Up for Discussion: Where to turn for help

Registering for the requisite classes each quarter, keeping track of payment deadlines or dates to add/drop a course -- all of it can be mind-boggling to students and parents alike.

But the university offers many resources, and Aggie Family Pack asked two people to share some tips: the student coordinator of a peer advising and referral service on campus, and the vice chancellor responsible for many student support services and programs.

"One of the major problems we see is that students don't adequately use the resources available," says Michaela Champion of The First Resort. "We have third- and fourth-year students coming in not knowing which classes to take to complete their degree requirements. When they try to navigate the university on their own, it often costs them an extra quarter or more to graduate."

Peers provide direction

Champion, a senior from San Marcos who is majoring in sociology, coordinates more than a dozen other undergraduate peer advisers who provide workshops in the residence halls and drop-in advising at Advising Services. Students come to The First Resort with specific problems but they aren't sure which resources are available to help them, Champion says.

Many of them are confused about general education requirements and classes. The First Resort has a handout that helps students figure out which general education classes they have taken and shows them how many are left in each category.

The First Resort also has a telephone hotline, (530) 752-2807, that students can call for advising during the academic year.

"Because we're both a peer advising center and a referral service, The First Resort is very familiar with the myriad campus resources available and can point students in the right direction," Champion says.

She recommends that students also get to know the peer and staff advisers available through their college. "The dean's office advisers are a very important component to helping plan a student's coursework because the majority of units are college based," she says.

Helping students resolve issues

For parents, being denied access to student records can be a source of frustration when you have questions or concerns about your student's grades, transcripts, medical records or even the details of the bills you may be paying. When students reach the age of majority, most of their information is protected under privacy laws, including the California Information Practices Act and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

In some cases, students can grant parents access to their records. But whether it's a concern over a university account or a roommate, it may be time to support your student as they tackle an issue, rather than taking over the problem.

"I think it's important for us as parents to encourage our son or daughter to work through it themselves," says Fred Wood of Student Affairs, who oversees such services as housing and registration. "If it's not a roommate, it will be a colleague at work later on."

The father of two college students and a high-school junior, Wood says the more students become involved in student activities and make campus their home, the easier it will be for them to deal with a problem when it arises. He recommends that students check out services before they might need them -- from the Learning Skills Center to counseling services.

He also encourages students to enroll in a smaller class offered through the Freshman Seminar Program, introduce themselves to their teaching assistant, and visit professors during office hours.

"There really are enormous resources," said Wood. "Just encourage them to engage the resources."