The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Advising and Counseling Office, located in Zulauf 201, is the central academic advising office for students majoring in the seventeen departments in the College and for all students undecided about their majors at Northern Illinois University. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences assists students in establishing and clarifying their academic goals, planning their schedules, and interpreting university and college policies and requirements. All freshmen and sophomores enrolled in the college and all students undecided about their majors are advised by this office. juniors and seniors are advised by their major departments but also use the college's central advising office for additional assistance.

The staff in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences perform the following services:
1. provide academic orientation for freshmen, transfer students, and students re-entering Northern after an absence of a year or more;
2. maintain the academic records of all undergraduates majoring in the college;
3. provide advice regarding course scheduling to address general education requirements;
4. provide information regarding the B.A. and B.S. policies and appropriate scheduling of these sequenced requirements;
5. review all requests for course and university withdrawals;
6. provide information regarding the use of the pass/fail policy within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the university;
7. offer advice regarding viable class loads, including minimum load for full-time status;
8. review requests for overloads;
9. monitor records of students on academic probation or 'freshman early warning' status;
10. review all candidates for academic dismissal;
11. monitor the registration of any students retained on final probation;
12. review requests for concurrent enrollment and/or waivers of the residency requirement;
13. provide information regarding Northern's repeat policy;
14. monitor the 'satisfactory progress towards the baccalaureate degree' policy mandated by state and federal governments;
15. recognize outstanding student achievements (Dean's List, Deans' Award);
16. serve as liaison with the following offices: Student Financial Aid, the Bursar's Office, the Counseling and Student Development Center, University Housing, Health Services, Student Affairs, Community College Relations, Student Athlete Support Services, Testing Services, Registration and Records, Career Planning and Placement, and the Center for Access-Ability Resources,
17. work in conjunction with Educational Services and Programs, the Honors Program, Undergraduate Admissions, and the Graduate School,
18. provide academic advising for those interdisciplinary minors housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences but not under the aegis of specific academic departments within the college;
19. provide pre-law advising and pre-med advising as well as coordinate the recommendation services provided those special populations;
20. coordinate commencement ceremonies.

Role of Department Advisors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Each department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides advising services for undergraduate majors and minors from the time the student declares the major or minor to the time of the student's completing degree requirements. In consultation with the appropriate faculty body within the department, each chair is responsible for establishing and maintaining an advising system that performs the following functions common to all our departments:

1. provides specific information regarding major and minor programs, their goals and objectives, and their requirements;
2. provides information about departmental course offerings and helps students select appropriate courses to fulfill departmental program requirements;
3. recommends meaningful patterns of course selection that enhance the educational experience;
4. informs students about required and recommended courses within and outside the department and assists students in planning schedules that are appropriate, based on past performance;
5. assists students in program planning, helping students understand how they can sequence courses over semesters to attain their academic goals expeditiously;
6. evaluates transcript information from other institutions to determine if students have fulfilled requirements in transfer;
7. processes necessary papers to record actions on students' progress (major declarations, substitutions in the major using NIU or transfer credit, adjustments of evaluations of transfer credit);
8. assists students in monitoring their progress by providing current updates of their departmental major checklists or by assisting in interpreting DARS reports (Degree Audit Reporting System reports provided each semester);
9. alerts students to extracurricular events that enhance departmental programs (speakers, lectures, films);
10. reviews students' progress towards fulfilling requirements, noting problems as they occur (low grades in the major and/or extra-departmental requirements) and recommending actions to address those problems;
11. recognizes students' achievements (Dean's List recognition, departmental honors);
12. recommends students for opportunities or honors available on campus (outstanding student awards, competitive scholarships or fellowships, internship experiences);
13. advises students on current career opportunities, making referrals where appropriate to Career Planning and Placement, Coop Education, and other relevant divisions in Student Affairs;
14. outlines post-baccalaureate options, including graduate or other professional schools, and assists students in the application process for such opportunities;
15. writes letters of recommendation for students for employment or post-baccalaureate study.

Student Rights and Responsibilities in Academic Advising

Student Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended by Senate Joint Resolution 40, signed into law by the President of the United States on December 31, 1974, governs all policies and procedures regarding student records. The official university procedures and a directory of educational resources maintained by Northern Illinois University are available for review in the Office of Registration and Records. Among the salient parts of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regarding academic records are these:
1. A student who is an adult (18 or over in the state of Illinois) has the right to review his or her records in the presence of a university representative at an appropriate campus location. Further details on this point are available in the Undergraduate Catalog or from the Office of the University Legal Counsel.
2. No third party has the right to access a student's academic record without the express written consent of that student unless that third party meets one of the following conditions:
   • A parent of a legally defined dependent student (reference Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954).
   • University faculty and staff who have a legitimate university-related educational or administrative interest, or 'need to know.'
3. The student has the right to challenge the content of a record on the grounds that it is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise a violation of privacy or other rights and to have inserted in the record his or her written view of its contents. The process to initiate such a challenge is further explained in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Certain elements of a student's record are defined as directory information. Directory information includes the following: student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, classification, gender, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. A student has the right to deny the release of such directory information without his or her written consent. For specific details regarding this matter, see the Undergraduate Catalog. If a student wishes to authorize access to his or her academic record to a particular person or persons, the student may sign a written release in the Advising and Counseling Office, specifically noting the person or persons who may be allowed access to details of the academic record.

Student Responsibilities

All students are responsible for obtaining accurate, current information about options, requirements, policies, and procedures. Among the ways a student can participate most effectively in academic advising are by making a committed effort to do the following:
1. understand the nature and purpose of higher education and the particular qualities inherent in a liberal arts and sciences foundation to that educational experience;
2. develop decision-making skills and hone the ability to clarify personal values and goals;
3. plan an academic program that is consistent with one's interests, abilities, and the requirements of the program;
4. monitor and evaluate progress towards academic, personal, and career goals;
5. use university resources effectively to enhance academic success;
6. develop and use effective study skills and time management techniques;
7. keep accurate educational records, such as transcripts, grade reports, and placement results;
8. meet regularly with departmental and college advisors;
9. know current deadlines and policies for scheduling, add/drop, withdrawal, incompletes, pass/fail grading, and other schedule options;
10. arrange for advising in advance of the assigned registration time;
11. read information sent by the university or contained in university publications and schedule booklets;
12. prepare for an advising appointment by planning a tentative schedule, reviewing course descriptions, and bringing a list of questions to help guide the discussion;
13. ask for clarification regarding course recommendations or policies and procedures that appear unclear;
14. follow through on recommendations and/or referrals made by the advisor;
15. inform the advisor of changes in academic plans or objectives.

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