After Orientation...What's Next? (Parent & Family Edition)

With our incoming first year CSUSB Yotes attending new student orientation, do you as a parent or family member know what your student should have learned or what happens next? Join academic advisor Matt Markin as he chats with the experts, Maria Domingo from Orientation and First Year Experience and Ellie Gault from the ASUA Academic Advising Office! Maria and Ellie recap orientation, answer questions about pack enrollment, changing classes, important dates, and more!

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Transcript

Matt Markin  
Welcome to the CSUSB Advising Podcast. Today's episode is a special episode, as this is for parents and guardians for our incoming CSUSB students. My name is Matt Markin. I'm an academic advisor here at Cal State San Bernardino. And first off, congratulations to your graduating senior from high school becoming a CSUSB Coyote. So by the time you're listening to this, your now incoming CSUSB student has attended their new student orientation. So we thought it would be great to not only recap what your student should have learned at orientation, but get your student and yourself as their parent or guardian prepped for their first semester at CSUSB, and to help us unpack all of this, let's welcome our two fantastic guests. First up, we have Maria Domingo, first year experience, senior coordinator with the orientation and First Year Experience Office, Maria welcome. 

Maria Domingo  
Thank you. Happy to be here. 

Matt Markin  
And let's also welcome Ellie Gault, assistant director from the asua academic advising office. Welcome Ellie.

Ellie Gault  
Thank you, Matt. Thank you for hosting us and putting this on for our parents and guardians.

Matt Markin  
Absolutely. And so before we jump into getting ready for the fall semester, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves? Maria, do you want to go first?

Maria Domingo  
So I have I just started at the Orientation First Year Experience Office. I've been there for about two years now, but prior to that, I was an academic advisor for a couple years for Jack Brown major of Business Administration and also for College of Arts and Letters.

Matt Markin  
Awesome. Ellie, how about you?

Ellie Gault  
I have been on campus for quite a while now, and it's fun to be in the space with two colleagues and friends that I've shared my time on campus with. I've been in academic advising for Oh man, I'm gonna age myself for more time than I'd like to admit. But also worked in admissions and the registrar's office and really gotten to see all of us in action in helping to support your students, as well as you all as parents and guardians. 

Matt Markin  
Again welcome both. So let's throw out this question. What information did students get at orientation? You know, can you give us a quick breakdown of what the day in the life of a student orientation was like?

Maria Domingo  
So for this year, it's orientation. It was a little bit different. In years past, we've had one day orientations, but for this year, it was different because we offered a two day orientation for our first time freshmen, which was really cool, because students were able to come in and spend the night on campus, so that they were able to experience different resources and the fun activities that campus has. But this year, it was two days because we really needed to focus on a lot of the different resources to get our students ready as they come in in the fall. So students were able to learn about financial aid, they learned about the different affinity centers that we have here on campus, so all the different resources that we have, we learned about Student Financial Services, safety, you know, to make sure that when they're here on campus, to know that they're safe here at the university. But I think one of the most important things that they learned was academic advising. I'll leave that to Ellie.

Ellie Gault  
At orientation, what? What I want to make sure the students walked away with was seeds that we've planted, meaning they're not going to understand everything the minute that we tell them. It takes repetition, it takes time. It takes, you know, being on campus starting in the fall, to really understand everything we were saying. So our goal was to plant seeds about the different advising tools we have help them understand what classes that they are enrolled in, and where those classes fit into their actual degree requirements. So we did a broad but also specific in a way, brush of what What classes are you in? What does this mean to your degree requirements? What tools do we use as advisors? And certainly, we want them to walk away knowing, hey, come to University Hall 329 email your advisor, come to our zoom, drop ins, connect with us and make sure that we are doing our part in you understanding why we put you in the classes that we did for the fall, and certainly, we want them to know general questions, come back to see us. But also, hey, I think I want to change my schedule. Please come back and have your student come to see us, because we want to make sure any changes they make don't negatively impact their sequencing of courses as they move on through their journey.

