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About the Goodrich Scholarship Program
The Goodrich Scholarship Program began in 1972 with funds from the Nebraska State Legislature. It is named in honor of Omaha's former State Senator Glenn Goodrich, who authored the enabling legislation.
The overall intent of the Program is to provide a college education for Nebraska residents, who might otherwise find college difficult to afford, while offering them a broad and meaningful experience in general education. The program has reached out to students of cultures including African American, Asian American, European American, Latino American, and American Indian. The students it has served have displayed a wide range of academic ability, from those who, in spite of strong motivation, have yet to fulfill their academic potential, to those who are already highly skilled and can help create a stimulating learning environment for their peers. The Program offers a three-pronged approach, providing the following:
Financial aid in the form of tuition and general fees toward a bachelor's degree
A specialized curriculum emphasizing the humanities and the social sciences via a multicultural perspective, and
A comprehensive program of academic support, advising, and related student services
The Program assumes that students with financial need will succeed academically if exposed from the start of their college careers to rigorous intellectual stimulation, complemented by support services that enable them to have confidence in themselves and in their ability to succeed. Some of the Goodrich Scholarship Program's goals for their students are to provide a sound and innovative educational experience, to help build a positive self-concept, to develop academic skills that will allow them to compete effectively in an ever-changing society, and to become socially conscious and responsive.
Various instructional techniques are used in the Program: lectures, multimedia presentations, discussion, small groups, and tutorial sessions. In the first and second years, Goodrich scholars are required to register each semester for the general education courses offered by the Program. The remainder of the students' coursework comes from regular university offerings.
In the first semester of the first year, Goodrich courses emphasize the development
of academic skills. English Composition strengthens writing skills. Autobiographical
Reading and Writing (English 1200) helps students explore their lives and overcome
their fears about writing. Each student must register for English Composition
(if diagnostic placement so indicates) and Autobiographical Reading and Writing. First-year
students will also participate in a one-hour, non-credit Academic Resource Seminar
once a week for six weeks. In the second semester of their first year, Goodrich
students take a six-hour humanities course which examines twentieth century
American arts and culture from a multicultural perspective. This is followed
by two three-hour courses in the social sciences during the second year. The
social science sequence includes Lifespan Development and Social Issues.
Freshman Year
ENGL 1200--Autobiographical Reading and Writing (3 hrs.)
ENGL ll50 or ENGL ll60--English Composition (3 hrs.)
GDRH 1110--Perspectives on US American Culture (6 hrs.)Sophomore Year
GDRH2110--Core Topics: Lifespan Development (3 hrs.)
GDRH 2120--Core Topics: Social Issues (3 hrs.)
If You Withdraw From a Class
Students accepted into the program are expected to enroll in consecutive semesters. Those students who withdraw from the university must request a leave of absence from the Goodrich Appeals Committee and will be readmitted to the Goodrich Scholarship Program upon return to UNO, contingent upon available funding.
What about Summer School?
The availability of funds to support tuition and fees for any summer session will be announced in late spring, and all students will be notified if funds are available. The funds will be dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis among those interested in attending summer school.
The Goodrich Scholarship Program will provide tuition and fees for 140 credit hours or until graduation, whichever comes first (Except for classes dropped during the week of "drop and add," WITHDRAWALS from classes are included as part of those 140 hours).
Generally, all students receiving Goodrich assistance are expected to be full-time students (carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours) during any semester in attendance at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. At the present time, the Goodrich Scholarship will pay for a maximum of 15 credit hours per semester plus general fees. First-year students are limited to 13 hours unless special permission is granted. However, there may be some semesters when this amount of tuition is reduced due to budget restrictions.
Beginning with the fall semester of 1999, students who have accumulated 13 or more dropped hours will pay for any additional dropped hours in the next semester. For example, when 16 credit hours of dropped courses have been reached, the student will pay for 3 hours the following semester.
