The SAIL Program offers a variety of supportive academic and advising services to help participants maximize their effectiveness as students and make successful progress toward graduation. These services include:
Academic Advising
SAIL counselors assist students in selecting majors, choosing courses, and understanding General Education requirements as well as university policies and procedures. SAIL students are required to meet with a SAIL counselor every quarter to engage in both short- and long-term academic planning.
Adjunct Courses
Adjunct courses are 2-unit, credit/no credit supplemental classes designed to help students succeed in their content courses. SAIL offers adjunct classes for various General Education (GE) courses such as Political Science 203, Math 90, 110, & 115, Social Science 165 & 316, Psychology 100 & 105, Communication 120, History 146 & 201, and other selected GE courses. Permission to enroll in an adjunct class must be obtained from the program director or one of the SAIL counselors. (PLEASE NOTE: Adjunct courses do not count toward graduation but do count toward the units students must earn in order to fulfill their financial aid requirements.)
Career Counseling
In addition to providing academic advising, SAIL counselors are available to assist students with career choices and career planning, helping them match their interests, abilities and academic preparation with appropriate career options.
Child Care Support for Low Income Student Parents
The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program, authorized by the Higher Education Act and administered by the U.S. Department of Education, supports the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-based child care services. CSUSB has been awarded nearly three quarters of a million dollars in CCAMPIS funding for the grant period 2005-2009. The CCAMPIS grant was secured through the collaborative efforts of Amanda Wilcox-Herzog, professor of psychology and director of the laboratory school for the Institute of Child Development and Family Relations, Barbara Kirby, director of the Children's Center, Genevieve Nystrom, site director of the Infant Toddler Lab School and Deborah Flores, director of the Student Assistance in Learning (SAIL) Program. Information regarding eligibility, the application process and child care services provided by the Children's Center and the Infant/Toddler lab School can be accessed at http://ccampis.csusb.edu/.
College Reading Course
SAIL offers a college reading course (USTD 045) designed to help students improve their reading speed, vocabulary, comprehension and study skills. The course is a 2-unit, credit/no credit class, and permission to enroll must be obtained from the director or one of the SAIL counselors. As with the adjunct courses, the units count toward full-time student status for financial aid purposes.
Enrichment Events
In addition to providing services aimed at helping students to succeed academically, SAIL sponsors various social, cultural and enrichment activities throughout the year to foster a sense of community. Popular events include the Cinco de Mayo Salsa Fest, the Annual Student Recognition Reception, and the WESTOP Leadership Conference, among others.
Financial Aid Advising
Need help filling out your FAFSA or understanding how the financial aid process works? SAIL counselors are ready to help! They will also work with students to explore grant, scholarship and internship opportunities.
Grant Aid & Scholarships
Contingent upon available funding, the SAIL Program offers to ELIGIBLE students two grants to help defray the costs of tuition and textbooks: the SAIL Grant and the SAIL Book Grant. While the Book Grant is open to all SAIL students, the SAIL Grant is reserved for first and second year students who are Pell Grant recipients. To be considered for either grant, SAIL students must fill out an application and prepare a short personal statement. (PLEASE NOTE: Level of participation in the SAIL Program is one of the key selection criteria for the grants. Satisfactory academic performance is also considered.) Further information about the application process and the eligibility criteria may be obtained from the SAIL office.
SAIL students who apply to and are accepted into a graduate program may also apply for the SAIL Beyond Success Scholarship, a $500 scholarship awarded at the SAIL Student Recognition Reception at the end of the academic year.
Personal Counseling
Because students' personal and academic lives overlap, personal problems may directly affect academic performance. When this occurs, students are urged to seek guidance from a SAIL counselor, who can help them identify the source of their problems and work toward positive solutions. Students experiencing psychological problems that cannot be handled effectively by SAIL personnel are referred to the Counseling Center.
Graduate School Preparation
SAIL offers assistance with planning for graduate studies, including researching potential graduate programs and completing graduate school applications. Further, the SAIL Resource Center has materials available to help students prepare for qualifying examinations such as the GRE, the LSAT, the GMAT, the CBEST and the CSET. SAIL students who apply to and are accepted into a graduate program may also apply for the SAIL Beyond Success Scholarship, a $500 scholarship awarded at the SAIL Student Recognition Reception at the end of the academic year.
SAIL Cares Program
SAIL Cares is a program which encourages voluntarism and provides avenues for students to become more involved in community service activities. Through such activities, students develop valuable leadership skills and, equally important, experience the satisfaction derived from helping others. Most recently, SAIL students joined Hands On Inland Empire volunteers to help revitalize South Tamarind Elementary School in Fontana. Our students helped paint buildings, create murals, refurbish the playground and plant a garden.
SAIL ListServ
When a student joins the SAIL Program, his/her e-mail address is added to a group e-mail list created for SAIL students only. Students then receive regular communications from the SAIL staff regarding SAIL activities, important academic deadlines, campus events, job openings and scholarship opportunities.
SAIL Resource Center
The SAIL Resource Center is a one-stop center where SAIL students can study, relax, access computers, and get important campus announcements and information regarding scholarships, jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, workshops, and adjunct classes. State-of-the-art computers, Internet access, self-help books and a wide range of software options are all available to SAIL students at the Center.
Study Skills & Personal Growth Workshops
The SAIL Program holds various informational events such as the Kickoff and the Study Marathon each quarter. The Kickoff event is held on a Saturday at the beginning of each quarter. Guest speakers at the event inform students about campus resources and services available at CSUSB. Also, informational workshops on various topics are offered to help students succeed academically and personally. Past Kickoff workshop topics have included: "Test Taking & Study Skills Strategies", "Become a Great Math Student", "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Financial Aid, But Hadn't Asked!", "Goal Setting", and "How to Communicate with Your Professors."
The SAIL Study Marathon takes place on the Saturday preceding final exams. It provides SAIL students with a quiet place to study and prepare for their final exams, term papers, and end-of-the-quarter projects. Students attending the event have access to computers, writing tutors, math tutors, advising, and adjunct course review sessions. In addition, a continental breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided, and each participant receives a “Survival Kit” for final exams.
