Educational Support

Undergraduate Academic Advising

The Office of Undergraduate Academic Advising is located on the third floor of Reid Hall in the College OneStop.  Its professional staff serve as primary academic advisors for all students who have not declared a major, and as standby advisors for all undergraduates.  Professional advisors are assigned to students according to their major area of interest.

Our team of Professional Academic Advisors educates students about the College’s policies, procedures, and expectations, and works with students both individually and in small groups to explore their interests and develop their academic and personal goals. Students will learn about the College’s degree requirements, course selection and registration process, curricular and co-curricular opportunities, and they will receive appropriate support and referrals to other campus resources as needed. When students declare their major, a faculty advisor in the major is also assigned to work with them in addition to their professional advisor.  The Advising Office will assist students in transitioning to a faculty advisor when they declare a major, and will then continue to serve as a resource for all students through graduation.

Academic Resource Center

The Academic Resource Center provides support services to all Manhattanville students who wish to improve their competence in any area of study. Instruction for individuals and small groups is available by appointment and in regularly scheduled tutorial sessions.

The Academic Resource Center has developed interactive learning modules of Supplemental Instruction for students in many major introductory courses. The Center also maintains a peer tutor bank for assistance in most course areas.

Professional tutoring is available in mathematics, reading, writing, and study skills. Writing labs offer help with work in progress, including portfolio requirements and research papers.

For additional information, contact the Tutoring Coordinator at 914-323-5474.

The Writing Center

The Andrew Bodenrader Center for Academic Writing and Composition offers academic support to all students in the College as well as courses in rhetoric and composition, research, and critical thinking. Within the First-Year Program, Academic Writing faculty instruct students in the foundations of academic writing, including grammar, style, and structure, as well as strategies for written analysis, persuasion, and argumentation. First-Year Writing continues for a full year; the second semester course is devoted to the development of techniques for research and critical composition that will foster success throughout students’ educational programs.

The Center also provides College-wide writing and academic support through the Writing Center and the Academic Resource Center, which are housed within the Center for Academic Writing and Composition.


The Writing Center assists all undergraduate and graduate students in their development as writers by providing support with any aspect of writing, in any discipline, during any stage of the writing process. Through one-on-one tutoring sessions, students work closely with trained undergraduate peer tutors, graduate Writing Fellows, and Academic Writing faculty. All sessions are free of charge and no appointment is necessary. During the academic year, walk-in assistance is available in Library 122 from 10 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 6 PM on Friday, and 5 PM to 9 PM on Sunday. To learn more about the Writing Center, please visit Library 122, call 914-323-5474, visit https://mville.digication.com/andrew-bodenrader-writing-center/home-1/published or follow us on Instagram @abcmville. 

Higher Education Learning Program (HELP)

The Higher Education Learning Program (HELP) is a fee based tutoring center that serves as a center of support for students with learning disabilities. It is structured to assist students to meet the academic challenges of the Manhattanville College curriculum. The HELP Center offers individualized one-to-one tutoring services provided by professionals who are trained and experienced in working with this special population. For further information please contact The HELP Center at (914) 323-5313 or the Director of Disability Services at (914) 323-7127.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and the HELP Program, School of Education 

If an individual provides the School of Education with documented evidence of a handicapping condition, reasonable accommodations will be provided. The HELP program (Heightening Each Learner’s Potential) is designed to assist students with learning disabilities to successfully meet the academic challenges of the Manhattanville College experience. This program offers a full range of services that are individualized to accommodate the needs of each HELP student, such as: One on One Tutoring, Reading and Study Strategies, Writing Support, Organizational Help, Time Management, Active Listening Strategies, Note Taking Techniques, Course Advising, Self-Advocacy Assistance. For more information, contact the Director of the HELP Program: (914) 323-7127.

Manhattanville Advancement Program (MAP)

The Manhattanville Advancement Program (MAP) is a scholarship program that provides educational opportunity and support to economically disadvantaged students. The MAP scholarship is a four-year commitment.

Students receive a broad range of services including academic, personal, and career counseling. Beyond the traditional academic focus of most scholarship programs, MAP encourages the development of the student as a whole— intellectually, ethically and socially. Students are encouraged towards these aims by fostering community service, student leadership development, and goal-oriented self-management. Students must comply with the following program requirements in order to maintain their MAP status.

Program Requirements:

• Complete all courses and achieve a minimum 2.8 GPA during the residential Pre-Freshman Summer Program. Continuing at Manhattanville College is contingent upon completion of the residential summer program for incoming MAP students.
• Attend and pass Mville 101 in your first semester
• Meet with their MAP counselor on a regular basis
• Maintain full-time status
• Complete and log 15 community service/social justice hours per semester
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8
• Attend two MAP sponsored events per semester
• Freshmen participate in the MAP Mentoring Program
• Participate in individual or group tutoring through the ARC during first year
• Meet with a Career Counselor each academic year
• Adhere to the MAP Policies

For more information about the program, please contact: Loren McDermott, Director of the Center for Student Success, 914-323-5476 or loren.mcdermott@mville.edu.

