SJSU Advising Question of the Week

Top 10 CMS Tricks

2011-02-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

Dear SJSU Advising Community,

Tomorrow is the RSVP deadline for the second workshop in our series, Top 10 CMS Tricks.

Top 10 CMS Tricks
Looking for tips and shortcuts in CMS? Dr. Stephen Branz, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and Cindy Kato, Director of Academic Advising and Retention Services will show advisors their top 10 tricks for using CMS more efficiently.

DATE: Tuesday, March 1, 2011
TIME: 9:00-11:00am
LOCATION: IRC 306. Please RSVP by Tuesday, February 22, 2011.

Online registration at (please click or copy and paste into your browser):
https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/sjsu.edu/viewform?formkey=dFBQbG5DU3U3d2JRLWRNd2NVb0VBUkE6MQ

Senior Verificaiton Cards

2011-01-31T12:13:00.001-08:00

Dear SJSU Community,

With the beginning of the Spring 2011 semester, our graduating seniors are beginning to request Graduating Senior Verification cards. As you may recall, the Graduating Senior Verification card verifies graduating senior status and confirms that, in order to graduate, the student needs the class listed on the card. The card does not guarantee that student will be allowed to enroll in a class, but that whenever possible, instructors may give priority to those with this card.

In the past, the cards have been gray and green. For the Spring 2011 semester, the cards will be yellow.

Please note:

*The "Academic Services" stamp should appear on the back of the card.

*Only one class is listed on each card (SJSU Studies courses will be listed by area)

*Eligible students have been sent a message via MySJSU with instructions about how to request a card from Academic Advising and Retention Services.

*The student's graduating term will be written in red.

*The student's personal information will be written in blue.

Registration closed Jan 17-25

2011-01-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
January 10, 2011

Welcome back from your holiday breaks!

This week's entry is a reminder that registration will be closed from Monday, January 17 through Tuesday, January 25. No registration activity will occur during these dates. Students often forget that registration closes, and they panic when they cannot enter the registration system.

This reminder should ease their minds because during these dates, no students can register; therefore, the spaces they wanted for particular classes are not being taken by other students.

Additionally, please remember that campus will be closed on Monday, January 17, 2011 for Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

Retroactive Late Drops and Withdrawals

2010-12-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
December 13, 2010

If a student needs to drop a class now, where can I find a retroactive withdrawal form?

Students should continue to use the Late Drop form at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Drop.pdf or the Withdrawal form at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Withdraw.pdf
These forms are to be used for retroactive purposes.

Advisor Updates

2010-11-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

Below, you will find several updates that you will find useful when advising students.

Payment Due Dates, Enrollment Cancellation, Waitlist.
Payment due dates can be found in the bursar's website at http://www.sjsu.edu/bursar/fees/duedates/spring/. On the day of the enrollment cancellation process, the waitlist process does not run to allow the Registrar's Office to re-enroll students in classes due to enrollment cancellation errors.

Academic Standards: Probation and Disqualification Policy, S10-6 Effective Fall 2011, Academic Senate Policy S10-6 will change how disqualification is determined. To learn more about this policy, you can:
1. Attend the Advisor Information Session on Thursday, November 18, 2010 from 9:30-10:30am in Engineering room 189 (refreshments will be available in the lobby area just outside of Engineering 189 from 9:00-9:30am; food is not allowed inside of Engineering 189). In this session, you will also learn more about Retroactive Grade Forgiveness and Incomplete grade contracts).

2. If you would you like to see a flowchart that shows the semester-by-semester process, please visit the Advisor Resources section of the For Advisors page of the Advising Hub. http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/docs/Probation_and_DQ_flowchart.pdf
3. If you would like to read the policy, you may visit http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S10-6.htm

Enrollment Unit Cap
The enrollment unit cap for the Winter 2011 session is at 4 units. This is the same cap we had during the winter session 2010.

For Spring 2011 registration, all students both graduate and undergraduate, will have an enrollment unit cap of 14 units through Dec. 21, whereas students who have applied for degree completion in the spring 2011, summer 2011, and fall 2011, will have an 18 unit limit for the entire registration cycle.

On the morning of Dec 22, the enrollment limit changes from 14 to 18 units for all students through the last day to add (Feb. 14)

There will be no change in the excess units petition procedures or requirements. The Excess Units petition form for Spring 2011 will be available on the Registrar's website a week before classes start. (Late Registration)

Here's the link to the Registrar's Spring 2011 calendar for other important dates.
http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/calendar/2112/index.htm
http://winter.sjsu.edu/calendar (IES website)

Retroactive Grade Forgiveness Did you know that there are many SJSU students who have not claimed their eligible grade forgiveness units? Students most likely to be in this situation are those who:

1. Repeated classes prior to Fall 2009 and didn’t realize there was an application for this process.

2. Did not pass a MUSE course and took another non-MUSE GE in the same area.

3. Were not properly assigned (automatically) grade forgiveness for a second attempt taken Fall 2009 or later (this situation is very rare).

4. Took cross-listed or discontinued courses, and repeated a replacement course with the same or similar content.

5. Took a class with content from included as a part of a more comprehensive course taken for the second attempt (rare; Math 30 followed by Math 30P is an example)

To learn more about this process and who would be eligible, you may attend the Advisor Information Session on Thursday, November 18, 2010 from 9:30-10:30am in Engineering room 189 (refreshments will be available in the Engineering 189 lobby area from 9:00-9:30am). In this session, you will also learn more about the Academic Standards: Probation and Disqualification Policy (S10-6) and Incomplete contracts. You can view the Retroactive Grade Forgiveness Petition at http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/docs/Petition-Retro_GF.pdf

Special Comments Regarding Graduating Seniors (graduation applications on file for Spring 2011, Summer 2011, and Fall 2011) 1. These are the only students allowed to register for up to 18 units from the beginning of the advanced registration period.

2. Graduating seniors will not be able to register for classes they are repeating. AARS will help them enroll in these courses, and AARS has sent a message to them with specific instructions for notifying AARS. The students should have followed the instructions by November 15, 2010 for prompt AARS assistance.

3. Once registration closes, students will have the opportunity to notify AARS of any classes they were not able to get. AARS will then prepare senior verification cards that students will be able to pick up before classes begin. Graduating Seniors do have priority for seats the first day of class. (Note that priority for cards will be given to students graduating spring and summer 2011 before fall 2011, but also note that students without graduation applications on file cannot get these cards.)

Advisor Survey
The Advising Liaisons have developed a short survey to determine what training material should be developed to help with advising undergraduate SJSU students. This survey applies to all advisors (not just to faculty advisors). Please take a few minutes (less than 5, we promise) to complete this survey. We will be very thankful if you respond before Thanksgiving! Please respond by Wednesday, November 24,2010.
Please follow the link below to access the survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/72CNMFZ

Project Graduation
Do you remember the big push for high units seniors to move forward in the process of graduating? All of your efforts have shown results. Comparing the 2008/9 and 2009/10 academic years, graduation applications have increased, with many of these students being awarded the degree. If you would like to see the statistics, please visit http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/for_advisors/grad_data/

Retroactive Grade Forgiveness

2010-11-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

Did you know that there are many SJSU students who have not claimed their eligible grade forgiveness units for classes they took prior to Fall 2009? If you have students in this situation, please direct them to the Petition for Retroactive Grade Forgiveness on the Undergraduate Studies website at http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/docs/Petition-Retro_GF.pdf . Students may be eligible for retroactive grade forgiveness when:

1. PeopleSoft did not properly assign (automatically) grade forgiveness to a second attempt taken Fall 2009 or later (this situation is very rare).

2. Prior to Fall 2009, many students were unaware that they could apply for GF (known then as Academic Renewal) and did not claim eligible GF at the time. If requested, retroactive GF for these courses will typically be assigned in the sequence that would have occurred had GF been automatically assigned at that time.

3. A MUSE course (or other First Year Experience (FYE) course) is taken in which students have received a C-, D+, D, D-, or F (first attempt), followed by the completion of another (non-MUSE) course in the same GE area (University Policy S04-2).

4. A course is cross-listed or discontinued, and there is a replacement course with the same or similar content (typically this happens when a course is renumbered or is cross-listed).

5. Course content from the first attempt is included as a part of a more comprehensive course taken for the second attempt (rare; Math 30 followed by Math 30P is an example)

NEW Advisor Information Session Added!

2010-11-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

NEW ADVISOR INFORMATION SESSION ADDED!

Due to the overwhelming response from advisors wanting to attend an Advisor Information Session on Monday, November 8th, a second session has been added. In this session, Dr. Branz will present the same content as during the first session. Again, this information will pertain primarily to undergraduate advising. The second session will take place on Thursday, November 18, 2010. Refreshments will be available from 9:00-9:30am in the lobby area of Engineering 189 (food is prohibited inside of Engineering 189), and the presentation/discussion will take place from 9:30-10:30am with time afterward for questions.

In this session, Dr. Steve Branz, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, will:

· Discuss changes to academic probation, disqualification, and reinstatement policies/procedures; University Policy S10-6 at www.sjsu.edu/senate/S10-6.htm

· Review policy related to Incomplete grades, including the new requirement for "Incomplete Contracts" in order to record an "I" grade; University Policy S09-7 (Section I.B.) www.sjsu.edu/senate/S09-7.htm

· Discuss Change of Major criteria for impacted and non-impacted majors

Please RSVP by Friday, November 12, 2010.
DATE: Thursday, November 18, 2010
REFRESHMENTS: 9:00-9:30am in the Engineering Lobby area
PRESENTATION/DISCUSSION: 9:30-10:30am
LOCATION: Engineering Building room 189

REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE; PLEASE RSVP BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010.
TO RSVP: Please send an email to advising.info@sjsu.edu with your name and contact information.

We hope to see you there!

-The Advising Council

Advisor Information Session

2010-10-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Advisors,

As you may well have heard, there are a number of policy and procedure changes occurring at SJSU. With academic probation and disqualification policies changing, new requirements for instructors to specify course completion requirements for students receiving incomplete grades, and new criteria for non-impacted majors, faculty and staff advisors, as well as students, will need to plan now to make smooth transitions in the future.

