Academic Resource Office

Faculty Advising Handbook 2008-2009

*Please be patient as we get this page up and running! If you see any mistakes please e-mail

kalinoel@mnstate.edu.

THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS is responsible for the official appointment of faculty and Peer Advisors and their orientation and training; for assisting advisors in all appropriate ways, including coordinating university support services as they apply to academic advising; and for supervising and evaluating MSUM's Academic Advising Program.

A university committee on academic advising meets regularly to review the program, suggest improvements, and assist in implementing advising policies.

If advisors of upper-class students leave the University or are unable to continue this function, the department chairperson reassigns the advisee and notifies the Registrar or ARO of the change. An upper-class student who changes his/her major and/or advisor contacts the chairperson of the new major department to obtain the new advisor's name and returns the completed form to the ARO.

FACULTY ADVISING OF MSUM FRESHMEN

The faculty advisor frequently provides the most significant contact a freshman has with the MSUM experience. The relationship between student and advisor is of tremendous potential importance to the student's intellectual and personal development and to the University's fulfillment of its academic mission. Its effect on student attribution and retention is also of great practical importance to the student and to MSUM.

A real effort to be available to advisees, a conscientious observance of the advising schedule, full use of advising resources and the Degree Audit Report can result in excellent advising.

Freshman advisors are nominated by departments and appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Freshmen who have declared majors in particular departments are assigned advisors from those departments. Freshmen advisees may be reassigned by the chairperson of the major department during the Spring Semester of their sophomore, junior, and senior years. In most departments, students keep their original advisor until they graduate.

Freshmen who have not declared majors (Undeclared) are assigned to specifically selected faculty members who have volunteered for this service. "Undeclared" assignments and changes are made by the Director of the Academic Resource Office.

THE MSUM PEER ADVISOR PROGRAM

The Peer Advisor Program at Minnesota State University Moorhead, which was started in 1971, offers assistance to new entering students, particularly freshmen, by helping them make the best use of the academic opportunities available and also by expanding faculty advising and counseling services. Peer Advisors are employees of the Office of Academic Affairs. The Director of the Academic Resource Office administers the program.

Authorized to advise new students for fall semester, Peer Advisors register approximately 1,200 new freshmen and Post Secondary Enrollment Option students at Dragon Days and assist faculty advisors in maintaining contact with their advisees. Peer Advisors encourage students to seek out faculty advisors for subsequent student schedules or additional advising assistance. Selected Peer Advisors also staff the Academic Resource Office during the academic year.

Departmental Peer Advisors may also be asked to assist majors and minors in their departments, to participate in department meetings, and advise departmental clubs. Peer Advisors are expected to help in all university academic projects and programs.

Peer Advisors are nominated by department chairpersons or faculty members. An applicant must have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or above, be willing to work hard, be particularly interested in helping others, and be able to develop good working relationships with his/her department faculty. Each applicant must submit a recommendation from a faculty member. All applicants recommended by department chairpersons or faculty members are interviewed by the current Peer Advisor Coordinator. Final appointments are officially made by the Director of the Academic Resource Office. All Peer Advisors are required to attend training sessions during spring semester, and meet at least once with the department chairs.

Dragon Days and Transfer Registration Days

In order to facilitate the registration of new students, MSUM offers new freshmen Dragon Days in April, June, July, and August. New transfer students can register during one of the Transfer Registration Days offered in November, January, April, June, July and August. New transfer students may also contact their major department to set up and individual appointment to register.

The Academic Resource Office works with the Peer Advisors for freshman Dragons Days, while departments work with incoming transfer students during Transfer Registration Days. The ARO also works with undeclared transfer students during Transfer Registration Days. If a department cannot provide assistance to incoming students during the assigned Transfer Registration Days a department representative should contact Admissions or the Advising Support Center to make alternate arrangements.

Fall Advising Timeline

September

-You will receive a new advisee list once enrollments are finalized, after the 10^th day of class.

-Introduce yourself to your new advisees as soon as you get your advisee list. Send them a welcome email or letter. A sample message is available on the ARO website under "Forms."

-Start an email group list to easily contact all of your advisees.

