February 2012

Volume 2 - Issue 6

From the Director

The CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center is ramping up for a very busy period in our office. Last year in just the two months of February and March we accounted for 30% of our total annual appointments! Though we try to encourage students to come see us for planning earlier in the year, many students don't think about it until they begin to hear about the upcoming registration process. Please encourage students to seek advising early (and for future reference Fall is even better!) and not wait until their day to register. We can help students understand requirements and set up appropriate plans prior to registration opening to avoid delays! 

As we experience an influx of traffic here in our office we also realize that you may be getting more questions about registration in  your office as well. We have provided more information about some frequent concerns/issues in this newsletter to help prepare you for some of these conversations. We'll provide more in March closer to the start of the registration period. If you have a student that has a question that you do not feel you can answer, please do not  hesitate to connect with us or send the student to us for assistance. Thanks for your support and dedication to CCPS students!

Exploring Careers in Community & Public Service (Round Table)

The CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center is hosting a career round table for students wishing to learn more about career opportunities in law & justice, public & non profit sectors; social work, and hospitality & tourism. Students will have an opportunity to particpate in discussions with GVSU alums and employers in their field of study to learn more about career pathways and options. There will also be an informal networking reception to follow the round table discussions. This session is intended for students early in their career selection to learn more about the options available. Space is limited and RSVP is required. CCPS faculty are also welcome to attend - please RSVP for planning purposes.  MORE INFORMATION

Advising Active and Former Service Members and their Families

There are more than 260,000 students attending about 6,000 colleges and universities under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill. Also, for the first time since the U.S. government offered the original GI Bill benefits after World War II, about 50,000 of the students covered have been family members –‐ wives, husbands and children of enrollees. Grand Valley State University has been recognized by several organizations as a Military Friendly School based on the
university's academic programs, reputation and support of student veterans. What do you know about issues and processes involving service members and their families? Attend this forum to learn more about how faculty and advisors can help these students navigate their college experience successfully. The event will include a panel presentation with GVSU students who will discuss their experiences returning to school after military service or being a family member of someone who served. There will also be information presented by a variety of GVSU staff who will talk about specific issues or resources available for these students throughout campus. February 9th 3-5pm Cook-DeWitt Auditorium , RSVP under Advisor Development Committee

Student Success Series Winter 2012

There is still time to register for several workshops to assist students with Time Management and Study & Test Taking Skills. If you have a student who you think could benefit by attending, please have them RSVP. MORE INFORMATION

Advisor Registration Holds

Students who are on academic review (probation or jeopardy of dismissal) will have an advisor hold placed on their record preventing them from registering for the upcoming academic year during the March advanced registration period without approval.

In order for this hold to be removed CCPS undergraduate students must follow the process outlined to receive the signature of an academic advisor. This process is the ONLY way to have the hold lifted for CCPS students. Holds will not be lifted over the telephone or by email!

To avoid registration delays students should begin the process immediately and complete the process prior to their registration day in order to register on time. Students have been provided with this information to their GVSU email account as of last week.  MORE INFORMATION

Registration Schedule Available

The 2012-2013 Advanced Registration Schedule is now available. Registration will open March 20th and run through April 6th for current undergraduates. Specific registration dates are based on credits applied to degree (including the in progress hours for this semester) and the student's last name. Students are encouraged to review this information and register on, or or as close to their day as possible, to ensure best course availability. Students needing to meet with an advisor should be encouraged to schedule an appointment ASAP to avoid delays during this busy period. MORE INFORMATION

CCPS Process for Override Requests

The College of Community & Public Service has an electronic form for students to use when requesting access to a CCPS course which has a pre-requisite that has not been met or when a permit is required. This form has been in use for two years now and has streamlined our process allowing unit heads to review student requests and send systemized emails to students with the decision and instructions for follow-up. Please refer students to this process for any request for access to a CCPS course that requires unit approval. MORE INFORMATION

GVSU Email Communication

Please advise students you are in contact with to use their Grand Valley State University email account. All communications from
Grand Valley State University and from the CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center are done using the official GVSU email address. If
students are not able to manage their GVSU email account on a frequent basis, please advise your students to forward their GVSU account to their personal email where it can be reviewed on a frequent basis. Directions on forwarding email accounts can be located on the IT website. MORE INFORMATION