Undergraduate Advising

Undergraduate advising in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is handled by the Associate Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering in charge of undergraduate studies, and the Academic Advisor, and faculty. This section gives a brief summary of the responsibilities and expectations of each participant in the advising process.

Who is my advisor?

You have at least three advisors: (1) your faculty advisor, (2) the Academic Advisor, and (3) the Associate Head or Chief Advisor.

The Faculty Advisor

Each member of the academic faculty has assigned to him or her about fifteen undergraduate advisees. Your faculty advisor will serve as your career mentor in addition to someone who writes a reference letter on your behalf for graduation school application or job search. Your faculty advisor can serve as a resource for learning how to improve your study habits and other life skills that are needed to excel in our program. The faculty advisor is also a good resource for discussing curricular and career decisions. Your faculty advisor cannot make these decisions for you, but he or she can ask you questions and provide information that will help you make the decisions yourself. You should get to know your faculty advisor better and visit him/her on a regular basis.

If you feel that there is a personality conflict or that an advisor who is within your field of specialization could be of more benefit to you, do not hesitate to request a change by contacting Becky Stillwell, CEE Academic Advisor. You should always feel free to consult other faculty members about any questions you may have.

Faculty members enjoy this informal contact with students, but it is up to you to take the initiative to seek them out.

The Academic Advisor

The Academic Advisor works directly with the Associate Head & Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Academic Advisor advises students on navigation of the undergraduate curriculum, campus, college, and department requirements for graduation. The Academic Advisor monitors the academic progress of all students. The Academic Advisor works closely with students in establishing study abroad courses, serves as a resource for faculty advisors, resolves questions regarding transfer credit, and oversees all Academic Program Plans. The Academic Advisor maintains student records, manages the department scholarship program and is the department's main contact person for Student Organizations in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The Academic Advisor is:

Becky Stillwell
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs
1102 Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory
(217) 333-3812
rborden@illinois.edu

To register for an advising appointment, visit: Advising Calendar

The Associate Head

The Associate Head & Director of Undergraduate Studies is in charge of the undergraduate program and serves as the Chief Advisor and is responsible for administering undergraduate advising policies. The Associate Head is responsible for supervising all personnel involved in the undergraduate program, handles approval of transfer credit for civil engineering courses, gives final approval of Academic Program Plans, and evaluates all drop and readmission cases. The Associate Head is the point of contact for grievances related to the classroom (course conduct and grading).

Appointments are available by calling (217) 333-3812.

The Associate Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering is:

The Administrative Staff

Other staff with responsibilities associated with undergraduate programs includes:

• Greg Coughlin, 1105 Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory, 333-8038, gcoughli@illinois.edu  
  Classroom Scheduling, Teaching Schedule, Final Exams, TA appointments, Undergraduate Blog.
• Keely Ashman, 1017 Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory, 244-6804, kashman@illinois.edu
  Fall and Spring Career Fairs, Backpack to Briefcase, Professional Development and Certification Program, alumni and student events, alumni speakers, corporate partners program.

The College of Engineering Office of Undergraduate Programs

The Office of Undergraduate Programs is located at 206 Engineering Hall. The Assistant Deans and staff are available for advising and counseling on academic matters. They keep the undergraduate student records in the College of Engineering and they monitor student progress. They are responsible for approving all transfer credit and they deal with most issues that involve the required courses (the "common core" in engineering). They administer all academic issues that involve more than one department (e.g., interdepartmental transfers).

You can seek advice from the Office of Undergraduate Programs, in 206 Engineering Hall, if the matter is department related they will refer you to meet with an advisor in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Learn more here:

https://advising.grainger.illinois.edu/