October

-If you like paper copies, start a file on each new advisee. In accordance with FERPA regulations, DO NOT place any personal information on the student in this file other than:

Academic Transcript
Personal Data Form (PDF)
Dragon Core Worksheet
Academic Appeals forms
Departmental Forms

-PDF forms for your advisees will be delivered to your department near the middle of the month.

-As the advising weeks approach, post an advising Pre-Registration Schedule appointment sheet outside your door (on ASO web site under Forms).

November

-Meet with advisees to help determine course schedules.

-Take the time to ask about future aspirations of your advisee, such as: internships, graduate school, career options.

-If a referral is needed (for example, Counseling Center, or free Peer Tutoring services) use the Advisor Reference Guide in the online Advisor Handbook to contact the appropriate resource.

The Advising Process: A Step by Step Guide to the Advising Meeting

1. Review your advisee's DAR and any notes you may have taken from previous sessions.

2. Identify classes in the Dragon Core and the major that the student must take next semester to stay on track for graduation.

3. Determine with the student what classes they need to or want to take next semester.

4. Provide the student their Registration Access Code. It is helpful to have the student logged into their own E-services so that the code can be entered right away.

5. Ask the student if they have any questions for you. You may want to discuss graduate school, lab opportunities, internships, or special projects the student may be interested in.

6. Make sure the student knows when their Registration Window opens and invite them to come back with any questions or concerns they may have about their class choices or registration.

Dragon Core

Please see the Dragon Core link for comprehensive information on the Dragon Core. The following are tips for students about the Dragon Core:

1. To be absolutely sure a class will qualify for a certain area of the Dragon Core, use the Advanced Search, General/Liberal Ed. option while searching for specific classes online. This is the best way to look for classes in the Dragon Core as well as Writing Intensive classes.

2. Refer to the IDAR to determine which classes you have completed in the Dragon Core and which courses you still need to take.

3. Make sure to take a science class with a lab attached to ensure that you satisfy Area 4 right away.

4. Do NOT take Math 102 if you are going into a major that requires further math courses.

e-Services

It is important to note that e-Services for Advisors and students look similar but are in fact different. It may be helpful for advisors to become familiar with what the students see in their e-Services so that they can help them with any questions they may have. It can be useful to use the student's e-Services when advising so the student is reminded how to use it. Please read the following for more specific descriptions of what can be found in e-Services.

E-services description for Advisors

It is important to realize that the E-services that Faculty Advisors see is not the same as what students see! For starters, it's an entirely different color scheme! The faculty's E-services has a grey and red color scheme, where the student's color scheme is in the red and yellow color scheme.

When you first log into your E-services you are brought to a homepage. In the grey navigation bar you can go into Account Management (rarely used), Advisees, Class Management, Courses (to search for open courses), Position Information, and Contact Us. For Advising, the Advisees option will be used most often.

By selecting the "Advisees" option you will be given two new options: Overall and Enrolled. Overall refers to those advisees you have had over your entire career as an advisor. Enrolled refers to current advisees that you should be advising. If you click on Enrolled you will see a list of all of your current advisees including their Dragon ID, their names (which links to a current class schedule for the student), current semester access code, next semester access code, last semester, contact information, academic record and DARS.

It will be helpful to your advising session to review the student's DARS before you meet with them so that you know what they most likely need to take the following semester, and to identify any points of confusion you may want to go over with the student.

On every page of your E-services, in the top right hand corner is your Employee Id and then a link that says "Switch to Student e-Services." By clicking on this option you can see what the students' e-Services looks like. Although you will now be able to search more efficiently for courses at this point you will not be able to add anything into a student's cart. It is most helpful to log into the students' e-Services while advising, rather than your own. To switch back to the Employee e-Services you must be on the Student e-Services Homepage. *You can't be logged into both your e-Services and a student's e-Services at the same time.

Student's E-services Important Features

Student Registration Windows

Registration windows are determined by the number of credits earned, which sometimes causes confusion for first year students. Classes in which they are currently enrolled do not count, because they have not yet earned the credits by earning a passing grade. If first year students took post-secondary credits in high school or earned AP credits those will count as long as the Record's Office has received an official transcript or an official AP score report.

