The Advising Express Volume 5, Issue 12, April 19, 2016 In this Issue... • • • • • • The 21st Century Academic Advisor Commencement Information Study Strategies for Students Financial Aid Spotlight: Special Circumstances Final Exam Schedule Information Important Dates and Deadlines Announcements! • Welcome to the April 19, 2016 issue. • We encourage any feedback regarding content and design. Please email david.marchesani@uni.edu with suggestions. • Look for the link symbols to indicate text hyperlinks that will lead you outside the publication. The 21st Century Academic Advisor-Analytical Skills Knowing more about your university policies, systems, anticipating student needs, and problem-solving on behalf of students allows you to be a better analytical advisor. Here are some ways to incorporate analytical skills into your advising process: 1. Avoid blind overrides: don’t override a hold or barrier a student may have without learning the backstory behind the situation. It will allow you to better help the student in the long-term. 2. Investigate student claims: Ask questions and research a situation farther than what the student is telling you. Perhaps the student is unsure of what the qualifications actually are for a course or maybe they withdrew from a course in a previous semester. 3. Identify problems in the system and work to resolve them: No system is perfect. But without feedback from users like yourself, problems will never be solved. Speak up and identify them! To see the entire article and check out other skills that are helpful to you, click here! Commencement Information Spring 2016 Commencement Information Saturday May 7, 2016 I 10:00 a.m. McLeod Center, Undergraduate Student Ceremony (Bachelor Degree) College of Education, College of Business Administration, and/or the Division of Continuing Education & Special Programs Saturday May 7, 2016 I 2:00 p.m. McLeod Center, Undergraduate Student Ceremony (Bachelor Degree) College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences and/or Study Abroad College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Saturday May 7, 2016 I 6:00 p.m. McLeod Center Graduate College Masters, Specialists, and Doctorals Study Strategies for Finals! Finals are right around the corner! Share these helpful study tips with your advisees. Study in 30 minute intervals – this will help students to stay energized and avoid bombarding themselves with information. Focus on one class at a time – remind students they should not try to cover everything in one setting, and to separate each class with a binder or folder to organize notes. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – questions get students thinking about the material, which helps to better understand it. Talk to professors – professors have office hours; remind students to take advantage of this to ask questions about material they do not understand. During the exam – Relax! Students should: • read through the directions carefully • answer the questions that they know and come back to the rest at the end • double check responses at the end of the exam Financial Aid Spotlight: Special Circumstances Check out another great video with Tim Bakula, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, discussing special circumstances that students may encounter when it comes to financial aid! To see more, check out the Financial Aid module on the Advisor Development eLearning site! Final Exam Schedule Information sadf Below are some reminders regarding the Final Exam Schedule for Spring 2016. To see the final exam schedule and to learn more, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website. Requesting a Change to the Examination Schedule: Students who need to request a change in the Examination Schedule must: 1. Prepare an “Undergraduate Student Request” form (advisors should have these available as well as department heads). The student should state the request and the reason for it. 2. The change of the examination time of an individual course must then be approved by the instructor and the department head. 3. Lastly, if a request is to change all exams, this must be approved by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. Important Dates 4/25 Textbook Buyback and Rental Return at University Book and Supply begins 5/2-5/6 Finals Week 5/7 Spring Commencement 5/9 May 4-Week and May/June 6-Week Courses Begin 5/30 Memorial Day Contact Us Office of Academic Advising 102 Gilchrist Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0389 Phone: 319-273-3406 Fax: 319-273-7515 Email: advising-services@uni.edu Advisor Contacts by College Stay up-to-date on everything advising by visiting the Advisor Handbook at: http://www.uni.edu/advisorhandbook/ Content by Ashley Jones, Graduate Assistant