This degree ‘works’: audit introduced

     In the old days, pacing oneself towards graduation meant having to carefully monitor and record class schedules on an 8×11 worksheet listing GCSU’s required core curriculum and the classes required to that particular major of study. If one course happened to be overlooked, the repercussions could spell academic doom.
     The GCSU Registrar’s Office plans to end the stress and hassle of having to track and select the right classes this spring with a new addition to the University’s myCATS Web portal, Degree Works.
     A. Kay Anderson, GCSU’s registrar, and Susan Pittman, assistant vice president of Enrollment and director of Financial Aid, teamed up other GCSU staff and tech support beginning this past August to ensure that Degree Works would be able to launch in 2008.
     GCSU is the first institution in the country that employs the Sunguard Banner Student Information System (the platform for myCATS) to incorporate Degree Works into their available online student services.
     “It will be a very convenient way for students to plan for advising and registration,” Anderson said. “It demonstrates out commitment to putting exemplary online services to our students, and I hope students love this program as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together.”
     Degree Works will provide GCSU students, advisors and other faculty with a clear method to track degree progress, prepare for registration and plan for graduation. With all its conveniences, Degree Works is not intended to replace face-to-face advising sessions.
     “My goal is that when students and their advisor’s meet, they can spend less time advising and more time talking about their development, future plans and successes,” Anderson said.
     With Degree Works, online worksheets will include all current and completed coursework, along with other courses that have been transferred to GCSU from another institution.
     “If this keeps underclassman from getting behind and helps them to graduate on time, this will be worth it,” Scott Smith, a junior exercise science major, said.
     In the midst of these changes the underlying goal is to make the academic planning process less intimidating than it once was.
     “I’ve always had to worry about figuring out what I’ll register for,” Bradley Christopher, a sophomore community health major, said. “Since freshman year, I’ve switched majors three times–keeping up with those worksheets was pretty difficult.”
     With Degree Works debuting before this semester’s registration period, students and faculty should promptly inform GCSU tech support of any issues that arise during its first phase.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 22 2008. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry