Academic Center For Excellence

SRSU Honors Program, Academic Learning Center, Developmental Courses

Jimmy D. Case College of Literature, Arts, and Social Sciences
Office: Ferguson Hall 214
Phone: (432) 837-8408
E-mail: kstein@sulross.edu
Director of the Academic Center for Excellence and Lecturer: Julie Vega, M.A.

Professor of English: Kathy K. Stein, Ed.D.
Lecturer: Cynthia McAlister, M.S.
SRSU Honors Program: Kathy K. Stein, Ed.D.

Program Description

The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) provides a myriad of multifaceted services intended to support all students and academic programs at Sul Ross State University. In support of this endeavor, ACE offers course work for students needing to satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). ACE also provides facilities, organization, and coordination for the SRSU Honors Program. The SRSU Honors Program challenges students to conceptualize, analyze, and learn subject material in a different way. By incorporating and bringing together these disparate student bodies, an environment of understanding, camaraderie, and cooperation is created. ACE works closely to help students adjust and adapt to college life and to succeed in their life-long learning experience.

Academic Enhancement Seminars ACE also makes Academic Enhancement Seminars available to students. Each semester, a series of seminars is conducted to give students the opportunity to gain and hone their academic skills and address such topics as developing and recognizing effective academic practices.

Developmental Education

The developmental education courses are designed to target deficiencies as identified by the criteria established in the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Students initially enrolling into Sul Ross State University who do not meet the College Readiness Standards must take a state approved assessment (the Texas Success Initiative Assessment) meant to identify needs in reading, writing, and mathematics. Students must pass all developmental courses for which they have shown a need prior to attempting any college-level courses related to one of the three areas.

College Readiness Exemptions

1. ACT (within five years):

a. ACT administered prior to February 15, 2023: composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall be exempt for both the reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment, and/or 19 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment;

b. ACT administered on or after February 15, 2023: a combined score of 40 on the English and Reading (E+R) tests shall be exempt for both reading and writing or ELAR sections of the TSI Assessment. A score of 22 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the (Revised 10/28/2024) mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. There is no composite score.

c. The use of scores from both the ACT administered prior to February 15, 2023, and the ACT administered after February 15, 2023, is allowable, as long as the benchmarks set forth in clause (ii) of this subparagraph in Texas Education Code (TEC), Subchapter F-1, Section 51.331 (et seq.) are met;

2. SAT (within five years) a. SAT (administered on or after March 5, 2016:

a. minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) test shall be exempt for both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment; a minimum score of 530 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. There is no combined score.

b. Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable.

3. For a period of three years from the date of testing, a student who scores at or above the following standard will be exempt.

a. STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) - Reading/Writing: a score of 4000+ (Level II) on the English III shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing.

b. STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) - Math: a score of 4000+ (Level II) on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for the mathematics section

c. GED: minimum score of 165 on the Mathematical Reasoning subject test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. A minimum score of 65 on the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) subject test shall be exempt for the English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) section of the TSI Assessment.

d. HiSET: minimum score of 15 on the Mathematics subtest shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. A minimum score of 15 on the Reading subtest and a minimum score of 15 on the Writing subtest, including a minimum score of 4 on the essay, shall be exempt for the English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) section of the TSI Assessment.

4. College Preparatory Course Program: A student who successfully completes a college preparatory course under Texas Education Code §28.014 (HB 5) is exempt for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of high school graduation with respect to the content area of the course.

a. The student enrolls in the student’s first college-level course in the exempted content area in the student’s first year of enrollment in an institution of higher education; and

b. The student enrolls at the institution of higher education:

1. that partnered with the school district in which the student is enrolled to provide the course, or

2. with an institution that deems the student TSI-met based on the completion of a course that meets the requirements of subsection (iv)(1) of this section.

SRSU Honors Program

The Sul Ross State University Honors Program is a challenging and an integrative program of academic experiences with a high degree of student and faculty interchange designed to stimulate the more motivated student. This program offers the outstanding student an opportunity to engage in intellectually motivating course projects. It is not an accelerated program but an in-depth approach to the understanding of ideas and relationships. The program offers students a chance to go beyond the norms of the traditional classroom experience and explore with a greater intensity more challenging concepts and issues while applying critical thinking to the learning experience.

A student who completes a minimum of 24 credit hours in honors coursework with a GPA of 3.50 or higher and a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher will earn the designation Graduate in Honors Studies. This designation will be imprinted on each student’s transcript. Students are encouraged to apply to the SRSU Honors Program by completing an application. Contact the Academic Center for Excellence for more information on applying to the SRSU Honors Program.