Therefore, the Advising Council will offer an informational session to clarify some of the policies and procedures for you. In this session, Dr. Steve Branz, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, will discuss the following topics on Monday, November 8, 2010 from 8:45-10:00am (refreshments will be available 8:30-8:45am) in Engineering room 285/7.

In this session, Dr. Branz will:
* Discuss changes to academic probation, disqualification, and reinstatement policies/procedures; University Policy S10-6

* Review policy related to Incomplete grades, including the new requirement for "Incomplete Contracts" in order to record an "I" grade; University Policy S09-7 (Section I.B.)

* Discuss Change of Major criteria for impacted and non-impacted majors

Please RSVP by Monday, November 1, 2010.

DATE: Monday, November 8, 2010
REFRESHMENTS: 8:30-8:45am
PRESENTATION/DISCUSSION: 8:45-10:00am
LOCATION: Engineering Building room 285/7

REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE; PLEASE RSVP BY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2010.

TO RSVP: Please send an email to advising.info@sjsu.edu with your name and contact information.

We hope to see you there!

-The Advising Council

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Info Session

2010-10-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Community College and San José State University Advisors and Representatives,

The College Board and San José State University would like to invite you to attend a CLEP (College Level Examination Program) informational meeting. CLEP allows students to earn credit for knowledge they’ve acquired through independent study, prior course work, on-the-job training, professional development, cultural pursuits, and/or internships by earning qualifying scores on any of 33 examinations.

In this meeting, you will have the opportunity to learn about how new policies related CLEP can benefit students who are at, or plan to transfer to a CSU campus.

During the October 29, 2010 event, Dr. Maureen Scharberg, Interim Senior Director of Student Academic Success Services at San José State University (SJSU) will also discuss CSU Impaction and how it relates to students wanting to transfer to SJSU.

Lunch will be provided to participants.

Date: Friday, October 29, 2010
Time: 11:00am - 1:30pm
Location: Student Union Building, Umunhum Room, San José State University
Registration: visit https://apps2.collegeboard.com/olrWebApp/find_meeting.jsp LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED

Please see the announcement below for more information, and click "Register Now" to register for a session. Registration can also be found at https://apps2.collegeboard.com/olrWebApp/find_meeting.jsp

We hope to see you then!

Kind Regards,

Lael Adediji
Coordinator of Advising Information
Academic Advising and Retention Services
San José State University
San José, CA 95192-0193
advising.info@sjsu.edu

Undeclared Transfer Advising Expo- Thursday, October 14th

2010-10-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hello SJSU Advising Community,

As you know, SJSU has admitted an unprecedented number of Fall 2010 Undeclared transfer students. With over 1000 of new transfer Undeclared students, the Advising Council is working on a number of initiatives to help them choose a major. One of these initiatives is the Undeclared Transfer Advising Expo, which will take place on Thursday, October 14, 2010. At this event, students will have the opportunity to attend a pre-event session facilitated by Lee Rosenfield, Career Consultant, at 9:00am in Engineering 189. At 11:00am in Engineering 285/7, students will be able to meet with department representatives.

The Pre-Event Session will help students:
*Consider new paths to the intended career.
*Explore new career possibilities.
*Learn how to get the most from the Expo.

The Undeclared Transfer Expo will give students an opportunity to:.
*Talk with representatives from SJSU’s seven colleges.
*Connect with Career Consultants and Counselors.
*Learn about various majors, minors and career paths.
*Meet with faculty, staff and peer advisors for guidance.

Date: Thursday, October 14th
Pre-Event Session: 9:30-11:00am in Engineering 189
Expo Time: 11:00am-1:00pm
Expo Location: Engineering Building, room 285

Please strongly encourage your Undeclared Transfer students to attend this event. Although these students have received event announcements in their MySJSU accounts, they are more likely to participate with your encouragement. We ask for your support in encouraging students to attend.

Kind Regards,

The Advising Council

Enforced and Unenforced Policies Update

2010-09-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Dear SJSU Advising Community,

On Thursday, August 26, 2010, the email message below was sent to SJSU advisors. While the email answered questions for many of you, it generated additional questions for others. Specifically, the subject line of the message read “Enforced and Unenforced Policies”, and created some confusion. It is important for advisors to understand the difference between the terms "not enforceable at the point of registration by PeopleSoft" and "not enforceable at the point of graduation check by graduation evaluators". Policies that are not enforced by PeopleSoft may still be enforced by graduation evaluators at the time of the graduation check.

PeopleSoft will not enforce the requirement that students who began continuous enrollment in Fall 2005 or later take SJSU Studies courses from three different departments. Though PeopleSoft will not enforce this policy, graduation evaluators will enforce this when they complete the graduation evaluation.

Although PeopleSoft does enforce the requirement that students pass the WST/Level 1 of the GWAR prior to enrolling in SJSU Studies, PeopleSoft will not enforce some SJSU Studies prerequisites (completion of core GE and completion of 100W for students who began continuous enrollment in Fall 2005 or later). If students complete 100W (area Z) after completing areas R, S, or V, the graduation evaluators will not penalize them or require them to take additional classes.

Undeclared Transfer Advising Expo

2010-09-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

September 7, 2010

Hello SJSU Advising Community,

As you know, SJSU has admitted an unprecedented number of Fall 2010 Undeclared transfer students. With over 1000 of new transfer Undeclared students, the Advising Council is working on a number of initiatives to help them choose a major as soon as possible. One of these initiatives is the Undeclared Transfer Advising Expo, which will take place on Thursday, October 14, 2010 from 11am-1pm in Engineering 285/7. Much like the Sophomore Advising Expo in Spring 2010, the Advising Council has invited representatives from the various majors to staff tables while discussing major and co-curricular information with students. Students will receive advice and guidance in choosing a major, and free lunch will be available to them.

If you are in contact with any Undeclared Transfer students, please strongly encourage them to attend this event. These students will receive event announcements in their MySJSU accounts, but your personal encouragement for them to attend will have a major impact on their decisions to take advantage of this opportunity. We ask for your support in encouraging students to attend.

DATE: Thursday, October 14, 2010
TIME: 11am-1pm
LOCATION: Engineering Building room 285

Kind Regards,

The Advising Council

Graduating Senior Cards for Spring 2011 Grads

2010-08-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
August 30, 2010

Will Graduating Senior Verification Cards be given to students graduating Spring 2011?

Yes, beginning today, Monday, August 30th, cards will be given to seniors who have applied for graduation for Spring 2011.

Graduating Senior Verification Cards

2010-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dear SJSU Advising Community,

You may recall that during the Spring 2010 semester, Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) distributed gray Graduating Senior Verification Cards. These cards were a great help for graduating seniors needing to enroll in classes at the beginning of the semester. Because both students and professors found the cards to be so useful, these cards will be distributed again for the Fall 2010 semester with two important changes:

1. Students in the College of Engineering will be able to pick up their cards from the Engineering Student Success Center (ESSC).

2. The cards will be lime green and will again be embossed.

Soon, students with an Application for Graduation on file for Fall 2010 graduation will receive a message via MySJSU with specific instructions about how to indicate their remaining required courses, and how to pick up their cards. Students who have already made an email request to academic.advising@sjsu.edu or who follow the instructions in the MySJSU message by Friday, August 20th will have their cards pre-prepared, making the pick-up of their cards faster and easier. Distribution of cards will begin Monday, August 23rd.

Regards,
Academic Advising and Retention Services

Advising for New Transfers

2010-08-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
August 16, 2010

Now that the last Transfer Orientation session has passed, I have some transfer students who want advising. What should they do?

Students with quick GE questions may stop at the Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS)front desk for brief answers. For students needing more in-depth assistance, AARS will begin making appointments after the Fall 2010 add deadline passes. In the meantime, students may contact their major advisors for major information. For advisor information, visit http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/advisor_contact_info/

Disqualification Workshops

2010-08-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

Question/Announcement of the Week
August 2, 2010

This week's entry is more of an announcement than a question. If you have any students who have been academically disqualified and would like more information about reinstatement and readmission, they are welcome and encouraged to attend either of the two Disqualification Workshops:

*Friday, August 20th from 10am-12pm
*Friday, September 24th from 3-5pm

Students should go to http://events.sjsu.edu to RSVP.

Assigned Undeclared Students- What to take?

2010-07-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
July 26, 2010

This week's question is a common one all across SJSU.

"New fall 2010 transfer students who have been assigned into the Undeclared major have come to my office asking me what to take in Fall. What do I tell them?"

Just like the rest of us, the Fall 2010 students are doing their best to navigate the waters of impaction. For those who are unable to take major classes, they are recommended to focus on remaining lower division GE, SJSU Studies (if they have passed the WST), minor courses, and any preparation courses for an intended major.

Students are also being referred to the Advising Hub website on Schedule Creation at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/schedule_creation/

Dropping Summer 2010 Classes

2010-07-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
July 19, 2010

I have a student who needs to drop a summer class that he started last week. Why can’t he drop the class online?

This week’s question has been a frequently asked one by students and staff alike. The first day of instruction for the 2nd session of Summer 2010 classes was Monday, June 7th. The last day to drop these classes without a “W” was Thursday, June 10th. Currently, if a student wants to withdraw from a summer class, he or she will need to complete a petition and submit it with all of the required documentation. The deadline to drop with a “W” is the same day as the last day of instruction, August 12, 2010.

Fall 2010 Graduating Senior Verification Cards

2010-07-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

This week's question has been asked multiple times through the Advising Hub.

Will the Graduating Senior Cards be distributed again for Fall 2010 classes?

Yes, they will. Spring 2010 was the first time these cards were used to verify students' graduating senior status and they were given to students with a Spring 2010 application for graduation on file. Students who needed to add a class were given this card as verification of their graduating senior status and as verification that they did, in fact, need the particular class they were seeking. The cards did not gain students automatic entry into the class, but they did notify the instructor that the student truly needed the class to graduate in a timely manner. Students with this card were often allowed into the classes when space was available.

Though the cards are likely to look different than they did in Spring 2010, they will be available to students again for Fall 2010.

