FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              April 4, 2005 

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES OFFERING ADVISEMENT MATERIALS ONLINE 

            New advisement materials are now online for those interested in degree programs within Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s School of Arts and Sciences.

            By going to www.nwosu.edu/artscience/advising.html, faculty and students alike can find information for each program within the school including a list of advisers, course degree requirements, course rotations for all programs, an adviser’s check sheet and tips from the Financial Aid Office. The School of Professional Studies is working on a similar site with plans to have it up and ready by the summer.

            “This web site was developed through collaborative efforts in department chair meetings in the School of Arts and Sciences,” said Dr. Mike Knedler, dean of Arts and Sciences.

            “The materials available on the web site are designed to help students and advisers plan courses of study to efficiently lead to graduation,” he said.

            Knedler said that the university has had a need for a long time to improve the advising processes, and the online materials are just one step in that direction.   

            In fact, Knedler referred to the university’s recently developed Strategic Plan where it states that Northwestern will “create an advising program for students so that matriculation is monitored through graduation.”

            This plan also calls for “Indicators of Progress” for the advisement program including:

• Develop an academic advisement training program for faculty and staff.
• Develop procedures so that all students are ensured of an appropriate academic adviser.
• Make advising excellence a part of the faculty and staff evaluation program.

            Knedler said that a recent forum took place where everyone came together to discuss how to better implement the advisement and enrollment processes. Those attending included faculty advisers from the School of Arts and Sciences and School of Professional Studies, as well as members from Financial Aid, Recruitment, Registry and Student Services.

      “The forum was very beneficial,” Knedler said. “I think everyone learned something.”

            The School of Arts and Sciences provides a wide range of academic programs leading to bachelor’s degrees in English, mass communications, music, speech and theatre, natural sciences, history, political science, math, computer sciences, criminal justice, social work, sociology and foreign language. The School also offers courses in arts, humanities, religion, speech pathology, ethics and philosophy, as well as many of the general education requirements for all degrees at Northwestern.
            For more information on programs or department chairs within the School of Arts and Sciences, please call 580-327-8524.

-NW-

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