The issue of mandatory advising for students on academic probation was debated Wednesday at a Board of Regents committee meeting.

NIU Student Regent John Butler raised the academic probation issue at an Academic and Student Affairs meeting held at Sangamon State University.

“Students on probation don’t know what to do or who to talk to in order to improve their situation,” Butler said. “Some aren’t even aware they can retake classes.”

Acting Provost J. Carroll Moody said students on probation receive all the information they need through letters NIU mails them.

Associate Provost Rosalie Hewitt can go to any college office and find out the information they need.

Butler said, “Many students don’t seek advising because of the embarrassing stigma of academic probation.

“Many students feel they can do it on their own but wind up falling through the cracks,” he added.

Even though students are told about probation during freshmen orientation, Butler said students forget the information by sophomore or junior year.

Moody said Butler could be right about the stigma. “There may be some better way to communicate to them the information,” he said.

Hewitt said students on probation are required to see an adviser. However, she admitted that a student could go through and flunk out or miss opportunities to retake classes.

This is possible because students register for class before they find out if they’ve been put on probation.

“There is discussion about mandatory advising for all undergraduate students in all areas. Not in the near future, but eventually possibly like SSU,” Hewitt said.

SSU requires that all undergraduates speak to advisers. Assistant Provost Lynne Waldeland said NIU is bigger and more complex than SSU. “We don’t know if a blanket policy is feasible,” she said.

Hewitt said the issue will be examined further.