SJSU Studies In Different Departments

2010-06-22T13:37:00.001-07:00

Question of the Week
June 28, 2010

As we move through the Advanced Registration period, this week's question has been asked by several students and advisors.

"Can I take more than one SJSU Studies course from the same department?"

The current policy for SJSU Studies courses is that areas R, S, and V must come from three different departments, if the student began continuous enrollment in Fall 2005 or later. Area Z, 100W, is major specific and may share the same department as a course from R, S, or V.

For more information, please see http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/catalog/rec-2163.html

Disqualification Workshop

2010-06-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
June 21, 2010

The following question has come up many times over the past week from both students and advisors:

"I have been disqualifed. What do I need to do to get back into SJSU?"

This question is a big one that cannot be answered on a blog entry. Therefore, AARS has set up a Disqualification Workshop for students in this situation. The Disqualification Workshop will cover the process of reinstatement and readmission. It will also offer students tips and suggestions for returning to SJSU.

The workshop details are as follows:
Date: Friday, June 25, 2010
Time: 12:30-2:30pm
Location: Engineering Building room 189
RSVP required - go to http://events.sjsu.edu

New Student Attending Part Time

2010-06-14T09:00:00.001-07:00

Question of the Week
June 14, 2010

I am working with a new Fall 2010 transfer student who will be having a baby in September. She is not certain if she can handle a full load of classes for fall semester. Does she have to enroll in full-time units (12 units) to remain a SJSU student and not lose her space here?

No, the student can enroll in part-time units. As a part-time student, she can keep her units low to promote her academic success, and she will have no problems registering for Spring or Fall 2011 classes.

WST & 96S at the Same Time?

2010-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
June 7, 2010

I have a student who has not passed the WST. He is registered for 96S during summer, as well as for the June 12th WST. He just wants to be sure that he completes this requirement, and become eligible for SJSU Studies classes. If he passes the WST, would he be able to withdraw from 96S.
The best thing for the student to do is choose one. Since he is already registered for the WST, he may want to consider dropping 96S before the summer session begins because:

1. Passing the WST is not an unforeseeable serious and extenuating circumstance that would warrant approval of a late drop petition.

2. With a little extra preparation, such as a LARC workshop, he may be able to pass the WST.

3. Other students need the 96S, so if he thinks he can pass the WST, then dropping 96S would create space for another student to enter the class.

Summer Schedule

2010-06-02T11:27:00.001-07:00

Question of the Week
June 2, 2010

This week's question comes a little late due to the Memorial Day closure and Furlough.

I cannot find the summer schedule of classes. Where is it? It's very easy to find. Simply go to http://ies.sjsu.edu/ and click on the "Summer Session" link on the left side of the page. To find the Registrar's calendar for adding, dropping, withdrawing, etc., simply go to http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/calendar/2103/index.htm.

FAQs for Advisors of Assigned Undeclared Students

2010-05-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
May 25, 2010

An unprecedented number of new students will enter San José State University for the 2010-2011 academic year. The FAQs below should help you answer questions you have related to this group of students. A list of student FAQs will be posted on the Advising Hub within the next week.

1. Which students are considered “assigned Undeclared”?
The “assigned Undeclared” students are those who were admitted, yet unable to be accommodated by the intended major. Therefore, they are assigned to the Undeclared major.

2. How many assigned Undeclared students do we expect to actually come to SJSU?
The first Transfer Orientation took place on April 16th, and of 595 students who attended, about a third of them were assigned Undeclared. In total, we expect 1300 new Undeclared transfer students.

3. Why are we refusing to accept Change of Major forms until Fall semester begins?
Current declared students should have priority for registering for classes that are reserved for majors only. Once new students are allowed to change their majors, they will begin to fill classes before current students have full opportunity to register.

4. Do Fall 2010 transfer students who wish to apply for non-impacted majors need to wait until the beginning of the Fall semester to apply for a change of major?
Yes. Students wishing to apply for majors that are not impacted will also need to wait until the Fall semester begins to submit the Change of Major form.

5. During the Transfer Orientation, what classes are they being advised to take?During the Transfer Orientation sessions, assigned Undeclared students are being advised to focus on any lower division general education courses they may have missed, courses to count for a minor, and preparation courses for the intended major. Some majors are requiring students to pass particular courses at SJSU to make them eligible to be considered for the major; students may take these classes. Students should check with the major department for rules and strategies for applying and being admitted.

Additionally, students are strongly encouraged to take and pass the WST to make them eligible for SJSU Studies courses. Each assigned Undeclared student should leave their Transfer Orientation session with 6-8 possible classes for their fall enrollment.

Furthermore, after Transfer Orientation, assigned Undeclared students receive a message via MySJSU which includes the Transfer Orientation General Education PowerPoint presentation, as well as a list of suggestions for Fall 2010 registration.

6. When should a student apply to be admitted into the major?
Not all students will be admitted into their desired major. Some may not be admitted because of space available in the department, and others may not be admitted because of their grades or because they lack other preparation. Whatever the reason, many students will need to be flexible in their academic plans. Departments should keep in mind that Presidential Directive 2009-05 (http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/presidential_directive/html/g3/) states

3.4 If a student chooses to declare a major that is impacted, the student must apply to the impacted major no later than November 1st in order to register for Spring semester and April 1 for fall term. Students declaring an impacted major must meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the impacted major. (Note: local or nonlocal status at time of admission plays no role in decisions after admission.) A departmental or college admissions committee will decide admissions into impacted majors. If the student meets the impaction eligibility criteria, and will not increase the time to graduation by more than 15 units by changing into that major, the student will be allowed to add the major if there is space available.

3.5 Students who apply to declare a major and are not accepted by that major may only apply twice to that major and only if the units they take between the first and second application do not exceed 12 units.

7. Should we advise students to go to another school, since they may not get their intended major here?
Students who are likely to be admitted into the major may be advised about the proper steps they need to take to make their admission more likely. Students who clearly will not be admitted into their desired major may be presented with other options, such as:
a. Exploring other majors and different paths to the intended career
b. Considering minors
c. Reconsidering the career choice

8. Aren’t we setting students up to become High Units Seniors by not allowing them to get started right away with their majors?
The assigned Undeclared students will not necessarily become High Units Seniors because they are given appropriate information during Transfer Orientation to register for classes that will count for the degree. Between general education courses, SJSU Studies, minor courses, and preparation courses, they should be able to enroll in a full load of classes that will count toward the degree.

Late / Retroactive Drops

2010-05-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

"My student wants to drop a class because he hasn't been doing well. He wants to drop the class before the semester ends."

The last day to withdraw was April 27th. The student may not drop the class due to poor performance. Currently, students may only drop classes for three reasons beyond their control (WB):

1. Death of a relative
2. Medical reasons
3. Military deployment

Beginning May 19, 2010, classes dropped will be considered retroactive and must be considered "serious and compelling reasons that are clearly beyond your control."

High Unit Seniors - Graduation Applications

2010-05-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

May 10, 2010
Question (Statement) of the Week

Since Fall 2009, SJSU has been implementing Presidential Directive 2009-05 regarding Graduation and Changes of Major. High unit seniors (over 120 units) were required to apply for graduation by April 16, 2010. Of 5039 high unit seniors who had over 120 units at the end of Spring 2009, nearly 3000 have graduated, and approximately 1700 more have applied for graduation. Excellent progress has been made.

However, 300 of those students, though messaged multiple times via MySJSU, still have not applied for graduation. These 300 students are now blocked from registering for Fall 2010 classes. This block will be removed if the student submits a complete Application for Graduation to Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) by June 1, 2010. There is no longer any guarantee that we can process graduation applications for these students in time to allow them to participate in advanced registration. If AARS cannot verify an Application for Graduation on file by June 1st, students will not be allowed to register for Fall 2010 classes.

Students should address questions to Cindy Kato, Director of AARS. Advisors who have concerns about this issue may contact Dr. Dennis Jaehne, Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies. For a list of which of these 300 students in your college please see the Advising Liaison for your college.

Change of Major Forms

2010-05-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
May 3, 2010

This week's entry is an update on Change of Major

As you know, many of our SJSU majors are impacted, resulting in a record number of freshmen and transfers being admitted as Undeclared majors. These Undeclared Fall 2010 admits are eager to change to their desired majors, and in the past, students were allowed to change majors before the beginning of the fall semester. This year, however, students may not apply to change their majors until the first day of Fall 2010 instruction, Wednesday, August 25, 2010.

Beginning August 25, 2010, students may apply to change their majors by submitting the Change of Major form to Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) in the Student Services Center.

http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/docs/major_minor.pdf

Summer 2010 Excess Units

2010-04-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
April 27, 2010

This week's question comes as a frequently asked one from various areas of campus.

"How many units can a student take this summer?"

The unit load limit for the entire summer semester is 12 units. If students wish to add up to 15 units, they must file the Petition for Excess Units. The form will be posted on the Registrar's website at www.sjsu.edu/registrar by May 31.

WST Resources for Students

2010-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
April 19, 2010

I have a student who cannot pass the WST, but he hasn’t done any workshops, either. What resources are available on campus to help a student pass the WST?

There are a number of resources available to students.

1) Students may attend workshops through the LARC. Visit http://www.sjsu.edu/larc/resources/wst/ for more information.

2) Improve their writing by utilizing the Writing Center resources. Visit http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/ for more information.

3) Review resources such as Barron’s How to Prepare for the California State University Writing Proficiency Exam.

R26 and Summer Registration

2010-04-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
April 12, 2010

With Summer 2010 registration just around the corner, advisors are beginning to wonder about R26 holds and how students with them will register.

For the Summer 2010 term, R26 service indicators will not impact registration. However, students with the R26 service indicator will need to watch their MySJSU messages for instructions about registering for Fall 2010 classes.

Where to Submit Graduation Applications

2010-04-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
April 5, 2010

This week’s entry is really a response to an issue that arises at Academic Advising and Retention Services about verifying the receipt of Graduation Applications.

