Second hold placed on student accounts

By Rafaela Teixeira | Published by Oct. 25, 2018

Undergraduates must be advised by faculty twice a semester starting this month, according to an email sent to all students by the Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jeffrey Toney.

The email stated that the second advisement meeting is “a complement to the Midterm Progress Reporting,” where professors post grades on Keanwise based on student performance. The midterm reports do not effect final grades, but allow students to see how they’re doing mid-semester.

Students will have holds on their Keanwise accounts, restricting them from registering, add/drop courses and checking grades. This forces students to make appointments to meet with advisors and discuss future courses along with the midterm progress.

The second advisement meeting, according to the email, will have an “informational hold only.” Students will not have restrictions on their accounts, but will see a “Student Restrictions Screen” that encourages them to meet with faculty again.

“I think most students want to succeed. They don’t want to fail,” said Dr. Patrick Ippolito, president of the University Senate and an associate professor in the College of Education. “But a lot of times they don’t want to do what is necessary to succeed. So, we have to kind of work with them and a lot of students don’t understand the services we offer them.”

Some students disapprove of the second advisement meeting and feel that it does not improve the university’s quality.

“It’s really annoying,” said Gabrielle Carreon, a senior majoring in math. “It’s a lose-lose situation. If you’re trying to be a better school, you’re doing a bad job.”

Joanna Pepino, a senior majoring in therapeutic recreation and former class president, believes advisors suffer from doing the job well because they are also focused on their full-time faculty position duties.

“I understand the intent behind it and it sounds good in theory,” said Pepino. “I do believe that we as a university need to fix the advisement process because it is imperative to helping students graduate on time.”

Professors will analyze how this works in the Fall and “tweak it to make it work better in the Spring,” according to Ippolito.

“I don’t think this is an adequate solution to the advisement problem,” said Pepino. “It is just putting more of a strain on both the students and professors.”

During Pepino’s class presidency, she spoke to many students in regards to their performance.

“I’ve found that [students] don’t really find their advisement meetings to be helpful,” said Pepino. “Most students say their meetings are quick and that their advisors are quick to just push them out the door.”

Ippolito stated that every professor has their own “style of advising” and while he prompts students to come in soon after they’ve seen him, other professors might not do the same.

He makes sure to provide students with additional information regarding the services offered by the university in case they need help.

Ippolito also ensures his students attend the second advisement meeting by making an appointment to see them three weeks after the first meeting while they’re in his office.

“We believe the additional information and advisement that is underway this semester will be instrumental in your success at Kean University,” the email stated. “Your professors, department chairperson, the executive director of your school and dean’s office at your college are available to assist you.”

Editor-in-Chief, Josh Rosario, assisted in reporting for this article. 

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