Academic Support Services
St. John Fisher University offers a variety of services to support students’ academic work. All of these services exist to serve you and help ensure that you are successful in your college career. Fisher’s academic support services provide you with many resources to help you develop and improve the skills necessary to grow academically, personally, and professionally. For more information about any of the services below, visit https://www.sjf.edu/student-life/academic-support/.
Academic Laboratories
Biology
The Department of Biology maintains seven teaching and eight undergraduate research laboratories that provide students hands-on experience with equipment and techniques that are of fundamental importance to the field of biology. Resources include molecular biology capabilities, cell and bacterial culture equipment, human and other animal models, indoor greenhouse, aquatic lab, compound fluorescent microscope, and designated faculty and student research space.
Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry includes laboratories for courses or research, two instrumentation laboratories, and a computer laboratory. The department’s modern, research-grade instrumentation includes infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometers, multinuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, atomic absorption spectrometer, differential scanning calorimeters, and vapor-phase and high-performance liquid chromatographs.
Physics
The Department of Physics has four well-designed laboratories and a room with well-equipped benches, computers, and storage space for individual research. Among the modern instruments in these laboratories are e/m apparatus, Franck Hertz apparatus, x-ray diffraction apparatus, precision optical bench, and portable six-inch reflecting telescopes.
Center for Career and Academic Planning
The Center for Career and Academic Planning offers an integrated approach to student success at St. John Fisher University. Advisors help students to excel academically, explore careers and industries, develop professional skills and experiences, and finish their degree on time.
Information Technology
For compete details about information technology on campus, visit the Office of Information Technology (OIT) website.
Computer Labs
Computer labs across campus offer access to a variety of software, including productivity and academic applications, on both PCs and Macs. The Kearney Academic Computing Lab is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via card-swipe access when the University is open.
eSports Gaming Lab
The eSports Gaming Lab in Michaelhouse has gaming PCs as well as PlayStation, Xbox and Switch consoles, with a variety of titles available to play. Hours are posted in the lab, and access is available to all students via card-swipe.
OIT Service Desk
The OIT Service Desk, located in the basement of Kearney Hall, is the primary contact for all support issues and service requests. In addition to walk-up assistance, the Service Desk provides 24/7 phone support for issues such as password resets and account access. Current hours are posted on the Service Desk website and you can create your own self-service ticket there as well.
Library
The Charles J. Lavery Library meets the information needs of 21st century students. A blend of traditional and electronic resources covering a broad range of subjects is available to the Fisher Community. The library’s print collection is complemented by an extensive offering of online scholarly resources available at Lavery Library. Information resources include over 385,000 volumes and access to approximately 60,000 print and electronic periodicals.
The library provides a variety of study venues. Individual and group study areas, a computer lab, and a floor designated for quiet study make the library a popular spot on campus for research, meetings, and instruction.
Research Assistance
Professional librarians welcome students to the Research Help Desk during day and evening hours, answering questions via phone, email, and videoconferencing. Our librarians are information specialists committed to the academic success of all students. Their schedule is supplemented by a 24/7 Chat-with-a-Librarian service, so students can get assistance with their research whenever they need it.
Learning Commons
The Learning Commons supports student learning, research, and use of technology. This state-of-the-art facility enables students to conduct research and produce projects in one location, steps from a Help Desk staffed by technology students and librarians. In the Learning Commons, students have access to PC workstations, Macintosh multimedia workstations, and group workstations. Throughout the library there are additional PC workstations as well as Wi-Fi. Students may also borrow laptops at the checkout desk for short-term use in the library.
K-12 Resource Center
Geared toward educators and pre-service educators at all levels, the K–12 Resource Center occupies 1, 250 square feet on the lower level of Lavery Library. The Center simulates the typical K–12 school library, and offers a range of fiction, non-fiction, school textbooks, and lesson-planning resources all aligned with New York State standards. Ample work space combined with ready access to materials and the professional assistance of the education librarian, provide an ideal environment for project and lesson development.
