Q: I currently keep my own notes on my advisees. What are the benefits of switching to this new system?
With Advising Notes, any notes you enter become a part of a student’s record, and any faculty or administrative staff member who has access to Degree Works can view those notes. This allows any individual working with a student – including future advisors – to have a more complete understanding of the student’s advising history. This also helps us work together to hold students accountable for following through on advise they were given. In addition, because Degree Works is a secure, web‐based product, you can easily access your advising notes from any internet connection.
Q: Will students be able to see the notes I enter?
You can choose. If you click the “Not Available to Student” box that appears over the note entry box, the student will not be able to see the note. If you do not check this box, the student will see your note at the end of his or her worksheet. There may be times when you might split your entry into two notes, part that the student can view and part that the student cannot. However, any faculty or administrative staff member with access to Degree Works will be able to view all the notes on a student’s record.
Q: I need to record more specific information on a student. Can I enter notes without using the drop‐down menu?
Not at this time. These advising notes are designed to be general in nature, and to record the basic content of an advising session. To ensure consistency, entries are limited to standardized selections from the drop‐down menu. For detailed or particularly sensitive information, we recommend that you continue to keep written notes and store them in a secure location.
Q: How did you decide what notes to include in the drop‐down menu?
The drop down list is mostly standard topics. While we realize that these topics will not cover every advising situation, we believe they include the most common topics.
We have added a few for specific use. If you have a suggestion for an item that is not listed, please send an email to registrar@pvamu.edu.
Q: I often have advising discussions with students who aren’t my assigned advisees.
Can I add notes to any student’s record?
Yes, and we encourage you to do so.
If there is a change of major/concentration, catalog, or grade change, etc. please allow 24 hours to see the reflection on your worksheet. See advisor.