The document is an orientation guide for Northern Kentucky University's College of Informatics, detailing the college's structure, degree programs, and academic resources. It emphasizes the importance of advising, class attendance, and student engagement for academic success. Additionally, it outlines the role of advisors and the responsibilities of students in managing their educational goals.

1. WELCOME
To
Northern Kentucky University’s
College of Informatics

2. In the next hour….
• Overview & highlights of our College
• Advising Center
• Assistant Dean: Why should I know this person?
• Dean & Department Chairs: What do they do?
• Degree programs & requirements
• FERPA
• Academic resources (online and hard copy)
• Scheduling an advising appointment
• Strategies for succeeding
• Break out into departments in preparation for registration
tomorrow!

3. COI: connecting the disciplines
The programs integrated into the College of Informatics are designed to
develop your skills and competencies across a range of disciplines.
A degree from the COI means you are a part of the innovation age, well
versed in using technology, in manipulating information, and in
communicating the results. The common thread is information.

4. Highlights of our College and Departments
• Our Business Informatics degree is AACSB accredited just like the
NKU College of Business
• Communication majors are highly sought out in the Northern
Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Region
• We have a larger number of Computer Science students than our
in-state competitors as well as University of Cincinnati
• We will break ground this Fall 2008 on the building of our new
Center for Informatics, which you will hopefully be able to
experience as Juniors or Seniors.

5. Informatics Advising Center
Room location: Applied Science & Technology Building 363
Jim Hughes Freshman Non-Freshman Dorothy Wright (AST
Specialist Advisor--Mark Miller 363A)
(AST 363D)
Sarah Schroeder (AST 363C)
(LA 132)

6. If you want to struggle in college….
• Don’t attend classes or do any assigned readings ahead of time.
• Don’t see your advisor, and arrive late to your appointments.
• Don’t get to know your professors/instructors.
• Don’t ever read published University or College resources.
• Don’t ever plan for your next term ahead of time.
• Don’t check your NKU e-mail account on a regular basis.
• Don’t seek out help in the form of tutoring, your instructors, or your
advisor.
• Only trust what your friends and family tell you about how to
complete your degree requirements.
• Don’t use the NKU or Informatics websites to find information.
• Don’t get involved in the campus life. (You might accidentally get to
know people.)
• Don’t pursue a major you like.

7. Role of your Advisor
• Accessibility and responsiveness
• Interest in your academic success by helping you develop realistic
educational goals via appropriate course scheduling
• Knowledge of the academic calendar & awareness of important
deadlines
• Access to student information via SIS and degree audit
• Assist you in developing decision-making skills and teaching you
how to take responsibility for those decisions
• Learn about appropriate campus resources and refer you to them as
needed
BOTTOM LINE: We will teach you how to fish so that you can
eventually feed yourself! We are not your wait staff (and we won’t
expect any tips).

8. YOUR role (student)
• Be open and share your thoughts about your academic goals with
your advisor (We are not mind readers)
• Show up to scheduled advising appointments on time and be
prepared with written questions to ask…don’t forget to write down
the answers!
• Take responsibility for your learning by reviewing all available
University and college policies
• Make your own advising file!
• ASK questions of your advisor……but be prepared for your advisor
to direct you to a resource for the answer.

9. Assistant Dean:
Teri Slick
• Undeclared students
– Major Exploration
– Advising Holds
• Probation and Suspended Students
– Not here to punish you—only to help you strategize
– Lifts Dean’s Holds
Other Duties
• Approves of many registration exceptions (When the Registrar and/
or University Catalog indicate students needing to contact the
Dean’s Office, contact the Assistant Dean.)
• Oversees Advising Center Addresses any questions or concerns

10. Informatics
Organizational Chart
Dean Doug Perry
Department Chairs
Business Informatics Communication
Computer Science
Ben Martz Cady Short-Thompson
Kevin Kirby
(Interim)

11. Degrees in the College
Bachelor of Art
• Communication Studies Certificate options:
• Electronic Media & Broadcasting informatics.nku.edu/programs/index.php
• Journalism
• Media Informatics Graduate Programs
• Public Relations • Business Informatics
Bachelor of Science • Communication
• Business Informatics • Computer Science
• Computer Science • Health Informatics
• Computer Information Technology
Minors Graduate Certificates
• Business Informatics • Business Informatics
• Communication Studies • Corporate Information Security
• Computer Forensics • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Computer Information Technology
• Health Informatics
• Computer Science
• Electronic Media & Broadcasting • Secure Software Engineering
• Information Security
• Journalism
• Popular Culture Studies

12. Selective Admissions/Courses
Some programs have special course/GPA requirements in order to
declare or proceed with major courses:
• Business Informatics (specific courses and GPA)
• Public Relations, Electronic Media & Broadcasting and Journalism
(ACT requirement)
• Communication Studies (specific courses, GPA and earned
credit maximum in order to declare)
• Math requirements/options vary for each program (your advisor
will point these out to you)

13. FERPA
• http://www.nku.edu/~legal/ferpa_one.htm
FERPA expressly states that when a student reaches
the age of 18 OR is attending an institution of post
secondary education the rights of access to student
records "transfer from the parents to the student."

14. Elements of a Bachelor’s
Degree
ELECTIVES
MINOR/2nd major
OR AREA OF
CONCENTRATION
MAJOR
GENERAL STUDIES

15. Academic Resources
• Catalog explains all requirements—see also Northern Connection
– Policies and requirements that apply to all students, including
General Studies
– Colleges - By departments with specific degree requirements
– Course descriptions
– Faculty
– On-line: access.nku.edu/catalog
• Norse Express: express.nku.edu
– Mid-term grades
– Schedule of Classes
– Priority Registration Schedules

16. Informatics.nku.edu

17. Step 1. Click on image
of department advisor
with whom you wish to
meet.

19. Step 2. Type in
requested info
where
“required”
Step 3. Select
Step 4. Click Good
on the Standing for
calendar icon your first term
in order to
view individual
dates
Step 5. Click
on the
specific date
you desire.

20. Step 6. Indicate
three times even if at
the same time for all
three dates.

21. Step 8. Please
make note of
this warning!
Step 7. Include
a message to
explain reason
Step 9. Click in for the appt.
order to submit
request.

22. Future Success
• Attend class
• Do the required reading
• Study for exams and tests
• Complete all assignments
• Do extra-credit if available
• Get to know your teachers - office hours, location, e-mail
• Academic advising
– Mandatory appointment to schedule Spring
– But NOT ONLY to plan a schedule – advisors help every step
of the way to your academic success

23. Schedule for Success
• 4-5 courses (12-15 hours)
– Science and language courses may be 4 hours
– Full-time 12-16 credit hours
• Spread out your schedule
– Plan for assignments, study time and exams
– Lunch!!
• Think about other commitments
• Know yourself—early morning? Like to work with others? (Learning
Communities) etc.

24. Preparing for Day 2
• Log in to Norse Express: https://express.nku.edu/