Academic Advising and Learning Assistance
Academic advising is a vital part of your experience as a student at UAF. In fact, academic advising is so important UAF requires you to meet with your academic advisor at least once a semester before you can schedule your courses. Your academic advisor will assist you with the development of an educational plan encompassing your academic and career goals, requirements of your major, and your semester-by-semester study plan to make the best use of your credits. Students can also see their degree and major requirements through DegreeWorks, UAF’s graduation positioning system, at http://alaska.edu/uaonline. UAF students who are admitted into a major will be advised by a faculty or staff advisor from their department. Visit www.uaf.edu/advising/ for academic advisor contact information.
The Academic Advising Center in the Gruening Building helps general studies and pre-major students as well as students in majors who are exploring other bachelor’s or pre-professional degree programs. Certificate, associate, vocational and technical program students are advised at the Community and Technical College Student Advising and Registration Center in downtown Fairbanks. Native and rural Alaska students are encouraged to seek an academic advisor from Rural Student Services in the Brooks Building. Students at community campuses outside Fairbanks can contact their local student services staff for information on registration, deadlines and other policies unique to their campuses or regions.
Academic Advising Center staff and advisors offer guidance for general studies students (undeclared and exploratory), pre-major, AHEAD students, student-athletes, non-degree students and students in transition from a declared major to another degree program. The center is also a clearinghouse for general university and degree information. Academic advisors also help students with information about nontraditional credit options like credit for prior learning and pre-professional academic programs like veterinary science, law, dentistry or pharmacy.
The academic advising center, in cooperation with other departments, sponsors student success workshops on a variety of special topics, including study skills, deciding on a major and overcoming math anxiety. Staff provide academic support with reference materials, referrals, and study assistance to build and refresh knowledge in writing, math, reading and science. Staff can also help students discover their interests, abilities and aptitudes using software programs, inventories and other tools and assessments that provide guidance about careers and academic majors. These programs are available to students at no charge.
Contact the Academic Advising Center at 510 Gruening Building, 907-474-6396, toll free at 888-823-8780 or by email at uaf.advising@alaska.edu. Specific information for students, including degree program worksheets, can be found at www.uaf.edu/advising/.
Community and Technical College Student Advising and Registration Center
The Community and Technical College Student Advising and Registration Center provides advising and support for students in AA and AAS degree, certificate and specialized training programs to contribute to a successful learning experience and transition to a career. Staff recognize the unique concerns of adult and returning students as well as traditional students entering college. Academic advisors can help with pre-admission advising, academic assessment and placement, financial aid information and applications, and choosing a major.
The center offers academic support through developmental courses, workshops, classroom presentations and one-on-one assistance to help conquer academic hurdles. In addition, advising staff provide personalized career advice based on job market information and a student’s personal goals. Staff ensure that students have a broad base of support as they plan the move from college to career.
For more information, contact the Student Advising and Registration Center, Community and Technical College, 604 Barnette St., Fairbanks, AK 99701, call 907-455-2800 or visit www.ctc.uaf.edu/student/.
Rural Student Services is the vital link between the Fairbanks campus and rural Alaska communities. RSS provides comprehensive academic advising services with a focus on the freshman and sophomore years. Advisors at RSS recognize and are sensitive to the unique cultural components of Native and rural students at UAF. RSS advisors provide comprehensive advising and referrals to various support services on the Fairbanks campus. RSS advisors register students for classes, explain academic requirements and explore degree options. Other RSS services include assistance with admissions and financial aid, career advising and student advocacy.
RSS functions as a student center in the Brooks Building to provide an atmosphere where students can share Native cultural traditions on campus and attend a variety of Native student club activities. Students who are enrolled at UAF and are Alaska Native or come from a rural area are encouraged to use RSS as their home base.
For more information contact Rural Student Services, Brooks Building main floor, call 907-474-7871 or 888-478-1452, email uaf-rss@alaska.edu or visit www.uaf.edu/ruralss/.
