About us

 
 

Our mission

First-year advisors guide students through exploration and personal growth in a relationship of trust, safety and support. Students are connected with campus resources and engagement opportunities, and we empower students to take ownership of their learning, define their education, and develop career goals while achieving academic success as they transition to their chosen field of study.

What is first-year advising?

Comprehensive first-year advising provides foundational skills, resources and academic support for students during their initial 30 credits for four-year degree programs. First-year advisors partner with departmental advisors to provide students with a solid foundation that will assist them throughout the completion of their degree.

Starting in spring 2024 registration, the AAC will be advising all first-year students who are newly admitted to degree programs or have completed less than 30 credits at UAF 

If you have not met the minimum requirements for admission to a baccalaureate (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) degree program, you will be admitted as a pre-major. You may see you are listed as a pre-exploratory, pre-general studies or pre-undeclared student. They all mean the same thing.

You will get to change your major status when you are in good standing (your cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher) and you have completed the following:

You were most likely admitted as an exploratory,  general studies or undeclared student if you were not ready to declare a major.

Incoming students are not required to choose a degree program and have the option of choosing general studies-undeclared. You are advised by the Academic Advising Center and will work with your assigned advisor on transitioning into a declared major when you are ready to do so .

Being a general studies student does satisfy the degree-seeking requirements for financial aid purposes.

Students receiving GI assistance or veterans’ benefits may be required to change to a declared major to keep their benefits award.

Anyone can take classes at UAF. There are no GPA or transcript requirements to be a nondegree-seeking student; however, some courses require prerequisite coursework or test scores in order to enroll. If you run into prerequisite errors or need to understand our placements you can set up an appointment with one of our advisors.

Visit the registration page to sign up for a class.

Please note: Nondegree-seeking students are not eligible for financial aid.

Pre-professional advising provides information about groundwork for admission to a specific graduate program or professional school. Most professional schools do not require a specific major for admission to their program. However, many courses may be required before admittance into the program, so a student must research admissions requirements carefully.

The Academic Advising Center (907-474-6396, uaf.advising@alaska.edu) provides academic advising for all pre-professional areas.

The Biology and Wildlife Department and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry provide additional academic advising for the medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary and pre-health pre-professional programs.

The Study Away program allows you to earn UAF credits while studying for up to a year at an approved university in another state or country.

Minimum requirements

If you are interested in applying for an academic exchange or study abroad program through UAF, you must fulfill the following minimum requirements.

  • Be a degree-seeking student at UAF (working toward a certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's or Ph.D., for example; you do not need to have a declared major)
  • Complete at least two full-time semesters (enrolled in 12 credits or more) at UAF before the first semester away
  • Be enrolled full time at UAF the semester before your study away program
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 when application is due
  • Have a minimum 2.5 semester GPA the semester before your study away program
  • Good academic, behavioral and financial standing at UAF
  • No incomplete (I) grades on transcript

Note: Specific programs may have other requirements, such as a higher GPA or specific language proficiency requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance into a study away program, but all eligible students are encouraged to apply.

Please see the Study Away website for more details, or make an appointment with our Study Away advisor directly.

The Academic Advising Center's First-year Advising Specialists provide additional support to the Assistant Director for Athletics Academic Services in assisting our UAF student athletes.

The Academic Advising Center administers the credit for prior learning program, wherein students may earn undergraduate credit based on university-level learning they have obtained outside the classroom. Students can document the university-level learning they have gained through employment, volunteer service or other life experiences with a portfolio or copies of licenses and certificates earned. Certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree students may earn up to 25 percent of total program requirements through the credit for prior learning program.

Credentials for admitted degree students who are currently enrolled are reviewed by faculty from participating departments who determine if this process is appropriate and make recommendations for awarding prior learning credit. Review is based on equivalency to courses listed in this catalog. Credit received for prior learning does not affect your GPA and is not considered residence credit. The university will award transfer credit for specified national and state authorizations, certificates, credentials and/or examinations (see transferring credits) that do not need credit for prior learning review.

Advising team

Our accessible advisors are equipped to answer all of the important questions you'll have when working toward your degree at UAF.

Sam Kubina

Sam Kubina

First-year academic advising specialist

Can help with: Advising first-year, pre-major, pre-undeclared, undeclared, exploratory and nondegree-seeking students

Schedule an appointment with Sam
Victoria Avery

Victoria Avery

First-year academic advising specialist

Can help with: Advising first-year, pre-major, pre-undeclared, undeclared, exploratory and nondegree-seeking students

Schedule an appointment with Victoria
Carrie Browne

Carrie Browne

First-year academic advising specialist

Can help with: Advising first-year, pre-major, pre-undeclared, undeclared, exploratory and nondegree-seeking students

(Zoom and phone appointments only)
Evening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 5:00 to 7:00pm AKST

Schedule an appointment with Carrie
Kelly Rolen

Kelly Rolen

First-year academic advising specialist

Can help with: Advising first-year, pre-major, pre-undeclared, undeclared, exploratory and nondegree-seeking students

Schedule an appointment with Kelly
Cassie Kendall

Cassie Kendall

Student success advising coordinator

Can help with: Nanook Navigator advisor support and advising first-year, pre-major, pre-undeclared, undeclared, exploratory and nondegree-seeking students

Schedule an appointment with Cassie
April Jaillet

April Jaillet

First-year academic advising specialist

Can help with: Advising first-year, pre-major, pre-undeclared, undeclared, exploratory and nondegree-seeking students

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH APRIL
Ginny Kinne

Ginny Kinne

Director

Can help with: Credit for prior learning, directly supports our AAC advisors

Iris Cato

Iris Cato

Associate director

Can help with: Advising and AAC advisor support

Nicole Goff

Nicole Goff

Director of Career Services

04 Eielson Building

Schedule an appointment with Nicole

 

Anne Triest

Anne Triest

Study Away academic advisor

Can help with: Advising students going on study abroad and exchange programs (international and domestic) and incoming short-term exchange students
Visit the Study Away website for more details.

Schedule an appointment with Anne

 

Matia

Matia

Academic coach

Can help with: Time management, online learning strategies, school/life balance, individualized study plans, reading and note-taking strategies, organization, effective communication, quiz and exam prep, setting priorities and goals, self-care, and much more!

Schedule with Matia
Julian

Julian

Academic Coach

Can help with: Time management, online learning strategies, school/life balance, individualized study plans, reading and note-taking strategies, organization, effective communication, quiz and exam prep, setting priorities and goals, self-care, and much more!

SCHEDULE WITH JULIAN
David

David

Academic coach

Can help with: Time management, online learning strategies, school/life balance, individualized study plans, reading and note-taking strategies, organization, effective communication, quiz and exam prep, setting priorities and goals, self-care, and much more!

Schedule with David
Josef

Josef

Academic coach

Can help with: Time management, online learning strategies, school/life balance, individualized study plans, reading and note-taking strategies, organization, effective communication, quiz and exam prep, setting priorities and goals, self-care, and much more!

Schedule with Joseph
Saylor

Saylor

Academic coach

Can help with: Time management, online learning strategies, school/life balance, individualized study plans, reading and note-taking strategies, organization, effective communication, quiz and exam prep, setting priorities and goals, self-care, and much more!

Schedule with Saylor
Megan Anderson

Megan Anderson

Office administrator

Brynn Illingworth

Brynn Illingworth

Student assistant

 
 

 

Hours and location

Hours

Office hours:

We are open Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday and holidays: Closed

After-hours advising:

After-hours virtual appointments offered most evenings during the week until 7:00 p.m.

Gruening Building