POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
This section will include the graduate catalog, the undergraduate catalog, and the undergraduate student handbook.  We will also be adding information about changes to various procedures and policies that occur throughout the year. This section is a key to success in your degree program.  This is the first place to refer to get questions answered regarding policies and procedures. 

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC ADVISING
This section will be unique to the particular program in which you are enrolled.  In this section, you can find a course rotation matrix, checksheets for your major, suggestions for the order in which to take classes, and other hints and tips from program advisors.

STUDY TIPS/TECHNIQUES
This section will give you hints on ways to keep yourself motivated while studying at a distance.  Research shows that many students who are not successful in a distance program find it hard to "juggle their schedules" to put the educational program as a priority in their lives.  Once you have an idea of some techniques to practice and pitfalls to avoid, you can truly concentrate on your courses!  Also, because it is common for adult students to have been away from college for several years, these techniques can help overcome some of the anxiety you may be feeling.

ONLINE HELP
When attending a campus, you will tend to find several offices that can offer assistance to you in various formats.  It is important to realize that there are also many similar services offered online, both free and at a cost.  This section will identify places where you can receive assistance with everything from writing to career counseling.  We will also introduce you to online listservs and study groups where you can log in and share your experiences (both positive and negative) and learn from others' experiences.

FINANCIAL AID/RESOURCES
This section will explain the procedures for working with the financial aid office at UW-Platteville and also provide information on loans, grants, and scholarships you may be eligible to receive.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
This section will include some answers to FAQs that may be of help to you as you proceed through your program.  This is a quick place to check to see if your questions have already been answered at a time that is convenient for you.  We will update the FAQs frequently.

ASSESSMENTS 
This section will have a series of questions for you to answer to help determine your affinity for being a successful student at a distance. There will also be links to articles about being a self-directed learner, learning at a distance, and being a successful returning adult student. 

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS 
We would like to get some student testimonials (including pictures) as to how you have been successful in your classes.  If you are interested in being a part of the advising web site, please contact the Distance Learning Center at 1-800-362-5460 or e-mail disted@uwplatt.edu. We will contact you to get a quote and a picture.

At this time, the categories that are listed above will be the areas on which we will be concentrating.  However, because the purpose of this site is to help you, the students, please do not hesitate to let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see us add to the site.  Although we may not be able to add everything that you suggest, we can certainly review the ideas and move forward with building the site.

The other thing that is important to keep in mind is that the advising site will continue to evolve.  As we find new materials/resources that may be helpful to you, as processes and procedures change, or as materials become outdated, we will be updating the site.  We will keep you informed on the announcement page (on our main distance education web page) as to major changes that occur on the advising page.  So, it is important to go to the site frequently to keep up-to-date on pertinent information.

You will be able to reach the advising site by going to www.uwplatt.edu/disted and clicking on advising (under student services) or by going into your individual program and clicking on advising.  Please keep in mind that it is your responsibility to keep informed of the various policies and procedures that impact your program of study.  This site should be used as a resource by you as you proceed through your major toward graduation. 

I hope that you will find this site useful in helping you reach your goals.  By having this information available in a convenient time frame (always), I believe that we will better be able to serve a larger number of students in a more thorough manner.  If you have questions when referring to the web site or can't find the answer to your question, please use the "ask an advisor" form (located on the advising site) to send in your question via e-mail.

Happy 2001!