Office of the Vice President and Dean of Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate education logo

Undergraduate Education enhances teaching and learning at Penn State through University-wide services and programs like orientation, course exploration, financial and tutoring support, engagement experiences, and faculty development that help students have a successful academic experience at Penn State.

The Office of the Vice President and Dean leads, coordinates, and collaborates on a wide range of undergraduate education matters across the University. The office also serves as a source and clearinghouse for institutional research and data pertaining to undergraduate enrollments and student success and retention.

Key responsibilities of this office include:

  • coordinate the curricular development and review process
  • develop and maintain academic policies and procedures
  • ensure academic integrity is upheld at Penn State
  • support excellence in teaching and learning
  • administer the Complete Penn State and STEP Open Doors scholarships and support programs
  • administer programs including Raise.me, annual Undergraduate Exhibition, Erickson Discovery Grants, and conference travel support for undergraduates
Undergraduate Education Leadership
Jeff Adams, Interim Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education Melissa Johnson, Associate Vice Provost and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Alan Rieck, Associate Vice Provost and Associate Dean
Jeff Adams, Interim Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education Melissa Johnson, Associate Vice Provost and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education

Alan Rieck, Associate Vice Provost and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education 
Angela Linse, Executive Director for SITE and Associate Dean for Teaching David Smith, Executive Director for DUS and Associate Dean for Advising Maggie Slattery Director and Assistant Dean for General Education
Angela Linse, Executive Director of the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and Associate Dean for Teaching David Smith, Executive Director for the Division of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Dean for Advising Maggie Slattery, Director and Assistant Dean for General Education

Primary Strategic Office Goals

Mission

The mission of Undergraduate Education is to facilitate a Penn State academic environment that enhances the success of all students.

Vision

The vision of Undergraduate Education is to ensure equitable outcomes for all Penn State students through effective collaborations, responsive and adaptable practices and policies, and informed decision-making.

Strategic Planning Goals

  1. Improve success of minoritized and marginalized students thereby having a positive effect on all students
  2. Foster institution-wide connection and collaboration
  3. Prioritize and model student-centeredness, equity, diversity, inclusion, and transparency in UE work

New faculty may want to contact Undergraduate Education units to:

  • Learn about the role they play in advising students by working with academic advisers in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, including how to use the Starfish system
  • Learn about Penn State’s General Education course requirements
  • Learn about Academic Administrative Policies and Procedures (AAPPM) and the policies that guide academic work and where to direct students for policies
  • Connect with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence to learn about the programs available to help faculty with their teaching and the consultants available for guidance
  • Learn how to refer students to Penn State Learning for free learning support opportunities that are peer-led, undergraduate learning communities in math, natural sciences, writing, languages, economics and statistics through tutoring, workshops, and guided study groups
  • Connect with the Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring office to learn how to link their research to undergraduates who are interested in participating in research opportunities and to learn how to help undergraduates apply for fellowships and other funding opportunities
  • Connect with the Student Engagement Network and learn how to incorporate engagement in the classroom or expand learning outside of the classroom
  • Learn more about the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and their role overseeing the Testing Centers and SRTEs course evaluations

The Top 5 Items Faculty Should Know about the Undergraduate Education Office

Relevant New Faculty Programming

Undergraduate Education Fun Facts

50,000 contacts for Penn State Learning, free financial literacy, 1m awarded for engagement, DUS helps major exploration

Fun Facts Alt Text

The image shows four fun facts for Office of the Vice President and Dean of Undergraduate Education. 1. WAcross its programs and services, Penn State Learning has more than 50,000 contacts with students each year, with more than 13,000 students accessing services, 2. Since, 2017, SEN has awarded more than $1 million to students to support engagement experiences through its Grant program, 3. Penn State’s Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center offers free financial literacy programs for Penn State students, faculty, and staff, 4. Across Penn State, the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), the home for students exploring multiple programs before deciding on a major, enrolls more first-year students than any other unit/college, numbering approximately 9,000+ students annually

 

Additional Resources and Contact Information

Resources

  • Office for Summer Session https://summersession.psu.edu/ Links to an external site.
    • The Office of Summer Session oversees courses scheduled over the summer and the Learning Edge Academic Program (LEAP) first-year summer start program at University Park, and administers the Summer Success Scholarship program that provides scholarships to current students who have fallen behind in their degree program and are taking a summer course to catch up.
  • Prior Learning Assessment https://priorlearning.psu.edu/ Links to an external site.
    • Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) works to ensure that knowledge and skills acquired by students prior to coming to Penn State, or outside of their Penn State classroom, are consistently evaluated and awarded credit across Penn State’s colleges and campuses. Some examples of prior learning credits awarded to students include transfer credits, military credits/training, credits from Advanced Placement exams, and credit by portfolio.
  • Division of Undergraduate Studies
    • The Division of Undergraduate Studies dus.psu.edu Links to an external site. (DUS) is the academic home for students exploring multiple academic programs before committing to a course of study. DUS serves as a leader in academic advising for the University and other institutions across the nation. DUS maintains the Advising at Penn State website advising.psu.edu Links to an external site., a home for academic advising resources for faculty and staff University-wide.

Undergraduate Education Contact Information

Office of the Vice President and Dean
417 Old Main
University Park, PA 16803
814-863-1864