Transitional Program

A transitional student is one who has been admitted under the premise that he or she may need additional support in order to be successful in college. Students are classified as transitional by the Office of Admissions.

Students admitted through the Transitional Acceptance Program fall under the oversight of Academic Advising during their first semester. Students are required to pass the Mville 101 course which will ease the transition to Manhattanville. Students must also successfully complete 12 credits with at least a 2.0 grade point average by the end of their first semester. Although 12 credits must be successfully completed by the end of the first semester, we recommend that students register for no fewer than 15 to 16 credits per semester. If these criteria are met, the student will no longer be considered a transitional student. If these criteria are not met, the student could be placed on academic probation or dismissed from the college.

Peer Mentors Program

The Peer Mentors Program connects incoming Manhattanville students with successful upper-class students in order to help them with the transition to college life, with emphasis on successful academics and student life experiences. The Peer Mentors are student leaders who foster a holistic academic and social college environment for first year students. Their focus is on building a healthy relationship with the first year students, offering support, care, and resources. They build a solid connection between first year students and the larger Manhattanville College Community by providing individualized attention, skill based workshops, and hosting monthly large scale programs throughout the academic year. Mentors must have over a 3.2 GPA and remain in good standing at the college. Mentor recruitment takes place during the Fall Semester. Mentors receive extensive training on a variety of topics.

Disability Services

The Office of Disability Services works in collaboration with all departments of the college, whether academic, student services, facilities, etc. to ensure accessibility and to assist students and advocate to maximize student independence and success. Disability Services arranges, facilitates and/or coordinates reasonable accommodations and academic adjustments to meet individual students’ needs.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Manhattanville College strives to ensure that “no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program administered by the College.” As per federal law:

An individual is defined as having a disability if they are an individual who (1) has a physical or psychological impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) has a record of such impairment; or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

Self-Identification and Notice of Accommodations

Students with documented disabilities who are seeking accommodations may voluntarily register with the Office of Disability Services by scheduling an intake appointment with the Director. Students may be asked to provide documentation of their disability. The Director can provide a form for the student’s provider, if no documentation is available. Documentation should be current, completed by a qualified professional and should include: Identification of the disability; impact on academic functioning; statement of the recommended accommodations.

Reasonable accommodations are determined by the Director on an individual basis considering both documentation and intake interview. Accommodations may include but are not limited to the following: Extended time for tests; readers; sign language interpreters; note taking accommodations, alternate format text, and classes in accessible locations. At the beginning of each semester, a student who is registered with the Office of Disability Services should request in writing from the Director, their accommodation needs for the semester. The Director provides each of the students’ professors with a letter outlining the approved accommodations. The letter includes the student’s accommodations only, unless otherwise requested in writing by the student. While the Director informs the students’ professors of the needed accommodations, it is the students’ responsibility to make arrangements with his/her professor each time the accommodation is to be provided (i.e. before each test).

Documentation

Students diagnosed with a disability that request services or reasonable accommodations may be asked to provide appropriate and current documentation. In the case of multiple disabilities, students may be asked to provide documentation for each disability for which accommodations are requested. Prior documentation such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a history of receiving accommodations from a former school does not necessarily validate the need for services or continuation of accommodations at the college level. This history can, however, be attached to the current documentation as part of a comprehensive assessment battery. The determination of reasonable accommodations on campus is based on satisfying the documentation guidelines outlined below and a clear demonstration of the functional limitations on the student’s performance in an academic setting. These guidelines apply to all disability types recognized by the ADA.

Documentation should meet the following guidelines:

• A qualified professional should conduct the evaluation and provide name, title, professional credentials.
• The evaluation should include the diagnosis and be signed and dated.
• The evaluation must be current. Disabilities may change in severity over time and documentation should support current accommodation needs.
• Recommendations and rationale for accommodations and/or assistive technology must be based on the analysis of the functional impact of the diagnosis.

The Higher Education Learning Program (Help)

The Higher Education Learning Program (HELP) is a fee based tutoring center that serves as a center of support for students with learning disabilities. It is structured to assist students to meet the academic challenges of the Manhattanville College curriculum. The HELP Center offers individualized one-to-one tutoring services provided by professionals who are trained and experienced in working with this special population. For further information please contact The HELP Center at (914) 323-5313or the Director of Disability Services at (914) 323-7127.

Contact Information

Director of Disability Services

Library, room 134

(914) 323-7127

Grievance Procedure

Grievance Procedure