As University College joins the massive college merger which will create the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, many undecided students may be looking for guidance from advisors in other departments and possibly declaring a major earlier.

“”One of the new mega-college proposals is to have students in pre-professional programs be advised by the official department,”” said vice president for instruction and dean of university college Dr. Juan Garcia. For example, pre-nursing students would seek advising from the School of Nursing and pre-business students would go to the Eller College of Management, he said.

The University College currently encompasses students who are undecided majors; it is one of the colleges to be included in the new College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, which also contains Social and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, Science and Fine Arts.

“”We understand that there is a commitment to advising the undecided students,”” director of University College Sylvia Mioduski said. “”The university will continue to allow the students to be admitted as undecided.””

Although students are able to remain undecided through their sophomore year, Mioduski said undecided students will be encouraged to declare a major sooner because the number of advisors in the university college will decrease.

“”By the time the student registers for his or her third semester, they should have some idea,”” Mioduski said.

“”The strengths that (University College) advisors bring to the table is being able to know a little about each major and have the ability to guide students in the direction,”” Mioduski said.

She said advising for undecided students will continue to have a heavy emphasis on gearing students toward the major that is right for them, she said.

“”The services provided will continue,”” Garcia said. “”Although all these changes are occurring, in the short-run, the students themselves should not feel a noticeable change or impact on the kind of advising they receive.””

As the University College looked at reducing their department to save money, Garcia said he wanted to preserve the essence of the college, which is working with exploratory students.

Garcia said the University College is facing $200,000 in budget cuts.

“”We felt that overall, not filling positions, finding salary savings, and finding additional resources that have been generated by the college would allow us to meet, this time, what we needed to give back,”” Garcia said. “”It’s people who make this university run. That’s when the harder decisions get even more difficult. We are looking at different ways to meet those shortfalls.””

Both Mioduski and Garcia anticipate more information on the new structure of the University College to be available later this month.

“”What it will be called, and how the structure will work, is all being worked on,”” Mioduski said.

“”It’s not an easy time, but prioritizing is the key,”” Garcia said. “”We know that our primary responsibility is to our students and to the people of the state of Arizona. By any way possible, we have to meet those responsibilities.””