Second hold on student accounts confusing some

A second hold placed on undergraduate students in Keanwise might have restricted some students from registering for spring courses.

An email sent last month by the Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jeffrey Toney encouraged students to meet with their prospective faculty advisors twice a semester and assured students that a second advisement hold would not affect the ability to register.

“It does not block or restrict any action (registration, add/drop, grades, etc.),” according to the email sent to all faculty and staff. “Consequently, both holds must not be ended at the same time.”

However, some students who met with advisors once and had the first hold removed said they were not able to register until they reached the professor again to remove the second hold.

It is unclear whether it was the second hold or some other issue restricting the registration, the students and professors interviewed said.

Other students requested or had both holds removed during one advisement meeting due to concern that the student would not be able to register.

Registration is open according to the number of credits a student has completed and some register just minutes after midnight on the allotted day to get the courses or the schedule they need.

Olivia Cardet, a junior majoring in Communication, met with her advisor once this semester and had both holds removed.

Another student who also had both holds removed said she understands the importance of student advisement but doesn’t agree with a mandatory second meeting.

“I just feel that making [the second meeting] mandatory doesn’t make it right for me because who knows if I will actually need the advisement, as opposed to me going to her when I genuinely do need help instead of going because Kean is enforcing it,” said Ashley Macias, a junior majoring in Psychology and Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

A full-time professor who asked to remain anonymous to avoid conflict with the administration said the flaw of the second advisement system is that those who are unprepared should meet with advisors multiple times, but only if the prospective advisors see fit.

The professor also pointed out that some students who seek advisement go prepared with guide sheets and a preferred list of courses, whereas other students go in unprepared for the next semester.

“The university should also explain why different emails were sent (to faculty and students) and appear to be making up work for no positive educational purpose,”said the professor.

This particular professor blamed N.J.’s educational system for sending students to Kean who are unprepared for college-level work.

He explained that many Kean students were enrolled in high schools that were a “disservice” to them and that isn’t their fault.

“We’re trying to teach students calculus, but they never even learned addition,” the professor said.