FAQ - Advising Center

Your advisor is listed in Campus Connection. If no advisor is listed, please contact us.

From a good advisor, you should expect:

• genuine concern for you and your well-being
• accurate and timely information
• help exploring educational programs and plans
• help with academic procedures such as schedule changes, declaration/change of major, course scheduling/dropping and adding classes
• help if you are placed on academic probation/suspension
• referrals when needed to other support services
• confidentiality
• reliability

You are responsible for knowing and understanding your degree requirements and DSU policies/procedures. If anything is unclear, you should ask questions. You should also be honest with your advisor when you need help.

You are allowed to change advisors if necessary. However, some schools may only have one academic advisor per major. For schools that have opted in to Professional Advising (The School of Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Letters, Social Sciences, pre-Teacher Ed, pre-Nursing), all first and second year students (60 hours or less) are assigned a Professional Advisor in the Advising Center.

An advisor can help you

• locate resources to be a successful Blue Hawk,
• select a major that will be a good fit for you to achieve your career goals, and
• create a plan or make changes to your schedule to keep you on track for graduation and reach your goals faster.

Typically, you will meet with your advisor before the registration period to discuss the upcoming semester. You should also meet with your advisor any time you want to make changes to your schedule, change your major, need help with registration, or have any questions or concerns. Your advisor is your resource for success. Use their knowledge! They are there just for you!

The Advising Center welcomes walk-ins, but to make sure an advisor is available, we suggest scheduling an appointment.

This varies between students, but most sessions are scheduled for 30 minutes.

To make the most of your advising session, it’s important for you to come to the appointment fully prepared. The following are some things you can do to prepare for your appointment:

• CHECK FOR HOLDS! Log in to your Campus Connection account and see if you have any holds. Some holds, such as your Financial Obligation Agreement (to be completed each semester), do prevent registration.
• REVIEW COURSES REQUIRED FOR YOUR ACADEMIC PROGRAM! The Catalog is a useful tool for you to review all the courses you need for your academic major/minor/concentration.
• BRING A LIST OF PREFERRED COURSES! After reviewing program requirements, view the course offerings for the upcoming semester(s) in Campus Connection. Then, make a list of courses you would like to take. Advisors can help with deciding which courses would be best.
• WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS! As you think of questions about your program, campus resources/services, registration, etc., write them down and bring them with you to your appointment. We can better assist you if we know what you need help with!
• ARRIVE ON TIME! Coming late to an appointment or missing your appointment is taking time away from another student who could have used that timeslot to meet with an advisor. If you cannot make your scheduled appointment, please call in advance to reschedule.

This means you need to meet with an advisor before making changes to your schedule. The hold is placed on all new student accounts as well as all student accounts during registration.

Work with your advisor on filling out a substitution/waiver form to have the course reviewed by the respective school.

Students who do not maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 will be placed on probation and will remain at probationary status until a 2.00 (or higher) cumulative GPA is achieved. If you are placed on academic probation, you must schedule weekly meetings with your advisor so they can help you improve your academic performance.

Students who have attempted at least 24 semester hours of credit and do not maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.6, may be suspended for a minimum of one term. Students receiving all Fs for a term may also be suspended. After being suspended, a student may submit a written appeal to the provost/VP for academic affairs. After a student has successfully appealed, they must schedule weekly meetings with an advisor for assistance in improving their academic performance.

Yes. You will need to discuss your academic plans with your advisor, and they will help you complete the appeal form. You should schedule an appointment with your advisor and come prepared with all necessary materials completed. Please allow ample time for your advisor to update your degree plan.

Yes. Your advisor can help walk you through the withdrawal process, determine if withdrawing is the best move for your situation, and help you avoid unnecessary charges. If you would like to meet with someone other than your assigned advisor, you may meet with another advisor on campus.