Creighton University - Bluejay Yearbook (Omaha, NE)

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Does the advising system work? Sometimes, yes, as when Father Francis George, OMI, talks informally with Nancy Murphy (above) or when Dr Bruce Malina counsels (below). fX : W - i-t s ' --

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Adviser program stumbling along You ' re an undergraduate in trouble. Your grades are not up to expectations, and suddenly you ' re not too sure what your goals are any more. Who will you see for help — your faculty adviser? Not very likely. The faculty adviser program has been a source of controversy for several years. Designed to help students orient themselves to college and career goals, the pro- gram has never totally fulfilled its objective. When asked what they thought of their faculty advisers, many students complained that they were unconcerned, inaccessible, or simply not knowledgeable enough to help them with their program. A few admitted that they didn ' t even know who their faculty adviser was. A new program was initiated last year in an attempt to upgrade the system, and was put into effect this year. Students were required to see their adviser and have him sign their pre-registration form before it could be submitted for approval. But even then, a number of stu- dents still managed to get by without seeing an adivser. Dr. Robert Klein of the Chemistry Department cited this as the major problem with the program, stating I am ineffective because students don ' t consult me. Though I have a list of names of students that should see me, I know not even half have been in my office. Dr. Klein saw the adviser ' s role as a source of input to help maintain a student ' s balance. I try to help stu- dents come to grips with problems they ' re having now, instead of worrying about those that may crop up two or three years from now. Many students ' main complaint was the adviser ' s lack of knowledge in their chosen field of study. The adviser ' s handbook, given to each adviser at the beginning of the year, took note of this fact. Comment- ing on the new freedom of responsibility program in meeting requirements, the handbook stated that it would indeed place an academic and diplomatic burden on advisers, but they were asked to do all in their power to help the student come to a realistic viewpoint of their goals. The handbook added, Students ' relationship to the whole ' establishment ' of University Education, and in particular, to Creighton University, is probably a good deal less filial and trusting than in years gone by. The concern you show for them and the interest you take in their academic problems and doubts may be the strongest personal influence available to them in their adjustment to university life. Advisers will need to work overtime to restore vanished trust, and students will have to be more recep- tive before the program will come even close to fulfill- ing that goal. Advisers will need to work overtime, to restore vanished trust. Dr Herbert Funk talks economics with a busmess student in the faculty member ' s office. 24

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Registration still a mess after years of change There is no other experience at Creighton quite hke registration. No matter how many times you ' ve waited in the unending hues, filled out all the forms, and seen all the proper people, it is just as bewildering as the first time you were pushed through as a freshman. It looks easy enough on the little yellow sheet you The list of closed classes grows ominously larger, to the dismay of those students with late registration times. are handed as you enter the gym. All you need to do is go from station to station. Easy enough. What they don ' t tell you is that 200 people are doing the same thing the same time you are. If you ' re one of the fortunate few, you can get in early enough to get all your classes approved. But pity the poor freshman or transfer student who finds out his section (or entire class) is closed. Many a beautiful schedule has gone up in smoke on Friday afternoons. But what ' s really so bad about having to get up at 8 o ' clock five days a week? Once you have those treasured computer cards in your hand, it ' s a simple matter to fill out all the re- quired fo rms. If nothing else, Creighton will make sure you know how to write your name by the time you get out. From now on, all that remains is to have your forms checked and re-checked, ID ' s validated and to get your new food card. And. oh yes, there ' s the slight hitch of paying for it all. Somehow, though, after registration it doesn ' t seem to matter — your mind is already destroyed, why not your bank account? 26