'I ESDAYf A GTJ.ST 29,1967' THE MICHIGAN DAILY' TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1967 mE MICUIGAN hA liv I. Making the University Workable: Tips for the Incoming Freshman INITIATIVE NECESSARY: U 'Academic Counseling Offei Below are a number of informal tips to help you, the incom- ing student, make it through your four years at the University. Although you will probably pick them up along the way inde- pendently, The Daily hopes to save you a little time and pos- sibly a little discomfort. HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT COURSES TO TAKE: Your academic counselor usually will not provide advice on a specific course. However, he is a valuable source of informa- tion in finding out what courses you will be required to take before graduation. He will also not fill you in on just who are the really fine professors currently teaching courses within the reach of fresh- men. You should turn to your fellow students for this type of advice. They may be prejudiced, but they are usually helpful. Always. check the name of the' professor who is teaching the courses before asking for advice. The success of a course depends almost entirely on quality of the individual professor. If the name of the professor does not appear in the time sched- ule, go to the departmental office and ask one of the coopera- tive secretaries there. Most courses are usually offered at least- once a year and a student can wait to take the subject until the preferred professor is assigned to teach the particular course. Certain courses, listed in the general catalogue, however, are taught only infrequently. If you are interested in a course not listed in the time schedule, for a particular semestei, you should once again seek information in the departiental office. Beware of advice from fellow students which emphasizes a professor's personality, rather than his approach to his subject., Comedy and flare in a professor's lectures usually wear thin by the end of the semester. freshman courses. The Rackham School of Graduate Studies has very derhanding admissions standards, and takes only the top of the nation's graduating college seniors. Most TF's hope to be professors in a few years, so flatter their ages and tell them they are underpaid. If you have a TF for a recitation section of a course, there may be a difference of opinion between the lecturer, who is usually a professor and the TF. It is suggested that you side with the TF, since he has the responsibility for final grading. Remember, a TF is also a student and thus has two respon- sibilities. He must keep up with his graduate studies while simultaneously teaching a course. Many times his teaching will suffer. HOW TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH A PROFESSOR: Most professors are anxious to meet and talk with their students. It is a vital addition to a college education and should not be missed. Even the most foreboding looking lecturer will probably be happy to discuss his subject with you. Often times professors even turn their conversations to campus affairs and national politics. You can form lasting friendships and gain valuable information by talking freely with your professors. All professors have office hours which are especially set aside for consulting with students. Most instructors are not happy with large classes and yearn for a chance to establish meaningful personal relationships with their students. By WALLACE IMMEN At a surprisingly large number of colleges and universities, the only academic advice available to students comes in the form of a catalogue which reads much like a railroad schedule. This University, however, prides itself on what is one of the largest. and most sophisticated programs of its kind. "The University is recognized to have among the best counseling systems in the country," explained James W. Shaw. chairman of the literary college counseling office for juniors and seniors. the student a valuable personal contact in a sprawling education institution, if he wishes. If not, it is a sure source where one can find out exactly how to fill distribution requirements. The counseling procedure begins when the student makes an ap- pointment with his assigned coun- selor, often a time-consuming process. His appointment may be as much as a week or more later, since the counselors are also working members of the faculty and usually are assigned more stu- dents they can properly handle. But the student is not limited, 1; When a. gt.ijtipnt. npptic mm-n IC t than academic advice, he will be referred to a more specialized agency on campus. Personal counseling services are also up to a student's initiative or a referral by the counselor. Such counseling includes handling: the emotional and physcial prob-! lems that can interfere with a student's career. Health Service, for instance, is available as a fulltime clinic for, the exclusive benefit of students, with a staff of doctors, nurses and technicians, a 60-bed infirmary and the facilities of University Hospital. The Bureau of Psychological Services has a staff of trained , psychiatrists and psychologists1 who talk to students about prob- ! lems of social adjustment academic difficulties. The Office of Financial Aic sists students who enco emergency financial shortag are under serious financial d vantage. The Office of Religious A uses the services of thirty chaplains as counselors in st concerns with religious and y sophical questions. The function of the Re Improvement Service is to students in adding to their res speed and improvement of study habits. The Residence Hall systemr offers Resident Advisors and counselors, whose general ai to assist students in making best adjustmaent to Universit; and its demands. WHO ARE THE BIG-NAME PROFESSORS: HOW TO CHANGE COURSES AFTER YOU HAVE REGISTERED: This procedure is commonly referred to as dropping and adding. It is a' time-consuming process, but well worth your while if you are unhappy with a particular course. Drops be- come more difficult as the semester progresses, so effect them