Students can determine when their window opens by going to their E-Services and under "Courses and Registration" selecting "Registration Window." It should display the appropriate semester and the day and time the student will first be allowed to register.

Registration Access Codes

Registration access codes are assigned each semester to all undergraduates with no previous degrees. They are to ensure that students meet with their faculty advisors each semester and stay on track for graduation. The faculty advisor provides the student with their registration access code at the end of their advising session. They should be entered as soon as possible in E-Services under "Courses and Registration" and "Registration Access Code." Once it is entered for the semester, the student will not need to re-enter it until the following semester when they are assigned a new code.

Registration Holds

Students can check their registration holds by going to E-services' "Courses and Registration" and selecting "Registration Holds." The reason for the hold or the hold code and a department number will be displayed so that the issue can be resolved.

Interactive Degree Audit Report

The following link will explain the IDAR that shows up in the students' E-services under Grades and Transcripts. The IDAR is a wonderful tool for advisors and students alike. It will be helpful for advisors to ask their students to log into their E-services while advising so that they can have access to the IDAR.

Miscellaneous Freshmen Advisor Information

FRESHMAN ENGLISH

1. All students schedule English 101. The only exceptions would be PSEO students who have already taken English 101 or students who have AP or CLEP scores at the appropriate level. These exceptions will appear in the Degree Audit Report.

2. Students with an ACT score of 20 or below should register in the classes that have 15 seats, unless they have taken a prerequisite. Students with an ACT score of 21 and above should register for classes that have 20 seats.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

1. Enter any required courses and sequences before determining other courses.

2. If students are unsure of two or more majors, advisors should determine if requirements for any of the majors must be completed in freshman year

CLOSED AND ARRANGED CLASSES

1. Advisors should check with their respective academic departments to determine if available positions should be increased or if individual permission can be given to enroll in closed classes with arranged class slips.

2. Enrollment in arranged classes should be cleared in advance with respective departments.

3. Refer special problems to the Registrar.

CREDIT LOADS AND EXCESS CREDITS

1. In general, students who are working 15 or fewer hours per week should enroll for 13-16 credits except in exceptional circumstances. Students who work over 16 hours per week should take no more than 12 credits; over 20 hours, no more than 6 credits (with particular exeptions noted below).

2. Typically, new entering freshmen enroll in 13-16 credits their first semester.

3. Those requesting more than 18 credits must be referred to the Registrar for permission after they have received their registration permits.

4. Students receiving a Minnesota State Grant need to enroll in 15 credits to receive full benefits.

5. For other financial aid purposes, 12 credits is considered full-time.

6. Math 0052 and 0090 DO NOT count toward graduation; however, they DO count toward credit loads for financial aid purposes.

ACTIVITY COURSES (ATHLETICS, MUSIC)

1. Freshmen should be encouraged to participate in activity courses as a means of getting acquainted and developing a sense of involvement.

2. Music Activities and Lessons: Most groups and lessons require auditions, which will be held at announced times during the first week of classes. A few choirs and instrumental groups do not require auditions, but interested students should talk with the music advisor.

3. Athletic Activities: (Men and Women) - Freshmen may add any sport in the fall. These interscholastic sports are in addition to other PE activity courses and Recreation courses.

GRADUATION GUARANTEE

1. All fall semester freshmen wishing to participate in the graduation guarantee program must complete the guarantee application form and officially declare a major before the drop deadline for fall semester.

2. See the Bulletin for further information.

Academic Appeals

Academic Appeals can be filed by undergraduate students to seek waiver of a graduation or liberal studies requirement, retroactively withdraw from a course (after the withdraw deadline has passed), and other similar situations. Students can access the Academic Appeal form on line, or pick up copies in the ARO or in the Office of Academic Affairs, Owens 206. Students complete the appeal form, obtain their faculty advisor's statement and signature (if applicable) and return it to the Academic Affairs office. The Committee on Academic Appeals reviews the appeal and approves or denies the appeal. Students who are not satisfied with the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee may appeal to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, whose decision is final.