When students are ready to apply for graduation, they should submit their Graduation Applications and major forms to Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) in the Student Services Center. When the application is submitted, a Graduate Assistant or a Graduation Specialist will accept the forms and document that they were received.

When students submit their forms to other offices or through other means, then AARS will not be able to verify that the forms were ever submitted. For instance, students sometimes give forms to their major departments for submission. If the major department does not submit the forms to AARS or submits them to a different office, then there will be no documentation of their receipt. When the student later comes to AARS to inquire about the status of their application, the Graduate Assistant or Graduation Specialist will not be able to verify that the application was ever submitted. In such case, the student will need to either attempt to track down the forms or submit the forms again.

Therefore, students are strongly recommended to hand deliver their completed Graduation Applications and major forms to AARS. This is the best way to ensure proper routing of these important forms.

Withdrawing from Classes

2010-03-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
March 21, 2010

This week’s question is a common one frequently asked at the AARS front counter:

“I need to drop a class because I’m not doing well in it. What do I need to do?”

The first thing the student should do is consider why he or she is dropping the class. Has the student had a family member pass away, or has the student been enjoying the recent sunny weather and has simply chosen to go to the beach rather than to attend classes? At this point in the semester, the reason for dropping or withdrawing should be serious and compelling. Surfing and getting a tan is not considered serious or compelling.

Next, the student should print out the appropriate form (www.sjsu.edu/advising/forms) and READ IT CAREFULLY. The form will ask for:

1.The most current version of the appropriate form (forms change, so the student should always go online to print the most recent version)

2. Page 1 of the Degree Progress Report

3. All appropriate signatures, as listed on the form. Please note: approval by the signers does not necessarily mean that the final petition will be approved.

4. A personal statement detailing why the student wants to drop the class, especially at this late date.

5. Documentation supporting the information in the personal statement

6. Indication that all of the information provided was truthful and complete.

Students should turn in their forms with appropriate documentation to AARS. Students should also take note that the last day to withdraw from all classes is April 26, but withdrawals due to serious and compelling reasons beyond the student’s control (such as major illness or death in the family) can be done at any time.

Sophomore Advising Expo

2010-03-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
March 15, 2010

This week's "Question of the Week" is not a question, but a reminder. Please remember to tell your Freshmen and Sophomore about the Sophomore Advising Expo. You can find the information below. It is also posted on the Advising Hub at www.sjsu.edu/advising.

Sophomore Advising Expo - Wednesday, 3/17/10 - 11:30am-1:30pm

As a student, early planning means long-term success. Sophomores and Freshmen-- This event is for you!

Come to the Sophomore Advising Expo on Wednesday, March 17th from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Room of the SJSU Cafeteria.

Lunch will be available for student participants.

The Sophomore Advising Expo is a resource faire to help you plan for graduation and beyond, an opportunity for you to connect and have lunch with representatives from resources across campus, including academic departments and co-curricular programs such as Study Abroad, Housing, Counseling Services, and MOSAIC. At the Sophomore Advising Expo, you will learn about:

*Studying abroad, clubs, and organizations
*Participating in research activities, and learning through service and volunteerism
*Various majors and career paths *Policies that will support your success
*A variety of campus resources, both academic and co-curricular

Take charge of your education! Come to the Expo!

100W Without 60 Units

2010-03-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

CALL 45680

Question of the Week
March 8, 2010

One of my advisees will achieve 59 units at the end of this semester, and is concerned that she will not be able to enroll in 100W because she will not meet the 60-unit requirement.

Is this a problem? Can she enroll for 100W in the Fall anyway?

Generally, a student must have 60 units to enroll in SJSU studies courses, but some policies are being relaxed to allow students to progress toward their degree. This is one of those policies. If the student will complete 60 units while enrolled in 100W in Fall 2010, then she will be able to receive credit for 100W.

Changing or Adding Majors/Minors

2010-03-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
March 1, 2010

If students have 90 or more units, can they still add a minor? I have a student with 75 total units who wants to add a minor, I also have one with over 90 units. I was under the impression that the former student, and not the latter, would be allowed to add the minor. Is that correct?

The answer is that both students may or may not add the major/minor . Departments have the choice to admit a student into the major or minor. Students with less than 90 units need only the signature of the department Advisor or Chair.

Students who have 90 or more units need additional signatures from the College Associate Dean and AARS Director, and they also need to provide a statement explaining how the units will impact their graduation plans. This personal statement, along with their academic history will be closely reviewed when the decision is made to approve or deny the request. If the required approval is granted, the student will be able to make the change.

Graduation Date Changes

2010-02-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
February 22, 2010

This week's question is a compilation of several different questions that have come up over the past few weeks.

"I have a student who needs to change her graduation date from Fall 2009 to sometime in the future. We're not exactly sure when he will graduate, but he needs classes for Spring 2010."

Once the student chooses an expected term of graduation, he may complete a Graduation Date Change form and bring it to Academic Advising and Retention Services. The student will need to do a drop-in with an AARS advisor, and the advisor will make the decision to approve or deny the request. Approval will not be granted for a form that is incomplete.

Students should be aware that once they change the graduation date, they will automatically receive an R26 restrictive hold that will necessitate AARS intervention prior to registration (including any adds and/or drops) for all future semesters.

FAQs about the WST

2010-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
February 15, 2010

With changes to policies regarding the WST, advisors are finding themselves changing the way they advise students. Under the new policies, students will be able to complete Level 1 of the GWAR (Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement) by passing the WST or by passing LLD/ENGL 96S. The 96S is not a replacement for LLD 98/99; the courses serve different functions. Whereas LLD98/99 was used as a required course before students could attempt the WST a third time, 96S is being used to demonstrate writing competency. Therefore, passing 96S will allow them to move on to 100W and other SJSU Studies courses.

Here are a few frequently asked questions:

Will the 96S course replace LLD 98 and 99?
Not quite. LLD 98/99 was used as a requirement to help students pass the WST, but passing the class did not result in completion of the WST requirement. ENGL/LLD 96S is an alternative method of demonstrating writing competency. Therefore, when students pass the 96S, they will have completed the requirement of passing the WST or Level 1 of the GWAR (Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement). Successful completion of either the WST or LLD/ENGL 96S will allow them to move on to SJSU Studies.

Does this mean that students cannot use the list of classes on the UGS website under the List of recommended courses for AY 2009-10 if you've failed the WST twice (pdf) link to replace LLD 98/99 or ENGL/LLD 96S?
Those courses listed at that link are not being used to replace the WST or Level 1 of the GWAR. They are also not required in order to attempt the WST a third time, as was the case with LLD 98/99. The community college courses on the website are recommended as additional assistance for students having trouble passing the WST, but they are not required and will not replace 96S or the WST.

If they pass 96S they take the WST again, right?
No. If students pass 96S, they can move on to 100W and other SJSU Studies. The level 1 of GWAR will be complete.

How many times do students need to fail the WST before they are eligible for 96S? Is it two times or can students apply to take the class if they failed it the first time around?
A student can take 96S even if they have not failed the WST (these students should contact UGS for more information), but because 96S is in high demand, there is a strong preference for students to at least attempt the WST prior to taking a seat in 96S. Additionally, it is anticipated that students would prefer to spend $25 to attempt the WST for one day rather than spend $750 to enroll in the course for an entire semester. The policy adopted by the Writing Requirements Committee allows students to choose the 96S course to satisfy the WST requirement at any time.

When will information about 96S come out for Summer classes?
More information regarding 96S in Summer will be made available around the middle of March.

Can students use English 1B in place of passing the WST?
This was always done by exception and contract on an individual student basis; however, as of Spring 2010, such arrangements will no longer be made. English 1B will NOT be used to waive the WST. In fact, there are NO WAIVERS for the WST requirement.

Are there any additional instructions for students with disabilities?
Students with disabilities should register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) to determine if their WST requirements will be handled differently.

Enrolling in Classes with Time Conflicts

2010-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
February 8, 2010

I have a student who plans to graduate Spring 2010. The only way she can do this is if she enrolls in two classes that have a time conflict. Both instructors are okay with her coming late/leaving early, but MySJSU will not allow her to enroll in both classes. What should she do?

This type of situation does happen. Certainly, it is not recommended for students to leave early or arrive late to classes, but sometimes it is the only option. Students in this situation should begin by thinking about how coming late or leaving early will impact course performance, discussing possible alternatives with an advisor, and discussing their special arrangements (coming late / leaving early) with the instructors of the conflicting classes.

Then, the student should take to the Registrar's Office a note from the department for the class which s/he is unable to enroll through MySJSU. The note should be on department letterhead and contain the student's name, ID, and permission number for the class. Once the student brings the note to the Registrar’s Office, processing of the request is a quick, if not immediate, process.

Using Current Late Drop and Withdrawal Forms

2010-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
February 1, 2010

I have a student who wants to do a retroactive drop from a class she took in Fall 2009. I cannot find the link to the form for Fall 2009 drops. Where is it?

Good question. When dropping from a class, the student should use the current form at www.sjsu.edu/aars/forms . Currently, the link reads "Spring 2010 Petition for Course Drop [PDF]". If your student wants to complete a retroactive withdrawal (withdrawal from ALL classes), she should complete the form at the link "Spring 2010 Petition for Withdrawal (from ALL courses) [PDF]".

Even though the student may be dropping a class (or entire schedule) from Fall 2009, the Wpring 2010 form is currently in use. Additionally, the Spring 2010 form offers a space where students may specify the term in question.

Graduating Senior Cards

2010-01-25T09:00:00.001-08:00

Question of the Week
January 25, 2010

As we all know, competition for seats in classes can be fierce. Classes are full and waitlists are long, yet SJSU needs to make a serious effort to graduate seniors. If classes are full, how are graduating seniors to get seats in the courses they need to complete the degree? Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) is making an effort to assist these graduating seniors by giving them a Graduating Senior Card. On gray cardstock and embossed with SJSU’s seal, the Graduating Senior Card will be given to those with an Application for Graduation on file for Spring or Summer 2010. Graduating seniors may come to AARS, where their remaining courses will be verified. They will then be given the card as documentation that the particular class is needed. Then, they can take the card to the course instructor as verification that the student truly does need the class to complete the degree. Whenever possible, please give students with this card priority for an add code.

