Advising

The School of Management has five staff members, including two full-time advisors, who are qualified and dedicted to provide both advising and academic counseling services to students. They are committed to helping you make the most of your education.  They are available to meet with you and discuss your degree progress in a one-on-one, confidential setting.  You can feel comfortable knowing that your success is important to your advisors and they are prepared to help you overcome the struggles you encounter as you pursue your degree.

Brenda Harrison, PhD, LPC, Senior Academic Advisor/Counselor             
Phone:  (810) 762-3160, Email:  brendaha@umflint.edu
 
Anna Bennett Reed, Academic Advisor            
Phone:  (810) 762-3160, Email:  annakben@umflint.edu
 

        
         Milton Straham, Peer Academic Advisor
         Phone: (810) 762-3160, Email: miltons@umflint.edu

        Eric Hui, Peer Academic Advisor
         Phone: (810) 762-3160, Email: chunhinh@umflint.edu

 

 

 

 

 

What is the difference between a Counselor and an Advisor?

Counselors are professionally trained to address personal issues, resolve academic anxiety, assist students in choosing career fields and majors, and problem solve other academic difficulties. With students on restricted academic or financial aid status, counselors work to develop individual success plans, which address the specific issues inhibiting academic success.  Counselors can help with the following issues:

  • Provide short term personal counseling for issues that may interfere with studies
  • Facilitate decision making on educational and career goals
  • Facilitate college adjustment for in-coming freshmen (homesickness, time management, depression, anxiety)
  • Facilitate college adjustment for returning adult students (balancing roles of student, parent, spouse, and/or employee).
  • Teach coping skills and stress management
  • Develop individualized retention interventions
  • Interpret career inventories and provide career counseling

Advisors specialize in matters pertaining to your educational program: college policies, placement/assessment test interpretation, degree requirements, transferability, schedule planning, and graduation checks.  Advisors can help with the following issues:

  • Help with course selection
  • Facilitate educational transactions; e.g., schedules, drop/adds, withdrawals, change of major, waivers, graduation requirements, etc.
  • Clarify instructional policies, procedures and requirements
  • Provide general information on special services including academic remediation, admission, placement testing, courses of study, and registration
  • Explain course transfer differences between institutions
  • Interpret placement scores and recommend appropriate classes.

Student/Advisor Relationship

You can expect advisor to act in a professional manner at all times.  Your advisor will:
Keep your information confidential.  The information shared during your appointment, as well as grades, class attendance and academic progress, will only be shared with others with your expressed, written permission.
Encourage you to make an appointment to discuss complex academic matters.  This limits the risk of misunderstanding by both yourself and your advisor.

Advisor Limitations

While your advisor will be informative and helpful, please keep in mind:
Your advisor may not have all the answers.  However, they will be willing to find out where you can get the answers and to encourage you to use additional campus resources for services they cannot provide. 
Your advisor will not make decisions for you. Your advisor can provide advice and suggestions, but you must make decisions for yourself.
Your advisor cannot evade University policies and procedures or make special exceptions.  You can count on your advisor to support and advocate on your behalf if possible and also to assist you in finding solutions to challenges you face.

Appointments

Our School of Management Academic Advisors advise all business students of freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior ranks. To make an appointment with a SOM Academic Advisor, please call 810-762-3160, or use the links below to request an appointment online.

WALK-IN ADVISING

Walk-in advising (no appointment needed) is also available throughout the year and is intended for brief, 20-30 minute advising sessions. Advisors will be available to see students during walk-in advising hours on a first-come, first-serve basis. *Please note that the last student will be seen one half hour before the scheduled end time of each day.

Walk-In Advising Hours:

Mondays 1:00 pm-5:00 pm
Tuesday: 9:00 am-1:00pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm-5:00 pm
How can you make your advising appointment a success?

Your academic advisor is an important source of information, but the success of your appointment is largely dependent on you.  It is important that you come to each meeting prepared.  You are expected to:

  • Show up for your appointment on time.
  • Bring a list of questions and concerns that you would like to address.
  • Bring a list of possible courses that you would like to fit into your schedule.
  • Be prepared to discuss your past academic performance in detail.
  • Bring a notebook or planner to write down notes or information for your next meeting.
  • Be open to suggestions and understand that there may be several different ways to accomplish your goals.

