Shepard Freshman Resource Center: Freshman Probation Program

First-year students placed on academic probation (AP) after their first semester at the University of Portland are required to meet weekly for a one-hour meeting with a Shepard Freshman Center mentor throughout the spring semester. Shepard mentors help AP students plan a time management and study program to support academic efforts. Shepard Freshman Center mentors are trained in Learning Assistance including note taking, test taking, and test preparation.

Additionally, the mentors, who are UP students, have already completed their first academic year; therefore, they have already taken many of the core classes, and will be able to assist AP students in class preparation. Mentors are generally assigned to AP students who are in their same school, though the two may not necessarily share the same major. Mentors also can direct students to other resources available on campus, such as tutors, workshops, and learning centers. Over 80 percent of students who meet weekly with a mentor successfully complete their semester and are removed from academic probation.

The policy for Probation and Dismissal due to poor scholarship is explained in the University Bulletin.