Using the LSAOn-Line Student

File and the DegreeAudit Report

The Advising Session

Advisors meet with students to discuss the student’s ambitions and academic plans. During that discussion the advisor brings up both the LSA On-Line Student File and the Degree Audit report on their computer to aid in that discussion. Advisors can also access the Advising Report which is a more detailed version of the Unofficial Transcript.

Besides showing the student’s current progress, the Degree Audit report function can also generate “Quick What-If” scenarios, allowing students to see how their current credits might be used in a different major or minor, or even a different School or College.

The On-Line Student FileDuring an advising appointment, the On-Line file is used to review any notes or exceptions that were entered in previous conversations with this student. The advisor then adds a note describing the decisions made in the current session. If the advisor approves any exception for a student who has an on-line file, regarding the requirements in the student’s major or minor – these must be recorded in the On-Line File under Exceptions.

Each day the LSA Auditors Office, Honors Program Office, and Residential College staff run a report listing all exceptions that have been entered by advisors in the On-Line file from the previous business day. Those exceptions are then entered directly into the Student Record in M-Pathways.

The Degree Audit Report

The Degree Audit Report provides a real-time, accurate snapshot of a student’s progress toward their degree.The report includes an analysis of the rules that have already been encoded combined with the exceptions approved for this student.

Starting in June, 2006 students will be able to run this report day or night at their convenience. Reporting approved exceptions at the time they are granted ensures the accuracy of this report.

Some LSA departments have been using the Degree Audit Report for several terms.

Evidence has shown that having a Degree Audit Report brings students in to see their advisor more frequently. Students are better informed and thus able to make more intelligent decisions about their course selection.

Advising appointments can focus on meaningful advising issues rather than counting courses and credits to establish the student’s current status.

The Advising Session

The Degree Audit Report and the Advising Report are available to advisors via Teaching Support on Wolverine Access.

If you need access to Teaching Support you must follow these steps:

1. Review the Administrative Data Access and Compliance Overview eLearning Course at http://www.mais.umich.edu/access/policies.html

2. Sign and fax the Access & Compliance Form to JoAnn Peraino, LSA Dean’s Office, at 5-0588.

3. Email JoAnn Peraino at jperaino@umich.edu and let her know that you have faxed your Access & Compliance form for access to Teaching Support advising functions.

If you need access to the LSA On-Line Student File, contact lsa.ugfile.support@umich.edu .

Getting Access