Instruction
Librarians welcome opportunities for instructing groups or individuals and offer current instruction in the use of all types of information sources. Classes in information literacy are taught in all subject areas using hands-on techniques and active learning.
Interlibrary Services
Lavery Library Interlibrary Loan is a free service provided to the Fisher community. The library is a member of the Rochester Regional Library Council, which represents a collection of more than 3,400,000 titles. We are also a member of the IDS Project, which represents the collections of over 110 academic libraries. Lavery Library works within these two associations to swiftly provide quality resources not owned by this library. Lavery Library’s Interlibrary Loan service also extends beyond the region to obtain resources from national and international libraries.
Media Center
The Media Arts Center has an industrial broadcast multi-camera television production studio, audio podcast recording facility, 4K video camcorders, editing facilities loaded with the Adobe Creative Suite, and a range of field gear and accessories for Media & Communication coursework and portfolio development.
Nursing Learning Resource Center
The Nursing Learning Resource Center provides students with experiential learning opportunities to develop technical, assessment, and critical thinking skills that prepare them for the competencies required for patient care in clinical practice sites. The facility contains two major nursing laboratories. The Nursing Skills Lab is an undergraduate skills laboratory with equipped with healthcare related equipment, supplies, computers for electronic documentation, Pyxis Medication Station and medium fidelity simulation mannequins for practice of technical skills in a simulated hospital or nursing home setting. The Health Assessment Lab includes examination tables and equipment found in the ambulatory/primary care settings.
The Wegmans School of Nursing is also home to the Glover-Crask Simulation Center, a 10,400-square foot space that mirrors a hospital unit. Center features include individual simulation rooms, community space used for home care simulations and scenarios, control room for faculty simulation facilitation, debriefing rooms, classrooms, and faculty offices. The Simulation Center provides enhanced training and experience through the use of a Pyxis MedStation system, the leading automated medication dispensing system supporting decentralized medication management. The Glover-Crask Simulation Center provides students with access to a high fidelity electronic health record to teach and reinforce electronic documentation and process.
Student Accessibility Services
St. John Fisher University is committed to assisting students with documented disabilities who are otherwise qualified for admission to the University, in compliance with Section 504 of the 1973 Federal Rehabilitation Act and Title III of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, as amended). Students with documented disabilities (physical, learning, and/or psychological) who may need academic accommodations are advised to refer to the Student Accessibility Services website. For additional information, students may call or make an appointment with the coordinator of student accessibility services in the Student Accessibility Services Office, Kearney 300, (585) 385-5252.
Tutoring
Writing support: We assist students with writing tasks from all disciplines and during all stages of the writing process. Individualized service and extensive writer participation enable students to become more skillful writers. Resources include a library of style manuals, handbooks, dictionaries, workbooks, and user-friendly handouts. Writing support services are included in your tuition for all Fisher students. Appointments can be made by “raising your hand” in FisherLink. “Walk-ins” are welcome but subject to tutor availability.
Math support: We offer tutors for mathematics and related courses as well as other resources including handouts on math study skills. Math support services are included in your tuition for all Fisher students. Appointments can be made by “raising your hand” in FisherLink.
100-200 Level Courses support: Tutoring is available for 100 and 200 level courses in the sciences, math, business, languages and more. Specially trained peers who have been successful in courses will assist you. 100-200 level course support services are included in your tuition for all Fisher students. Appointments can be made by “raising your hand” in FisherLink.
For more information visit: Tutoring Services
Veterans Affairs
The Veterans Affairs Certifying Official, located in the Registrar’s Office, Kearney 201, provides students with information and assistance relating to veterans’ benefits and concerns. The certifying official may be contacted by phone at (585) 385-8031 or by email : veteranservices@sjf.edu For additional resources for veterans, military students, and their families please visit Student Financial Services web page. For information on Veteran Education benefit eligibility, visit the VA online at: benefits.va.gov/gibill/ or call 1 (800) 442-4551.