Mobile Advising Providing Benefits
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — During the past two weeks, Razorback student-athletes met with college advisors from various colleges to discuss graduation requirements and course offerings for the spring semester.
Similar to other University of Arkansas students, college advisors play a key role with helping student-athletes make sound decisions related to course selections. Additionally, student-athletes need to consider scheduling related to practice and travel for competition.
As a result, the Athletic Department Academic Services unit has partnered with various college academic advising departments to coordinate meetings with student-athletes.
On Monday, Sept. 26 and Tuesday, Sept. 27, the Office of Student-Athlete Success (OSAS) held its Mobile Advising program at the Jerry and Gene Jones Family Student-Athlete Success Center.
“It is really convenient with my schedule to be able to have campus advisors at the Jones Center to help with registering for classes,” freshman baseball student-athlete Jordan McFarland said.
The goal of the Mobile Advising program is to assist student-athletes with heavy time commitments to receive timely advising, while being able to enroll in the proper courses on their specified priority registration date.
“Mobile Advising is as good as it gets for us in Fulbright,” Director of Advising Shane Barker said. “This year’s program was the best turnout for student-athletes in Fulbright since we started the program. The flexibility allows for advisors to interact with student-athletes in an effective and more personal way.”
In its sixth year since its launch, 19 academic advisors from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Human Professions were able to meet with about 300 student-athletes to evaluate degree plans and choose course options for the spring 2016-17 semester.
On Monday, Oct. 3 to Wednesday, Oct. 5, student-athletes met with academic advisors from the Sam M. Walton College of Business in their advising center.
“Mobile Advising has been a great tool for me that has helped me throughout my college career,” senior softball student-athlete Rachel Box said. “It’s convenient and has kept me on track with my classes each semester.”