When filing an appeal to substitute a course taken at another campus, the course description and syllabus from that course should be attached to the appeal form.

When filing an appeal to retroactively withdraw from a course, students must explain why they missed the deadline, and they must include additional documentation which is appropriate to the circumstances of the individual appeal (for example, a physician or psychiatrist's statement, a note from a parent or guardian verifying information, etc.). Appeals to retroactively withdraw from a class are not put on the agenda until the Instructor of the course returns an information sheet regarding the student's attendance and performance in the class.

Appeals relative to major or minor course requirements are handled by academic departments.

The Academic Appeals Committee meets approximately every two weeks during the school year, and at least monthly during the summer.

ADVISING SPECIAL STUDENT POPULATIONS

International Students

International Students on student visas must be enrolled as full-time students for all semesters. Full-time status for undergraduate students is twelve credits, and full-time for graduate students is eight credits. Students in their last semester may take fewer than 12 credits if that is all they need to graduate. However, they MUST have an approval form from their advisor. The student should speak to Greg Wymer, Director of International Student Affairs, to obtain the approval form. It is also important of international students to stay in contact with Greg Wymer throughout their time at MSUM.

Students with Disabilities

A student who has a documented disability that substantially limits a major life activity may be eligible for assistance in order to obtain equal access to University programs and services.

Any student who discloses a disability to you, and who has not already contacted Disability Services, should be referred to Disability services. Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with Disability Services located in the Comstock Memorial Union, Room 114. Disability Services will discuss with students their needs, as well as appropriate auxiliary aids and services. Students are also encouraged to discuss their needs with individual faculty members. Auxiliary aids and services will vary depending upon the disability and how it affects academic performance.

Keep in mind that physical disabilities (mobility, visual, hearing) account for only a small percentage of the students who register with Disability Services each year. The vast majority have "hidden" disabilities including learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric disabilities, and chronic health conditions.

Student may or may not choose to disclose to you that they have a disability. If they do, here are a few suggestions:

1. Ask them if they have registered with Disabilities Services. If not, encourage them to do so and document your referral.

2. Encourage them to visit with each of their instructors early in the semester. Faculty members tend to be more understanding if and when problems arise if they have been informed from the beginning.

3. Try to identify how the disability limits their academic performance (e.g. difficulty with reading or writing, poor concentration, distractibility, etc.).

4. Brainstorm possible solutions. Some examples follow:

Difficulty with reading – refer to Disability Services; recommend PDEV 111 Academic Success for textbook reading strategies

Difficulty with writing – refer to the Write Site; refer to Disability Services for note-taking services.

Concentration/Distractibility – refer to Disability Services for note-taking and testing arrangements; schedule breaks between classes

Memory problems – refer to Disability Services or Counseling Center for strategies; recommend PDEV 111

Physical access – schedule breaks between classes to allow for travel time; report any on-going problems (such as repeated elevator failure, snow blocking access) to Administrative Affairs

Chronic pain or fatigue – schedule breaks between classes or schedule classes at times when student generally feels better (morning or afternoon); avoid longer classes, especially evening classes

Depression or anxiety – balance difficult classes with some that are less academically demanding; avoid taking too many credits

It is appropriate to discuss majors and careers with all advisees, including those with disabilities. Be careful, however, that you do not discourage a student from pursuing a career because of stereotypical beliefs about their disability (e.g. blind people can't be accountants). Focus instead on their skills and abilities based on class performance and grades.

Students with disabilities may want to share written documentation with you to help you better understand their disability. Although it is fine to read this information, do not keep the information. Such information is extremely confidential, and access to the information must be carefully controlled. If you decide to keep written documentation be sure to keep it in a locked file cabinet or drawer separate from other academic records.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding an advisee with a disability please contact:

Greg Toutges

Coordinator, Disability Services

CMU 114

477-2131 (Voice)

800.627.3529 (MRS/TTY)

Non-traditional Students

Students who fall outside of the "normal" 18-22 year old range; students who are married or have children are considered non-traditional. These students used to represent a small percentage of the students on campus, but as our population ages, as people are forced to change careers as the economy changes, these students represent more and more of our student body. Our non-traditional student population has accounted for approximately 22% of our students in recent years.

