Services

• Provision of advising to reach students beyond the first year of college with an emphasis on the sophomore through senior years
• A diverse cadre of interventions for educational equity students through programs and student success centers established within the academic colleges
• General Education (GE) and Graduation Requirement advising, and course registration support
• Peer mentoring and academic support from fellow student coaches; Faculty advising and academic support from college-specific faculty advisors
• Workshops to develop and enhance academic, career, social, and personal skills
• Leadership development opportunities
• SASEEP cross-program support
• Summer mentoring/advising implemented into the EOP Summer Transitional/Bridge Programs
• Campus-wide mentorship services through the U Mentor Program
• Opportunities for students to build a network with other students, the campus community, and Sacramento community partners
• Support with navigating the online student center portal
• Online tutorial services 24 hours a day in distinct subject areas via Smarthinking

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What is the DEGREES Project?

The Dedicated to Educating, Graduating, and Retaining Educational Equity Students (DEGREES) Project seeks to provide support services and resources to students with a special focus on underrepresented minority (URM) students.

Q. Why was I selected to be a DEGREES Project student?

Students are automatically selected to be part of the DEGREES Project based on the information they provide on their CSU application when they applied to Sacramento State. If you fall within any underrepresented student category you are immediately added to our caseload of students.

Q. Do you have to apply every year for this program?

No, once you are a DEGREES Project student, you remain one throughout your time at Sac State. With that said, you do not have to apply every year for the DEGREES Project.

Q. What are my responsibilities as a DEGREES Project student?

The DEGREES Project has no requirements to be a part of our program. There are no attendance requirements, holds placed on the student account, or a GPA requirement for our program.

Q. What is the availability for the DEGREES Project?

Our hours are from 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM. Individual hours for our coaches vary.

Q. I applied to EOP but got denied, then they recommended me to this program. Why is that?

EOP and DEGREES work very closely with each other. Unfortunately, EOP is limited in the number of students it can accept. As a student success program, they want to make sure that all students have access to quality student support, regardless of whether or not they get accepted into EOP. That is why they referred you over to our program.

Q. What are the differences between the DEGREES Project and EOP?

Both programs are very similar, but DEGREES Project differs in two major aspects.

First, the DEGREES Project does not offer monetary stipends, nor any other form of financial support. Though we do not offer monetary stipends, we do offer many opportunities to win fun prizes.

Second, DEGREES Project does not require attendance on any activities. Our DEGREES Project team offers various services and activities to increase our resources for our students; however, students are not required to attend—all activities are completely optional.

For more information, visit the EOP webpage.

Q. Does the DEGREES Project provide financial support for students?

We do not offer any form of financial support; however, we provide our students with the information and resources needed to seek financial support. If you are interested in applying for scholarships offered at Sac State, visit and apply at the following links:

• Financial Aid Scholarships Page
• ASI Scholarships Page

Q. I am receiving emails from my DEGREES Project coach and faculty advisor what does this mean?

The DEGREES Project Coach and Faculty Advisor that are contacting you are the specific team members assigned to target and support students in your major. Together they are a pair that know a bit more about your situation than maybe the rest of the team may, which means you will most likely have more relatable experiences with them. Though this is true, all coaches are trained to help all students from all majors. Students can connect with their faculty advisor/coach from their respective college or meet with another coach that is not within your college.

Q. What does a typical meeting look like with a DEGREES Project team member? What kind of items are often discussed?

We follow a holistic approach by allowing you, the student, to lead us in what resources and assistance you are looking for. The Coach/Advisor will be the guide of the appointment, helping address all questions/concerns you have and referring you to resources as needed.

Some common items that are discussed are as follows:

• Mentoring services
• Tutoring services
• Assistance with navigating online student center portal
• Schedule building
• Academic advising (General Education and Graduation Requirement Advising)
• Writing Placement for Juniors (WPJ) exam/portfolio inquiries
• Connecting with relevant campus activities and organizations
• And much more… get connected with us!

Q. How can I get in contact or set up an academic advising (or peer mentoring) appointment with the DEGREES Project?

You can see our team's availability by visiting our EAB Appointment System and scheduling an appointment there. Other options for contacting us include emailing us anytime at degreesproject-01@csus.edu and reaching out to us through our Instagram account at @degreesproject. Additionally, depending on your college, your faculty advisor and coach may have a Canvas account set up, which is another way to message us. Be sure to click “Accept” when you receive the Canvas invitation at the beginning of the semester in order to be officially added to the course.

