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The
Office of Academic Assistance
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
The Office of Academic Assistance (OAA) for the Andrew Young School provides a multitude of services for students and administers a variety of functions for the School. Unlike many other colleges within the University that have employees assigned to specific functional areas, our staff of three wears many hats as they cover a broad spectrum of responsibilities. OAA staff members are Sue Fagan, Wanda Cooley, and Sally Fowler.
The OAA is the advisement office for undergraduate students, and also provides advisement support, as needed, to graduate students. To ensure individualized advisement, each student meets with an advisor in the OAA, and then also is assigned a faculty advisor based on that student’s area of interest. The OAA staff provides academic counseling and referrals to other resources at the University. They assist students with program planning and develop an individualized program of study for each student. They provide guidance on interpretation of degree regulations, registration assistance including help with course selection and schedule revisions, and many other services to current students. For new transfer students, the OAA completes an evaluation of transfer credit and assists in selecting a major and minor or specialization. Returning students, undecided majors, or others interested in a program offered by the AYSPS also are assisted by the OAA.
The first contact for prospective graduate applicants is usually with the OAA. Graduate admissions is a significant staff function as they respond to initial requests for information, manage the online application, assist prospective students during the application process, work with the program admissions committees to ensure timely decisions on applicant pools, and notify applicants of decisions. The OAA assists with recruitment and graduate orientations for newly accepted students.
AYSPS is a host institution for many international scholars; the OAA administers programs sponsored by the American Councils for International Education, the International Research and Exchanges Board, the Fulbright Program of the Institute of International Education, and others. OAA staff also work with the Office of International Services and Programs to process financial documents required for issuance of international students’ visas.
OAA staff manage the maintenance and updating of the undergraduate and graduate catalogs and coordinate course scheduling each semester. They are responsible for the interpretation of college and university policies and catalog regulations and administer all petitions and appeals from students. They act as liaisons between AYSPS students and other units of the University such as the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Career Services offices, the Registrar, the Pullen Library, the Office of Student Life and Leadership, and the Student Advising Center, as well as academic departments.
The OAA provides faculty support on student issues, including academic honesty, academic performance, and classroom discipline processes. They are responsible for monitoring the academic performance of all AYSPS students, and for notifying students of issues that arise. They advise students through graduation, and audit each student’s degree requirements for graduation. Doctoral candidates receive OAA assistance when appointing their dissertation committee, scheduling the dissertation defense, and publishing their dissertations.
OAA staff participate in a number of university-sponsored events on and off campus including advising and career days at other institutions, Incept orientation for new undergraduate students, and Panther Preview visitor days. Along with the Dean’s Office, they coordinate the annual Honors Day to recognize outstanding students and graduates in the AYSPS.
Further information on OAA activities are detailed in the following sections:
