Academic advising sets KU Business students up for success

Advisors at the School of Business provide a comprehensive advising experience to set undergraduate students up for success in achieving their academic goals. Every student at the University of Kansas has an academic advisor assigned to them for the duration of their undergraduate career.

More than half of the school’s advisors are located in the Roger and Julie Davis Advising Suite, 1160 Capitol Federal Hall, while some are located in Room 315 of Summerfield Hall.

• Students can schedule an appointment with their advisor by visiting Jayhawk GPS.
• Students can also use drop-in advising, which is available from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday on a first-come, first-served basis, with limited capacity. Drop-ins allow students to come to an advisor with questions or concerns without scheduling an appointment.
• Campuswide drop-in advising services are available from 12–4 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Students can join the queue here.

“At any given point during their journey at KU, students should have at least one advisor that they can rely on,” said Shu Tosaka, assistant director of Jayhawk Academic Advising.

Students are encouraged to use their academic advisors at any point during their time at KU. They act as resources to students and help make the undergraduate process easier. Each advisor can help with enrolling in classes, creating a graduation plan, assisting with transfer credits, study abroad enrollment and more.

Typically, students meet with their advisors at least once per semester. Advisors are happy and willing to assist students through the enrollment process every semester. In addition to enrollment, it is important to discuss issues with advisors regarding GPA and graduation requirements.

“We are actively looking at your academic records,” Tosaka said. “We know you have issues before you do.”

All advisors, including Tosaka, recommend not waiting until the last minute to discuss issues with enrollment, graduation, GPA or anything else that may arise during the semester. It is best to be proactive with any upcoming issues and never be afraid to reach out.

Academic advising helps students ensure they graduate in a timely fashion, and to help them on their path to get there. Whether you have two majors or two minors, it is best to consult with an advisor before making any enrollment decisions. They continuously look at degree progress reports to identify any issues that prevent students from graduating.

Enrollment season is always around the corner. The schedule of classes is released at the end of September for spring semesters, and at the end of March for the summer and fall. Followed by that is the release of enrollment times, which refers to the moment Enroll & Pay grants access to enroll in classes for the upcoming semester. Student enrollment times are sent to student emails before enrollment opens.

Advising is also a great resource to understand university policies and to help translate the academic catalog into the student academic journey. With the growth of the School of Business in recent years, it can be complex to decipher graduation requirements as the school evolves. However, advisors stay on top of changing policies and requirements, and are there to advise students when they do.

This year, KU welcomed 5,259 freshman Jayhawks, with 931 of those being Business Jayhawks. With nearly 4,000 students in the School of Business, four new advisors joined the school’s staff to help the growing number. The school started out with five advisors in 2007; there are now 14 advisors. As the school grows, advisors are excited to see students on their academic journeys and watch them be successful inside and outside the classroom.

“I think that’s a testament to the growth of the school. It’s also a commitment to take care of students in their academic needs,” Tosaka said. “We are really excited about the future of the business school and are ready to chat with students regarding their enrollment and graduation needs.”

Learn more about Student and Academic Services at business.ku.edu/advising and about Jayhawk Academic Advising at advising.ku.edu. For additional questions regarding academic advising, contact bschoolundergrad@ku.edu.

By Lauren Hartwig