Winston-Salem State University
Volume 13, Number
Pre-Advisement and
Registration: A Closer Look!
by Yolanda Jones
The registration process has not been
easy for students or faculty over the years
here at Winston-Salem State University.
The entire registration process, includes,
pre-advisement, pre-registration, and the
final step, registration.
WSSU has a policy of pre-advisement and
not one of pre-registration, this causes the
entire process to be one big problem.
The problems begin with pre-advisement,
which consists of contact between academic
advisors and students. These advisors are
faculty members who are assigned to work
with the General Studies Division or to work
within their academic departments.
The next step is pre-registration which in
cludes pre-advisement plus the depositing of
requested schedules with the records office
for processing before registration.
Registration is the final step of the pro
cess, which involves the establishment of
the schedule, the payment of fees, and the
storing of information for future use.
The registrations process is very com
plicated for students and faculty but, over
the past five years the Student Personal
Division has been seeking to change pre
advisement to pre-registration by
automating its total records system. This
process, will not only improve the registra
tion procedure, but it will also improve the
service that can be offered to students.
Warren C. Oldham, director of student
records, feels that registration should be
changed. During the last three years, the
Student Personnel Division has taken
definite steps toward reaching that goal, by
adding to the Administrative Data Center, a
new software package, called Student Infor
mation Systems. (SIS)
This package has been placed in pertinent
offices, and training of staff personnel has
begun.
Although this package will make registra
tion easier in the future, Oldham states, that
it is still up to the student to pre-register in
order to obtain a schedule that leads to the
accomplishments of their goals.
According to Oldham, it appears that
there will be continued use of the present
system of registration until provisions are
available for the conversion to the Student
Information System.
It is projected that the new system will
have been installed and the staff fully train
ed by the spring, 1987.
Pre-Advisement: Advisors Comment
by Melanie Valerie Beatty
In the last edition of The News Argus
students voiced their opinions about pre
advisement. In this edition of the paper,
academic advisors, departmental advisors
and the General Studies advisors were inter
viewed.
Various advisors gave their opinion about
pre-advisement and the changes they feel
should be made.
Mrs. Margaret Poston, instructor of
mathematics, feels pre-advisement is very
important.
“It is more of a hassle for students than it
is for instructors, but it is important. I think
computerization will help a great deal,”
commented Poston. “I also think they
should speed up the process of installing
computerization. ’ ’
Dr. James McLaughlin, associate pro
fessor of History feels that “When ones goes
for pre-advisement and when they receive
their packet, they should receive their
course cards. Because of the sequence of
alphabets during registration, a lot of peo
ple loose out and that isn’t fair to those who
are pre-advised.
Dr. Valerie S. Saddler, assistant pro
fessor of journalism, feels that pre
advisement is an important procedure.
“Students should check with their general
studies or academic advisors to make sure
they are taking the right courses in the cur
rent sequence,” explained Saddler. “I also
think that computerizing the registration
process will help speed up the process and
eliminate many of the problems the current
process presents.
Chancellor Cleon F. Thompson. Jr., WSSU’s Eighth Chancellor.
APRIL 20 - 26
PPvOFESSIONALi
5ECP.ETARIE5
WEEK
by Karla Barksdale
Sitting comfortably on a couch in his sun
filled office, Dr. Cleon Thompson talked en
thusiastically about his first seven months
as Chancellor at Winston-Salem State
University.
Dr. Thompson said he was attracted to
Winston-Salem State because it is a
historically Black institution, and it led him
to accepting the position of Chancellor He
has chosen to spend the next phase of his
career on improving Winston-Salem State
University.
Dr. Thompson feels one major problem
facing Winston-Salem State is that of im
age. Before coming to Winston-Salem Stote
he heard good things about the institution;
but since his arrival, he has learned more
good things about the college that should be
known across the state.
“It’s a well kept secret concerning what
we have here and I consider it a real priori
ty to try and get the image of the institution
changed,” stated Thompson.
Dr. Thompson feels good things are hap
pening and will continue to happen at
Winston-Salem State University. He’ll con
tinue to work on matters to make Winston-
Salem State a comfortable, learning en
vironment for students.
Collaborating and interacting with
students is important to Dr. Thompson.
Since he has b^n here, he hasn’t gotten a
chance to visit with the students as much as
he had planned.
Presently, he’s spending the majority of
his time learning and studying the institu
tion. He believes in knowing his job to the
fullest.
Dr. Thompson feels once he has com
pleted the bulk of his demanding job, he’ll
be able to spend more time with the
students. He feels that the students are the
best teachers. It’s important to him to meet
and know the students on a personal basis.
When asked about student apathy on our
campus, Dr. Thompson strongly feels it
comes from the lack of having general
assemblies attended by students and facul
ty. He feels students should be required to
attend assemblies.
“It’s not always what you learn in the
classroom that deals with your politics or
other various topics. Its through issue
discussion and participation that you
become knowledgeable,” he explained.
He also feels that hearing lectures and
discussion will raise the concerns and view
points of the students.
Dr. Thompson is very concerned al)out
the happiness of the student body. He wants
the students to ask for their needs and de
mand satisfaction by voicing their opinions,
which are important in the success of the
university.
In a closing question Dr. Thompson was
asked, “What would he like to say about the
condition of Winston-Salem State socially as
well as academically three years from
now?”
He said he would “hope that the general
studies program would be in place. Once a
student has completed it, he or she will have
a sound basic exposure to the arts and
sciences. Secondly, once a student has com
pleted a major program, he or she has a
demonstrated competency in that chosen
field and finally, he’d like to see Winston-
Salem State with a Graduate School.”
On the other hand, socially Dr. Thompson
would like to see “the student body taking
more pride in their campus and surroun
dings.” He feels “the student is the key to
the well being of the university .”