With course scheduling for the spring semester beginning Oct. 21, University academic counselors are advising students to make appointments with their colleges early.
But this could be difficult depending on the college. Some students in the College of Arts and Sciences have to wait more than one month for an appointment with a counselor.
Megan Orchard, history senior, said she had to wait more than six weeks for her appointment Monday. Knowing that the college requires all seniors to sign off with a counselor the semester before graduation, Orchard said she tried to schedule early to avoid class purging and to ensure she would graduate on time.
“I scheduled in September, and the earliest they could see me was four weeks later in October,” she said. “I showed up, and the counselor I was supposed to see didn’t show up.”
Orchard said she did not receive a call in advance letting her know her appointment was canceled. She said the earliest they could reschedule her for was more than two weeks later. As a senior with priority, she said she feels sorry for a sophomore or junior trying to make an appointment.
The College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest college, has six counselors on staff. One counselor works with students who have declared a general studies major, and the other five see all other arts and sciences majors. According to the Office of Budget and Planning, 4,722 undergraduate students are pursuing a degree in the college – one counselor for every 787 students.
Rebecca Caire, assistant dean for the college, said each counselor has 13 appointments a day with accommodations for the semester’s graduates. She said the amount of time a student must wait to schedule an appointment varies. But for students scheduling next week, seeing a counselor in this college means waiting until November.
“Right now, the first available appointment for a student majoring in general studies who came in to schedule an appointment today would be Nov. 2,” she said. “For a student pursuing any other major the first available appointment would be Nov. 7.”
Melanie Brenckle, political science junior, said she waited more than one month for an appointment with a counselor in her college.
“I have been trying to change my major from political science to general studies,” she said. “Scheduling is next week, and I need to see what will transfer and if I will lose credits. I have also been in a class all semester and can’t decide if I should drop it until I talk to them.” But students in other colleges are able to get assistance from a counselor the same day they walk in to make an appointment.
Taylor Mayeux, biology freshman, said he walked into the University Center for Freshman Year and signed up on the computer to see a counselor Monday.
“There were only three people ahead of me,” he said. “I went to change my major and drop a class.”
With one counselor for every 660 students, UCFY has an open door policy, according to Aimee Frierson, one of its counselors. She said upper level students from other colleges can go to the UCFY to get assistance. But UCFY student traffic increases with spring semester course scheduling because it conflicts with the drop period, she said.
Counselor Lisa Fontenot, said students generally only have to wait 5 minutes to see a counselor in the College of Engineering.
“There are three counselors, and students don’t need an appointment as long they come in during office hours,” she said.
University staffing is a big issue, said David Kurpius, associate dean for the Manship School of Mass Communication undergraduate studies and administration.
The Manship School has two counselors for the 572 students pursuing a mass communication degree. Kurpius said the school can advise students within a few days of their requested appointment times.
“We are very proactive with our counseling,” he said. “We were one of the first to set up an eight-semester plan to make sure students graduate on time. We encourage every mass communication major and pre-major to see a counselor each year.”
—–Contact Natalie Messina [email protected]