Advisor Resources

During every advising appointment, make sure to check in with your student on the following:

1. Degree Completion – requirements left until graduation 
2. General Education/Honor Completion 
3. Student Wellbeing 

As a continuous and holistic experience, we encourage all advisers to cover the following topics with each classification of student: 

First Year: 

• Goal building- What do you hope to achieve in college? Where do you see yourself in the future?
  
• Major Exploration- Do you feel like the major you declared fits your overall goals? What career options are available to you with your major? How can the student get involved further in your department?
• Connecting to Resources- What resources does the student need to be successful? Does the student know how to find the resources?
• General Education Requirements- Discussion around requirements for graduation and how does general education fit into your degree planning.
• Campus Involvement- How is the student getting involved outside of classes? Have they joined any clubs or organizations? Have they established relationships with peers? 

Sophomore: 

• General Education Requirements- Discussion around requirements for graduation and how does general education fit into your degree planning.
• Minor Exploration- Are there areas of study that you wish to pursue that would complement your degree and your future career goals?
• Internships, fieldwork, and service- learning opportunities

Junior: 

• Capstone- During the second semester of Junior year, make sure your student adds their capstone to their first semester of senior year, or make sure they have a plan to take it during their second semester of their senior year
• Internships, fieldwork, and service learning opportunities

Senior: 

• Degree Completion Requirements- ensure your student has satisfied all requirements for graduation, including major and general education requirements
• 120 credits for graduation, 42 of which must be upper division (300/400 Level) 
• Graduation Application- During the end of their first semester of senior year, students will receive a degree audit from the registrar as well as a graduation application. Be sure your student completes the application if they intend to graduate. 

Transfer student evaluations
Transfer student evaluations for credit equivalencies can be requested through the Registrar’s office (registrar-win@smumn.edu). Credits earned with a grade of C – or better are accepted in transfer and apply toward the 120 credit graduation requirement. The course numbering at the transfer institution determines if the transfer credits are counted as lower division credits or upper division credits, even if the comparable course at Saint Mary’s is different.

Course Substitutions and Exceptions 

Transfer credits may be substituted for Saint Mary’s requirements (major, minor, Integratus). Pre-approval for transfer credits substitutions is recommended. Departments may limit the number of major or minor transfer courses accepted. For major and minor substitutions or prerequisites, contact the department chair of the respective major or minor. For Integratus substitutions (meaning courses transferring from another institution), contact Dean Darren Row.

Once the Add/Drop period is over, a student will need to withdraw from the course, there isn’t an option to add or drop a course. When a student withdraws from a course, the student receives a grade of W on their official transcripts. Students are allowed to withdraw from a semester length course up until the 12th week of classes.

To withdraw from a class, students must consult with their adviser, or an adviser in the Student Success Center. 

• Students can complete course withdrawal by having their course instructor and adviser email the Registrar’s office of this change (registrar-win@smumn.edu) or complete the Course Withdrawal form located outside the Registrar’s Office located in Saint Mary’s Hall and/ or Student Success and First Generation Initiative Office.
• After consulting with an adviser, students should also consider consulting financial aid, athletics, international center, and/or residence life if withdrawing from the course puts them below 12 credits. 

Add Drop vs. course withdrawal

Add/Drop period is the first week of classes at the beginning of the semester where students receive no penalty for changes made to their schedule. 

Once the Add/Drop period is over, a student will need to withdraw from the course, there isn’t an option to add or drop a course. When a student withdraws from a course, the student receives a grade of W on their official transcripts. Students are allowed to withdraw from a semester length course up until the 12th week of classes.

Financial aid deadlines here

100% refundable through the end of the add/drop period. 

75% refundable through the end of the third week of the semester. 

50% refundable through the end of the sixth week of the semester. 

No refund after the sixth week of the semester.

Note: Special course/lab fees are 100% refundable until the Add/Drop deadline. No refunds are available after that date for semester length courses.

Occasionally, a student will need to substitute a course. Substitutions should only be sought after as a last resort option and in circumstances where a student could not meet requirements any other way. As the student’s adviser, you will play a role in facilitating the course substitution process. Please follow the steps below: 

1. Contact the department chair for the course – not the individual instructor – requesting the substitution. 
2. If approval is granted by the department chair, inform the registration of the student’s name, ID number, and which course is being substituted. 

• Spring 2023 Historical Data: Advising Notes
• Fall 2022 Historical Data: Advising Notes
• Spring 2020 Historical Data: Updates, Course Changes & New Courses 
• Fall 2020 Historical Data: Updates, Course Changes, & New Courses
• 2019 Historical Data: Updates, Course Changes, & New Courses
• 2018 Historical Data: Updates, Course Changes, & New Courses

Integratus Planning Form (For students starting prior to Fall 2023)

• Integratus Pathway Diagram (PDF)

Lasallian Honors Pathway Planning Form (For students starting prior to Fall 2023)

• Lasallian Honors Pathway Diagram (PDF)