We have prepared answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions from students, faculty and parents. We hope you find these answers helpful. If you need more information, contact the UAAC at (217) 206-7471 or uisuaac@uis.edu.
For entering first year students, sophomores and transfers who have not chosen a faculty advisor, advisors are assigned. Entering first year students will meet their advisor at Summer Orientation.
Yes, all new entering students must see an advisor prior to registering for classes. All continuing first year, sophomore, and undeclared transfer students must also see an advisor prior to registration.
Academic Advisors help students select their classes each semester. The advisors help students stay on track with their general education requirements, and recommend courses helpful to the anticipated major. Advisors help undecided students determine a major, and/or a minor, given the students interests andaptitudes. Advisors also help students experiencing difficulties or challenges, academic or personal, connect with appropriate resources to help resolve potential obstacles to their success.
Academic Advisors are available by phone, through e-mail, and in person by appointment. To schedule an appointment, contact the UAAC.
The UAAC is open 8:30am to 5:00pm weekdays, year-round, excluding University holidays. Pre-registration advising is usually by appointment, and advisors are often available on a drop-in basis as their schedules allow.
When your advisor is not available and you need immediate assistance, let one of the UAAC staff know, and we will get you the help you need. One of the other advisors may be able to help you resolve your issue in person. Alternately, you may be able to resolve your issue through e-mail contact.
Entering first year students, sophomores, and transfers who do not have a faculty advisor, are assigned an Undergraduate Academic Advisor. In most cases, when you have completed most (if not all) of your general education classes and your schedule consists of classes primarily for your major, you are transitioned to a faculty advisor in your major program.
Entering first year students, sophomores, and transfers who do not have a faculty advisor, are assigned an Undergraduate Academic Advisor by the student's last name. If you feel the need to change advisors, you are encouraged to discuss this situation with your advisor to work out an appropriate solution. Advisor assignments are made to keep each advisor's workload balanced, and requests for changes will need to be considered in this light.
In most cases, when you have completed most (if not all) of your general education classes and your schedule consists of classes primarily for your major, you are transitioned to a faculty advisor in your major program.
In accordance with protections extended by FERPA, your advisor may be able to discuss your class schedule with your parents ONLY with your signed, written permission. You must specifically request that your advisor speak with your parent(s), and you must specify what information can be discussed, and within what timeframe. Generally, your advisor will encourage you to discuss your schedule with your parents directly. If parents call or contact the advisor independent of the student, or without a signed release on file, the parent will be encouraged to talk to the student directly and reminded of the FERPA limitations.
The courses meeting the general education requirements are listed on the General Education website by semester. Course descriptions also include a notation indicating when the course satisfies a General Education requirement. You or your student may also contact the UAAC for assistance.
Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) courses are university requirements, replacing University Requirements (LSC and PAC courses). ECCE courses are interdisciplinary and designed to help students recognize the value of multiple perspectives. All first year students admitted in the 2006-07 academic year must complete all ECCE requirements. Transfer sophomores and juniors who started in 2006-07 are required to complete LSC, PAC, and AST university requirements. Transfer sophomores & juniors who started in 2007-08 or later are required to complete the 200-400 level ECCE courses. Learn more about ECCE requirements.
Yes, one course can satisfy more than one requirement in certain circumstances. If a course satisfies a General Education or ECCE requirement and is also required as part of a major or minor, that course may satisfy both requirements, as long as the major/minor program allows it. One course cannot satisfy two general education requirements or two major requirements. Even when courses are evaluated to satisfy more than one requirement, all students must still complete 120 undergraduate credit hours in order to graduate.
There are several resources available to help students be successful in their coursework. As the advisor, you are in a position to help the student identify which resources are the most appropriate for the situation. Explore with the student the specific nature of the problem and what efforts have been attempted to address the problem. If it is an academic/classroom problem, encourage the student to address the issue with the instructor. If assistance from the instructor is not readily available or has not helped resolved the problem, help the student identify other academic personnel with the expertise the may help the student. Be careful to also assess for obstacles to performance such as possible learning disabilities, underdeveloped academic skills, time management, study skills, and personal distresses, and refer the student to other campus resources such as CTL, ODS, CDC, and the counseling center.
The Early Warning System (EWS) is an intervention plan designed to identify students experiencing academic difficulties or other hindrances to academic success, and connect them with resources to help overcome these challenges. Through this system, faculty and other academic personnel refer the student to the EWS Advisor, who, with the student, explore the nature of the problem, and strategize interventions to help the student achieve satisfactory academic performance. Ideally, an instructor will refer a student to the EWS advisor as early as possible in the semester so that appropriate interventions can be implemented. When students are referred, they are expected to meet in person with the EWS advisor and follow through with the intervention plan. Referring instructors are contacted again shortly after mid-semester for a follow up report on the student's progress. Students referred to the EWS Advisor who receive academic advising from the major program will also be referred to the faculty advisor for assistance.
Academic Advisors help students select their classes each semester. Advisors help students stay on track with their general education and university requirements, and recommend courses helpful to the anticipated major. Advisors help undecided students determine a major, and/or a minor, given the student's interests andaptitudes. Advisors also help students experiencing difficulties or challenges, academic or personal, connect with appropriate resources to help resolve potential obstacles to their success.
You can learn about your student's class schedule by talking with your student. Advisors and other university personnel are not allowed to disclose information contained in student records to anyone without specific written and signed permission from the student. This privacy protection is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974.
Advisors are assigned by the student's last name for entering first year students, and sophomores, juniors and transfers who have not chosen a faculty advisor. Entering first year students will meet their advisor during summer orientation, and continue working with that advisor until they transition to a faculty advisor in the major program.