Maria Domingo  
I did want to add one other thing, you know, like I said, there's a lot of different information that students are going to learn during orientation, but when Ellie had mentioned things that they would, you know, leave orientation with, our goal is that they also have a make a support system so they have. Their orientation leaders there that they get to meet during this two day orientation. We know that there's a lot of information that's given to them, so we know they're not going to remember everything, but we hope that they make connections with their oh, what their orientation leader, they make connections with other students in their major, so that even though they may not remember all the information that they have, they could still connect with someone and ask questions. So really, making that those friends during that first orientation, so in the fall, they already have a support system coming in.

Matt Markin  
So, I mean, that's definitely a great way, like you were saying, Marie, there's a lot of information that they're being given at that they receive that orientation. So they they it's really just for them to know that okay, even though orientation is done, I have questions or I forgot something, I can maybe reach out to my orientation leader, also known as an OL or maybe even their Academic Advisor, which I know we'll talk a little bit more later on in this recording. And I'm sure a question that has come up at orientation even after is, you know, from a parent or guardian, as you know, my student was pre enrolled or pack enrolled in classes. Does that mean that they can't change their schedule? Does that mean that this pack enrollment is going to happen each semester?

Ellie Gault  
Fantastic question. I'll go ahead and take that one. So if they need to change their schedule, they are absolutely allowed to so the reason we do PAC enrollment is really to help them just get started on their initial term at Cal State. Pac enrollment courses are based on their major as well as general education. So yes, they can change their schedule. However it we do want them to talk to an academic advisor first, because, for example, a student may not understand why we put them in a specific math course and how that math course then relates to major requirements down the road. It is their schedule, so they are absolutely allowed to change it. That's not a problem. We just we just say, hey, check with us first, so that we can understand, or they can understand why we've done what we've done. Pac enrollment happens their first term that they are here. After that it is up to the student to register. Academic Advisors are always there to provide that guidance. We will certainly be reminding them when it comes to spring registration, like, Hey, your registration date is coming up. Hey, we are here to help you through that, because we don't expect them to kind of have a full grasp on what they should be registering for, or, to be honest, exactly how to register, because we did do it for them the first time. So definitely they'll want to come see us before they register in their spring classes. But you know, they will be doing it. It will be up to them to do it.

Matt Markin  
I guess. A follow up to that is, you know, my students registered for these four or five classes. Their friend is the same major, but maybe there was a little bit difference in their schedule. Were these students just, you know, thrown into certain classes, or was there logic behind what what they were registered for?

Ellie Gault  
Great question. Definitely, there was logic behind what they were registered for. We do utilize the roadmaps that are made by the academic departments. So the roadmaps, in terms of an academic tool, and how I describe them is, it is the generic win. So for every student in that major, here is when we suggest you take specific courses and in what order you take them, so that guides our PAC enrollment and what classes that they are put into. It can vary depending on different factors. So those factors could include like the general education math or where they need to start in their math. That's probably the most specific one that I can think of, that you would see a difference between two students in the same major would have to do with like math placement or that type of thing. But definitely, if that happens, though, we cannot speak about the friend's schedule, because that is their schedule, we can certainly answer those general questions as to why your student was put into a particular course, and why it may look different for someone else.

Matt Markin  
And I guess kind of related to that going into the next question is, you know, my student was enrolled in an English or math class, but they were told that it's a a two part class, so they're in part one And in one semester, but they'll continue it in the spring semester. What does that mean?

Ellie Gault  
So we do have what we would refer to as stretch courses, so for English and word for math, if your student, maybe that's a challenge area for them. I always use myself as an example when I'm talking to students about math. That's a big challenge area for me still to this day. So when I was in college, if we had had stretched math back, then it would have been really helpful for me to break the math up into two terms, because it's the same information if I only took it in one term, but it's spread out over time, so it just allows me to grasp the information. Um, and really be able to to master those skills, versus having to get a get all that down in one term. And so that's the purpose for our stretch series, and both the math and the English. 

Matt Markin  
And then I know Ellie, you kind of alluded to the academic advising parts. I kind of want to bring this question back is, what exactly is academic advising and why is it important? And Maria, you were a previous academic advisor as well. So I know you'll you'll want to probably chime in on this too. 

