Sep 22, 2025

News/Notes for Undergraduate Academic Advisors: Have you Noticed on the Advisement Report? | Tips for Making Effective Referrals | What to Know about FERPA - Part 1

Have you Noticed on the Advisement Report?
  • Four (4) new enhancements have been introduced to the advisement report - available on one or both of the web-based and pdf versions - to provide more comprehensive and accessible information for both students and academic advisors:
    • Satisfied/Not Satisfied Icons - PDF Version
      • Icons have been incorporated into the PDF version of the advisement report to indicate whether a student has met or not met a requirement.
      • Satisfied = green check mark  |  Not satisfied = red box
      • With this update, exceptions on the advisement report will now appear in blue text rather than green.
    • ALEKS Placement Assessment - Web-Based and PDF version (see image below)
      • The ALEKS Placement Assessment score for the student is now listed in "The Undergraduate Advisement Report" block found at the top of the report on both the web-based and pdf versions
        • If the student has completed the assessment more than once, the highest score will be listed on the advisement report.
    • Academic Standing Status - Web-Based and PDF Version (see image below)
      • Academic standing status is included in the "Undergraduate Advisement Report" block found at the top of the advisement report (same block at the new ALEKS Placement Assessment score)
      • Status options will include: Good Academic Standing | Academic Alert | Academic Probation | Academic Suspension | Academic Standing Not Available (for new students to UNI in their first semester)
    • Complete University Course History - Web-Based Version
      • The complete university course history report has now been added at the end of the web-based version of the advisement report identified as the "Course History" block.
      • In the "Course History" block of the online version, the list can be re-sorted based on any of the included fields: Course | Description | Term | Grade | Units | Status
        • The ability to re-sort the list is beneficial for academic advisors, allowing easier identification of specific items such as in-progress duplicate courses or courses within particular subjects.
The Undergraduate Advisement Report
 Aleks Score & Good Standing
 
Tips for Making Effective Referrals   [Adapted from How to Make Effective Referrals: A Three Step Process in the NACADA Clearinghouse]
  • Try to put yourself in the students' shoes and communicate understanding
    • Involves  listening, understanding and then communicating your understanding back to the students
  • Think what resources are available to help with this issue and normalize the service
    • Taking the time to identify the individual resources that can assist students in working through their current struggles
    • This means having available the names and telephone numbers of known professionals…or knowing where you can find this information
    • Help students understand that their struggles are often a normal part of personal development and maturity - and their challenges are common enough that the university has developed resources designed to assist them
  • Transition from advising to other resources
    • It moves students from the advisor to other specific resources
    • Provide a specific name of an individual as the referral…and if necessary give the individual a call when the student is with you
    • Advisors must remember that the goal of referral is not to pressure students, but rather to educate and inform them of their options
What to Know about FERPA - Part 1
  • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) was enacted to protect the privacy of students' education records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide students with an opportunity to have inaccurate or misleading information in their education records corrected.
    • What is an Educational Record?
      • An “education record” is any record that is directly related to a student and maintained by the university.
      • Education records include records in whatever medium (handwritten, email, print, digital, etc.) that are in the possession of any school official.  See What Faculty and Staff Need to Know for examples of exceptions/not included as educational records.
    • Student Rights
      • Be notified of their FERPA rights at least annually | Inspect and review their records | Seek amendment to an incorrect record | Limit disclosure of directory information | File a complaint with the Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by the institution to comply
    • What is Directory Information?
      • Consists of information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if publicly available. However, most directory information falls within the confidential records listed in section 22.7 of Chapter 22 of the Iowa Code (Examination of Public Records), which maintains the following public records shall be kept confidential: "Personal information in records regarding a student, prospective student, or former student maintained, created, collected, or assembled by or for a school corporation or educational institution maintaining such records."
      • Students who want to ensure their directory information is not released in any situation (with the exception of to a school official with a legitimate educational interest) may restrict access by updating their personal information in MyUNIverse.
      • What Faculty and Staff Need to Know for a list of directory information and additional guidelines and scenarios.
    • Review the FERPA webpage from the Office of the Registrar for detailed information and additional resources
Is Your Student Questioning their Current Major?
  • Help them Pivot with Purpose by referring them to the Office of Academic Advising. Advisors offer personalized support to help students explore:
    • Major, minor, and certificate options | Reasons for changing majors (e.g., lack of interest, career goals, academic challenges) | Self-assessments like FOCUS 2 or Strong Inventory | Goal-setting and decision-making strategies
  • Encourage students to schedule an appointment or complete the Academic Discuss Your Major Options Request Form.
  • As a faculty or staff member, you can complete this referral form to start the outreach to a student considering changing their major.
Institutional Academic Advising Vision & Mission Statement (revised Spring 2016) [See Academic Advising Mission, Vision, Goals & Outcomes webpage]
  • Vision Statement: UNI aspires to create the best possible advising experience for each student.
  • Mission Statement: Academic Advising is a critical component of the teaching and learning environment at UNI. Advising is a personalized educational experience, empowering students to explore, articulate and achieve their academic, career and life goals.