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• August 2009
• November 2009

August 2009

• Jodi Koslow Martin: From My Computer to Yours
• Crouse Center Offers Online Resources
• New Internship Policies Announced
• Career Resources for Students, Alumni and Employers Available
• Ensuring Student Privacy
• Crouse Center Traffic Report
• Dates to Know

From My Computer to Yours

By Jodi Koslow Martin
Crouse Center for Student Success Director and Assistant to the Provost

Greetings!

In staff meetings, I often refer to how we can best serve our students: "How can we make sure this class information is accurate and accessible?" or "How can we streamline that process for the benefit of our students?" And, lately, "Do we need to print this?" These are some of the questions I keep in mind as I contemplate how to do things better.

As a result, this summer brought a few changes:

1. The Registrar's Office has reported to me for less than a year. To assist in streamlining the Registrar's Office and Crouse Center, I've moved my office to the Registrar's space on the first floor of Eckhart Hall. Consequently, Pat Rosche, Associate Registrar, has moved back to the third floor, bringing some of the Registrar functions to the Crouse Center. It is not uncommon for Registrar offices on campuses to have multiple locations to best serve students.
2. The Crouse Center can now approve and process add/drop forms for students. If you recall, students would meet with an advisor on the third floor of Eckhart Hall to approve changes and then go the first floor, where the Registrar's Office would enter the change information. Students can now complete the entire process in the Crouse Center — one-stop "shopping."
3. Education cohort students now register for classes online. This collaborative effort with staff from Information Technology Services, the Registrar's Office and College of Education has proved itself successful. We plan to strategically offer online registration to other students over time. With the intent to keep course selection highly personalized, we plan to keep advising and registration as a face-to-face meeting with a Crouse Center advisor for undergraduate students.

While you will continue to see transformation throughout the academic year in both the Registrar's Office and the Crouse Center, we won't change our student-centered focus and our efforts to be responsive to faculty and staff across campus.

As always, please contact me with any questions or if I can be of service.

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Crouse Center Offers Online Resources

By Travis Ramage
Academic Advisor

As a member of the AU community, you have daily contact and conversations with students that can help transform their lives. You may find that students ask questions that may be related to their academic goals and career plans. While you may not know all the answers, the Crouse Center Web site is a great resource to address immediate questions or concerns about academic programs.

The information on the Crouse Center Web site is divided into the following categories and pages:

• Career Services
• Meet the Staff
• Frequently Asked Advising Questions
• Register for Classes
• First-Year Program
• Four-Year Plans

Each section contains links and information to guide students in the pursuit of their education. The site offers links to four-year academic plans for all majors; information about registering for classes; and the steps students should follow in the career development process from their first year (taking the time to explore different areas of student interest through the general education program) to their senior year (preparing cover letters and resumés, and looking at life beyond AU).

Please visit our Web site and check out the resources that can help you assist in the transformation of our students' lives.

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New Internship Policies Announced

By Judie Caribeaux
Assistant Director of Career Development and Academic Advisor

During its January 2009 meeting, the Faculty Senate approved changes to the internship program that will take effect for Fall 2009.

Changes include:

1. Students must complete at least 12 semester hours at Aurora University before beginning an internship.
2. A maximum of 14 semester hours of internship credit can be used toward general degree requirements.
3. Internship application deadlines are August 1 for the fall semester, December 15 for the spring semester and May 1 for the summer semester.
4. Internship credit cannot be granted retroactively.
5. Students must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA; however, departments may require a higher GPA standard.

New forms and processes will be shared with faculty at the beginning of the fall semester. Please note that these changes do not impact accredited programs such as social work, education, physical education, athletic training and nursing.

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Career Resources for Students, Alumni and Employers Available

By Judie Caribeaux
Assistant Director of Career Development and Academic Advisor

Do you know of students or alumni looking for internship or job openings?

Students and alumni can post resumés and search for internship and job openings through a free service available in cooperation with Aurora University and College Central Network. To register, visit collegecentral.com/aurora and click on the student or alumni icon. This is an impressive resource, as there is an extensive online library of job search articles and career exploration videos.

The College Central Network also allows employers to post job and internship opportunities, as well as review resumés of AU students and alumni. If you know of companies or organizations that are hiring, encourage them to register and post their openings at collegecentral.com/aurora by clicking on the employer icon.

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Ensuring Student Privacy

By Judie Caribeaux
Assistant Director of Career Development and Academic Advisor

You have probably seen e-mails from the Student Accounts Office regarding recent changes to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Please remind your students that it is important to complete a new FERPA Authorization to Release Information Form each academic year. If a student does not submit this form, various offices such as the Center for Teaching & Learning, Crouse Center for Student Success, Financial Aid, Registrar, Student Accounts and Student Insurance cannot discuss any details of a student's records over the phone with them or anyone else.

One of the more obvious changes for students will be having to create and use a unique FERPA access code. As a means of authenticating their identity, university personnel will require the student or authorized individual to provide this access code when requesting specific account information by phone.

Students can complete this form online through their WebAdvisor account.

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Crouse Center Traffic Report

In Fall 2008, there were a total of 1,817 student visits to the Crouse Center — up 26 percent from Fall 2007.

In Spring 2009, there were at total of 2,615 visits to the Crouse Center — up 22 percent from Spring 2008.

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Dates to Know

As of August 1, 2009	On-campus jobs posted on the career page of the AU Web site
September 4, 2009	Last day to request a waiver of student insurance
September 5, 2009	End of add period for day classes; evening classes may be added prior to second class meeting; end of 100 percent refund for fall semester
October 20, 2009	ISCPA Interview Day*
October 3, 2009	Last day to drop with automatic "W" from a Module I class
November 21, 2009	Last day to drop fall semester classes with automatic "W"
November 28, 2009	Last day to drop with automatic "W" from a Module II class
February 5, 2010	ISCPA CareerFest*
February 18, 2010	ISCPA TeacherFest*

*See Crouse Center for more information

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