Plans to restructure academic advising in the College of Social Sciences are evident in one department, but have not materialized into action in the rest of the college.

    Luis Miron, dean of the College of Social Sciences, and Philip Frady, associate dean of the College of Social Sciences, announced plans to restructure student advising in the departments of political science, sociology, part of criminal justice and the School of Mass Communication over a month ago.

    The restructuring was announced after Teri Berthelot, then the academic counselor at the College of Social Sciences, transferred to a similar position as the Academic Counselor and Program Coordinator in the Evening Division.

    According to Frady, the College of Social Sciences has filled Berthelot’s position since then.

    The plan was to delegate the academic advising duties that Teri Berthelot performed to the departments, but so far this has only happened in the School of Mass Communication.

    A new position has been created within the School of Mass Communication, according to Director Sonya Duhe. Although plans are tentative that the paperwork be officially approved by the dean’s office, the position’s duties would encompass all areas of student advising.

    If the position is approved with its proposed name, Laura Beatty, who currently serves as the department’s marketing coordinator, will be promoted to student services coordinator.   

    The new position is completely geared towards earning the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications’ Standards for Accreditation’s seal of approval.

Seeking accreditation wherever possible is a goal intended to increase Loyola’s stature as outlined in the university’s five-year strategic plan, Loyola 2012.

Philip Dynia, chairman of the political science department, never mentioned any plans to drastically change student advising, but did say that there are many things that cannot be done at the departmental level, but that the dean’s office has continued to fulfill those counseling duties.

“I think the dean’s office has done an outstanding job and continues to do so in terms of meeting our requests regarding student advising,” Dynia said.

Sue Mennino, chairwoman of the sociology department, said there have been no changes made to the academic advising structure in the College of Social Sciences that she has been made aware of.

“Advising is the way it’s always been. The functions are the way they were. I have not heard anything official. No e-mails. No newsletters. No memos,” Mennino said.

Miron declined to comment on this story.

William Thornton, chairman of the criminal justice department, did not respond to The Maroon’s e-mails in time for print..

Jean-Paul Arguello can be reached at [email protected]