math, science, finance and economy, humanities, and test preparation.
• OpenStax is a nonprofit based at Rice University with a mission to improve student access to education. OpenStax provides access to more than 20 books for college and AP courses used by hundreds of thousands of students. Check out their free textbooks and resources for math, science, social sciences, and the humanities.

Textbooks and Resources

• Ennis & Nancy Ham Library The Rochester University Library home page provides a variety of information as you begin your research.
  ACE Textbook Resources This link provides a complete list of the textbook resources available in the ACE. All textbooks must be used in the ACE.
• Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons: OER Commons is a dynamic digital library and network. Explore open educational resources and join our network of educators dedicated to curriculum improvement.

Study Skills & General Support

• How to Study.com provides clear information on study skills, including preparing to study, developing better reading and listening skills, guidelines for creating flashcards, and much more.
• Effective Study Skills is designed to help you improve your learning and comprehension. Effective study skills must be practiced in order for you to truly improve in your studies.
• Learning Strategies has information on time management, reading textbooks, note taking, and managing stress and anxiety (includes videos).

Note Taking Techniques: Mindmapping & Cornell note-taking method

• Academic Reading Guide This site is a comprehensive resource to help students increase their reading efficiency and comprehension. This guide explains what to look for when you read for academic purposes, how to take notes as you read, and what an essay should look like.
• Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU): Peer 2 Peer University is a nonprofit organization that facilitates learning outside of institutional walls. Designing and leveraging open education tools and resources, P2PU strives to cultivate a high-quality, low-cost model for lifelong learning. Some of the site’s features include Learning Circles, for students in online classes who want to take online courses together, in person.
• Memrise: This site helps you to learn languages and new vocabulary. We use “mems” to help you form vivid, sensory memories. We test you continuously, always making sure to give your brain just the right workout.
• DigitalLearn.org: If you are new to computers, haven’t used them for a while, are a little unsure and uncomfortable, or just need a bit of a refresher, we have the tools to help you tackle technology at your own pace and gain the confidence you need to succeed.
• My Study Life: It’s time to say goodbye to your paper planner. My Study Life is everything your paper planner is and more. Rotation schedules, assignments, revisions, exams? My Study Life has it covered on all of your devices. Oh, and did we mention it’s free?
• Brainly: Brainly is the world’s largest social learning community. That’s 80 million students a month from 35 countries, all turning to Brainly to ask more, know more, and learn faster.
• CodeCademy: Learn to code interactively for free.

Resume & Career Help

• RU Connect: Join the RochesterU Connect community and gain professional leads and connections through Rochester University’s global online community.
  Look Sharp: Look Sharp is the largest internship and entry-level jobs marketplace dedicated entirely to students and new grads. From time-saving templates to perfect your resume and cover letter, to advanced advice on how to reach out to recruiters and what to say during interviews, we’re here to make sure you crush the application process.

Citation Style Guides

• American Psychological Association
• Modern Language Association
• Chicago Manual of Style Online, Sixteenth edition
• Society of Biblical Literature

Resources created by ACE Peer Tutors

• Etiquette for Emailing Professors
• Helpful Study Techniques
• How to Plan Out a Paper
• How to Succeed as an Elementary Education Major
• How to Succeed in Intro to Chemistry I and II
• How to Take Notes in Math
• How to Factor
  Reading for Comprehension
  Study Tips for Business Classes
  Succeeding in Survey of Biblical Literature
  Tips for Doing Well in Western Civilization

Social and Educational Programs: Throughout the academic year, the ACE hosts small educational and social programs. Announcements about upcoming programs can be found on ACE social media sites and in the Weekly Warrior.

Athletic Study Hours Program: The Athletic Department and Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) are committed to the academic progress and success of student-athletes as they participate in intercollegiate competition and work toward earning their degrees at Rochester University. In order to ensure that student-athletes have the opportunity for studying in their busy schedules, Rochester University student-athletes must participate in the RU Athletic Study Hours Program. Mandatory study hour time is assessed each semester and communicated directly with student-athletes.

All services are free to Rochester University students. Bring your student ID in order to swipe in for services.

• Session Length: Tutoring sessions are 30 minutes in length. Longer sessions are available upon request and availability but are limited to one-hour time slots.
• Appointment Policy: Students who are unable to make their appointment must contact the ACE Lab 24 hours in advance or they may lose the opportunity to make future appointments (walk-in tutoring will still be available).
• Group Sessions: Groups of 2-5 students must be in the same course to request a group study session with a tutor.
• Tests and Graded Work: The ACE Lab does not help on tests, quizzes, test corrections, or other graded work. The ACE Lab does not proctor exams or quizzes. Students must communicate with their instructor and the Academic Testing Center (ATC) for all make-up exams and for testing with accommodations.
• Checkout Policy: Students must leave their student ID card in order to checkout or use materials. Students will return borrowed materials within 24 hours of check-out. Student ID cards are returned when materials are checked back in. If a student fails to return borrowed materials, and if after multiple communication attempts have been made without a response, a fee will be applied to the student’s account until either the materials are returned or the fee is paid in full.
• Online Writing Support: Students may submit a paper up to two times using the Online Writing Form. After that, students must schedule an appointment and work one-on-one with a tutor. While tutors try to address all areas of a paper, they are trained to review higher-order writing concerns first and may not get through an entire paper. Tutors abide by RU’s Comprehensive Code of Academic Integrity and the final draft of any paper should be the author’s original work.
• Virtual Sessions: Virtual sessions are available upon request and should be scheduled 24 hours in advance. Students must be present and actively participate in the entirety of the virtual session.