|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Resources (External Links)
|
|
|
Definition: Advisement at ETSU is a continuous interactive process between an advisor and student which facilitates the development and achievement of the student’s overall goals. Advisement is a distinct part of a student’s educational experience, provided by ETSU as a service. Advisors routinely contact students regarding academic alerts which instructors submit, mid-term grades, course scheduling and progress toward degree providing information, recommendations and referrals.
Responsibility Shared: A successful relationship between an advisor and student depends upon shared responsibility. The advisor and student responsibilities are outlined in the Academic Advisement Responsibilities guide. Advisors and others at ETSU provide mentoring, advice, referrals, and information to help students make wise, informed decisions. The relationship students develop with their advisor is important to their success at ETSU. Students should consult with their advisor each semester and especially before making decisions that may affect their academic progress and success. Discussions with the advisor may include: understanding degree requirements, dropping a class, withdrawing from ETSU, selecting courses, and exploring career options. Students are ultimately responsible for their academic decisions, including course selection, meeting prerequisites, and adhering to policies, procedures and deadlines at ETSU. Additional resources and information available on the Undergraduate Student Advisement website.
Future Students (Transfers and Freshmen)
During the summer, new students, both freshmen and transfer, and their guests are invited to the campus to share in an orientation to university life and to register early for fall semester classes. The orientation program is so important to a successful start that it is mandatory if you live within a 250-mile radius of campus. At orientation, students will be introduced to campus, attend interest sessions, meet with an academic advisor and leave campus with their class schedules completed. Students entering ETSU summer or spring semesters will also have an opportunity to attend an orientation. For more information see the New Student and Family website.
Students who are not required to attend orientation should contact their advisor after completing the required online orientation-LAUNCH.
Current ETSU Students:
Spring registration for returning ETSU students begins in early November. Summer and fall registration begins in early April. Students should be advised well before registration begins. Some departments may begin advising weeks before registration begins.
Advisement Required For Most Students
All students have a major advisor and should confer with their advisor each semester and when questions arise. In fact, ETSU requires most students consult with an advisor before registering for the next term. Students will have an advisement hold each semester that will prevent registration until the student has consulted with his/her major advisor. Mandatory advisement ensures timely and accurate course registration and helps keep students on track to graduation.
The following students must be advised and will have an advisement hold that will prevent registration before they are able to register each semester:
- Students required to complete Learning Support courses in Reading or Composition. These students will be advised in the University Advisement Center (423) 439-5244.
- All students with less than 60 earned credits.
- Students who have been readmitted are required to meet with an advisor prior to registration their first term back at ETSU.
- These guidelines are the minimum advisement requirements. Many colleges and departments may have additional advisement requirements. Students should consult with their academic department or advisor to determine their advisement requirements.
How to Find Your Advisor
Students who have declared a major should see an advisor in that major. A quick reference Advisor Contact List is available online.
Additional Advisement Opportunities and Requirements
Some students may have multiple advisors (major, minor, program, licensure) who will provide advisement in these areas. Students taking classes in Kingsport may contact the Kingsport Center for advisement information (423) 392-8000. Other advisement or support areas include:
Academic Advising Responsibilities
A guide for students and advisors relating to the advisor/advisee relationship and advising process.
Student Responsibilities
The student has the RESPONSIBILITY to:
- Learn the name and office location of his/her advisor early in his/her first semester at ETSU.
- Consult with his/her advisor on a regular basis each semester, especially prior to registration, when in academic difficulty, prior to changing minors or concentrations, prior to making changes in an approved schedule, or withdrawing from ETSU.
- Schedule and keep appointments with his/her advisor at appropriate times each semester and notify advisor prior to scheduled appointment if the student must reschedule.
- Seek assistance with the decisions to be made rather than expect the advisor to make the decisions.
- Be familiar with ETSU Policies and Procedures, major department’s website, and program sheets as well as the online undergraduate catalog.
- Update his/her contact information (address and phone numbers) in a timely manner using GoldLink.
- Activate and regularly check his/her campus email account (Goldmail).
- Know and observe academic deadlines as posted on the ETSU online calendar and in GoldLink.
- Follow through with appropriate action after the advising session and verify all GoldLink transactions, especially as related to adding or dropping classes.
- Seek reassignment to a new advisor if differences between the advisor and student should develop.
