Overview
One of the most common fears supporters have when sending a student to college is that their student will fall through the cracks. At Rutgers-Camden, a team of professionals is actively working to make sure that does not happen. This section introduces each member of your student's support team so you know who to encourage your student to reach out to, and when.
Success Coaches
Every student is assigned a success coach and/or counselor to support their transition to Rutgers-Camden. Coaches are the primary point of contact for your student during their first year to help them acclimate to college and navigate the Rutgers-Camden system. They are not tutors, they are not the same as academic advisors, and they are not only for students who are struggling.
- What coaches do: Meet with students regularly (typically every two weeks or as needed) to discuss academic progress, personal challenges, goals, and next steps. They help students develop the habits, mindset, and self-advocacy skills that lead to graduation.
- Who they serve: Coaches are assigned based on the program or population your student is part of. Transfer students, EOF students, TRIO students, Camden Fellows, and Honors College students all have dedicated coaches.
- First-year coaching: All incoming students have a person to help them navigate Rutgers-Camden. If they are not part of EOF, TRIO, Camden Fellows, or the Honors College, they will have a coach from the Student Success Coach Office (SSCO).
- How your student connects with their coach: Through Navigate, the university's scheduling platform. Students should book their first appointment before the semester even starts.
Academic Advisors
Academic advisors help students plan their course schedule each semester and understand their degree requirements. They are different from coaches.
- Advisors focus on academic planning: which courses to take, in what order, and how they fulfill degree requirements
- Students meet with their advisor at least once per semester to plan their schedule
- Advisors are assigned by major or school
- Appointments are booked through Navigate
Counselors and Mental Health Support
The Wellness Center on campus provides confidential counseling services to all enrolled students at no additional cost.
- Counseling services are free and confidential — FERPA applies here too
- Students do not need to be in crisis to make an appointment
- Counseling appointments are booked directly through the Wellness Center (not through Navigate, due to HIPAA requirements)
- The Wellness Center also offers primary care, health education, and referrals
- If your student tells you they are going to counseling, the best response is to support that decision
Tutoring and Academic Support
Free tutoring and academic support is available to all students through SAS.
- Peer tutoring is available for many subjects, especially high-demand courses like math, sciences, and writing
- The Writing Center offers one-on-one writing support at any stage of the writing process
- The library provides research support, study spaces, and access to academic databases
- All of these services are free and do not require a referral
Encourage your student to use tutoring early in the semester, before they are behind. Students who wait until they are failing have much less time for these services to work.
Office of Disability Services (ODS)
If your student has a documented disability — physical, cognitive, learning-related, or mental health-related — they are entitled to academic accommodations at Rutgers-Camden. These are coordinated through the Office of Disability Services.
- Accommodations are not automatic — your student must apply and submit documentation
- Common accommodations include extended time on tests, quiet testing environments, and note-taking support
- The process takes time; encourage your student to contact ODS this summer, before classes begin
- Once accommodations are established, your student shares their accommodation letter with each professor at the start of each semester
Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students office serves as a resource for students facing non-academic challenges: housing insecurity, food insecurity, family emergencies, mental health crises, conduct issues, and anything else that does not fit neatly into another office.
- Supporters can contact the Dean of Students office if they have a serious concern about their student's wellbeing and have been unable to reach their student
- The office can conduct welfare checks and connect students to appropriate resources
- They are not a disciplinary office only — they are also a resource and advocacy office
Key Programs and Communities
Depending on your student's background and program, they may be part of one of these communities within SAS:
- Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF): A state-funded program supporting New Jersey students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds with academic coaching, advising, and funding support
- TRIO Student Support Services: A federally funded program supporting students who meet one or more of the following — first-generation college student, have a documented disability, and/or are from a limited income household — with intensive coaching and academic support
- Camden Fellows: A merit-based scholarship and cohort program for high-achieving students
- Honors College: An academically rigorous program with its own coaching and community
- First Generation Student Services: Resources and community for students whose parents did not complete a bachelor's degree
- Transfer: Coaching and support specifically designed for students who are transferring into Rutgers-Camden