Advisers and students braved the post sandy condensed Spring 2013 online registration period Nov. 12-23 in order to make their schedules for next semester.
Registration is an intimate process at Seton Hall in which mentors and advisers work directly with students, planning classes and giving them a "PIN" number. The process ensures communication between advisers and students.
"Seton Hall University has a commitment to good academic advising, and the way that we can be sure that students have been exposed to their academic advisers is to give them a PIN that says as soon as you're ready to be registered, here's the number," Dr. Tracy Gottlieb, vice president of student services, said.
Sophomore, Nicole Fischer in the Nursing school was affected by the time crunch after Hurricane Sandy, and then became sick before her registration period when she was supposed to have an academic advising meeting.
After explaining this to her adviser, she received her PIN in an email.
According to Fischer, her adviser did what she could to accommodate students who missed meetings after the storm.
"It was almost as if I had complete free rein" Fischer said.
Although Fisher registered under special circumstances, the registration process is different with department advisers than it is through the freshmen mentor experience. Freshmen, with less experience at the university, require more guidance.
"The reason why we want you to be advised by an adviser in your department as you become further along in your program is because we recognize that professors in each department have an expertise that they can share with students as they work with them adviser to advisee" Gottlieb said.
According to Gottlieb, the freshman registration process is designed specifically for new students. It is more general and teaches students about their commitment to the curriculum and one day, graduation.
"We want students to learn how to take charge of their curriculum," Gottlieb said.
Ultimately students, after they receive their PIN number, decides what classes they take.
A School of Nursing adviser, professor Linda D'Antonio said she takes a personal approach to the advising process.
"I have children that are in college myself, so I advise students as I would advise my own children," D'Antonio said.
According to D'Antonio, advising in her department is very complex, and almost everything needs a prerequisite, so communication is crucial in advising.
According to Gottlieb, the National Academic Advising Association honored Seton Hall's Freshman Studies program this fall as an Outstanding Program of Merit.
Additionally, the National Symposium on Student Retention honored the freshman advising program with the Best Practice award.
Mary Marshall can be reached at mary.marshall@student.shu.