International Student Advising
Students from other countries face many situations that American students do not encounter. International students must comply with immigration regulations, adapt to a new and often strange culture, and adjust to the American system of higher education. International student advisors are a liaison between the student and various U.S. immigration agencies. Advisors issue documents enabling students to apply for visas, help students adjust to UAF, and provide immigration and personal assistance. For more information, contact the Office of International Programs and Initiatives at 907-474-7677 or 907-474-7583, uaf-internationalprograms@alaska.edu or www.uaf.edu/oip/.
The Student Support Services program provides students with opportunities for academic development, assists with college requirements, and motivates students to complete their degree program. The program is funded by a TRiO grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Services include a drop-in tutoring center, instruction in math skills, tutorial services, academic advising and mentoring, cultural and social engagement, a loan program for laptop computers and other media, and direct financial assistance to qualified participants.
All services are free to eligible students. The program is staffed with certified student tutors.
To receive SSS program services, a student must have academic need and meet one of the following criteria:
- be financially limited according to federal criteria,
- be a first-generation college student (meaning neither parent has earned a bachelor’s degree), or
- have a documented physical or learning disability.
Participants must also be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and intend to obtain a bachelor's degree.
For information, contact Student Support Services in 514 Gruening Building, at 907-474-6844 or trio.sss@alaska.edu, or visit www.uaf.edu/sss/ for an application.
Information about lab hours for all Fairbanks campus academic support resources as well as tutoring options is on the Academic Advising Center website at www.uaf.edu/advising/student/. Many of these resources are free or cost a nominal fee.
- Accounting Lab
The Accounting Lab provides tutoring services to students enrolled in accounting courses. Located in 219 Bunnell Building, the lab is staffed by accounting graduate students and outstanding undergraduate students. Lab hours are assigned (but flexible) Monday through Saturday. For more information, contact the Department of Accounting and Information Systems at 907-474-1945. - Chemistry Learning Center
For more information contact the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at 907-474-6287 or www.uaf.edu/chem/clc/. - Developmental Education Math, English and Reading Labs
The Department of Developmental Education provides academic support labs in math, English and reading. These labs are at each of the rural campuses and the Community and Technical College, and on the Fairbanks campus. Labs provide tutoring and small group instruction for students taking developmental, academic or vocational math, and reading and writing courses. Academic support labs supplement and support student learning as well as improve and expand student skills in these areas. For further information contact your local campus or the Department of Developmental Education at 907-474-1112. - Foreign Language Laboratory
The language lab, in 609 Gruening, provides assistance in French, Spanish, Japanese, German and Russian. Computer programs, CDs, cassettes and spell-checkers are available for student use. Call the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at 907-474-7396 for lab hours. - Math and Statistics Laboratory
This lab provides flexible-hour assistance seven days a week to students enrolled in mathematics and statistics courses. The lab is coordinated by faculty, and services are provided by students. For more information, contact the math department at 907-474-5427. - Speaking Center
The Speaking Center in 507 Gruening provides coaching on refining presentation topics and presentation organization. Students receive immediate, constructive suggestions from a Speaking Center coach. The center is usually open weekdays and some evenings. Visit www.uaf.edu/speak/ for center hours. For more information, contact the Speaking Center at 907-474-5470 or fyspeak@uaf.edu. - Supplemental Instruction
Supplemental instruction sessions are regularly scheduled, informal review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools and predict test items. Students learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together. SI is designed to reduce rates of attrition within historically difficult courses, improve student grades and increase graduation rates of students. Contact the Academic Advising Center at 907-474-6396 or uaf.advising@alaska.edu for more information. - Writing Center
The Writing Center is open Sunday through Friday for tutoring all enrolled students. The staff, composed of English graduate teaching assistants and outstanding undergraduate students, reviews student writing projects at any stage from planning to drafting and revising. Tutors are available to help students improve grammar and usage. For information, contact the Writing Center, 907-474-5314.