Matt Markin
Welcome to Episode 64 of the CSUSB Advising Podcast. My name is Matt Markin, and academic advisor here at Cal State San Bernardino. And as the recording of this episode, we have just started the fall 2023 semester. But like the last episode, whenever you happen to be listening to this, there's definitely great information to learn. So let's welcome our guests today. And that's Kori Bernatzke, one of our amazing transfer and graduation counselors in the Office of the Registrar. Kori, welcome.
Kori Bernatzke
Hi, thank you for having me.
Matt Markin
Yeah, it's great for you to be here. And can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey through CSUSB?
Kori Bernatzke
Yeah, so I work in Office of the Registrar as a transfer, a transfer and graduation counselor. My specialty is Community College outreach. The reason for that is because transfer numbers are a little low nationwide. So I'm here to help in that process. I was a transfer student myself. So I started at Chaffey, college transfer to Cal State Fullerton. And then I've completed my master's degree here at CSUSB.
Matt Markin
Nice. And when I think of the Office of the Registrar, there are so many things that your office does, you know, so can you talk about what are the different areas within OTR, the Office of the Registrar and maybe why a student would contact your office?
Kori Bernatzke
Of course, yeah, we cover a wide range of things, like you said, forms, processes, registration, the main areas are registration, records and evaluations. So these are the areas that cover from before a student starts. So with the evaluation before they're officially a student, before you're attending or right orientation, or helping you out with that, and then through your whole process as a student, we're monitoring graduation. And then upon graduation, we post that also after if you ever need transcripts or anything from CSUSB, you would order those from our office.
Matt Markin
So basically a student from before they start until during the time that are here, and even afterwards, they might be reaching out to to your office?
Kori Bernatzke
Yes, exactly.
Matt Markin
And so like I was saying earlier, we just started the fall semester, for fall 2023. So if a student's listen to this right now, let's say, you know, at the very beginning of the fall semester, can you talk about if a student can still add a class? Can they drop a class? What should a student be aware of?
Kori Bernatzke
Of course, that mean deadline date that we have a census state, so I hope all students have heard of it, at least to know to call us and ask when a census date for the fall 2023 semester, that is September 21. So keep that in mind. A census date is the last day to add a class with permission, and then the last day to drop a class. Dropping can happen anytime up until census student can go on their own. And then after the first week of classes is over. So beginning the second week, is when a student needs to request permission. And we have an online process called permission request.
Matt Markin
That one seems like a pretty straightforward process. They would kind of you have even how to guides on your website that a student can follow step by step screenshot by screenshot as well, correct?
Kori Bernatzke
Yes, exactly. So, Office of the Registrar, we have a specific tutorials page. Things like registration, how to waitlist making sure you check that box to add to the waitlist, if the class is full permission request change of major all of those.
Matt Markin
Yeah, I think that's a great segue into the next question is about changing majors. So we have students that maybe start at CSUSB, and they're in one major, and then at some point, they realize, you know, what, maybe I want to change my major. So I guess the question could be, can a student change their major? And how do they?
Kori Bernatzke
Yeah, of course, students can make requests that change of major hopefully they are seeing an advisor just to make sure, walk through those options, how long it would take if it affects the timeline at CSUSB. But that official change is requested through the change of major minor form so that goes along with if you plan on taking a minor make sure to do that as soon as possible. So it goes on to the PAWs report and your student record is accurate.
Matt Markin
And excellent point so make sure to check with an academic advisor. Just ensure everything looks good, yeah. Okay. You know, get get a little bit of you know, information from your advisor, some suggestions and see if maybe that is a good choice to change the major or even to change or add a minor. Now another question we get with students is about can, if I'm a student at CSUSB, can I take classes elsewhere and maybe have those classes transfer back? What would be your answer?
Kori Bernatzke
Students can take classes. Typically students are taking it at classes at a community college or California community college nearby. If it's an online class class that happens to be offered online, you could do that as well. And the process is called concurrent enrollment. So that's when a student is looking to take a class elsewhere. And then we do have a form online for that. So student can request that. And then it's reviewed by a transfer graduation counselor, such as myself a TGC, just to make sure that you need that class, you know, then you write the correct intention of how you want to take that class, you want to take your political science, or a major course, major class. And a key note there is that community college classes can come over for lower division. So that's 1000, or 2000 level classes.
