Advising Team Updates

August 2023

Hello MSW Students,

Can you believe how fast the Summer is going? The Graduate Office team is living in the space between focusing on Summer classes, and excitingly preparing for the next academic year! We hope that if you are taking classes that they are going well!  

As we wrap up Summer, and look ahead to Fall, we wanted to share a few things that will, hopefully, be helpful! 

Summer semester (B and full-semester) ends on FRIDAY 8/18. 



Be sure to know expectations for classes before this date. 

Grades should be posted to student records on 8/23/23. 

If there is a grade issue, you will be contacted by your Advisor re: next steps. 

Please be responsive so that what is necessary can be done before the start of Fall semester. 

Fall registration is open. If you haven’t already registered, please do so as soon as possible. 

This will help with final details for Advisors, faculty, etc. Please connect with your Advisor if you have any questions and/or need assistance. 

As a reminder, the “current courses” lists (that have required classes by program option AND section numbers) can be found at:

Current Courses Link

Unless alternate arrangements have been approved by your Advisor, you are required to take the courses/sections as assigned to the program option that you are in.

If you are in the incorrect section, you will be required to drop the class, and re-register.

If you need an override for 400 level courses or 800 level-due to prerequisite requirements for Advanced Standing Students, please complete the override form:

https://socialwork.msu.edu/BASW/override-request-form.html

Fall semester starts on Monday 8/28

NOTE: This is different than in previous years. Classes will be held on their schedule days/time – not alternate scheduling during the first week.

MSU has continued with the Fall Break Days on 10/23 and 10/24. 

No classes will be held on these days.

Please review the formatting of classes – days/times/location. 

Information about this can be found in SIS (student.msu.edu). (See information below.)

Class materials will be listed in SIS (student.msu.edu)

 click on the class/section. There is a “textbooks” tab where they will be listed; or “none required” will listed. Be patient as some Instructors return to assignment mid-August.

Orientation (New incoming Regular program students) is 8/14 at Kellogg Center. 

We are excited to meet all of you and get things started! If you haven’t received the details/agenda, please reach out to your Advisor (listed below). See you soon!

Community Resource & Safety Fair

August 12 - 10am-2pm!



Lansing Community College (Gannon Building)

• Resources all in one place
• Health Care
• Family Care
• Local Schools and Colleges
• Local Services
• Nonprofits

For more information:

517-394-4614

info@safetycouncil.org

We are going to include this section in each Advisor Update so that you are in the know about various policies, program details, systems related information, etc. We hope that the more you know, the better your experience in the program will be! 😊

We hope that the rest of your Summer is fantastic! 

Your Academic Advising Team,

Kelly Fornwalt – Assistant Program Director & Flint Advisor - fornwalt@msu.edu

Jen Scholes – East Lansing Advisor - warrenj7@msu.edu

Jenn Benway – Statewide Blended Advisor - benwayje@msu.edu

Raul Vargas – Weekend Advisor & Student Support Coordinator - vargasra@msu.edu

Michigan State University

655 Auditorium Road

East Lansing, MI 48824

(517) 355-1855