Advising Updates

UNL Geology
UNL Geology

Hello Geology Majors,

I hope that you all are doing well as we get closer to the three quarter point of the Spring 2024 semester. This can be the point of the semester where classes get tough as a sense of burnout settles in. I have found that the best way to work through this is by working with your classmates as your course policies allow. Working together offers many benefits, and getting to share your difficulties can really help with any burnout.

This week, I want to discuss sending emails versus using Zoom drop-in meetings in addition to Priority Registration and enrolling in Fall 2024 classes. Since the start of Priority Registration on March 25th, I have been receiving a much higher number of emails when compared to other times during the spring semester. Some of these emails are short, quickly answered questions, or they are requests for help with enrolling in a specific course. I consider these kinds of emails to be very appropriate since they might result in a 5 minute meeting at most.

However, some of these emails are about what to enroll in for the upcoming summer and/or fall semesters, about concerns with remaining degree and major requirements, or about course policies or other individual issues. Any emails where there might need to be a discussion about what the options are that could result in multiple emails needing to be sent back and forth really needs to be something that is addressed during a Zoom drop-in meeting or a regularly scheduled appointment. Email discussions are far less efficient and effective than a drop-in meeting or a scheduled appointment, and while I realize that an email could be faster, it is not going to be when I have so many emails to respond to around my scheduled advising meetings and other meetings.

I truly want to help with your questions and concerns, and I would much prefer that you reach out via email if it is impossible to schedule a meeting with me or to visit me for a Zoom drop-in meeting. However, I would strongly encourage you to try to schedule a meeting with me or to visit me for a drop-in meeting before you send an email with questions that will normally require a discussion.

Priority Registration for the Fall 2024 semester is almost over! Priority registration is the period in which students may begin enrollment for the next fall or spring semester. Registration appointment times are assigned to avoid overloading the registration system during the high demand period. Your registration date and time was assigned and announced on MyRed on Monday, March 4th, and you have access to view the schedule of classes for the Fall 2024 semester now. You also have access to load classes for the Fall 2024 semester into your shopping cart, so you can still building your Fall 2024 semester now even if your registration time hasn't arrived yet.

Priority Registration "appointment times" are assigned to eligible students based on their current class level (actual earned hours). Within each class level appointment times are distributed randomly each term from earliest to latest. The priority class levels and appointment dates for registration are:

1. Graduate Students & Seniors (89 credit hours or more) - Now!
2. Juniors (53-88 credit hours) - Now!
3. Sophomores (27-52 credit hours) - Now!
4. Freshmen (0-26 credit hours) - Now to Today (Tuesday, April 9th)


No one is assigned a priority registration date and time on Saturday or Sunday. Priority Registration is not open to students who will be new, first-time freshmen, new transfer students, Nebraska Now students, or unclassified (e.g., students-at-large and visiting students) undergraduate students. A few students in special programs will also have their priority registration date and time set earlier or set earlier within their class level to aid them in enrolling in more specific courses or course sections.

Once Priority Registration concludes Today (Tuesday, April 9th), Open Registration for the Fall 2024 semester will begin. During Open Registration, no appointment is needed and initial registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Any student who is eligible to enroll may access MyRED. Nebraska Now and unclassified students (e.g., students-at-large and visiting students) will be able to register on or after Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

Any holds on your MyRed record that impact your eligibility to enroll in classes will impact your ability to use your Priority Registration date and time. This includes holds related to required advising for first year students in their first or second semester, to required advising for students who will be starting their final year of their degree (based solely on credit hours completed), and to required advising for being on Academic Warning. I can help with lifting holds related to required advising, but you will likely need to discuss the hold during a scheduled meeting rather than a drop-in meeting or just stopping by my office. I would encourage you to contact the office on campus related to any other holds, and I would be happy to direct you if there is any confusion.

Now is the time to enroll in your schedule of classes for the Fall 2024 semester if you haven't already done so.

Newsletter Feedback
If you ever have questions or feedback about anything in the weekly newsletter, please let me know by shooting me an email. Sometimes, it is difficult for me to know if these emails are actually being read and/or found useful.

Best wishes, Doug

Spring 2024 Advising Schedule
I will taking in-person, Zoom, and phone meetings in 45-minute blocks from 8:30 am to 12:15 pm and 1:15 pm to 5:00 pm every weekday when I am not taking Zoom drop-in advising meetings. I will also be taking Zoom drop-in advising meetings on Wednesdays at 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and Fridays at 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Zoom drop-in meetings are being coordinated by the College of Arts and Sciences with a schedule and a link to the Zoom room available at https://cas.unl.edu/drop-in-advising-schedule.

You can schedule a meeting with me by using the Student Success Hub via this link, by calling the College of Arts and Sciences Academic and Career Advising Center at 402-472-4190, by calling me at 402-472-4319, or by emailing me at dpellatz@unl.edu. You can find instructions for how to access and schedule meetings in the Student Success Hub system here.

CAS Student Spotlight
Do you want to be featured by the college? Share your story by filling out this quick web form and show others why Geology is for you. Showcase all the opportunities and experiences you are gaining with your Geology major.