Ellie Gault  
Absolutely, if you want to start us off, Maria, you've got some great experience in advising.

Maria Domingo  
So for me, I feel that academic advising is really important because it's it's more than just telling students what courses to take. It's really being a support system for that student. Yeah, we guide and we let them know, like Ellie mentioned, the different roadmaps and and the bulletins and course catalogs so that they're they can make the best decision for their schedule. But I really feel that being an advisor is it's really assisting them to help them make the best decision for themselves, because ultimately, they are the ones who are going through the academic journey. And so we don't want to tell them what to do, but we want to give them the information and the resources they need to make the best decision to make to move forward in their degree. So again, like I know there's sometimes some misconceptions where they feel like advisors just tell students what to do, and I know with pack enrollment, we start off that way because we want them to start off on the right foot, but ultimately, at the end of the day, it's to guide them and to make sure that they are making the best decisions for their their journey, their academic, personal and career choices.

Ellie Gault  
Absolutely we are really, I look at us as kind of that navigator for them, or, you know, just when a student comes to campus, a lot of times they don't know where to go, they don't know who to ask. And so a lot of times we are that first connection for them, and maybe the one of their stronger connections as they go through their journey. One of the things we do certainly help with is, hey, I'm having this challenge. What do I do? So an example might be, hey, you know, I've got to drop a class because I've got this situation happening. How do I do that? So it can be as simple as that. It could be other questions that they just they don't know where to go, and so we don't. We are not the answer to everything, but I always say we know how to help them get the answer, or how to help them know where to go for everything. And so really, I see us as kind of that Guiding Light or that touch point of like, Hey, I just need help in knowing where to go, and so I think that's a big part of what we do. I think you said it's so great, Maria like, yes, a lot of what we do is helping them understand their degree requirements and course planning, and that is, you know, kind of the starting point of what we do. But in those conversations, other conversations happen, whether that's about their degree choice or how they should balance their schedule or the career choice. Sometimes it's having conversations with us to then help them have conversations with you as their parent or guardian. And so an example of that would be, you know, major exploration and that type of thing, because sometimes students have chosen a particular major and they're not sure if that's the right major but maybe they're not sure how to broach that subject with you all at home, because, you know, as parents, we have our own thoughts and opinions about what might be great for our kiddo, and so therefore maybe they're just not sure how to talk to you about that yet, also just how they're navigating their first year or their time In general at Cal State, and sometimes they're not sure sure how to let their parent or guardian know that either, right? So maybe things aren't going super well, but you think they're going super well, and so sometimes we're having those conversations to encourage them, share with your parent or guardian, share with that support system at home as to how things are really going for you so you can be as successful as possible.

Matt Markin  
Yeah. And I also kind of heard it once says, like, advising is kind of like the hub of the wheel at the university, and like the advisor, the Academic Advising Office, as Maria you were kind of saying, like, yeah, they may not know all the answers, but a lot of times they can connect you to a certain department, a specific person, a certain link to a website that'll have the information that the student is looking for. And then Ellie were kind of alluding to this kind of goes into this next question about we have, you know, parents or guardians that might be like, How can I help my student while, while they're at CSUSB, you know, do I ask them questions? Am I bugging them? You know, my doing too little too much. You know, what's the right balance? What for both of you, what's your advice to parents and guardians for helping their student while being a student at CSUSB?