Forms

Commonly Used Forms

 

 

Graduate Student Forms

 

 

FAQs

Frequently Asked  Questions
 
General FAQs
Undergraduate FAQs
Graduate FAQs
 
General FAQs

     1. Where do I find the catalog?

     You can find your catalog at catalog.umflint.edu.
 

     Catalogs from previous years can be found in archived catalogs on the main page.

 

     2. How do I get an override for a SOM class?

     Complete the Override Request Form.

 

     3. I have a hold on my account, what do I do?

     Holds are placed on student accounts for various reasons.  The first thing you need to do is click on the
     “View Holds” option in SIS to see where the hold has originated from. If the hold is of a financial nature,
     then you need to contact the Student Accounting department.  If the hold is due to missing transcripts,
     then you need to contact Admissions.  If, however, the hold is due to an academic probationary status,
     you need to contact Brenda Harrison in the School of Management for removal.

 

     4. How do I run a degree evaluation?

     Instructions for running your degree evaluation are found at the Registrar’s website.
 
 

     5. How do I apply for graduation? 

              All information regarding commencement, diplomas, transcripts, etc. can be found on the Registrar’s website.
 

     If your last semester of courses is in fall, you would select a December graduation date.  If your last
     semester of courses is in winter, you would select a May graduation date.  If your last semester of courses
     is in spring or summer, you would select August as your graduation date. 

     There are only two commencement ceremonies, so August graduates will select to attend either the
     May or December commencement ceremony. 

 

     6. What does it mean to be on academic probation? 

     Visit our page on probation to learn more.
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     7. How do I dispute a grade?

     Visit our page on appeals to learn more.
Undergraduate FAQs

    

     1. How do I find out what courses fulfill a specific general education requirement? 

      You can find the approved courses for each general education area in the catalog under the Gen Ed Program Section
 

     2. What are the criteria to graduate with honors and/or qualify for the Maize and Blue award?

     Criteria for graduating with honors and/or the Maize and Blue award can be found on the Registrar’s website on the honors tab.
 

     3. How do I declare/change my major and/or minor and/or change my catalog?

     Complete the online Declaration or Change of Curriculum form located on the forms tab of SOM advising page.
 

     It will take approximately 5 business days for the requested changes to show up in SIS.

 

     4. What happens if I take more than a semester off?

     Students who have a break of more than 1 year will be subject to the requirements of the current year's catalog.

 

     5. If I retake a course, how will that impact my overall GPA?

     The grade for the second attempt of the course will be included in overall GPA calculation, the
     previous attempt will be excluded from overall GPA calculation.  Both attempts will remain on your transcript.

 

     6. Can I add a major after I graduate?

     You may complete the coursework for an additional Business major after you graduate.  However, you would
     not be seeking a second degree, it will result in another major designation on your transcript.   Since you would
     not be obtaining another degree, you would not be eligible for financial aid.

 
Graduate FAQs   (top)
 

     1. What do I need to do if I want to declare a concentration or change my concentration?

     Complete the online MBA Concentration Form located on the forms tab of the SOM advising page.
 

     2. If I retake a course, how will that impact my overall GPA?

     At the graduate level, the grade for a course that’s retaken does NOT replace the original grade in GPA calculation,
     the average of both grades is included in the GPA.

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     3. What is the grading scale for graduate students? 

     At the graduate level, you will have a 4.0 scale.  To be in good academic standing you must have a 3.0 or higher.
     In addition, if you receive a grade of “D” or lower in a course, you must retake the course.

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     4. What happens if I take more than a semester off?

     The graduate program courses are offered on a rotation basis; therefore, taking any time off may result
     in a program completion delay.  You should discuss with your advisor any potential time off.

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     5. Is there an honors designation for graduate students?

     No, there isn't an honors designation for graduate students

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     6. Is there a time limit to complete my degree?

     Graduate students must complete their program within 7 years.

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     7. How do I get my textbooks? 

     You can find out what textbooks you need by clicking on “Shop for Textbooks”  in the Registration
     area of SIS and then click on “Go To Bookstore” website. It will list the textbook information, price and ISBN.

    UM-Flint Bookstore