Students are reporting differing opinions and experiences with the new centralized advising system.

The university finalized a Central Advising team over the summer, creating a temporary space for the team on the third floor of the library. Students were assigned an adviser based on their declared major and advising functions transitioned to the new system at the beginning of the semester.

Students received emails earlier this semester asking them to set up advising appointments to discuss registration for their spring classes.

Nuria Hall, associate director of advising, said she hopes advisers are able to be more involved with students, not just working on what classes students will take but also working on the whole student.

“We’re not just looking at getting you graduated, were looking at moving past that,” Hall said.

She said advisers hope to think through students’ resumes, internships, mental health and many other things in partnership with on-campus resources.

Reactions from students across campus has been mixed. Freshmen and sophomores seem to have the most positive responses.

“So far the advising center has been great,” said Elizabeth Coates, freshman English education major from Round Rock. “Everyone I have come in contact with was nice and helpful and didn’t laugh at my freshman confusion.”

Ruth Church, sophomore psychology major from Kansas City, Missouri, said her advisers were knowledgeable about the catalog and her degree plan.

“This experience was much smoother than it has been in the past because the advisers could focus only on advising,” she said.

While freshman and sophomores seem to be enjoying the system, upperclassmen are struggling to adjust to change.

“I am sure there are pros and cons to both systems, it was just inconvenient that it happened midway through my college years,” said Jacob Livingston, junior accounting and financial management major from Frisco.

Senior Jonathan Ward, advertising and public relations major from Plano, said his advising experience has remained relatively unchanged because he still has an in-house adviser.

“Based on what I’ve heard about the new system, it seems impersonal and takes away from one of the advantages of attending a small university,” he said.

As students react differently to the new advising system, Hall said she encourages students to make the time to come in and get to know their advisers.

“If students come and meet their advisers and get to know them, get to know them with an open mind,” she said. “Because sometimes change is difficult for everybody, good or bad. I think they’re really going to like the new center, what we can do for them and the simplicity of having everything in one place.”

The new Advising Center in the Campus Center is scheduled to open in the spring semester. For now, the advising center is housed on the third floor of the Brown Library.