Ellie Gault  
You know, I think it's really under. Standing that your student is in a new world. Their whole life has changed. I think that in working with students over the years, what we see is that transition is harder than we realize it is. And you may have an A student in high school. You might have a valedictorian from high school, or you could have the opposite student, right? Every student, regardless of their past, is going to go through a transition. It's very similar for everyone, but the way it looks, how it how it displays itself, if you will, is going to be different for all of them, and so understanding your students entering into a new part of their life, so some of the expectations you may have had of them in the past, and not just academically, but even how they're helping at home and things like that, that might need to look different for them now, and the assumption of, well, you now have time in your schedule, because the biggest transition that they all have to make is they were going to school from approximately eight, 830 depending on your school district, right, to about three o'clock or so in the afternoon. They didn't have a choice. They had to be there. You didn't have a choice to send them, right? You have to send them, otherwise someone was going to call your house. So from eight to three, let's say in a given day, Monday through Friday for the last 12 or not 12, well, K through 12, right? So every time that 12 years, but they've been told when, when to do something, where to do something. And now all of a sudden, they're here, and though we enrolled them in their classes, it's not eight to three. They might have an ad in class. They might have a 4pm class. They might have a three hour break in between their classes. That is a tough transition, very tough transition. And so really helping them through things like that, giving them that grace, understanding you know what they may need to go to the library to study. So saying to them, potentially, hey, I need your help at home, and you have this break in your schedule, and I know you have this break in your schedule, so you can just come home real quick and help with help with this. It doesn't mean you can't ask that of your student, but I would say one major way in which you can support them is check in with them like, Hey. Do you need to be studying during that time? Does it work out for you to come help at home? Your students probably going to want to say, of course, it'll it'll work out for me to help at home, but realize that may not actually be true, and your student may not realize that right away. So those transitions really are challenging for them, and that may not be obvious to you as their as their support system, and so giving them grace to figure that out, and truly checking in with them and being open and supportive to whatever it is they need to tell you.

Maria Domingo  
I think what Ellie mentioned about giving them the space and checking in with them is really important. The transition from, you know, from high school to college is really big, as Ellie had mentioned, it's huge, and I know sometimes it's really difficult to to identify or even show signs of it, because there's just so much that's happening with the students that they don't really know how to to ask for help. There's lots of changes happening, like academically, they're getting used to how all their professors teach, their teaching styles, you know, they're socially, having to learn new things, making new friends, you know, navigating a new campus that they don't know anything about. You know, yeah, they attended orientation, and they're learning, learned a little bit of things, but, you know, walking around on campus could be overwhelming, especially the first couple of days of school with so many people walking around. You know, some for some students, it's some the start of some new relationships you know that they may not be used to or know how to handle quite yet, and even financially now, a lot of our students are coming in, having to budget for the first time and not know, like, not they might not know, like, I need to budget this amount of my money to make sure I have enough money for the whole semester, rather than, you know, just getting a lump sum and blowing at all. So there's a lot of changes, a lot of transitions that our students are going through. And so my recommendation is not only what Ellie had said with, you know, giving them space and checking in, but really having communications before they start, and having the conversation of what expectations and boundaries they need, you know, for the student and for you as a parent too. Because, you know, I know. So for some of our parents, like, especially during orientation, I learned that some parents like, I don't mind giving you the space, but I need to know what is the signal that you need help so that I can give you the space. But if you know you're not telling me anything, I'm going to worry. So maybe coming up with those, those expectations and boundaries of what they need to do so that they can support, but it's also, you know, letting them, letting them really experience it for themselves. You know, I know as parents, you know, I'm one of them too, and our first instinct is to protect and make sure our kids are doing okay, but this is really the time that you are teaching them the most by letting them experience and solve their problems, because this is really what they're going to get in the job force when they graduate. You know, once they once they learn the things that they need here, they're going to be able to translate that in the job force. So giving them the space and the trust to solve their problems, but also knowing that and letting them know that you're going to be there to support them. Should they need help, but not just running in there and saying, Okay, let me solve your problems for you, because, again, that's our instinct to do that.

Matt Markin  
All great advice. And I think another question I want to ask related to this, to get both of your advice to parents and guardians is, you know, Ellie, like you were mentioning, it's not like they're going to school, like it was maybe in high school, or it was like Monday through Friday, from this time in the morning to this time in the afternoon, and then maybe there's, like, homework that they're doing after school. It's different. You know, some classes might be twice a week. There might be classes that's, you know, online or and there's no live instruction for the class. So some days they may not know what their students schedule might look like, or if it's like, oh, you're not going to school today. Do you have anything that you still need to work on? But also, from like, a student's point of view, is their class might only be two exams and a final, there may not be as much busy work. Can you help break down some of that for maybe a parent or guardian too, to understand better of what they're kind of what the student might be experiencing?

