Chapter II Student Academic Affairs LS&A students are encouraged to be actively involved in shaping their own undergraduate experience. To help them accomplish this, the College provides academic advising support to students for reaching their academic goals and objectives. Students are expected to meet with academic advisors to discuss course selections and the wider issues of educational planning.The Comprehensive Studies Program, the Honors Program, and the Residential College Academic Services are responsible for academic advising and, in the latter two units, for academic actions and academic auditing for students admitted to their respective programs, and each of these programs is described separately in Chapter VI. LS&A Student Academic Affairs provides the following services: Academic Advising, Academic Standards, Academic Auditing, Academic Information and Publications, Central Files, and the Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs. Student Academic Affairs is responsible for helping undergraduates achieve the expectations and rewards of the liberal arts and science education afforded by the College. A liberal arts and science education, first and foremost, is a natural forum for an inquiring mind, and the staff of Student Academic Affairs serves students and contributes to their intellectual and personal growth by encouraging informed decision making, self-assessment, and the assumption of self-responsibility. The Student Academic Affairs staff also shares with the teaching faculty and academic departments and programs of the College in the task of facilitating the student's academic path through LS&A. Student Academic Affairs is committed to promoting the understanding and accomplishment of a liberal arts and science education, and will do all it can to succeed in meeting its service obligation to students. The Academic Advising Center 1255 Angell Hall 764-0332 Web site: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/advising/ The Academic Advising Center serves LS&A undergraduates by: Helping them make informed decisions about educational goals and LS&A curriculum. Encouraging them to formulate an academic program appropriate to their individual interests and abilities. Assisting them in evaluating their academic progress and performance. Providing them accurate information about LS&A policies and procedures. Furnishing them an opportunity to explore the purposes of a liberal arts education. Students first meet their academic advisors during the orientation period prior to the first term. Student-advisor contact during orientation occurs over two days and includes a group meeting and two personal interviews. The group meeting is given over to a discussion of LS&A and its mission as a liberal arts college. The student and advisor become acquainted during the first interview and explore the student's interests and academic purpose. They then plan the student's first term elections during the second interview. The staff advisors follow up these contacts by inviting their orientation students to come in for an appointment after the fall term has begun. The expectation is that many students will want to discuss their adjustments to the academic challenge in the College with their advisors at this time. A similar outreach occurs during the winter term. Students generally choose to consult the advisors whom they met during Orientation but may elect to make an appointment with any advisor who is available. Students are free to see any advisor they prefer, but they are encouraged to find one advisor with whom they can relate well and to see that advisor on a regular basis. It may be that the advisor is assigned to the residence hall in which the student lives. The Academic Advising Center staff maintain regular hours in each of the residence halls. General advisors keep regular appointment hours in the Academic Advising Center (1255 Angell Hall). First- and second-year students most often see general advisors with questions about course elections, College requirements, and with the first queries about how to choose a concentration or degree program. Students in Bachelor of Arts (AB) or Bachelor of Science (BS) programs are expected to declare a concentration by the end of their sophomore year. They then meet with a concentration advisor and formally declare their concentration. Students must also have their concentration advisors sign a Concentration Release Form when they are planning to graduate. Concentration advisors are, most often, faculty or staff members from LS&A departments who help students shape and focus their academic goals. They discuss with students how best to progress in a concentration program and to utilize the skills acquired in the study of a particular discipline both in graduate or professional schools or on the job. Students meet with concentration advisors in their departmental offices. Students pursuing a Bachelor in General Studies (BGS) degree may consult with general advisors, but are urged to make appointments with BGS advisors. The Academic Advising Center employs BGS advisors who are knowledgeable and experienced staff members familiar with the College rules, regulations, policies, and curriculum. BGS students should see a BGS advisor when they declare their degree program. It is strongly recommended that BGS students see a BGS advisor in the term in which they submit gradution materials. Many choose to see their advisors each term to discuss course elections and program planning. All students are required to obtain advisor approval for their original elections and for any changes in elections during their first term enrolled in LS&A. After the first term, students are encouraged but not required to obtain approval of elections if they are enrolling for a program between 8 and 18 credits. Academic Standards Board 1255 Angell Hall 764-0311 or 764-0332 The educational policies and practices of the College are stated in the Faculty Code. The LS&A Academic Standards Board and a number of related offices are responsible for interpreting the academic policies set forth in the Faculty Code. Students are responsible for knowing the College and departmental requirements contained in this Bulletin. Failure to work within the guidelines for a program of study may delay a student's graduation. Members of the Academic Standards Board are able to help students individualize their programs of study and may grant exceptions to College-level academic policies and degree requirements. A student may discuss with a member and, if necessary, petition in writing for a waiver or modification of College rules. (Honors students petition the Honors Academic Board; Residential College students petition the RC Board on Academic Standing.) The petition should state the request and present clear supporting reasons. Exceptions to College policies may be granted if a student presents evidence of unusual circumstances or has an alternative proposal to specific requirements consistent with the spirit of those requirements. Members of the Academic Standards Board also administer academic discipline. Each term the Academic Standards Board, after reviewing the academic records of students who show evidence of academic difficulty, acts in accordance with the policies described in Chapter IV. The Academic Standards Board has responsibility for readmitting students dismissed because of unsatisfactory academic performance. Academic Auditors 1409 Mason Hall 763-3101 The Academic Auditors are responsible for preparing the degree list which is forwarded to the Board of Regents for approval, and therefore deal primarily with questions and issues concerning graduation and graduation eligibility. The auditors check for the completion of all LS&A degree requirements once graduation materials have been submitted, inform students of their progress toward graduation, and authorize graduation. Students who wish (1) to postpone graduation, (2) to ask specific questions about residence policy issues, and (3) to ask specific questions about graduation procedures should contact the Academic Auditors. An information sheet about the Commencement Ceremony is available outside 1255 Angell Hall. Also, students whose names were removed from the degree list should see the Academic Auditors. Students who have met the degree requirements but have not yet been graduated may obtain a Verification of Graduation letter from the Academic Auditors in 1409 Mason Hall. Such a letter is usually acceptable as evidence that requirements have been met and a degree will be awarded. The Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs 1402 Mason Hall 764-7297 Overall administration of LS&A Student Academic Affairs is the responsibility of the Assistant Dean. Policy and procedure matters are handled in this office and personal assistance is provided to students in special circumstances. The Assistant Dean also oversees the Academic Judiciary for Student Academic Affairs and is responsible for the administration of the Code of Academic Conduct. In addition, the Assistant Dean coordinates the communication and liaison efforts between Student Academic Affairs and the faculty and academic departments and programs of the College, as well as between Student Academic Affairs and non-LS&A units of the University. Office of Academic Information and Publications G411 Mason Hall (POINT-10, 764-6810) The Office of Academic Information and Publications is a College service distinguished by its focus on LS&A academic information. To maintain accurate and current information, the Office of Academic Information and Publications is in regular contact with the Academic Advising Center, the Academic Standards Board, the Honors Program, academic departments and programs, faculty members, and many University offices. Academic Information and Publications maintains the Student Academic Affairs website (www.lsa.umich.edu/saa) LS&A Peer Academic Adising Office (PAAO) G150 Angell Hall 763-1553 The LS&A Peer Academic Adising Office, staffed completely by undergraduates, offers a unique, comfortable atmosphere in which to obtain relevant academic information. Providing peer counseling, PAAO presents students with an opportunity to share and receive experiences in an informal fashion. The office maintains such resources as course evaluations and examinations. It disseminates information concerning the newest and most innovative classes. PAAO also stocks graduate catalogs from schools across the country as well as the latest in post-graduation materials. 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