ADVISING SERVICES PARENT AND FAMILY PROGRAM NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER VOLUME II 2014

What is advising

and greenlighting?

STUDENT MEDICAL STUDENT MEDICAL

SERVICESSERVICES

Who are the

academic

advisers?

S tudents at West Texas A&M University receive midterm grades for their courses after completion of the sixth week of the se-

mester. On October 17, 2014, once midterm grades have been sub-mitted, your student will have a clear idea of his or her progress dur-ing the fall semester. Midterm grades are early indicators of the student’s performance, can help the student determine if the study habits applied have been effective, and can help the student decide if it is necessary to drop the course and avoid a failing grade. WTAMU does not release grades to parents unless the student has authorized it. Such policy complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) which prohibits disclosure of student records and information without written student consent. Communication, then, becomes important. Encourage your stu-dents to meet with their instructors during office hours to discuss their progress in the course, ask them if they need to do anything differently to improve their grades, or simply suggest that they be-come involved on campus. If your student is not performing as you would like, remind him or her that there are many resources available on campus to help them be successful. But most importantly, encourage them to visit with their instructors and an academic adviser and ask for help. The staff in Advising Services is knowledgeable about resources and will help students achieve their academic goals.

Advising Services Student Success Center, Room 110

Phone: 806.651.5300 Fax: 806.651.5274

Email: advisingservices@wtamu.edu

ADVISING SERVICES

Dropping a course may seem

tempting for students. It is pos-

sible that their workload is too

high, that they don’t enjoy the

class, or have a low grade in the

course. While dropping a class

can be easy, it can also present

challenges depending on the

student’s individual situations.

Before your student drops a

course, encourage him or her

to visit with an academic adviser

to ensure all consequences

(good or bad) have been

acknowledged.

Important: Students who

enroll as beginning freshmen

at any Texas public institution

of higher education may not

be permitted to drop a total of

more than six courses,

including any course that has

been dropped at another Texas

public institution of higher

education after the

institutional census date

(usually the 12th day of classes

for fall and spring semesters

and the fourth class day for

summer sessions).

M aintaining a physical and mental well-being is important to enhance the educational

experience and the overall academic success of students at West Texas A&M University. Students who are enrolled at the University and need medical assistance are eligible to visit Student Medical Services. Dependents and/or spouses of enrolled students, however, do not qualify for services unless enrolled at the University.

Hours of Operation Student Medical Services is open only when school is in session and is closed during the intercession, weekend, and WTAMU holidays. The front desk is open Monday-Friday 8a.m.—5p.m. Payment Upon enrollment, students pay a $41.80 student health fee which covers most of the visits, however, there may be additional charges for tests, injections, and some other procedures. Patients are encouraged to pay at the time of service; those who do not pay within 14 days will incur a $2 processing fee and a hold will be placed in their account preventing them from registering for courses. Medical services accepts cash, check, Buffalo Gold Card, Visa, Master Card, American Express, or Discover.

Insurance Student Medical Services has the ability to bill insur-ance plans. The health fee which is paid by the stu-dents each semester will cover the charges of the co-payment. Students may opt to have their primary insurance company billed for services or they may choose to pay at the time of visit. To use this service, please e-mail a PDF copy of the insurance card (s) to medical@wtamu.edu or fax to 806.651.3287. The student may also bring the card to the office to be scanned.

Services Offered Illness, injury and preventive care Minor surgery under local anesthetic Lab services X-ray services Mental health– screening brief intervention and

referral Women’s services Cold care packs: decongestants, antihistamines,

cough medication and pain relievers Immunization and injections Medical equipment: splints, medical boots,

crutches Class D pharmacy offering approximately 40

generic medications Patient assistance program that can assist

uninsured and low income patients CPR/AED classes Basic Life Support (BSL) AED classes First Aid classes

Medical Services Virgil Henson Activities Center, Suite 104

Phone: 806.651.3287 Fax: 806.651.3289

Email: medical@wtamu.edu Web Page: www.wtamu.edu/medicalservices

STUDENT MEDICAL SERVICESSTUDENT MEDICAL SERVICES

A cademic advising at West Texas A&M University can be done through the academic departments or in Advising

Services depending on the number of hours completed by the student. The academic advisers are committed to providing academic advising to all undergraduate students, including prospective students. While the services in Advising Services are typically focused on students who have less than 30 completed credit hours and any student new to the University, they are available to any student, faculty or staff member who has questions or needs assistance. Advising Services works in conjunction with faculty and academic departments of the five University Colleg-es to ensure that the students are receiving adequate infor-mation to make decision about major areas of study and to en-sure a smooth transition to and from majors. Advising Services operates under a centralized model of advis-ing under which a team of professional full-time academic ad-visers and part-time faculty advisers are housed in one location: the Student Success Center. Additionally, although some majors must be pre-advised, all freshmen advising and greenlighting occurs in Advising Services. Through the advising process, stu-dents are assisted with clarifying their personal and educational goals; learn educational options available at WTAMU; are guid-ed through the selection of an educational plan consistent with their abilities, skills, interest and goals; and are directed to re-sources available to assist them with being a successful student. How we work with your student:

Students must first make an appointment to meet with an adviser and will be given instructions on how to prepare for their appointment

During the appointment, advisers talk with student about their adjustments to the University, study skills, study habits, career exploration, and anything the student is concerned about

If needed, the academic adviser will make referrals to visit other campus resources

The student will leave the appointment with a plan of action to continue making progress towards de-gree completion

Academic

Advising at

WTAMU

A cademic advising is a vital process that helps students map out a plan for aca-demic success to ensure that their aca-

demic goals are met. Through advising, students have the opportunity to talk to knowledgeable professionals who are interested in their personal, professional and, most importantly , academic plans. During advising, the academic advisor will “greenlight” the student. This process will make the student eligible to register through Buff Advi-sor. Advising and greenlighting begin approximate-ly one month after the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. All undergraduate students must be advised and greenlighted every semester to be eligible for registration. Students with fewer than 30 hours and unde-

cided majors must visit Advising Services. Students with 31-45 hours will visit Advising

Services or their major departments as deter-

mined by departmental preference. Students with more than 45 hours will meet

with their major departments. Some programs recommend, and a few require, that students in their academic programs, regard-less of the number of hours completed, be pre-advised in the department before being green-lighted in Advising Services.

Advising and greenlighting for the spring 2015 semester began on October 1st.

Encourage your student to make an appointment with his or her adviser.

Advising Services Student Success Center, Room 110

Phone: 806.651.5300 Fax: 806.651.5274

Email: advisingservices@wtamu.edu

What is advising and greenlighting?

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The Buff Support Parent and Family Program, coordinated by Advising

Services, is designed to engage, inform, and encourage parents and family

members to become partners in the academic journey of their students.

Our services strive to make parents and families part of the West Texas A&M

University community.

Our commitments to parents and family members are to:

Develop a partnership to become a source of support for students

Provide timely, relevant, and current information about the WTAMU

student experience