Ellie Gault  
I think, gosh, that that brings up. And so maybe I'll start with this, the idea of different instruction modes. So maybe that's a good starting point for this. You know, your student is used to showing up in person. Everything happening in person. But here at Cal State as the same as many universities, if not all universities across the nation, there's different modes of instruction. So some are going to be like Matt said, they're going to be two days a week. They're going to be in person, like button, seat, type of class, right? There's also going to be classes that are fully online. So we like to, oh my lights just turned off. So we like to call those the asynchronous classes. So asynchronous online, meaning everything is going to be posted on their Canvas website, or Canvas learning management tool, which is part of their my coyote portal. It's all going to be posted there. There is going to be a syllabus. And on that syllabus, of course, the instructor is going to put when assignments are due, when the exams are, that type of thing. They're going to post their lectures online. They're going to post all the things the student needs to complete the course, but they're not going to be required to log in at a certain time. They're not going to be required to go in person at all. So it is 100% on your student to make sure that they're getting that syllabus, they're writing dates into the calendar that they are on top of that we also have courses that are synchronous online. So they're going to be completely hosted online, but the student is going to be required to be logged in on a certain days and times. Then we also have a hybrid so maybe one day a week they're going in person the other day a day of the week, it's either synchronous or asynchronous online. So different modes of instruction. We do certainly have some classes that there's assignments throughout the term, but the grade is primarily or solely based on a midterm and a final. And so the students really having to prepare for that. There's going to be courses where maybe those exams don't make up as much of the grade percentage, but their assignments do or participation in class. So that's one thing that's different, too, is your student's going to go through a time where they might realize, wait a minute, I may not have to show up to class. But that doesn't mean that participation and attendance isn't part of their grade, the student may realize this not go to class as much, and then their grade is going to won't be as strong, because they will miss out on participation and attendance points, even if that is not part of how the grade is determined every time they miss class. They're missing out on content, just like in K through 12, right? K through 12 makes a big deal out of the idea that every time you miss a class. I don't remember what the statistic is, but I have kids in elementary school, and I know that they say every time they miss class, it's the equivalent of missing so many days of instruction, just missing one day. And so that's that's still the same in college. It's really no different. So really helping your student put together their plan of action from the very beginning of the term, giving them space, but also realizing if they say, yeah, no, I don't have anything to do, or I don't need to be doing anything right now. And they've told you that every day for an entire week. That's probably not true. There's probably something that they're not doing. A lot of students do, like the convenience of those asynchronous online classes that I will tell you, and we, all three of us here, can tell you, those are more difficult for students, not because of the content, necessarily because of the requirement of the student to do what they need to do, and that doesn't mean your student doesn't have time management skills. Just remember, it's a transition for them. They are used to a teacher saying, Hey, you haven't been doing your work, or you haven't been showing up, or your you, as a parent or guardian, is used to getting a phone call to say, why hasn't your student been doing this? We're not going to call it doesn't mean we don't care. It just means college is different, and the expectation really is on on your student, and that's the tough part. We will do our part as advisors, our faculty will do their part, but the onus of most of this is on your student. So again, when they're saying, No, I don't have any work to do. Nope, I don't need to do that. And you're hearing that repeatedly, or you're not seeing them study, giving them grace, but checking in with them on that for sure.

Maria Domingo  
To add to that, I would say, you know, because Ellie was talking about if a student, if you're asking your student if they have some major, they're like, no, not, not really. Sometimes, depending on the student's major, they might have different things that they have to complete, like internships or field work, or, for the sciences, there's a lot of extra labs. So, you know, at home, they might say, I don't have homework, but they might be at school or another location actually doing field work or labs, and that's why at home, they're not having to do so much, because they've spent a lot of time already on campus doing that. So you know, just being mindful that sometimes a student will say, I have to be at school for this much time, and then you ask them, oh, but I only really have class on this day. It doesn't make sense. It could be because they have different requirements for those courses. I know that was one of the questions that parents asked during orientation, so just wanted to bring that up here, too. 