as soon as possible. There are only four years to an undergradu- ate education; you should take full advantage of your limited time. All drops must beapproved by an academic counselor, not necessarily the one assigned to you. Go to the counseling offices in Angell Hall and make an appointment. The lines will prob- ably be long, but so is a semester with a disappointing professor. Your counselor will probably ask for an excuse as to why you wish to drop the course. The best policy is to speak with him frankly about, your difficulties. He will tell you the procedure for filling out the-proper forms. Before you go to your counselor pick an alternative course and make sure it is not closed. Lists of closed courses can be found in the counseling office or you can contact the professor in charge of the course. Well, most of the time nobody cares who the "big-name" professors are, so don't worry about it. As you increase your knowledge in a particular field, you will quickly see who are the leaders in an academic discipline. Most college professors are not famous outside University communities, since their works are either scholarly or scientific, and therefore have no appeal to the mainstream of American thought. The University has a generous snare of "big-name" pro- fessors and ranks highly in almost all academic disciplines. "Big-name" professors are usually famous for their books, research and papers. This does not necessarily mean they are good instructors. So make sure each is a fine "teacher" before you take his course. Specialized Agencies even in peak periods, in the num- The University operates more ber of times he may see his coun- than 20 specialized agencies to as- selor, if he has legitimate concerns sist students in the areas of aca- about dropping or adding courses demics, career planning and psy- or revising his course of study., chiatric counseling. Students are often dismayed Academic counseling is the stu- that their counselor, perhaps an dent's most immediate contact instructor in geology or botany, is with the wide range of services of- advising them about an unrelated fered by the University. Although potential English majdr. no sure solutions are guaranteed, Shaw explains that because the the counseling office offers a place counselors are faculty members where a student may seek advice they have a running knowledge of when he encounters uncertainty the current classroom situations. or difficulty in building his college They are not expected to know program. every detail about all the courses Counseling is available to meet offred in the catalogue. all student needs, no matter how Sound Advice specialized their field. The Engin- Although they can't be experts eering College, Honors College and on eveything, they can give sound School of Nursing, among others, advice based on experience with operate their own separate coun- similar situations in '.the ; past. seling program for students en- They can also refer students to rolled in concentration subjects. other faculty members when they Wide Variety desire further information. But by far the largest operation The student at the freshman- is the literary college .counseling sophomore level is not allowed to office, which serves 11,000 under- concentrate in a particular field, graduates in a wide variety of de- and therefore it is not considered partments. vital that he have a counselor "Entering freshmen usually from his field. His main objective come in with the impression that should be to fill distribution re- the counselor should be his guar- uirements. In declaring a major, dian," Shaw claims. "They are in the second semester of their used to having guidance handed to sophomore year, students are able them." to choose a counselor in their field However, at the University, he of interest. notes, the counselor is regarded "We are not a ritualistic organ- as a "resource," rather than a ization in which a number of im- "director" and the student is un- personal clerks are a ilable to der no obligation to see him after approve course selections made by an initial half-hour interview, ex- a number," Shaw explains. "Nor cept to have schedule cards ap- are we a psychoanalysis center for proved. solving social problems; our true But the key to the counseling function lies somewhere in be- process is initiative. tween and we try to be available The counseling process offers when the student needs us." WHAT IS THE TRIMESTER: The trimester is a new innovation in scheduling. It offers you jam-packed, tension-ridden eight, months of intensive study with few vacations. But it ends in April and gives you a full four.months with no exams, to worry about. You are also given a jump on students from other colleges and universities in obtaining summer jobs. You can finish your undergraduate education, under the system, in less than three years, if you wish to take courses during the summer months. Under the former system, this would be nearly impossible. The semesters are short, so there is little or no time to let work pile up. Without a vacation break there is also no free time to concentrate on researching term papers. So, watch the calendar and keep up with the pace., WHAT IS A TEACHING FELLOW: To have a teaching fellow as - an instructor is a fate far better, thanr death. Most of the University's TF's are highly competent graduate stydents more than capable of teaching Tapping a Valuable Source of Inform --- - '_ - Since 1883 Since 1883 It's w RS University Bookstore for the Best in Books and Supplies-serving Michigan Students Since 1883 Thousands of Michigan Men and Women have found our dependable and courteous service combined with the friendly atmosphere of a "real bookstore" the answer to their book and supply needs. New and Used T T OOKS and SUPP 'Es .A FOR ALL UNIVERSITY COURSES Special Departments for Liberal Arts, Nursing, Medical, and Engineerin inspect our huge inventory of- FOUNTAIN PENS-PENCILS-DRAWING SETS-ZIPPER NOTEBOOKS-LEATHER GOODS STATIONERY-SLIDE RULES- ART SUPPLIES-MICHIGAN SOUVENIRS II I - - - - - - U U