CASA Frequently Asked Questions

After you explore your major/minor option and you have reached a decision, the first step is to request an appointment from the new major department for advising. In your meeting, you will be advised about your new major from the department chair or a faculty adviser and you will discuss how this change will impact your time towards graduation. Remember to ask when you will be assigned to a faculty adviser in the major and the classes that you need to register for next semester. The next step is to complete the Change of Academic Program (Choose the e-Form link).

Many students end up graduating with a major different than what they preferred when they were freshman. Your success coach can help you clarify and refine your interests, strengths, and values to help you choose an academic program that will be a good fit for you. Your success coach will guide you through some action items in the Explore Your Path portal and will be able to make referrals to resources on campus that you might need.

Studies show that 3 of every 4 students are uncertain or tentative about their major/career choice at college entry and that over half of all students who enter college with a declared major change their mind at least once before they graduate. At CASA, we are cognizant of these issues and supportive of your exploration journey. We have designed the Explore Your Path portal, a resource for students who are undecided, undeclared, or exploring academic programs (majors, minors, certificate programs, dual degree, pre-med, etc.). We encourage you to visit the portal and make an appointment with your success coach so that they can help connect you with resources that you may need and guide you through the journey.

Your major/faculty/academic adviser should sign your registration add/drop form as they need to be aware of any changes you make to your schedule to help you stay on track towards completing your degree requirements in a timely manner.

Regardless of what class you are trying to drop or withdraw from (i.e., major or core), your faculty adviser must sign in the adviser section of the form.

In addition to a faculty adviser in the major, all incoming students are assigned a success coach in CASA. The success coach will offer the student compassionate, personalized support from orientation to graduation, while encouraging students to explore their potential and aspirations. We also work closely with faculty and staff to engage in academic interventions, ensuring our students have the proper support in place to stay on track to complete their degree.

In CASA, we are committed to:

• One-on-one academic coaching that empowers students to achieve their academic goals.
• Providing a supportive environment that promotes personal growth and the values of a Jesuit education.
• Connecting students to academic programs and resources on campus designed to support their success.

• Help students develop academic skills to successfully meet the demands of USF’s rigorous curriculum.

You are always welcome to meet with your success coach to discuss personal issues or challenges that may be impacting your academics. If you have questions that are specific to your major, or degree completion, we can work with you and and your faculty adviser to come up with a plan that supports your academic success.

CASA can only remove holds that were placed by CASA. CASA cannot remove holds placed by other offices or major departments (such as 'Advising Hold').

Although you may have met with your success coach to discuss important personal and academic information, all students are required to meet with their faculty adviser for formal academic advising about course requirements, substitutions/transfer credits, progress towards degree, and career and internship opportunities, that are specific to their major. While your success coach can help you look at the 'big picture' of how to accomplish the 128-unit university requirement, faculty advisers are the true experts when it comes to major course curriculums and they can guide you in making important decisions.

Making an appointment is the best way to secure a meeting with your success coach. You can also visit our drop-in hours held throughout the week. You are welcome to stop by our office on University Center 3rd floor to speak with the front desk about making an appointment as well.

Visit our appointment page to learn how to make an appointment with your success coach.

CASA has asked all faculty to submit progress reports for students who may be performing below a C in their courses. If you have received a progress report from your professor, this means that there is some concern around your performance in a specific course. We understand that several factors may be impacting your performance, and this serves as an opportunity for you to receive important feedback from your professor and determine if you will remain in the course. This progress report is also shared with your success coach in CASA and your major faculty adviser, so that both parties can follow up with you directly to come up with a plan for academic success.

In addition to a faculty adviser in the major, all incoming students are assigned an Academic Success Coach in CASA. The success coach will offer the student compassionate, personalized support from orientation to graduation, while encouraging students to explore their potential and aspirations. We also work closely with faculty and staff to engage in academic interventions, ensuring our students have the proper support in place to stay on track to complete their degree.

In CASA, we are committed to:

• Empowering students through coaching to achieve academic success.
• Providing a supportive environment that promotes personal growth and the values of a Jesuit education.
• Connecting students to academic programs and resources on campus designed to support their success.
• Helping students develop skills to successfully meet the demands of USF’s rigorous curriculum.

• If your student is at risk of failing due to low participation, preparation, quality of work, or test grades, we want to know if you think a student should consider withdrawing from your course. → Submit an Early Alert.
• If your student is not attending class → Submit an Early Alert.
• If your student would benefit from a one-on-one conversation → Submit an Early Alert.
• If your student is presenting distressing/disruptive behavior that you believe constitutes an emergency → Consult with the Dean of Students Office/Care Referral Program
• If your student is presenting concerning behavior that is a non-emergency → Please consult with CASA Associate Vice President Shona Milazo by calling x6113.
• If there is a concern about academic integrity/cheating/plagiarism → Report incidents to Academic Integrity

Depending on the student's situation, refer to the response in "When should I refer students to CASA?". In addition to that, you can refer students to CASA via the methods listed below.

• Call (415) 422-5050
• Email us at casa@usfca.edu
• Send a student to our CASA front desk on the UC 3rd Floor
• Submit an Early Alert
• Contact the ASC directly

How to find a student's ASC:

1. Log in to myUSF → click on the 'Faculty' button to enter Self-Service Banner
2. Under the Faculty Services tab, click on Advising: Student Information Menu
3. Click on Advise by Student ID or Name
4. Select the Term and enter the student's ID or Name information
5. Select the student and then choose General Student Information
6. The student’s academic success coach will be listed under Advisers, i.e., Ian Michell (Academic Success Coach)

Log in to myUSF → Go to Top Apps and click on "Early Alert" OR go to Canvas and click on the eye icon for Early Alerts (left-hand side of your dashboard).

Learn more about the Early Alert Program