Advising non-traditional students requires additional awareness on the part of the advisor. Is your advisee working their way toward a degree with just six or nine credits a semester? Be aware of how this pace of progress may require extra attention to when courses are offered – fall or spring- and what the prerequisites may be. Does you advisee have time constraints on class choice caused by daycare, work, or travel considerations? You may need to have a discussion about how realistic it is to try and finish a degree by taking classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays alone. Has you advisee been away from college or a school setting for many years? Help the new non-traditional student find success and a sense of accomplishment by exploring classes in their areas of strength. Non-traditional students usually have an edge over traditional students honed by their realization that their education can help them attain their goals. Outside demands aside, they tend to be more focused on their classes, and they actually do their homework.

Advisees on Probation

Students on probation generally fall into three broad categories. The first two are freshmen who are unused to the rigors of academic life and upper-class students who chronically earn low grades. The third group is non-traditional students who are returning after some time away from the University who are now committed students but who have to overcome prior low grades.

For the first two groups of students, make sure that they are familiar with the concept if Satisfactory Academic Progress, and that they understand the policy. For example, some students think that the policy means, if they attempt 16 credits in a semester they only need a GPA of 1.6. They don't understand that the policy refers to overall number of credits attempted, and cumulative GPA.

These students should be encouraged to do several things:

Understand that they are on warning and that the situation is serious and immediate.
They, themselves, are responsible for their academic standing.
Attend every class, every time it is in session.
Take advantage of the tutoring and Supplemental Instruction services provided.
Students enrolled in Math classes should utilize that Department's Math Learning Center.
Students enrolled in English courses should utilize the Write Site for help in improving their papers.
Limit the number of hours per week spent at work. If the student cannot or will not limit the number of hours at work, encourage them to limit the number of credits for which they register. A full time credit load plus a full time job are a recipe for academic failure.
Students should attempt to spend 2 hours per week studying for every hour they are in class.
Students should register for PDEV 111 to improve their study skills.
Encourage students with personal difficulties to seek the free, confidential counseling that is provided in the Counseling Center.
Students should be involved in campus life, but not to the extent that their academic success in compromised.
Students should retake failed courses, but not all of them in the same semester. Be sure that advisees understand that, while they can retake a course as many times as they wish, only one lower grade is removed from the calculation of the GPA. They should strive to "get it right the first time" when doing retakes.
Students should consider taking fewer credits at a time in order to build up the GPA immediately- their goal should be to earn at least a C in each class taken.
When choosing a schedule, students need to balance repeats, required courses, and courses they take because they love the class.
Students should attempt to actively listen in class, and prepare questions to ask the Professor.
Students with disabilities should seek out Disability Services in a timely manner to ensure that services are provided as needed.
Complete any incomplete grades during the very next semester after the "I" was given. After one semester, grades of I turn to F.

Freshman with low grades often just need a wake-up call. Students who have chronically low grades may not be taking responsibility for their situation. Encourage them to seek personal counseling if you think they need that type of support, or career counseling if their grades in the area of their stated major are extremely low. These students may need a long-range academic plan to see just how much time it will take them to complete repeats and requirements, and to raise their GPA to an acceptable level.

The third group, non-traditional students who are returning after some time away, may be defensive or angry about their prior low grades, and may resent being on probation for what they feel are long-ago misdeeds. These students may or may not need PDEV 111. Advise them that as long as they earn a 2.0 GPA each semester they will not be suspended, and their probation status will clear up after they earn good grades over a period of time. These students can get an override to pre-register by obtaining the form for that purpose from the Records Office. If, based on their Professors' grade estimates, the student appears on track to earn a 2.0 GPA or higher for the semester, they can obtain an override to pre-register. Students should complete this process shortly before their registration window opens.

For all students on probation, encourage them to be proactive in taking charge of their own learning. When they view their education as a "must" rather than a "should" they will achieve greater academic success. Any questions that advisors or students have regarding the probation and suspension processes can be addressed to the Director of Academic Intervention, Yvonne Johnson at 477-4649. She can be found in the ARO, in Flora Frick 151.