Headnotes and Advising

Owned by
Michael Lee
Apr 13, 2020
8 min read

General Information

Headnotes, advising information, and major codes are published on the Office of the Registrar website. We manage the content that is posted on the website, and make changes as applicable when we receive requests to do. There are four different types of updates that we receive and process:

  1. Department requesting a headnote change
  2. Department requesting advising changes
  3. Official Publications (major code)
  4. Provost Office update (forwarded from Official Publications or Dean update from President)

This information can be found on our website by using the following links. These are the sites that will be edited via Drupal (our current content management system.)
Headnotes: http://registrar.utexas.edu/schedules/YYS/regrulesbydept/all.html
Advising/Major Codes: http://registrar.utexas.edu/schedules/YYS/advising
Substitute "YYS" with the current semester you are working on.

Rollover Timeframe

The advising/major code and headnotes pages are rolled over currently by our Registration team for the course scheduling team to edit. At the start of original phase, a memo is posted to canvas requesting that departments review their published advising information and submit any changes to the course scheduling team. The Headnotes and Advising request period closes at the closure of dean's chair phase for the semester(s) in question*- for summer/fall it is at the closure of dean's phase for summer.

  • Spring is generally rolled over at the end of July/early August
    • Spring is copied from the previous fall semester during rollover
  • Summer and Fall are generally rolled over in October
    • Summer and fall pages are copied from the previous spring semester during rollover
  • Updates from departments after the deadline set in the memo should be made as time allows and not treated as priority.

Process Overview

Although specific information (where to file information, how to vet requests, etc.) varies depending on the different kind of request, the basic process remains the same for every update:

  1. The request is received.
  2. The request is vetted, depending on requirements for each kind of request.
  3. The request is filed and named (see Saving/Filing Requests, and Naming Files sections)
  4. The update is made on Drupal, leaving a log note for each revision, and saved as a draft.
  5. After the change has been made, and is ready to be checked, the file saved on the server should be moved into the "Processed Requests Pending Review" folder.
  6. The request is double checked by a senior staff member.
  7. The request is moved into the proper YYS folder. For a request encompassing several semesters, a copy should be saved in every YYS that applies.
  8. Communicate with Senior staff member or management to approve the updates.
  9. Updates are published.

Naming Convention and Filling (General)

Headnote/Advising change requests need to come from the scheduler of the department and on a signed headnotes/advising memo. If the request has come from the proper contact in the proper format, the request should be saved using the following filing and naming protocol:

Saving/Filing Requests

The Advising & Headnotes folder is on the server at \\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Course Scheduling\8.Documentation\Headnotes & Advising

  1. Requests are filed in the appropriate folder based on who submitted the request. See "Naming Files" section for how to name the file
  • Requests from departments should be saved and filed in "Department Request (pending)"

\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Course Scheduling\8.Documentation\Headnotes & Advising\Deptment Request (pending)

  • Requests/memos/emails from Provost Office should be saved and filed in "Provost (pending)"

\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Course Scheduling\8.Documentation\Headnotes & Advising\Provost (pending)

  • OP update memos/emails should be saved and filed in "OP School Major codes (pending)"

\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Course Scheduling\8.Documentation\Headnotes & Advising\OP School Major codes (pending)

  1. Once changes are made in Drupal and ready for double/triple checking, move file to "Processed Requests Pending Review" \\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Course Scheduling\8.Documentation\Headnotes & Advising\Processed Requests Pending Review
  • Do NOT publish changes in Drupal. All changes need to be double-checked by at least one other team member.
  1. Once double/triple checked by additional staff, 'checker' moves file to YYS folder. Requests that apply to more than one YYS should have a copy of the request filed in each applicable YYS folder when checks are complete

*NOTE that ALL Advising code changes sent to Scheduling from a department is also sent to the registration team (RGREG@austin.utexas.edu) for coding in Registration systems. This allows codes to be attached to students as they register. New major codes with advising letters sent from OP are updated by Registration and do not need to be sent by us.

Naming Files when saving to server Copies of the request should be named in the following format:

  1. File name begins with lowest YYS change applies to.
    • If multiple YYS changes needed, then all semesters should be listed from low to high as follows: 'YYS1_YYS2_...'
  2. 2nd part of name should be requestor: '_dept', '_pvst','_op'.
    • If 'dept' is requestor, also include type of request: '_adv', or '_hdn'
  3. 3rd part of name should be FOS(s) affected in alphabetical order: '_FOS1_FOS2…'
  4. 4th part of file name should be staff initials (lead/entering and double/triple checking staff): '_pww_net' (Priscilla entered info, Natalie double-checked it)
  5. If multiple requests for same YYS/Requestor/Type/FOS, append an incremental number to the end of the file name: '_1', '_2', etc.

Advising and Major Codes

New Major Codes

  • If registration records have already been created advising codes changes are pushed to the next semester.
  • Official Publications notifies Scheduling via e-mail when new major codes/majors are created. If a department wants to update a major code (ex. Computer Sciences changes to Computer Science) they need to coordinate with OP to create a new major code.
  • New major codes sent by Official Publications are updated by Registration. Departmental requests for advising code changes are sent to us and must be forwarded to Registration by our department.
  • Changes and major names can be double checked in *NRSMAJ, T01 & T03.
  • Updates from OP should be filed in Z:\Course Scheduling\8.Documentation\Headnotes & Advising\OP School Major codes (pending) until processed.

