Advising Frequently Asked Questions
-
How do I know who my advisees are?
Faculty are assigned advisees by their department. Some programs have default advisors set up for specific programs. You can view your list of advisees through Self-Service on My Portal. Students remain active advisees even if they are not currently enrolled. After five semesters of non-attendance they become inactive. They also become inactive due to graduation.
-
When does a student have to register on paper?
Returning students can use My Portal to register until the end of the first week of classes for classes that meet for full semester. All add/drop activity after that time must be done on a paper Advising and Registration Form. After the first week,the instructor's signature as well as an advisor's signature is required (an override sheet is also required foreclosed classes). Instructors do not have to sign for students to withdraw from a course but an advisor's signature is required.
-
Who needs to sign the paper CHANGE IN REGISTRATION FORM (aka ADD/DROP)?
If class has already met then the instructor's signature as well as an advisor's signature is required for a student to be added into the course irregardless of whether or not the course has available seats. Instructors do not have to sign for students to withdraw from a course but an advisor's signature is required. Some colleges/schools also require a dean's office signature on add/drop forms.
-
How does a student change a major or minor?
If the student wants to change their major or add a minor within their own college or school then an approved Change in Program/Advisor Form is needed. If the student wants to change their major that is within another college or school then the student needs to complete a Transfer Within the University Form to change their college or school and major. If the student wants to add a minor that is within a college or school different from their major, the student should contact the minor advisor for that particular minor. If approved to add the minor, a Change in Program/Advisor Form is needed to add the minor.
-
How long does a student have to drop a class?
Students may drop/delete a course in My Portal until the semester begins. After classes begin a signed “Change of Registration” form is required. The form needs to be processed by the Office of the Registrar.
If a course is dropped during the 100 percent refund period no record of enrollment for the individual course will appear on the student’s transcript. The 100 percent refund period varies by the length of the course. In courses that are seven weeks or longer the drop needs to take place by Day 7 of the semester or part of term. In course that is less than seven weeks long the drop needs to occur on the first day of the class.
Students who withdraw after the 100 percent drop period through 75 percent of the course taking place will receive a "W" as a final grade for each course dropped. The last day to withdraw specific to each course section is listed in the Schedule of Classes. The course remains on the student's grade report and transcript with a W, but will not be counted in hours attempted or the GPA calculation.
Students may not withdraw during the last 25 percent of the course unless they have received approval from their dean. No withdrawal may be processed after the end of the class.
-
Is withdrawing from the University the same as dropping a class?
Withdrawing from a course results in a grade of "W." Dropping or deleting a course does not result in a "W." Sometimes the words withdraw and drop are used interchangeably, but really mean different things when it comes to the student's record.
-
If a student doesn't attend for a semester do they have to re-apply?
In most programs students do not have to be consecutively enrolled in order to remain active in the program. A student can "sit-out" for five semesters before they have to file an Application for Readmission. This is not true in some accelerated or graduate programs where the student must be enrolled every semester in order to remain in the program.
-
What is considered full-time status? Is it OK to go below full-time status?
Full-time status is considered 12 or more credit hours for undergraduate students and 9 or more credit hours for graduate students. There are some exceptions to the full-time/part-time rules for co-op assignments, some clinical assignments, dissertation credits and some intensive English courses. Courses that are considered full-time regardless of credit hours can be found in the Schedule of Classes in the search features.
It is not OK for athletes or international students to drop below full-time status without consulting with the Athletic Department or the International Services Office respectively. Students who are receiving financial aid as full-time students may also jeopardize their financial aid by dropping below full-time status.
-
How does a student get an official transcript?
There are several ways to order an official transcript through the Office of the Registrar. All require some form of written consent from the student. There is a $5 charge for each transcript and normal processing takes two business days. There is an online order option for an additional $2.25 which provides tracking service. Ways to order a transcript can be found here.
-
How do students get verification they are enrolled?
Current students and recent graduates can get an enrollment verification through their My Portal account. An enrollment certificate prints to show their enrollment status for a particular semester or for their enrollment history at Detroit Mercy.
Former students who do not have access to My Portal can obtain an enrollment verification through the Office of the Registrar.Faculty and advisors should not author enrollment verification letters.
-
What do I do if my advisee appears to be having problems I can’t handle?
The assistant or associate dean from the college or school or chair or director of the program in which student is enrolled are typically an excellent source of information for students. They also are aware of other contact persons throughout the University who can serve as a resource to the student.
-
What should I do with my advisees who are on probation?
Making sure that students on probation are getting the assistance they need to be successful is critical to retaining that student. University Academic Services has a number of programs that students on probation can take advantage of. Each college or school has its own practices as it relates to students on probation and again, the assistant or associate dean is the best resource for that information.