Although some colleges, such as the College of Education, require a 2.5 GPA to remain in good standing, all Goodrich students are required to maintain the minimum GPA to remain in good standing at UNO. The minimum is the following:
Hours attempted |
Cumulative GPA |
0-12 |
(No Suspension) |
13-45 |
1.75 |
46 + |
2.00 |
Any student who falls below this minimum will be put on academic probation by UNO and have one semester to meet the university requirements for restoration to good standing. A student dismissed from the university for academic reasons and readmitted may apply for readmission to the Goodrich Scholarship Program.
In addition, the Goodrich Scholarship Program has its own policy about probation. Students must complete each semester with at least a 2.0 GPA to avoid being placed on Goodrich probation. Students on Goodrich probation must earn nine hours with a 2.0 GPA the following semester in order to retain their scholarship.
Students suspended from Goodrich must satisfy one of the following two conditions:
Pay for and complete 12 hours of college course work with a GPA of at least 2.00.
Spend one year out of UNO.
For students who have been readmitted to the program more than once, only condition #1 would apply.
An Appeals Committee is available for students who feel their case deserves special attention. Such students must make a written appeal to the committee explaining their circumstances or the conditions they wish to have considered. Appeal forms are available in the Goodrich office. A decision will be made by the committee and sent to the student in writing.
All faculty and staff in the Goodrich Scholarship Program serve as advisors for students with individual concerns. Each student will be assigned a Goodrich advisor. All students are also expected to meet regularly with their specific UNO academic advisor (within their major area of study) for assistance. Go to the Office Information page for information on how to contact the Goodrich Scholarship Program faculty and staff.
Personal counseling is available in UNO Student Services (554-2409) located in the Eppley Building, Room 115. Additional information from, and referral to, various human services agencies is also available.
The Goodrich Scholarship Program promises its students a very high
quality academic curriculum. But this promise can only hold if both faculty
and students have a class environment conducive to learning and teaching.
By accepting the Goodrich scholarship, students agree to adhere to a classroom
code of conduct that expects them to participate cooperatively in classroom
activities, treat classmates and instructors with respect, and engage
in no in-class behavior that would disrupt the learning or teaching process.
A student who violates this code of conduct will automatically receive
an oral warning, which will immediately be recorded in the student's Goodrich
file. A subsequent violation will result in a warning letter after Goodrich
faculty as a whole discusses the student's situation. This warning letter
would indicate that any further misconduct by the student will result
in the student being required to justify keeping the scholarship.
Student who receive a Goodrich Scholarship have been informed on many occasions that they must take approximately 18 hours of Goodrich Scholarship Program classes during their first and second years. Goodrich Scholars are expected to attend all Goodrich Scholarship Program classes (including individual sessions) as lectures, discussions, and other educational activities are critical to their learning and academic success. If problems arise, students are expected to contact, personally, their Goodrich Scholarship Program instructor (or designated graduate assistant). If the problem is personal or sensitive in nature, students may contact their advisor in the program. Such contact is the student's responsibility.
Unless unusual circumstances occur (such as illness), students will be granted three absences during the semester. After the third absence, the student will be expected to notify the instructor in person before the absence (or before the next class session) and explain the reason for any subsequent absence. Telephone messages are appropriate only in emergency situations.
Students who violate the attedance policy will face the following consequences: After 4 absences, they will be given a written warning that further absences will result in a review of their scholarship. After 6 absences, the student's scholarship will be reviewed. These procedures are described below in more detail.
The faculty member who records 4 absences will discuss with the sudent (if at all possible) problematic attendance behaviors and emphasize the consequences for missing classes.
After 4 absences, the instructor will also send the student a letter indicating the number of absences and warning the student that if the absences continue, his or her scholarship will be reviewed.
When the student has 6 absences, the instructor (who has warned the student in writing) will recommend that the student's scholarship be reveiwed by the Goodrich Scholarship Program Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee will recommend to the Chair of the Program the conditions ofthe student's continuation in, or termiantion from, the program. The final decision regarding the student's status in the program rests with the Chair.
At any stage in the process, the student has the right to appear before the Appeals Committee to express a grievance if he or she has a different interpretation of the action for which he or she is being disciplined. Should the student continue to disagree with the recommendation of the Appeal Committee and the decision of the Chair, a further appeal would be possible at the College level.