This week, Academic Advising took an important step toward bettering their services for students by launching their new website at advising.unc.edu.
The old advising website wasn’t just a hindrance, it actually prevented students from getting what they needed from UNC’s advising department.
Before it revamped its website, UNC’s advising department offered an extremely user-unfriendly online experience. The old site was a continuous source of confusion and frustration for students.
Building a new website may sound like a minor step in the larger overhaul needed for UNC’s advising system, but because the advising website is often students’ first step when seeking academic help, it is critical that it be as accessible as possible. If a student is trying to seek help, but is unsure exactly how to do so, a website can make or break their motivation.
A good website connects students to the resources they need to be successful. A bad one is intimidating and confusing, and it deters students from looking for the help they need.
Though it’s true that students must first seek out help before advisers can aid them, it’s equally true that the advising office must make it easy for students to find them.
The new website features an events calendar, which is crucial for conveying deadlines to students. Especially when it comes to taking a class pass/fail, clarity about deadlines is necessary for the advising system’s effectiveness.
On its home page, the website features links to pages for scheduling appointments, finding specific advisers and accessing important forms. Above all, this new website simplifies things for students.
Students stand to gain the most from improvements to advising. But they must take an active interest in the program in order to see substantial and specific improvements.