Q. Do you know when we will be sent the invitation on canvas to the DEGREES Project Canvas account? Also, will we be graded for this Canvas course?

The Canvas invitation will typically be sent out towards the beginning of the semester. Please be sure to accept it so you can have access to the course information and receive notifications. Although this is a Canvas “course”, this is NOT an actual course that you will be graded on, nor have quizzes, tests, etc. The course is only to provide you with important information and resources.

Q. Will we be able to meet before orientation to discuss any schedule building?

We cannot meet to go over advising until you attend orientation for Sac State. The DEGREES Project recognizes that an important first step in becoming familiar with the campus and with scheduling is through student orientation and we want to make sure you meet with your orientation leader and major department prior to using DEGREES services.

Q. Do you guys help with selecting classes/making schedules at all?

Yes, our team can support students with scheduling, as long as it is in line with requirements and advice from the specific student’s major advising team and academic standing.

For incoming (freshman and transfer) students: Once you have gone through orientation, you will officially enroll in your classes. You must attend an orientation and get any assistance with course registration primarily through them when you are first entering Sac State. You may also be connected with other first-year and transfer programs, which may benefit you. After your first semester, you can then reach out to Academic Advising and your major advisor/advising center for more assistance. Additionally, you may utilize our DEGREES Project team as a resource to help support your academic plans and scheduling.

For continuing students: Be sure to keep in touch with your major advisor and major advising center to keep up with your requirements. You may additionally seek academic advising from the Academic Advising Center. Additionally, you may utilize our DEGREES Project team as a resource to help support your academic plans and scheduling.

Q. What type of DEGREES Project activities are to be expected throughout the semester?

The DEGREES Project hosts various activities to promote student success. Some common workshops we have include “Time Management”, “Schedule & Agenda Planning”, and “Self-Care”. Some events include “Finals Crunch” during the week of finals to relieve stress and our “DEGREES Project Recognition Ceremony” where we recognize our scholars for their achievements. Our biggest annual event, “Student Academic Success Day (SAS Day)” is a full day of smaller events, fairs, speakers, and workshops to promote student academic success. You don’t want to miss it! Visit our SAS Day page and check out our social media for more information.

Q. Will there be a SAS Day this September 2021?

Yes, this year SAS Day is September 27th, 2021. Follow us on Instagram (@degreesproject) to keep up with the latest details about SAS Day!

Q. If we are unable to attend the workshop(s), because of a schedule conflict, is there a way to access these at a later time—like in the form of a recording? Where can I find it?

Yes! Our workshops are recorded and are available for viewing through our Instagram. Just go to our Instagram account (@degreesproject) and click the link in our bio. There you will be able to view all of our workshop recordings. If you do not have Instagram, you can email our general account degreesproject-01@csus.edu to request a link to the workshop recording.

Q. I was told to schedule an appointment with a Degree Advisor. Should I schedule an appointment with a DEGREES Project Coach/Advisor for this?

We understand how similar the titles sound, but our DEGREES Project Coaches and Advisors are different than the Degree Advisor Liaisons in the University Registrar’s Office (see next FAQ for more on this). With that said, the simple answer is no. For an appointment with a Degree Advisor (graduation advising) please schedule an appointment with the University Registrar’s Office. For more information about graduation advising with a Degree Advisor, visit the Graduation Advising Page.

Q. What is the difference between the DEGREES Project Coach/Advisor and the Degree Advisor Liaisons?

The Degree Advisor Liaisons review the courses you have completed and determine the official status of your progress towards graduation. Our team is able to give you an overall rundown of where you are at on your journey, but after you apply for graduation, you must exclusively meet for graduation advising with your Degree Advisor Liaison (in the University Registrar’s Office, as listed in the above question) to make sure you are meeting all graduation requirements.

Q. I’m interested in being mentored one-on-one with a faculty/staff member or by an upper-division student at Sac State. Can this happen through the DEGREES Project?

Although our program does offer a form of mentorship/coaching with our available faculty advisors and coaches, for a closer one-on-one mentorship you may want to consider joining the U Mentor Program.