Students wanting to chat it up with a dean or pretend to be president may get that chance, if they prove they are made of the right stuff.

Forms are now available for “The Challenge,” which challenges students to set a grade-point-average goal for the semester, as well as forming strategies to meet that goal. In return, winning students will be entered in a drawing to trade places with an administrator or faculty member for a day.

The contest is sponsored by the Academic Success Center as part of Academic Success Week, which is March 4-7. It is a tie-in with this year’s theme, “Challenging Students to Become Their Best.”

Sharon McGuire, program coordinator for the Dean of Students Office, said forms will be made available in some classes, student meetings and residence halls, as well as other places on campus.

“Students will fill out their GPA goal and list strategies about how they are going to reach that goal,” McGuire said. “All those that are turned in will be entered into a drawing to switch places with an administrator.”

Administrators who are participating in the contest include President Gregory Geoffroy, Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Hill, interim Vice President for Business Ben Allen, Vice Provost Howard Shapiro and Dean of Agriculture Catherine Woteki.

“There will be times when the administrator goes to class, there will be times when the student will be with the administrator in meetings or doing business,” McGuire said.

Allen said he looks forward to the chance to switch places with a student.

“I think the switch is a good idea,” he said. “I think both the student and the administrator will learn from the experience.”

Allen, who participated in a similar switch in the past, said he learned about how packed some of the large classes can be and how hard it can be to make it from one class to another on time.

“Students put in very tough, long days, as do administrators,” Allen said.

McGuire said challenge forms may be turned in until March 8.

All of the role switches will take place in April, McGuire said, except for Geoffroy’s, which will happen next fall.

In addition, students who do meet the goal can turn an unofficial transcript in to the Academic Success Center to be in a prize drawing in September.

“It’s important for any person to set goals and this will help them in that process,” McGuire said. “More importantly, students sometimes set a goal and then don’t know how to reach that goal. This will accomplish both.”