Student advisement at SIUC needs repair, and Undergraduate Student Government has a plan to fix it. The idea to departmentalize academic advisement is a positive solution that should be considered seriously. USG representatives have expressed need for more student input, which should be provided by students. Getting involved will allow students a chance to provide information that could help end the headaches of waiting in line or not getting into classes because of late registration.

Administrators should take such a request seriously. John Jackson, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and provost, was quoted saying he wants to take USG’s ideas seriously to possibly bring about change. This is one opportunity to fix SIUC from within, improving the image of this University.

Although the USG idea is a quality one, the Daily Egyptian would like to propose another viable alternative for re-inventing advisement at SIUC.

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Using the Theater Department as a model, the administration should consider instituting a mandatory mentoring program to ensure a quality education for students.

Like the Theater Department, each college and school should cancel classes in their department for one or two days each semester to allow students assigned to specific instructors to get registration advice and guidance, career counseling and field student questions.

Opponents argue it is not logical to cancel class simply to advise students. They could argue lost class and research time would be a detriment and require adding a day to the school calendar.

Instead of students skipping classes to wait in advisement lines or taking unnecessary classes, students and faculty could work such problems out in a set amount of time. The faculty and administration could easily recapture the lost day or two if fall break is finally abolished.

Another argument is such a program simply would be a vacation for students. By making the program mandatory, students who chose to skip would be placed at the end of the line and risk not getting the necessary classes for the next semester. Requiring attendance with a penalty for absence would guarantee participation.

Others would argue the Theater Department can get away with such a program because there are only 75 theater majors and nine faculty members in the department. According to the SIU Facts ’98 pamphlet, there are 1,992 full-time faculty and administrators at SIUC and 17, 817 undergraduate students. These numbers break into a ratio of about one faculty member per nine students. These numbers would make such a proposal feasible.

By taking part in students’ lives, faculty can provide insight and suggestions for crucial decisions, not just classroom knowledge. It would give those students left fending for themselves at registration an opportunity to get on track and plan a program that is best for them.

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If this does not prove feasible, current advisers should at least embrace the spirit of the Theater Department’s program. If all faculty took a vested interest in students’ futures, the result would be beneficial to all.