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New electronic student folder may save an ‘academic life’
Contact: Bonita Curry, Undergraduate University Division, (517) 353-3243, curryb@msu.edu; or Kristin K. Anderson, University Relations, (517) 381-1351, ander284@msu.edu
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| MSU student Amanda Brecht is being advised by Jeff Yingling, adviser in The Eli Broad College of Business. Photo by Kurt Stepnitz. Hi-res jpg |
Some 45,000 Michigan State students no longer need worry about losing their “academic life” when trekking across campus thanks to MSU’s new Electronic Student Academic Folder.
The “paperless” advising tool allows for elimination of paper files and archived images of all student documents and records including: preparatory and permanent advising notes, course and major history, academic orientation program placement scores, grade point summaries, transcripts and links to online forms. During the course of an advising session or when notes are added to the folder, students receive an e-mail notification of the new information.
“There is a trend among colleges and universities to go to a paperless system for advising students,” says Bonita Curry, director of MSU’s Undergraduate University Division. “Making it easier for students to visit with a professor or an adviser at any academic office or residence hall enhances the student experience. Having the information at an adviser’s fingertips enables us to better serve a student’s needs.”
“By making their academic records available electronically, students can be assured of having accurate and complete records,” says Linda Stanford, associate provost for academic services and MSU registrar. “We also protect the privacy of student education records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and maintain the security of those records.”
The electronic advising program, developed by the Undergraduate University Division and the Office of the Registrar, recently received an Outstanding Advising Technology Innovation Award from the National Academic Advising Association for significant contributions to improving academic advising. The award will be presented at the association’s national conference in October.
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