Students from the Master of Counselling Psychology (MACP) program at Yorkville University are petitioning for change in the university policy regarding contacting academic advisors for student support and advocacy.

It has come to our attention that the route in which to contact our academic advisors has changed. Once able to call or email our advisors directly, we now must make an “Ask YU” ticket and the next available advisor will contact us via email. Some students have had long wait times during this process (sometimes more than a week) and feel that this is an impersonal and detached manner of handling student affairs and support. Sometimes issues are time sensitive and this has left students without needed support.

We also no longer have the opportunity to make lasting and valuable connections with one advisor. The opportunity to create such bonds allows for student comfort and support. Having the ability to contact an advisor (the same advisor) for our questions, concerns and needs provides us students with a greater sense of value and creates an atmosphere of reliability.

We ask that future academic support and advocacy be handled in the following manner:

• All students are assigned an advisor (all advisors have a group of students under their care)
• Students need not have to make an “Ask YU” ticket in order to voice their questions, concerns, and/or ask for support
• Students have the ability to contact an advisor via phone or email
• Yorkville provides better one-on-one support by allowing students to speak to and address concerns to another human being (and not a computerized system)

We feel that these conditions are fair and just. All universities (even ones online) offer student advocacy and support in a personable manner. Yorkville’s new system of handling student concerns has become notably impersonal and is making students feel devalued.