Student Success Centre decentralizes advising

By Chris Adams, May. 29, 2014 —

Program advisors for the faculties of arts and science have moved from the Student Success Centre (SSC) to their respective faculties.

The changes were made because of a program advising review conducted by the University of Calgary in February. The SSC hired four new advisors as a result of the review.

Arts program advisors are now located in SS 102, while the science advisors are now in EEEL 445.

SSC manager Roxanne Ross said the changes will help simplify student advising. “By locating [advising] in the faculties, it’s really clear to students where they need to go,” Ross said. “There’s going to be less moving around back and forth.”

Program advisors help students with degree planning, course selection, enrolment and offer other academic services.

Prior to the advising review, arts and science were the only faculties with advising centralized by the SSC. Every faculty now has its own program advisors.

General advising will still take place at the SSC. The SSC also created an advising flowchart to help students with the transition. The chart maps out where students need to go and who they need to see depending on their issue.

Each advising centre shares their booking system with the SSC. This system allows students to attend appointments within 20 minutes of the time they book them.

Second-year education student Medina Fedotova welcomes the move.

“I like that they have relocated degree-specific program advising. This way, the advising will be much more consistent and of better quality,” Fedotova said.