Matt Markin  
Definitely. And what if someone asks, you know, my student is saying that they're having a hard time understanding their professor, or the professor is going too fast. Or, you know, as a student, I'm a visual learner, but my professor is just talking, and I feel like I'm lost. How can you know? So, how do I help my student? Any advice with that?

Ellie Gault  
You know, I think that there's a lot of things on campus in terms of resources that we do provide. One is tutoring, and I would say tutoring in the in the more traditional sense of I'm in this class, I'm not getting grasping the material, or I'm having trouble, given the learning style. So tutoring is a place that they can go and, you know, talk to that tutor about here's where I'm lost. Here's what I'm not understanding. We also have what's called supplemental instruction. Supplemental Instruction is not necessarily for every single class that we have on campus, but it is embedded into some of the courses. And so it's a little bit different than tutoring, because you actually have what we call an SI leader in that class hearing everything. So then when you go to your SI session, which you could like, into a tutoring session, but when you go to the SI session, you're not having to necessarily present what you're having trouble with, because you can just say hey, when they when the teacher said this, or, you know, their instruction style doesn't include anything visual. Like Matt said, I'm a real visual learner. You know, then that SI leader already knows that, so that's definitely one thing. Definitely go talk to the instructor. Go talk to that to that faculty member. They all have office hours. I know that sometimes students are really nervous to go to office hours, but Office Hours exist for students to go and talk to their instructors. I think that this, this question, brings up the concept of, regardless of how your student did in high school, those study skills don't always work in college, and even your straight A student can still struggle in a class because of things like this. And I think in K through 12, I feel like teachers maybe are a little bit more mindful. Example of how students are responding to certain instruction styles. I know that's not always true, but I think there's a there's a little bit more mindfulness there, and that doesn't mean our professors aren't mindful of that. It's just the dynamic is different. So it's not a criticism on either end of the spectrum. It's just the dynamic is different. Sometimes classes are going to be bigger than they were in K through 12. I know we have some big classes in K through 12 these days, but you know, and we have some classes that aren't huge, and that's something I think we do well at Cal State, is we do have a lot of classes that are smaller numbers, but if your student is in a class with larger numbers, that can also influence how your instructor, how the instructor is able to present the information. So definitely going to the instructor as well, and just seeking out different resources that can help study buddies, you know, connecting with other people in the class, because maybe the peer can break things down a little bit better for for your student, so things like that. And I think the biggest thing is just acting doing something right. Because I think in the advising world, or just working with students in general, sometimes what we see is at the end of the term, the student was kind of suffering the whole term through this that never said anything to anyone, or never took action on suggestions that were made that could be helpful. So I think taking action in general, to try and find a solution, to help you, for your student to find a solution is a big, big part of it.

Matt Markin  
I guess, as we're wrapping up, you know, there's always some important date, something some deadline, something that's coming up. So are there any important dates that you know, if someone's asking, you know, what should my student know that's upcoming, maybe prior to classes, or even when classes start. Anything that comes to mind?

Maria Domingo  
For me, I would let the students, or I would recommend that you encourage your students to go to the coyote experience. So that's going to be held on August 23 so it's the Friday before classes start, and it's really supposed to be a big welcome for our students coming back in the fall. So it's to connect with other students, but we're also inviting faculty to welcome them to you know, we're hoping to have a lot of our first year faculty there, so that they can meet their professors before classes start, get to know them before. So some of that nervousness and anxiousness goes away before classes start. So that's something we really recommend, and also it's like a showcase to all the departments and organizations are going to be out there showing your student what they can offer them. So again, orientation is going to be a blur, because they learned so much, but it's going to be reinforced when they go to the coyote experience, because they'll meet the different departments again, and they'll have activities and things for them to learn about what they offer them. So definitely attend that.

