Advising Staff

Swenson College Professional Advisors and Staff

Office Hours
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Montague Hall 107
[email protected] or 218-726-7585

Swenson College's professional advising staff assists with your questions from orientation to graduation. Advising is an important part of academic success. It allows you to build a relationship with an adviser and get answers to your questions about courses, majors, minors, careers, internships, study abroad programs, student activities, and anything else you may need to know. Visit our Advising and Registration Guide for registration and academic planning information.

Advising is Ongoing

Professional advisors in SCSE are ready to meet with you starting your first day at UMD, through graduation.

By appointment (in person or virtual via Zoom)
Drop-in meeting (in person or via Zoom)

Appointments and Drop-ins

When is a drop-in visit adequate?
Drop-ins are 5-10 minute meetings with an SCSE professional advisor to discuss topics such as:

Questions about liberal education requirements
Questions about adding or dropping a course
Reviewing your APAS report/making a correction to your APAS report
Connecting with campus resources
Questions about academic policies or forms

When is an appointment necessary?
Schedule a 30-minute appointment with an advisor to discuss any of the following:

Classes for next semester and getting your registration hold moved
Academic progress
Academic standing (eg. probation, suspension, readmission, return from leave of absence)
Significant changes to your academic plan
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal
Discussing unique circumstances

You are assigned either a professional academic advisor within the SCSE Advising Office or a faculty advisor within the department of your major. You can check the top of your APAS report or MyU > Academics tab to see who your assigned advisor is.

Drop-ins

Drop-ins are available the following days and times:

Monday 10am - 12pm (must be checked in by 11:45am) - In Person
Tuesday 10am - 12pm (must be checked in by 11:45am) - In Person
Wednesday 1pm - 3 pm (must be checked in by 2:45pm) - In Person
Thursday 1pm - 3pm (must be checked in by 2:45pm) - In Person
Friday 2pm - 3pm (must be checked in by 2:45pm) - Remote via Zoom
- Please use this link to connect with an advisor during remote drop-ins on Fridays: z.umn.edu/SCSEADVzoom

*Hours subject to change due to official campus holidays or events.

Stop by 107 Montague Hall between the hours above to meet with an advisor. Drop-ins are staffed by our advisors on a rotating basis. The advising office is closed M-F from 12 to 1pm.

Appointments

You may schedule an in person or virtual appointment with your advisor by using the links below or by calling the SCSE Advising Office at 218-726-7585.

Tom Fitz: Advises Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Math & Statistics, Undeclared Engineering
tfitzscse.appointments

John Hest: Advises Earth & Environmental Science, Engineering Physics, Physics & Astronomy, Undeclared Science
jhestscse.appointments

Miranda Miller
mmillerscse.appointments

Trent Nelson: Advises Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Undeclared Engineering
Trent.appointments

Heather Runzel: Advises Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry
hrunzelscse.appointments

Before your advising appointment:

Review your degree plan and APAS report to determine what courses you plan to take next semester. Pay special attention to pre-requisite courses and co-requisite courses.
Compile any questions you may have for your advisor.
Be prepared to discuss how your current classes are going.
Bring ideas and questions you may have related to co-curricular opportunities (eg. internships, co-ops, research, learning abroad, student groups, etc.).

Faculty Advised SCSE students:

Your advisor is listed in APAS or MyU. You can look up their contact information in their department's faculty directory. For links to each department, visit the SCSE homepage or the Departments and Programs tab in the menu.