When an instructor receives this gray card, s/he should look for SJSU’s embossed seal, as well as the student’s name and identification, the course needed, and the initials of an AARS staff member. Many high units seniors will be aware of this card. If you have a graduating senior who needs this verification, please do not hesitate to send him or her to AARS for a Graduating Senior Card.

Excess Units Petition Link Active

2010-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week (two questions this week!)
January 25, 2010

I can’t find the Excess Units Petition. The link seems to be down. Will it come back up? If so, when?

The Excess Units Petition link is now active. The Excess Units Petition can be used for students who wish to exceed 18 units (up to a maximum of 21 units). You can find the petition at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/forms/.

Link to WST Policies

2010-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
January 19, 2010

Now that LLD 98/99 has been eliminated, what should my students do?

The Office of Undergraduate Studies has posted the revised policies on their website at http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/students/WST/ . When you visit this website, you will find the new procedures for students having trouble passing the WST.

Incorrect Grade Assigned

2010-01-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
January 11, 2010

This week's question (and variations of it) came in from multiple people through the advising hotline and email last week.

I meant to assign a grade of “C” to a student, but I somehow assigned a “WU”. The student has been disqualified from the university. If I had given the student the correct grade, he would be on academic probation, but not disqualified. What can I do now?

Accidents happen. You should complete a Grade Change form (available in your academic department) and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. The form should be signed by the instructor/chair before the first day of the next term. Students are not allowed to submit these forms.

Powerpoint Presentation for Community College Counselors

2009-12-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
November 30, 2009

As many of you are aware, representatives from various community colleges in our service area visited SJSU on November 20th to discuss how they can help their students transfer to and be successful at SJSU. To view Dr. Dennis Jaehne's powerpoint presentation, you can visit http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/docs/Transfer_mtg_11.20.pdf.

Excess Units Petitions

2009-11-24T14:59:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
November 23, 2009

Have you been wondering how to access the Excess Units Petitions for Spring 2010 classes? Many of you have noticed that the form is not available .

The form is currently not available on the AARS site at http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/forms/ ; however, it will be posted online on January 10, 2010. The petition will only be considered for students with a graduation application on file for Spring or Summer 2010. Exceptions will not be made to the graduation application requirement.

Spring 2010 Registration Calendar Email

2009-11-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
November 16, 2009

This week's Question of the Week is, yet again, not a question. I have been receiving a number of questions regarding registration dates and timelines. Thefore, for today's Question, I will post Marian Sofish's (Registrar) email regarding the Spring 2010 registration calendar. The email was originally sent on October 30, 2009.

Good afternoon,

We're getting ready for the Spring 2010 registration cycle. And to that, let me share with you some relevant information on appointment times, unit load and priority registration for graduating students.

1. Winter 2010 and Spring 2010 appointment times will be posted on MySJSU on Monday, November 2. Schedule of Classes will also be posted on http://info.sjsu.edu/ on the same day.

2. Advance Registration: Monday, November 9 - Sunday, January 17

All undergraduates and graduate students will have a unit load limit of 14 units from Monday, November 9 through Sunday, January 17, except students who have applied for graduation for Spring 2010 or Summer 2010, who will have a unit limit of 18 units. Graduating students both undergraduate and graduate will be messaged on MySJSU on November 2 (when appt times will be posted) about their unit load limits.

3. Monday, January 18- Monday, January 25: There will be no registration activity for this period.

4. Late Registration: Tuesday, January 26- Friday, February 12, 2010

Unit limit for all students will be increased to 18. Excess units petition limit up to 21 units will be available only to graduating students on their final semester. Excess units petition forms for undergraduate students will be made available on the Registrar's website beginning the first week of January 2010 and must be submitted to Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) front counter in the Student Services Center. Graduate students needing to register for more than 18 units must get permission from department chair or program directors of their plan of study. The department chair or program director notifies the Registrar's office of the approval via a memo.

For other important dates, please visit the Registrar's office website at http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/calendar/2102/index.htm

In closing, I would like to request you assistance in disseminating this communication to your academic units, faculty and staff.

Thank you.

Marian

Marian Y. Sofish
Registrar
San Jose State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0009
408-924-2012
msofish@sjsu.edu

GE From Another CSU?

2009-11-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
November 10, 2009

"I have a student who took a class at San Diego State University. The class counted for GE credit there, but there is no equivalent course here at SJSU. How will this class be counted?"

If the class at San Diego State University is counted for GE credit at that institution, then it will be counted for the same area of GE credit at SJSU. You can take a look at the articulation website at http://info.sjsu.edu/home/artic.html to look up specific classes.

Using New Forms

2009-11-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week
November 2, 2009

This week's question is, again, not a question. Instead, it is a reminder. We all know that many of SJSU's policies are changing and therefore, many of the advising forms have changed, as well.

Late Drop forms, Petitions for Withdrawals, Change of Graduation Date forms, and Change of Major forms are all examples of recently changed forms. Please remember that Academic Advising and Retention Services (AARS) and the Registrar's office have both stopped printing forms for distribution to students. Instead, we are asking students to print the most updated form from the internet. Old forms are not being accepted by AARS or the Registrar's office.

What does this mean? It means that if you have printed forms in your office that you distribute to students, you should make sure they are the most updated versions. When students attempt to submit old forms, they are asked to complete and submit the new form, instead. Alternatively, you can also stop distributing forms and refer students to the internet, as well.

You can find links to the appropriate forms by visiting the Advising Hub at www.sjsu.edu/advising.

WST and LLD

2009-10-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
October 26, 2009

My student failed WST. She was told to talk to her major advisor. I believe she needs to take an LLD – are we offering LLD classes in Spring?

Many of you have already heard that LLD 98/99 will not be offered in Spring 2010.

Because the course is required for students who have failed the WST after a second attempt, the Office of Undergraduate Studies (UGS) has posted an online list of recommended community college courses for students who will not be able to enroll in LLD 98/99 at SJSU in Spring 2010 ( http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/students/WST/ ). To be allowed to take the WST again, students will have to submit a 'declaration of WST preparation' indicating the course they have completed. Alternatively, LLD 99 will be offered Summer 2010 through Open University. UGS is exploring the possibility of offering the LLD 99 through special session during Spring 2010, but a plan has not yet been implemented.

UGS also has new instructions and eligibility criteria for students who have failed the WST more than 3 times. The 'WST Waiver' will no longer exist, but students will be able to demonstrate writing competency with the ‘Alternative Demonstration of Writing Competency’ petition. Students will file this petition at the Peer Mentor Center in Clark Hall.

You can find updated WST information at http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/students/WST/ and on the Advising Hub at www.sjsu.edu/advising.

Presidential Directive 2009-05

2009-10-13T12:01:00.001-07:00

Question of the Week
October 13, 2009

This week's Question of the Week is not a question, but a statement, a very important one.

As you all know, Presidential Directive 2009-05 was created in response to changes in Title 5. As of yesterday, the Implementation Guidelines for the Presidential Directive have been posted on the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/presidential_directive/.

On the website, you can find the Presidential Directive, the Implementation Guidelines, and Frequently Asked Questions. Please take time to review this website, as it includes important information about changes of major and graduation requirements.

Grade Forgiveness for MUSE Courses

2009-10-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
October 6, 2009

I heard that a student who took a MUSE course and failed it was able to use another course for grade forgiveness. Is this true?

Yes, it is true. A student who takes a MUSE course and fails it may use another course in the same area of GE for grade forgiveness. The student must complete a Miscellaneous Petition available in the Office of Undergraduate Studies.

For example, if a student enrolls in PSYC 096PQ (Becoming a Jedi) for area E and fails the course, then he or she may complete the Miscellaneous Petition and request grade forgiveness with HS 001 (Understanding Health), a non-MUSE area E course.

Please remember that students may not exceed 16 units of grade forgiveness, of which no more than 9 units may be upper division and no more than 9 units may be lower division units.

70 Transfer Units with Additional AP Credit

2009-09-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
September 28, 2009

If a student transferred 70 units from SJSU to a community college, can that student still transfer in additional units from Advanced Placement (AP) tests?

Yes, the student may still transfer the AP scores to apply to the SJSU degree. The 70-unit maximum only applies to accredited community colleges, not to 4-year universities or AP scores. However, care should be taken to make sure that students do not take coursework that is equivalent to the AP exam already passed.

Current Drop and Withdrawal Forms

2009-09-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
September 22, 2009

This week’s entry is not based on a question, but on an observation.

There are still a few academic departments that have the old drop and withdrawal forms listed on their websites. Most of these departments saved the old forms as images and posted the images on their websites.

To remain current on changing forms, it is a good idea to link directly to the form. To find the current Late Drop form, please use the following link:
http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Drop.pdf

To find the current Petition for Withdrawal, please use the following link:
http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Withdraw.pdf

Credit/No Credit for PE

2009-09-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
September 14, 2009

"I have junior who wants to take his PE requirement for credit/no credit. Can he do this?"

Yes, your undergraduate junior may take the class for credit/no credit, provided that he does not exceed the allowable maximum number of units. In fact, the online catalog states:

An upper-division (Junior or Senior) student shall have the option of taking a maximum of 12 semester units as long as the units are not in the major or minor, or in support of, preparation for or prerequisite to the major or minor, or for General Education on the basis of Credit/No Credit for courses under the basic letter grade system. Eligible students may choose this option by turning in the CR/NC option form, available at www.sjsu.edu/registrar/forms, by the add deadline. Students may accumulate a maximum of 60 semester units of Credit/No Credit grades toward a baccalaureate degree.

In addition to turning in the CR/NC Option form, you must have officially added the class.

CAUTION: Credit = A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C; No Credit = C-, D+, D, D-, F, WU.

http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/catalog/rec-1788.html

Late Drops

2009-09-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

The drop deadline has passed and the phone calls about withdrawing from courses have begun. Earlier today, an advisor asked about the difference between the WA and the WB. First, I must begin by explaining that students who wish to drop individual classes while maintaining at least one enrolled course will complete the "Petition for Course Drop" at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Drop.pdf . Students who wish to drop all of their courses will use the “Petition for Withdrawal (from ALL courses in the semester) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Withdraw.pdf .