Advisor Responsibilities
The advisor has the RESPONSIBILITY to:
- Maintain adequate, posted office hours and appointment times for advisement.
- Keep all scheduled appointments and notify the student in advance if it is not possible to keep the scheduled appointment.
- Gain the necessary training to effectively advise, guide, and refer students to ETSU resources applicable to the student’s program of study.
- Use ETSU resources including online undergraduate catalog, departmental websites, general education, graduation, program, and licensure requirements to guide and refer students.
- Maintain a complete and accurate advisement record for each student in order to monitor progress toward goals and graduation requirements.
- Regularly check and respond to student emails in a timely manner.
- Refer students to the academic deadlines as posted on the ETSU online calendar and in GoldLink.
- Assist in the advisor reassignment process when applicable.
- Understand and comply with the mandates of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended (FERPA).
Source: Advising Skills, Techniques & Resources, David S. Crockett, Editor (NACADA).
Transfer Students
Transfer students often have questions and concerns that are unique to transfer students. Some of these are addressed below. Additional resources and assistance available through Adult Commuter and Transfer Services and Transfer Articulation. The following resources will also be helpful in a smooth transfer to ETSU.
Transfer students should review their Degree Works audit in GoldLink once they are accepted.
Please follow the guidelines listed below:
- Missing coursework
- Have you submitted your transfer transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions?
- Contact Undergraduate Admissions (423) 439-4213
- If you have a transfer course that you feel should meet a major or minor requirement, discuss with your major advisor to determine review process.
- If you have a transfer course that you feel should meet a General Education requirement please see directions for General Education Transfer Course Review.
- Transfer students who do not transfer in college-level English or Math courses will be required to take a placement test in that subject area.
Advisement Appointments - How to Be Prepared
- BE PREPARED
- Review your Degree Works audit in GoldLink.
- Be aware of and ask questions about the following graduation requirements:
- Admissions Requirements for Program (if applicable)
- General Education Requirements: a common set of course requirements that all students must meet, regardless of their major or career goals. Some general education courses are specific to your major or minor. Discuss requirements with your advisor. Transfer students may request a General Education Transfer Course Review if they believe a transfer course is equivalent to an ETSU general education course requirement.
- CSCI 1100 or Proficiency Requirement
- Major Requirements
- Minor Requirements (if required)
- Concentration Requirements (if applicable)
- Licensure Requirements for Teaching (if applicable)
- College of Arts and Sciences degree options and requirements (if applicable)
Declaring a Major
Undergraduate students must declare a major no later than the first term after they complete 60 semester credit hours. Transfer students who transfer more than 60 semester credit hours must declare a major by the end of their first semester at ETSU. This policy also applies to students in pre-professional programs. Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree must declare a major at the time of application.
Major, Area Concentration, and Minor
A “major” is the curriculum for a particular field of study a student wishes to pursue in earning a degree. The minimum number of credits for a major is 24, but the total varies according to the area. An “area” concentration” is a specialized area of study within a major. Most majors require a “minor.” A minor is a secondary area of study outside of the major program of study with a structured curriculum composed of at least 18 semester credit hours of which at least 9 hours must be at the 3000-level or above. Students should consult their catalog of record to determine the major and minor requirements for specific areas of study. They should meet regularly with an academic advisor in the major to select courses needed to complete a degree. Students should also meet with an advisor in their chosen minor department to ensure that the correct courses are chosen to complete the minor.
How to Change Your Major or Minor: if you decide to change your major, minor or concentration, you do so through the academic department in the new area. Before selecting a new major, minor, or concentration, it is very important to select what best fits your interests, skills, and goals. Review your prospective choices with the advisor in this program and review requirements in the Programs A to Z guide in this catalog or use the What If Program in Degree Works (available in GoldLink.) The advisor or department will assist you in completing an undergraduate change of major. Students should keep their major, minor and concentration up-to-date to ensure accuracy of Degree Works audit.
Early Semester Progress Reports (mid-term grades) are used as an early indicator of academic progress in undergraduate level courses. Early Semester Progress Reports are available to undergraduate students in GoldLink around the 8th week of the fall and spring semesters. If the grades are unsatisfactory, students should use these grades to start conversations with their instructors, their academic advisor and to seek tutoring and other campus resources to improve their grades.
Academic Probation and Suspension Policies: available under Policies and Procedures .
