Advising

The Department of Communication Studies utilizes a central adviser system. Within this system, nearly every communications major has the same adviser, Leigh Bryan.

Office: Coleman Hall 1827
Telephone: 217.581.8400
Email: labryan@eiu.edu

Schedule a Meeting

To schedule a meeting, go to the advising/internship website: http://castle.eiu.edu/cmnadvising/.  Appointment slots are in 15-minute increments and you may sign up for multiple appointments. Once you register for the site, you will go there to make/cancel an appointment and will use the same login information every semester. For help using the new site, please watch the video on the site home page.

Preparation for the Meeting

A degree audit is mandatory for all advising appointments.   You can run a degree audit in PAWS.  Log in to PAWS, click on STUDENT and then RECORDS. Once there, click DEGREE AUDIT REPORTING SYSTEM. You should now see a screen with your name on it and to the right side there is a button: RUN AUDIT. Click this button. You will be redirected to a screen requesting you wait up to 5 minutes for the audit to appear. Click on the link VIEW AUDIT. You don’t have to wait 5 minutes. Usually 30 seconds is sufficient.

You should see a blue link with your major and option listed. Click that link. You are now in your degree audit. At the top of the audit is a link that says, “Printer Friendly Version.” This is the version of your audit you want, it will print in 4-6 pages. Bring that to your appointment.

Meeting with Adviser

Be on time and do not skip your appointment. To cancel your advising appointment, provide at least one hour notice via e-mail. This way, other students can have your time slot. If you are late for your appointment and another student stops by, that other student takes the appointment.

Your adviser will check to see if you have any holds on your record. Holds on your record will prevent you from being able to register. Advisers usually cannot clear your holds, but can direct you to the appropriate office.

Your adviser will complete a scheduling worksheet, which contains a proposed schedule and any notes on which you need to follow up. You will need to sign the form; you will receive one copy, while another copy will be placed in your file.

Be sure to ask any and all questions you have, or make another appointment to get them answered. During the appointment, you will receive a personal identification number (PIN) you must enter into the computer system during registration. We recommend you enter your PIN as a contact in your cell phone so that you won’t forget it.