Regardless of whether the student is using the Petition for Course Drop form and will maintain at least one enrolled course, or whether the student is using the Petition for Withdrawal to drop the entire schedule, there are two categories of Withdrawal (http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/docs/Petition-Drop.pdf).

WA: This stands for Authorized Withdraw. This means that the student experienced serious and compelling reasons "over which there might have been an opportunity to anticipate and drop the course prior to the drop". However, students will not be allowed to late drop from a class due to missing prerequisites. Students are limited to a maximum of 18 WA units.

WB: This indicates a withdrawal for reasons Beyond the student's control. Reasons beyond the student's control may include serious illness or death of an immediate family member. There is no limit to the number of WB units.

Both the WA and WB require documentation. Additionally, the type of withdrawal (WA vs. WB) will be indicated on the unofficial transcript. The official transcript will only read "W".

Crashing Classes

2009-08-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

If you are like most advisors on campus, the most common question you have been asked this week has been, "I need more classes, can you tell me what's open?"

Similarly, if you are like most advisors, then your most common answer has been something like, "Not much". Students are leaving our offices with their running shoes on and explicit instruction to crash courses (ie, to show up at the courses and attempt to get an add code).

Students have come to the front desk at the Student Advising Center having made several unsuccessful attempts to add into various classes. However, we do have some hints for getting a full load of classes. You can see them on the Advising Hub at .

Although this semester is proving to be a challenging one for students, they will learn a few important lessons:

1. Plan ahead and see an advisor.

2. Register at the first available opportunity.

3. Pay attention to all deadlines; including fee deadlines.

Missing Prerequisites

2009-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
Monday, August 24, 2009

I have a student who has already taken History 1A (course departments and names changed for anonymity) and did quite well in the class. The student then took History 1B and failed the course. The student also needs Hisory 2A and 2B. When he attempted to sign up for 2A, he was unable to add the class. In the catalog, History 1B is listed as a prerequisite for 2A, but we have students take the courses out of order all of the time. Honestly, we don’t care if students take them out of order. My department Administrative Assistant tried to enroll the student into the class, but this did not work, either. What’s going on? Why can’t we get this kid into the class?

When this question was asked of me, I suspected that the student was unable to get into the class because he had not completed the prerequisite (he had failed History 1B, which was a prerequisite for History 2A). However, because the advisor informed me that the department regularly allowed students to take the course out of sequence, I wondered if there was a different problem.

After reviewing the student’s enrollment information, I found that he had indeed been prevented from enrolling in the course because he had not met the appropriate prerequisite. I then informed the advisor that the student had not been able to get into the class due to missing prerequisites and the advisor was stunned because this had never happened in the past. We all know our university is changing as it works hard to manage difficult enrollment and budget situations. Rules are being tightened and followed much more closely; cracks are being sealed such that very little can "slip" throug them anymore.

With this in mind, the student may wait until the first day of class to talk to the instructor and attempt to secure an add code. At that time, the student should be able to register for the course.

Enrollment Management Distribution List

2009-08-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Were you aware that there was a Gear Up meeting on Friday, August 14th? Did you get the email?

If you didn’t receive information about the Gear Up meeting because nobody told you about the meeting or because you never received an email notification, then perhaps you should sign up for the Enrollment Management email distribution list. If you sign up for this list, then you will receive important Enrollment Management updates via email. Within the past few months, notifications have been sent out regarding issues such as the fee increase, the 14-unit limit, and special session admissions.
If you haven’t signed up for the Enrollment Management email distribution list, then please do so because you must subscribe for the list to receive the updates. The few minutes you use in reading and following the instructions will be well worth your time.

Go to the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/for_advisors/enrollment_management/index.htm#7-30-09 for more information about getting on the list.

Super Senior Delaying Graduation

2009-08-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
August 11, 2009

I have a super senior student who applied for graduation in Spring 2009 and at the time, she put down Summer 2009 as her graduation date. However, she still has to fulfill some important components of her major. Hence, she would like to push her graduation date to December 2009. What changes do we need to make in terms of paperwork?

Your student can update her graduation date by filling out a Graduation Date Change Form at http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/docs/grad_change.pdf. She will pay a fee of $10. I'm sure you've heard the recent discussions about super seniors (students with over 120 units) and about the CSU's efforts to graduate them. Because of this, your student will probably begin to receive communications from the university and from AARS about the importance of graduating in fall. Please give her a heads up about this because SJSU is really stepping up efforts to graduate seniors and make space for other students.

Educational Leave

2009-08-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
August 3, 2009

"My student has been approved for a educational leave, to return to SJSU, does he need to reapply for the university?"

If the student returns for his agreed upon semester, then he should be able to return as a regular student without reapplying for the university. If the student takes additional time away from SJSU, then he will no longer be considered a SJSU student and will need to reapply for the university. For more information about leaves of absence, visit http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/catalog/rec-2100.html.

Repeating Courses for Grade Forgiveness

2009-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
July 27, 2009

This week's question comes as a response to several questions regarding students who wish to repeat courses, and which students should receive permission numbers first.

When students need to crash courses on the first day of instruction, instructors must make the decisions about who to allow into the course. While some instructors may choose to follow the most recent version of the course waitlists, others may give priority to graduating seniors and seniors. As classes begin to fill to capacity, more instructors are asking about students who wish to take their classes for grade forgiveness (formerly known as academic renewal). Specifically, instructors are wondering how highly they should prioritize students who are repeating their classes. That is, when instructors are giving permission numbers to students, where do students wanting to repeat the course fall in terms of priority?

The answer is that students who are repeating courses may be allowed into the class on a “space available” (Academic Senate Policy F08-2) basis. Essentially, this means that once other students have been allowed into the class, then those repeating it may be allowed. Given the fact that some departments have had to reduce the number of courses they offer, more students will crash courses. Since repeaters are fairly low in priority, they are likely to have difficulty getting into their desired courses. However, instructors will grant permission to repeaters for those who can provide their major forms or graduation checklist to show their remaining requirements for the Fall semester. Facilitating graduation is also one of the impaction initiatives that we need to undertake.

What can you do as an advisor to help students? You can encourage students to perform as well as they can to prevent need to repeat courses. Additionally, you can continue to encourage students to seek regular advising and to maintain contact with their professors. Advisors may also encourage seniors to work with their departments and apply for graduation in a timely manner - this will allow seniors a greater chance of getting into courses they need to repeat.

Advanced Placement (AP) Scores

2009-07-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
July 20, 2009

This week's question has been coming in from students seeking assistanceat the Student Advising Center.

"I have AP (Advanced Placement) scores. How do I know if I have fulfilled any requirements from my AP tests?"

This question is quite easy to answer. In fact, the answer can be found in the 2008-2010 university catalog on page 457 and online at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/catalog/rec-1942.html . Using either source, simply look up the AP test, which will tell you the number of college units the student will receive, the equivalent SJSU course (if any), and any GE credit the student will receive (if any).

When deciding how AP tests may count toward major requirements, students should speak with a major advisor because AP credits may not be allowed to fulfill major requirements.

Repeat Courses with "C"

2009-07-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Question of the Week
July 13, 2009

This week’s question was a quick one.

“When SJSU moves to the new grade forgiveness policy, can a student repeat a course if he/she originally earned a “C” in the class? The student wants to repeat the class to improve the gpa for graduate school.”

According to Executive Order 1037 section B1, students may repeat courses only if they earned grades lower than a C. Therefore, a student with a C may not repeat the course.

SJSU Studies from the Same Departments?

2009-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
July 6, 2009

This week’s question came in from a student in the student Advising Center. The course and department have been changed.
I am an English major and I took English 123C for Area V of SJSU Studies and for my major. I also took English 169 for Area S of SJSU studies, as well as English100W for Area Z. May I use these classes to count for GE?

The student may use some of the courses, but not all, for GE credit. If the student began continuous enrollment in Fall 2005 or later, Areas R, S, and V may only be fulfilled by GE courses offered from different departments. In fact, the Course Schedule reads, “For students who begin continuous enrollment Fall 2005 or later, courses used to satisfy Areas R, S and V must be taken from three separate SJSU departments or other distinct academic units”. Therefore, if the student began continuous enrollment in Fall 2005 or later, only English 123C or English 169 will count for SJSU Studies; the student will not be able to count both classes for GE credit.

Area Z, however, is not subject to this limitation. Therefore, even if the student uses an English class to fulfill either area R, S, or V, the student may still use English 100W to fulfill area Z.

Student on Probation

2009-06-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
June 25, 2009

I am a faculty advisor and I work with a student who got a D in one of his classes in Spring 2009. The student is a junior. He subsequently received an academic probation letter which reads as follows,

Seek major advising directly from your department/major advisor to determine if you are eligible for a Retroactive Drop, Retroactive Withdrawal or a Grade Change. While these options may result in an improvement of your cumulative GPA, please note that they will not will not change or remove your current academic standing. Promptly attend any advising workshop that you may have been invited to by your college.

I am not inclined to offer a retroactive drop or withdrawal, so is retaking the class his only option? How long will the probationary status last, and how will that affect the student's status at SJSU for the next semester?

No, repeating the class is not his only option. He can also choose not to repeat the class. A “D” is considered a passing grade, unless the major has other requirements. If your major department does not require a higher grade, he does not need to repeat the class. Another area in which a “D” may be a problem is if the course is a prerequisite for another course that requires a higher minimum grade.

With all of this in mind, he does need at least a 2.0 GPA overall, in his SJSU courses, and in the major and minor (if applicable) to graduate. If he doesn’t repeat the class, he will need to work harder to improve his GPA. The probationary status will remain until he brings his overall GPA up to 2.0…unless he gets disqualified. Since your student is a junior, he should not let his GPA fall below 1.85 or he will be academically disqualified. Once he becomes a senior, his GPA should not fall below 1.95 or he will become disqualified. In the meantime, he will receive an academic probation hold, but since you've been working with him, you should be able to release it or follow your department’s procedures for releasing probationary holds.

Summer Disqualification

2009-06-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
June 15, 2009

This week, we have a hot question from students and advisors. On June 10, 2009, the Office of the Registrar sent out a message to students, which has generated quite a few questions. The text of the message is below.

Subject: Disqualification for Summer ‘09

Dear Student,

If you are planning to enroll or have already enrolled in the Summer 2009 semester, this message may apply to you. This is a notification that we will be disqualifying students at the end of Summer 2009 semester. Our records show that you have been placed on academic probation during the Fall 2008 and/or Spring 2009 semesters. Therefore, you may be in danger of disqualification at the end of the Summer 2009 semester if you do not meet the gpa requirements to remain in Continued Probation standing. We have provided the link to the catalog for you to review the university’s academic regulations. Or you can also make an appointment with an academic advisor in Academic Advising and Retention Services in the Student Services Center.

In the past, SJSU would place students on academic probation or continued probation for the summer term, but did not academically disqualify them, regardless of the GPA. This procedure is changing for Summer 2009. This summer, students will be placed on both academic probation and continued probation, and students whose SJSU cumulative GPA falls below disqualification levels (1.95 for seniors and post-baccalaureates, 1.85 for juniors, 1.70 for sophomores, and 1.60 for freshmen) will be academically disqualified.

The message is simply notifying all students on probation that they may be disqualified if their SJSU Cumulative GPA is too low based on their Summer 2009 grades.

The potential summer disqualification only applies to students enrolled at SJSU during the summer semester.

Students should speak with an advisor for more information about academic probation.

Renewal for similar classes?

2009-06-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
June 8, 2009

Today’s question was asked twice last week. To maintain the anonymity of the advisor who asked the question, the department and course have been changed.

"My student took History 110A and failed the class. She would like to use History 110B for grade forgiveness [formerly known as academic renewal]. Can the student use History 110B to forgive the grade she earned in History 110A?"

No, the student cannot use History 110B to forgive the grade from History 110A. Although both History courses are "History of Japan", 110A focuses on Japan's history up to 1750 and 110B focuses on Japan's history since 1750. Whenever grade forgiveness is used, the first and second attempt must be from the same course. Therefore, if the student failed History 110A, then she may only use 110A to seek grade forgiveness.

Student Gone for a Really Long Time

2009-06-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
June 1, 2009

This week’s question came from the Student Advising Center’s front counter. The student asked, “I took 15 units of general education courses when I was a SJSU student 16 years ago. I have taken community college courses since I left SJSU. How can I know which of my old GE courses will still count for GE credit today?

The student was very happy to hear the answer to this question because he was informed that regardless of how long ago he took the classes, they will still count for GE credit. When he is ready to seek GE advising from the Student Advising Center, it would be best for him to bring all of his transcripts (unofficial are okay) because sometimes finding older transcripts can be tricky.

Does the NC Grade Impact the GPA?

2009-05-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
May 26, 2009

I have a student who took 100W and received a grade of NC. How will this impact the student's GPA?

A grade of NC will not impact the student's GPA.

The 100W courses are graded on the basis of ABC/NC. With this grading structure, any grade less than a "C" will be counted as a "NC". NC grades are not calculated into the GPA and therefore will not impact the GPA. This grading structure prevents a negative impact on the GPA of students earning less than a "C".

Discrepancy Reports

2009-05-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
May 18, 2009

This week's blog came as a recommendation came from the Advising Council.

Did you know that if you see something that appears inaccurate on the Degree Progress Report, you can complete a form to have it reviewed and corrected, if necessary? This form is called the "Discrepancy Report".

Here’s an example for why you may wish to use a discrepancy report - Let’s say you have a student who took a course at a community college and the student believes the course should have counted for GE credit. According to the student’s degree progress report, the course did not count for GE credit. You then take a look at SJSU’s articulation website (http://info.sjsu.edu/home/artic.html) and find that the course is listed for GE credit. Once you find the course on the articulation website, you agree with the student in that you also believe there is a problem, or discrepancy, on the degree progress report. Because you want to make sure the student truly knows what he needs to do to graduate, you report the discrepancy by filling out a discrepancy report. This discrepancy report will, in effect, result in a review of that area of the degree progress report.

The discrepancy report is easy to use. Here's how to use it:

1. Do your best to research the course in question before you submit a discrepancy form.

2. Go to http://degreeprogress.sjsu.edu/ and log in using your SJSU Employee identification number and your birthday 4 digit birth month and day (mmdd). Example: Feb 7 = 0207..

3. Once you enter the online discrepancy report form, you will be able to indicate the discrepancy and make comments.

Evaluators generally respond within 48 hours and inform you as to the results of their review.

Independent Studies units - What is the max?

2009-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Is there a maximum number of independent studies units a student can take and count toward graduation?

Yes. I’ll use Creative Arts (CA) 180 as an example. The catalog states that a student may receive 1-4 units for CA 180 and that the class is repeatable for credit. This means that a student may count up to 4 units from CA 180 toward graduation. The student may take the class once for three units and then repeat the class for one unit, and count all four units for graduation. However, if the student takes the class for three units and then repeats it for two units, the student will only be able to count four units toward graduation; the student will lose one unit.

However, there is an exception. If the student uses the class as a major requirement and the department approves, then the student may count more than four units toward graduation. The key here is that the units must appear on the major sheet. If the additional units are not approved on the major sheet, then the additional units will not be counted toward graduation.

Leave of Absence after Withdrawal from the Semester

2009-05-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
May 4, 2009

If a student withdraws from all of her classes for one semester and wants the next semester off, does the student need to do a leave of absence to come back the following semester?

As a matter of fact, yes, the student does need to do a leave of absence by completing the "Leave Request Form".

Normally, a student may choose not to enroll for one semester without having to reapply for SJSU. For example, if a student is enrolled throughout the Spring 2009 semester, the student may choose not to enroll in Fall 2009 and still have the option to return to SJSU in Spring 2010 without having to reapply for the university. However, if a student withdraws from a semester and wants to take off the following semester, then the student must complete a “Leave Request Form” in order to return to SJSU without reapplying. Therefore, if a student withdraws from Spring 2009, the student must complete a “Leave Request Form” to take off Fall 2009 and return in Spring 2010 without needing to go through the application process.

You can find policies regarding withdrawal from the university at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/catalog/rec-2095.html.

The “Leave Request Form” can be found in the Registrar’s list of forms at http://www.sjsu.edu/registrar/docs/leave_request.pdf

Archived Articulation Information

2009-04-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
April 27, 2009

Is there an archive for articulation? One of my students completed a major course at a community college and claims that it articulated as a SJSU course at that time, but now the SJSU articulation site at http://artic.sjsu.edu/ indicates that there is no articulation agreement for the course. Is there a way for me to tell if the course once articulated as our SJSU major course?

Fortunately for the student, there is a site that he/she can use for viewing older articulation agreements. The website, www.assist.org, will allow the user to specify the institution where the course was taken, the transfer institution, the course, and the academic year when the course was taken. From there, the site will retrieve information as to whether or not the course was articulated with a SJSU course or not.

Academic Probation Advising

2009-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
April 20, 2009

I have a student in my office who has a hold for academic probation. What should I do with the student to have the hold removed?

As we move into Summer and Fall registration, this question will become more frequent, and it is important for advisors to know how to handle the situation.
Students have a variety of options to have their holds cleared:

1. College of Science, College of Business, and College of Engineering students should be referred to their advisors and appropriate advising centers.

2. Students may work with their major advisors. Advisors should consider discussing a variety of topics with students including: factors that led to probation, time management, study strategies, selecting appropriate courses for the student’s academic foundation, and developing a balanced schedule that takes into account students’ work hours, family life, and academic ability. Students should also be informed of the GPA minimums to prevent disqualification.

For instructions on how to remove the hold in CMS, go to http://my.sjsu.edu/employees/sa_help/dept_sa_users/qr_sr_remove_hold/.

3. Students who are not in the Colleges of Science, Business, or Engineering may attend an Academic Probation workshop offered through Academic Advising and Retention Services. The workshop will discuss student pitfalls that often lead to probation, strategies for improvement, and how to calculate the GPA. Students must arrive on time and holds will be released after the workshop ends. Students may call (408) 924-2129 to RSVP.

As advisors, we all know that students have competing demands on their time and energy including work and family responsibilities. Often, academic success depends upon success in the various other areas of the student’s life. Therefore, when students are able to balance out their many roles and responsibilities, they are more likely to perform well in their courses.

*****************************************************
For your reference, all students with a hold for academic probation received the following mySJSU message on January 13, 2009 (http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/messaging/ ):
You have been placed on probation or continued probation due to your academic performance during the Fall 2008 semester. Please read the letter at the link below and see your advisor with any questions. Academic Advising and Retention Services will schedule workshops after the drop/add period and will post that schedule beginning February 3 on our probation website below. College of Science and College of Engineering students should watch for future messages and contact the College Advising Center for more information.

Please note that according to Academic Senate policy F96-11, "An undergraduate student on academic probation is restricted to a course load no greater than 12 units." You are expected to review your registration for Spring 2009 and make any appropriate changes to comply with policy. We strongly encourage you to do so before registration closes at midnight tonight 1/13 and in any case no later than the drop deadline of 2/3. This allows others to take the seat in the class. Limiting yourself to 12 units also increases your chances of success and the likelihood of improving your gpa.

http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/docs/messaging/probation.ugrd.1.12.09.pdf
http://www.sjsu.edu/sac/policies/probation/

Maximum Transferable Units from Community College

2009-04-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
April 13, 2009

If a student transfers more than 70 units from community college to SJSU, who decides which units get transferred and from which classes?
This was a great question that I have answered a number of times. Fortunately, there is no need for deciding which units will transfer because the transfer of units is based on numbers, rather than on courses. Generally, a student may transfer a maximum of 70 units to SJSU from a community college. Therefore, if a student has completed 80 transferable units from the community college, 70 of those units will be accepted toward SJSU's unit requirements. The remaining 10 units will not be counted. If the courses meet any GE or major requirements, then the courses will be applied to the appropriate academic requirements, but the student will not receive any unit credit for the courses.