Advisement Information Resources
- Advisement Resource Career Center (ARC) is a one-stop shop for many advisement, career and campus referrals. It’s also a great place to get accurate information on advisement, career exploration, campus information and campus referrals. Most offices in the ARC will be temporarily relocated to the Sherrod Library during the D.P. Culp renovation; (423) 439-8650, arc@etsu.edu.
- Office of Undergraduate Student Advisement-This office is the home of ETSU’s Director of University Advisement who also serves as the Designee for Academic Affairs for student appeals and concerns. The office provides campus training for Banner (GoldLink and Internet Native Banner), advisor training, coordinates the Need Help web site, coordinates advisement at new student orientations, and serves as a referral source for advisors, faculty, staff and students.
- Academic Calendar for Students is a list of important dates by term including holidays and deadline dates.
Returning Students: Spring class registration for returning ETSU students begins in early November. Summer and fall registration begins in early April. Students should be advised well before registration begins and will register through GoldLink using the tools identified below.
Future Students:
During the summer, new students, both freshmen and transfer, and their guests are invited to the campus to share in an orientation to university life and to register early for fall semester classes. The orientation program is so important to a successful start that it is mandatory if you live within a 250-mile radius of campus. At orientation, students will be introduced to campus, attend interest sessions, meet with an academic advisor and leave campus with their class schedules completed. Students entering ETSU summer or spring semesters will also have an opportunity to attend an orientation. For more information see the New Student and Family website.
Students who are not required to attend orientation should contact their advisor after completing LAUNCH (online orientation).
Registration Process:
Most students will be required to meet with an academic advisor to review course selection for the upcoming semester. Students will register using GoldLink when registration begins if all registration holds have been removed.
- GoldLink is the ETSU portal. Students can login to register for classes, print class schedule, accept financial aid awards, pay fees, view Degree Works audit, academic transcript and much more.
- Schedule Builder is a simple interface that provides you with the ability to generate schedules for your classes in mere seconds! Compare up to 4 schedules at a time! “Lock in” your first choice professor and regenerate for a new set of schedules. Send the schedule back to your Registration Cart until your registration time. Check it out in GoldLink on the “Student” page under the “Registration Tools” box and experience Innovative Schedule Building!
- Degree Works is an academic advising and degree auditing tool that helps advisors and students successful navigate curriculum requirement. Degree Works uses the established curriculum to give students updated information of courses taken or transferred, grades received and courses needed to complete their degree(s) requirements. Degree Works also provide students with the ability to plan for future terms or the entire length of the program with the use of the “Plan” function. The “What-if” scenarios is another feature that allow students to experiment with changing majors or degree plans.
- Registration HelpLine, 102 Burgin Dossett Hall or (423) 439-5584 (M-F, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST).
Guide to Registering
This guide provides information and directions for registration each semester. The university catalog is the official publication of the university and should be consulted by all students in matters relating to academic policy and program planning.
- Before registering
- Check your registration status in GoldLink a few weeks before registration begins. Registration status displays holds, advisement holds, first available registration time, hours earned, academic status, etc.
- How to check registration status
- Login to GoldLink portal
- Choose the “Student” Page
- In the “Registration Tools” box, choose “Registration Status”
- Pay fees/parking tickets online in GoldLink or contact appropriate offices for more information or to clear holds. Most holds will also have a reason listed for the hold. Visit website for list of hold types and who to contact.
- Get advised. Advisor Contact List
- Plan your class schedule for the next term. Use the Look Up Classes or Schedule Builder option in GoldLink to create your class schedule. Use these resources to learn how to register.
- Registering for classes
- Register online using GoldLink or
- Register in person at 102 Burgin Dossett Hall or call Registration Helpline: (423) 439-5584 (M-F, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, EST) for help.
- Completing registration
- Accept financial aid and confirm attendance in GoldLink.
- Pay fees on GoldLink.
- Complete all schedule changes before the first day of class to prevent additional fees.
- Review schedule changes with your academic advisor or verify course choices noted in your program of study.
- If you decide not to attend ETSU, you must drop your courses on GoldLink or through Office of Registrar, 101 or 102 Burgin Dossett Hall. NEVER rely on being purged (all classes dropped due to non-payment). Students are responsible for verifying all schedule changes on GoldLink.
- Just prior to the first day of classes
- Print your class schedule again because course locations (buildings and room numbers) may change.
|