Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The UNH advising system sucks.

 I can't put it any simpler than that. Well, maybe I shouldn't go that far... but my advisor is absolutely terrible at advising and the secretaries in my major's department aren't any better. For the first time in blog history I'm admitting that I am only sophomore. Yeah, I started this as a freshman... I'm an arrogant bastard blah blah blah, I know. (Not really... ladies)
So anyways, I emailed my advisor over the weekend about setting up a meeting and she is yet to reply back. I feel like our advisors should try and be a little more communicative, especially at this time of year when students are stressing over finals and registration. If I recall from last year she treated me like a child and was extremely bitchy, so this actually doesn't surprise me. Last year she said right in front of me that she hates that she has to be an advisor and just wants to teach.
Anyways, back to my previous point. I already know what classes I need to take, what I want to take and what I can take and in the past these meanings have been pretty meaningless. So today I go into the department office and I explain to the secretary my situation. I ask her if I can get my RAC and time and she seems shocked and appalled by that question. Which angered me because I tried to schedule a meeting, it's not like I was being lazy or ignorant. She treated me like I had no idea what is going on and told me to fill out one of those registration first and second choices sheets and bring it back before she would give me my RAC. Those sheets are absolutely pointless and a waste of time to any student with common sense. I don't understand why we need to fill them out before choosing our classes on blackboard. Last year I only took one class I had on that list. I guess they come in handy for students who can't keep track of their requirements and pre-requisites, but we are in college so it shouldn't be that difficult. Anyways, I think this prompts the question of whether or not the UNH advising system (and maybe even registration system) needs to be changed.
 Maybe not all professors within each department should be advisors. I know that some actually enjoy it and it makes it much easier for their students. Another thing that could be helpful would be if the entire registration times were moved up so students don't have to deal with that and preparing for finals. I know that at Maine all registration was completed a few weeks ago. I feel like it is very last minute and can be kind of hectic, especially if your advisor (like mine) doesn't respond to emails or honor their office hours. What the fuck? Really? She has office hours for 1 hour once a week and she isn't even there. Whatever, I know what I need to do and how to do it, it just seems that as a professor and an advisor she should be more available and at the very least reply to emails. It's not like she is sick or gone for an emergency, she is just being a bitch. (I know this because I asked the secretary who told me she was around earlier.)

But I'll end this with some good news. Over 800 people have already joined the facebook group asking for UNH to adopt a form a the Good Samaritan Law. A member of student senate, who is working on it already, contacted me and provided the group with a bunch of info. Hopefully this will generate some interest around campus, because the students can have an impact.

Stay classy, not UMassy.

2 comments:

  1. I think we should have staff advisors at the college level (a la WSBE) when we come in the first year, but then pick a faculty advisor as a sophomore. That way we would have somebody interesed in advising to get us off on the right foot, then we can find a faculty member who we fit with to focus on specialized major stuff. That way faculty advisors wouldn't be resposible for degreee requirements (which they often have little knowledge of)as much, but would have a more mentor-like relationship. Wolf

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  2. The wsbe advising office takes walk ins from 10am to 11:30 and 1:30 to 3:45. All i want is to get a drop-form signed. I wasted 2 hours today chasing a signature. I have to try again tomorrow. What do these people even do? These people are lucky that I have mellowed with age.

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