Ellie Gault  
Think a really important date that comes to mind is census date. And this happens every single term, so every single term, there is a census date which signifies the last day for your student to add or drop a course. It's about four weeks into this semester. So generally speaking, we're not recommending anyone Add a Course four weeks into the semester. So to be honest, most of the time we're really talking about your student needs to drop a course. Every term can be different for them. So whether we're talking about their very first semester, their very first year, or their last year at Cal State, or somewhere in between, census data is a really important date, because, for example, your student might be enrolled in 15 units, and the semester starts and it's feeling okay, and then all of a sudden they're like, oh gosh, like, this might be too much for me to take on. Maybe I need to drop down to 12 units. Or this blend of classes is maybe a little bit too much. Maybe I should have taken some of these classes in different terms and not together. So census date is the last day for your student to add or drop a course without a documented reason, because once we pass the census date, if your student were to come to you and say, gosh, like, I'm just not doing well, I just I'm not doing well, I don't think I'm going to really pass this course, or I might get a D, because technically that's passing. But, you know, I'm just really not doing well in the course, and I think I need to drop it if it is after the census date, not doing well is not a reason. And so that's something to be very mindful of. Is if your student is expressing like, I'm in too many units, or I'm just really struggling, census date is September 23 and so by September 23 they need to make a decision about that. So that's just a really important date. And like I said, every semester can be different for them. So they might go through their first couple years at Cal State, never need to drop a course, and then they get to, like, their last year, and all of a sudden it's like, oh, yeah, this is a really tough term. I think I need to drop something that, since the state is still going to exist and still something. They want to pay attention to. So that's a really that's the one that stands out the most to me. I would say in terms of like financial stuff, like Student Financial Services, tuition dates and deadlines, those are also really important if your students receiving financial aid, generally speaking, that gets taken care of on its own. However, always making to make sure you know what's happening with the finances, but if you're paying anything out of pocket, then you do want to be very aware of when tuition and fees are due. And so I've got my important dates here, so I want to make sure I give you the right one. But tuition and registration fees for fall semester are due on August 15 as well. If you want to sign up for a payment plan of any kind, that's also going to be the same deadline. So once we hit, you know that August 1, I would say, if not before look at our important dates. So if you just Google CSUSB important dates, you should be able to find the same website that I'm referring to right now, which will lay all of that out for you. 

Matt Markin  
And you know, and it seems like it's so far away, you know, once you attend orientation, because classes really don't start Saturday. Classes don't start until Saturday, August 24 and then regular weekday classes start on Monday, August 26 but like you were saying, Ellie, the you know, the tuition deadline is before that, and then even financial aid. So like the disbursements for financial aid, I think tentatively, are scheduled to go out starting on August 14. But I think that leads into a question, is, my student still has questions about financial aid, we're unsure about something. You know, whether it's understanding the grants or loans or my student hasn't received anything yet. Who do they contact?

Maria Domingo  
I would recommend that they contact the Financial Aid Office. They have a financial wellness coordinator that they can talk to and answer a lot of their questions. I can give you the phone number for financial aid, which is 909-537-5227, and so again, if they can schedule an appointment with the financial wellness coordinator, get all those questions answered.

Matt Markin  
All right, awesome. And you've mentioned a lot of different resources. You know that usually I tell students, you know, depending on your situation, a lot of times there is some resource or something that the university can help with. You'll learn about a lot of the resources. Hopefully they learned a lot at orientation, but they'll continue to learn throughout their time at CSUSB. Please encourage your students to check their emails as their student email frequently for any updates from the campus, from their professors from academic advising, from orientation, first year experience. Of course, social media is always a great way to a lot of different departments. Have some some sort of social media our Academic Advising Office, included, you can find us on Instagram or Tiktok or even YouTube, at CSUSB advising, or if you even like this podcast episode and you learned a lot. Have you encourage your students to listen to a lot of these episodes, especially if they're in a major and they want to learn more about that major career options? Where are they learning in their classes? Is there any resources that department in that major offers? You'll find plenty of previous episodes, and you can subscribe on any of your favorite podcast platforms, or always check our CSUSB advising website@csusb.edu forward slash advising, but we are out of time. Maria Ellie, thank you so much for being on and giving such great and useful information.