Matt Markin
And I think a great time to students usually ask is, you know, Can I do it during summer, or even you know, if they want to try to take it during the same time during the semester. So it is key that the student does need to fill out that Concurrent Enrollment Form?
Kori Bernatzke
Yeah, we, we want students to fill that out just so they're aware that that class will come over as planned. We don't want any student to take a class, you've repeated here at CSUSB, that you've already taken here. And we want to make sure that you're getting the class that you need out of that, and summer is a great time to do so. Not during the regular academic semester, where you have your other course load to worry about. And you can take one or two classes over summer.
Matt Markin
All right, excellent points. Another question we get to is regarding the PAWs report. So that's the program advising worksheet for students. So if a student has a question about their paws, of course, you know, when they may meet with your academic advisor, but maybe they have a question of like, I thought I took a class at my previous school and I don't see it on my pause, or it's not where I thought it would show up as far as meeting a requirement. Are they able to reach out to your office for that?
Kori Bernatzke
Yeah, of course, we have our we have TGCs on duty every day of the week, all open hours, if you have any questions, give us a call, lead negotiator or lunches and everything. So anytime someone is able to call our office and get some help, or come into our office as well. So same thing with phones, email, in person is open to any student anytime.
Matt Markin
And from your standpoint, like, why is reviewing the PAWs report? And like, why is that important for students?
Kori Bernatzke
That's what you need to follow to graduate. So that's what we're reviewing with the, when you get your grad check that we've reviewed your grad check, that's what we're looking at. That's what students should be looking at before you register, so you know, what to look for. Check for prerequisites. And then also after you register, you want to run another pause report just to make sure those classes are going in those areas. Students can check the electives area, maybe something got moved to the electives that you didn't think would go into electives. So that's why we suggest and it's always good to run the pause report before and after.
Matt Markin
And ultimately, that's what you're looking at to see this student has graduated, they can they can get their degree?
Kori Bernatzke
Exactly, and probably leading into some of the other questions. With graduation, that means you're done with all classes. So that means the PAWs report is completed. And you're you'll get your diploma in the mail after our process has ended at the end of the term. So that's why you want to make sure that everything's looking correct. If there's a class that supposed to go, let's say your concentration electives, or your major electives that didn't get moved into there, you can reach out to your department chair for a course substitution or an advisor. You all help with that, too.
Matt Markin
And so a great point that you mentioned terms of running that pause report because once you register for classes, you can run that pause report and then automatically see, okay, here's where everything I just registered for, here's where it matches up. So if something looks questionable, hey, I can reach out to my advisor, I can reach out to the Office of the Registrar and you know, inquire about that question.
Kori Bernatzke
Exactly. Yeah. And sooner, the better. Instead of scrambling last minute, you know, we're all our offices are all open throughout summer, too. That's kind of a mess that we closed during summer. We're all here.
Matt Markin
Maybe like middle schools, high schools might be closed. Yeah. So we're but we're open every month. Yes. Yeah. And so we also have students that may maybe they do well in a class, and they've repeated the class, and you know, hopefully it did better the second time around. And so students then hear about, hey, there's something called grade forgiveness. What is great forgiveness? And how does a student know if they qualify for it?
Kori Bernatzke
Yeah, so students can repeat a class at the same institution. So unfortunately, if you transferred, let's say, your political science will use that again, and you repeat it CSUSB. That's not eligible. But what classes that are eligible for grade forgiveness are classes, your first attempt was here at CSUSB. And your second attempt, the first attempt, if it was anything lower than a C, so C minus to an F grade that you student can repeat the class and then the grade forgiveness is a process where it takes over it removes the first attempt to completely so students who end up filing that will see hopefully that little boost in the GPA.
Matt Markin
Absolutely. Well, Kori, this is a lot of great information that that you've given. I appreciate it. Thank you so much for being on the podcast today.
Kori Bernatzke
Of course. Thank you.
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