Transferring courses from other accredited universities is a little different because there is no maximum number of units that may be transferred. Therefore, a student may transfer 70, 80, or even 100 units from another university; there is no unit limit. However, students should be informed of the residence requirement when transferring high units from other universities. The residence requirement states:

"At least 30 units must be earned while matriculated at SJSU. Twenty-four (24) of these units must be upper division courses, 12 units must be in the major and 9 units must be in General Education (SJSU Studies - Areas R, S & V). Extension credit, Open University credit or credit by evaluation cannot be used to fulfill any of the 30 units. Restrictions on using credit from Open University and Community Colleges for a bachelor degree can be found below at Limitations of Undergraduate Credit." (http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/grad_reqs/)

Therefore, while SJSU students may transfer as many units as they wish from other universities, they must be mindful that they still need to complete 30 units from SJSU to receive a SJSU degree.

English 1B Complete, Written Communication Still Needed

2009-04-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
April 6, 2009
This week’s question came from a student who visited the Student Advising Center’s front counter.

“I took the equivalent of English 1B at Mission Community College with the expectation that I would count it toward my Written Communication (C3) GE requirement, but my SJSU Degree Progress Report states that the class was applied toward my Critical Thinking (A3) GE requirement. Therefore, my Degree Progress Report states that I am missing Written Communication (C3). Do I have to take another English 1B class to fulfill the Written Communication (C3) requirement at SJSU?

No, the student does not need to take another English 1B course. Although SJSU counts English 1B as a Written Communication (C3) GE, some community colleges count English 1B as a Critical Thinking (A3) requirement. Therefore, when the class is processed in the Degree Progress Report, it shows up as A3. This means that if the student has not already done so, he or she will need to complete area C by taking an additional Arts (C1) or Letters (C2) course.

As always, there are special considerations such as with students who have Advanced Placement scores and GE Certifications. If you are advising a student about GE and you have questions, please feel free to call the Advising Hotline at (408) 924-2511 or refer the student to the Student Advising Center.

Incomplete grade assigned; student re-registers for class

2009-03-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
March 30, 2009
"I have a student who is enrolled in my class. The student is doing well, but he just told me that he registered for the same class last semester and was assigned an incomplete. If I give him a grade for my class, he will still have the incomplete from last semester. Will he get an IC for the first attempt at the class?"

Yes, he will. If the incomplete grade is not assigned a letter grade after one year, it will become an IC (incomplete charged, which calculates as an “F” grade). However, this student does have a few options.

1. If the deadline to add classes has not yet passed, the student may drop the class in which he is currently enrolled.

The remaining options minimally require students to have a serious and extenuating circumstance explaining why the petition is being submitted, as well as documentation supporting the student’s claim and even then, the petition may not be approved.

2. If the semester in which he is attempting to repeat the class is still in session but the drop deadline has passed, the student may petition to late drop (http://www.sjsu.edu/sac/docs/old_docs/latedrop.pdf) from the class and talk to the instructors of both classes about a course of action to earn a grade for the first attempt.

3. If the semester in which he is attempting to repeat the class is no longer in session, he may attempt to petition for a Retroactive Course Drop for a grade of “W” (http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/docs/petitions/Retro._Course_Drop.pdf).

4. If the incomplete grade has already been changed to IC and the student does not petition for Academic Renewal prior to the deadline to add classes, the student may petition for Retroactive Academic Renewal (http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/docs/petitions/Retro._Acad._Ren.pdf ).

If the student does not take action or if the student’s actions are not approved, both his IC and the grade from his second attempt will be averaged into the GPA.

Are you ready for the exciting part? The exciting part is that after Executive Order (EO) 1037 comes into effect on August 9, 2009 (http://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-1037.html), policies will change. For instance, under EO 1037, "Undergraduate students may withdraw from no more than 18 semester-units (27 quarter-units)." Therefore, once the student reaches the limit, he will not be able to withdraw from any more courses, except where serious and compelling reasons exist. More details will be available during the Registrar’s workshops in April.

Furthermore, according to the SJSU catalog (http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/catalog/rec-1885.html), an incomplete shall not be assigned when it is necessary for the student to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered." Therefore, advisors should use caution when they recommend students talk with their instructors about being assigned incomplete grades.

Probation in Spite of GPA above 2.0

2009-03-16T12:17:00.001-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
March 16, 2009
"I have a student who enrolled in my class during the Fall 2008 semester, and she then withdrew from the class after the semester ended. At first, her grade was a WU for my class. Because of the WU, she was on academic probation. After she dropped the class, her GPA went up, but her transcript still says she is on probation. Why is she on probation when her GPA is above 2.00?"

This week's question was a great question because I was also stumped by it. If the student's GPA increased to 2.00 as a result of the withdrawal, why would her transcript continue to say that she is on probation?

After consulting with representatives from the Registrar's Office, I learned that once the probationary status is placed on the record, it will not be changed. Although the SJSU and cumulative grade point averages may increase to 2.00 and the averages on the transcript reflect the changes, the student's status for the semester will remain the same. The status does not change.

Let’s say this same student does not do well the following semester (Spring 2009) and her cumulative GPA falls below 2.00. In this case, the student will be placed on Continued Probation, even though her Fall 2008 GPA was above 2.00 after her withdrawals had been processed.

On the other hand, if the student does well in Spring 2009 and keeps her cumulative GPA at 2.00, she will be in Good Standing.

Therefore, when students need to late drop from classes, they should be encouraged to do so in a timely manner. Delays can have unintended consequences such as being placed on Probation, as was the situation with this student.

Applying for Graduation

2009-03-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
March 11, 2009

"I have a student who needs to apply for summer 2009 graduation. The priority deadline to apply was March 1st and today is March 11th. Can the student still apply for graduation?"

Yes, the student may still apply for August or December graduation, but the student will not receive registration priority for the upcoming semester. Furthermore, when students submit their applications by the priority deadline, they will receive a worksheet of outstanding requirements prior to the graduation term. This allows them to make sure they register for the correct classes that they will need to complete the degree. When students delay in applying for graduation, they may also experience delays with receiving their worksheets. This means that they may not receive timely notification about their remaining requirements, creating an even greater problem when students think they have completed all of their graduation requirements, only to find that they have outstanding courses

As a rule, students who have earned 90 units should apply for graduation one year in advance of the graduation date. By adhering to this rule, students plan ahead and are able to work out any problems well in advance of the graduation term.

I need to drop a class after the Drop Deadline...

2009-02-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
March 2, 2009

"I need to drop a class. When is the last day for me to do it?"

This week's question did not come in through the Advising Hotline or through the advising.info@sjsu.edu email, but from the Student Advising Center's front desk.

The deadline to drop a class was on February 3rd. Students who plan to drop a class between February 4th and the last day of instruction will need to submit a "Late Drop Request" form available in the Student Advising Center. When students hear the term "Late Drop", they sometimes do not realize that the transcript will reflect this late drop with a grade of "W" (Withdrawal). They also do not realize that a Late Drop Request form should be submitted when the student plans to drop from one or more classes while remaining enrolled in at least one other class. When students want to drop from all of their courses, they need to fill out a "Withdrawal Request". The Withdrawal Request is to be used by students who are withdrawing their entire enrollment. Students who withdraw from all of their classes may incur additional fees and/or result in repayment of funds, including financial aid.

Now, back to the topic of late drops. Students should understand that Late Drop requests are reviewed by a committee and will take 1-2 weeks to be approved. In the meantime, they should continue attending the class because the request may not be approved.

When a student wants to late drop from a course, the student should:
1. Pick up the Late Drop Request form from the front desk of the Student Advising Center or download it at http://www.sjsu.edu/sac/docs/old_docs/latedrop.pdf .

2. READ THE FORM THOROUGHLY

3. Write a personal statement that explains why he or she is dropping the class late and was unable to drop prior to Drop Deadline. Valid reasons for dropping late are "serious and compelling", such as divorce, personal or family medical issues, or administrative error.

4. Provide documentation that supports the personal statement. Examples of documentation include a doctor's note, foreclosure paperwork, or a court summons. Students who have a situation that is not so easily documented will need to be more creative in their approach. They should think of this process as going to court to win a case, and provide whatever evidence they think will promote their cause. Generally, students should not expect the committee to do research for them, to talk with their instructors, or to call them for clarification. Sometimes students say that they tried to drop the class prior to the deadline, but the class reappeared in their schedule the next day. In this case, the student should thoroughly explain the process they went through to drop the class. The committee that decides whether the request will be approved can check in CMS to see if the student did, in fact, legitimately drop the class.

5. Complete the form, remembering to write in codes, classes and section numbers.

6. Secure the instructor's signature.

7. Submit the form to the Student Advising Center.

8. Continue attending class; the request may be denied.

You may read more about the Late Drop Request at http://www.sjsu.edu/sac/policies/latedrops/ .

With the upcoming implementation of Executive Order beginning August 1, 2009, students will be able to withdraw from a maximum of 18 units. See http://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-1037.html for details on EO 1037.

Got Blogs?

2009-02-05T11:02:00.000-08:00

When I first started here at SJSU, I was charged with the task of making sure that you, the amazing advisors at SJSU have all of the facts, information, and updates that you need to accurately advise students, and to feel confident about doing it. As you all know, I have been taking your calls, answering your emails, and otherwise providing answers to your questions in any way that I can.

Now, I'm starting something new. When I was first asked to consider starting a blog, I simply couldn't make sense of it. How could I possibly blog about academic policies? Well, I have found a way to do it! Rather than bore you with my daily thoughts, I have decided to update this blog on a weekly basis with answers to "The Question of the Week".

Each week, I will select one of your questions and answer it here on this site. Rules, policies, facts, and information - you can find it here. You ask, "how will you decide which questions to answer?". I respond, "I will answer the questions that are particularly interesting, that are frequently asked, or that are unusually difficult to answer".

As I become a more proficient blogger, I will attempt to moderate discussions and allow you all to post comments on this site. I hope you all are as excited about this as I am!