Vetting Major Codes

  • New major codes, changes, and major codes that are retiring must go through OP.
  • Not all major codes are published in Drupal. For example, CoLA only publishes major codes that end in '00'. Use previous semesters as a guide or consult a senior staff or management member with questions.
  • Updates regarding major codes for the Drupal pages will be communicated from OP. If a department is asking Scheduling to change a Major Code refer them to OP.
  • OP forwards major code changes to the Registration team directly.
  • Confirm in writing from the department that no students remain in major(s) before retiring code, students must be moved out.
  • Retired codes are still valid for 6 years after they are last published in the catalog. Department responsible for timing and tracking of request. After 6 year period. If prior to 6 yr mark, cannot remove from page, as students can still be in that major code.
  • Input R01 Report- run the CCYYS prior to the 6 year mark. Input: *NRSMAJ CMD: R01 Command: F CCYS (Ex: editing 20182- if major code retired 20119 or earlier can be removed.)

Vetting Advising Notes and Advising Locations

  • DO NOT change advising codes EVER for a semester that is already published online. Advising bars are placed on students' registration records the day we publish the online Course Schedule. Even if we change the advising code in NRSMAJ, the advising bar for the student remains unchanged.
  • Advising bars (advising notes) do not need vetting, they must be a standard code listed in the key.
  • Registration checks advising bars vs *NRSMAJ, T03. Please note OP sends all communication to the Registration team as well as Scheduling.
  • Updates include special advising areas and special suffix on the major code.
  • Advising location room number must be valid. If there is a missing or odd advising location, consult OP.
  • Reach out to Dean-level contact in CoLA to offer them a chance to pre-screen the info we are about to publish. 'Scrape' the screen and put into a MS Word doc and send via email, as the info is unpublished for future YYS.
  • ALL Advising code changes sent to us by departmental request MUST also be sent to the registration team for coding in Registration systems. This allows codes to be attached to students as they register. New major codes with advising letters sent from OP are updated by Registration and do not need to be sent by us.
    • Send email to RGREG@austin.utexas.edu a month before registration opens with attached saved emails regarding advising code changes from departments and OP.
    • It is helpful to keep a running list of all advising code changes and new major codes as they come in, separated by departmental and OP changes.

Department Updates

Vetting Department Deans, Chairs, Academic Unit name changes

    • Double check changes against the Office of the Provost site : http://www.utexas.edu/provost/
    • If there is a discrepancy, forward to Official Publications to confirm in writing who the correct person or academic unit name should be.
    • When receiving updates for department chairs etc. check to see if authorizations on list servs and CSU are also updated

Vetting Course-related pre-requisites, requirements, degree statements

    • Reference *NRCRIN to double check the request.
    • If there is a discrepancy defer to OP as the authority. If there is a discrepancy and the department is incorrect, send back the request and copy OP.


Provost Updates

Updates

  • Updates should NOT be made for current semesters until the information is updated on the Provost site: http://www.utexas.edu/provost/units/deans/
  • Updates from the Provost for future semesters might not be updated on the Provost site as it is not semester specific. Future semesters can be updated on the Drupal page per the Provost request.
  • When receiving updates for department chairs etc. check to see if authorizations on list servs and CSU are also updated.

Updating

After an update has been made the notification should be filed in Processed Requests Pending Review so it can be double checked, then filed in the appropriate semester.
If the information is relevant for multiple semesters, the updates should be filed in each relevant folder using the YYS naming convention after processing.

Updating Drupal: Link is provided by the registration team.

*When adding or changing a department title etc. update (1) Drupal and (2) FOS Dataset

  1. Advising and Major Codes
    1. Not every major code is listed
    2. Refer to *NRSMAJ for verification
    3. Remember to add hovers for Advising Notes
  2. Headnotes
    1. Anchor names must follow convention (linked)
    2. Put anchor in front of the title name="_" ID= "_"
    3. Put Anchor in front of header (h2)
    4. When using plain text, cannot use a space use an underscore instead
    5. Only formal languages are capitalized

Notes about the text:

  1. Information posted must be verifiable
  2. Area codes are not included in phones numbers
  3. Links should not include the http:// or the trailing slash in view form
  4. Edit for grammar, following the Chicago Manual of Style
    1. Only proper nouns should be capitalized ex. languages, offices etc.
    2. Academic degrees should not include periods ex. PhD (more information here)
    3. Academic degrees should not be capitalized (more information here)
    4. The choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud (more information here)
    5. For more information regarding the Chicago Manual Style reference here and here

New Major Code examples

  1. A new Major Code with a special advising area

The request for a new Ancient History and Classical Civ/Foundation Scholars Major Code is "06035".
Ancient History and Classical Civilization Major Code, according to the Academic Advising Drupal page = L06000
L = Liberal Arts
06000 = Ancient History and Classical Civilizations
Ancient History and Classical Civ/Foundation Scholars Major Code= L06035
L = Liberal Arts
06000 = Ancient History and Classical Civilizations
35 = Foundation Scholars


Since the Major Code for Ancient History and Classical Civilizations AND the Special Advising Area for Foundation Scholars, the advising note (A), and advising location (CLA 1.304) are all listed no action needs to be taken on the Drupal page.




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