Registering for classes, making appointments with advisors and conducting research at the University of Oregon are just some of the many challenges students face each day.
Doneka Scott, associate vice provost for student success, along with her team in the department of undergraduate studies, is working to promote student success on campus and guide them through some of these challenges.
The department has started targeted initiatives over the past year, including the Navigate students app, developments in Tykeson Hall and a consolidated online resource tailored for students needs.
Tykeson Hall
Tykeson Hall, the future college and career advising building, will hold the career center and 23 newly-hired academic and career advisors, Scott said.
Scott said Tykeson, scheduled to open in fall 2019, will practice “wrap around” advising that will be a more holistic approach to helping students. Advisors will be trained in both academic and career advising and can connect students to resources beyond “just”’ academics.
Wrap around advising was inspired by PathwayOregon’s success in helping students with class registration and academic advising.
“Pathway Oregon has been one of our hallmark examples of providing wrap around services for students,” Scott said. “That’s been basis and were just expanding that with the influx of support and capacity building for our students, so we’re really excited about it.”
Navigate students app
In the coming weeks, students will start to see advertisements for an app that can schedule advising appointments, connect students with tutors and remind you when to register for classes.
The app, previously called Guide, launched in fall 2018 specifically for incoming students to help them transition to UO, said Hiroe Sorter, student success program manager for the department of undergraduate studies.
Sorter said 6,500 students downloaded the app last fall.
Now, all UO students are able to download and use the app. It is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
“We would like any returning students to download the app. I think that since the app offers so many different features, every student can find their best use of the app,” Sorter said.
In the future, Sorter said they hope to create group specific content for each major and interest a student has.
One Stop
The Department of Undergraduate Studies created a webpage of resources for students last summer, including everything from help with research, transportation information and financial aid resources: One Stop.
“We really didn’t have a repository for students, one place to go, on the web to find resources and information. Campus is really decentralized and we really needed to at least have this first place where students could go to find information,” Scott said.
The page launched over the summer after the department of undergraduate studies collaborated with the university communications and the division of student life.
Scott said they plan to update the page frequently and offer a suggestion portal for students to provide input and request other resources to be added.
