You are in the official 1997-98 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Advising Services
Office of Advising Services
Joyal Administration, Room 224
(559) 278-2924
J. RICHARD ARNDT, Director
The Office of Advising Services provides a variety of services designed
to help you achieve your educational goals and effectively use the resources
of the university.
Advising Services staff will assist you in undergraduate academic advising,
undeclared major advising, academic petitions procedures, change of major
process, general academic problem solving, General Education advising, and
appropriate referrals. You may also come to Advising Services when seeking
answers regarding university policies and procedures.
Undeclared Major Advising. Undeclared majors are advised in our office.
Academic counselors can suggest faculty contacts in the academic departments
who will help you determine which resources on campus to pursue. Also, experienced
vocational counselors are available in the Career Development and Employment
Services office, where you will be assisted on an individual basis with
the appropriate use of vocational testing.
Freshmen and undeclared majors are encouraged to enroll in University
1 (Introduction to the University) to ensure smooth transition into
the university.
General Education Advising. Advising for specific General Education
requirements of the university is provided by Advising Services to all students
not in a specialized program or major
(e.g., Business Administration, Educational Opportunity Program [EOP], Engineering
and Computer Science, and Liberal Studies). Our academic counselors help
incoming students plan a schedule that incorporates G.E., major, and elective
coursework as appropriate. Academic counselors assist continuing students
who wish to make sure they are taking the correct G.E. classes.
Major Advising. Advising in specific requirements for a major, minor,
or teaching credential is done by the various departments. You should meet
with your faculty advisor at least once each semester before you register
for classes.
Depending on your major department's procedures, an advisor will be assigned
to you or selected by you. A close working relationship with your major
advisor and other department faculty can help you determine your program
and choose appropriate experiences related to your academic and career goals.
However, the ultimate responsibility for knowing and meeting all graduation
requirements is yours. Therefore, you would be wise to check each semester's
grades and your evaluation for correctness. (See Baccalaureate
Degree Requirements.)
Special Major Advising. An undergraduate student interested in designing
a special major initiates the process with an appointment to obtain an application
form from Advising Services. A graduate student interested in establishing
a special major at the master's level should consult the graduate dean.
(See Special Major for the Bachelor of Arts Degree
and Special Graduate Programs Special Major.)
Academic Petitions. Students must file academic petitions through
Advising Services. For further information, see Student Academic Petitions.
Grade Correction Request forms are also submitted to Advising Services for
processing. Petition forms for repeating a class and substituting the new
grade are obtained in the Joyal North Lobby. (See Repeating
Courses.)
Change of Major. To change your major, initiate the procedure in
Joyal Administration, Room 224. Graduate (except second baccalaureate students)
and international students process major changes in their respective offices.
