A new degree auditing system will be available on FlashLine starting June 1 and will replace KAPS for students on catalogue year 2010 .

Deborah Barber, executive director of Degree Planning and Student Success, said the GPS audit system is the second step in the GPS program and will monitor students’ progress based on individual Student Educational Plans.

Provost Robert Frank said the plans would be created by students and their advisers. With these plans, students will know every class they need to take throughout their entire undergraduate education.

“This is an interactive plan,” Frank said. “It’ll show you what you need to take semester by semester”

Barber said the plans and audit system should help students know what they need to do to graduate.

“We don’t want (students) floundering around out there with lots of confusion going on,” Barber said.

Frank said the GPS audit system paired with the plans will take into account all university requirements including diversity and Kent Core as well as transfer credits.

“Students will always know what it takes to graduate in the time they want to budget for college,” Frank said. “They would always know which semester to take which course. They wouldn’t need to go to an adviser to do all the course planning that many students now do.”

Over the summer, students will be able to start creating their individual plan online through FlashLine and then submit it to their adviser for approval.

Incoming freshmen will be introduced to the plans and auditing system while going through the Destination Kent State program and then finish their plans in their FYE course. Current catalogue 2010 students will be less structured in their creation of their plans.

“It’s our hope that all 2010 students will get a plan by the end of fall semester,” Barber said.

Julianne Janosko, freshman pre-nursing major, was part of the pilot program for the GPS audit program and Student Educational Plans.

“It was a lot easier to navigate,” Janosko said. “I like how you could see all your classes for each semester, and it just e-mails your advisor if you change anything.”

Cara Cioffi, freshman biotechnology major, said she likes the idea of a new auditing program.

“I don’t like KAPS at all, so I think this will be better,” Cioffi said.

The GPS audit system allows students to see their audit and their plan side-by-side so they can see what they need to take in order to graduate in a specified amount of time.

Frank said the base of the individual plans are the GPS roadmaps that were created two years ago.

The roadmaps would show students what classes they needed to take for a certain major and show them options to fill certain electives or Kent Core requirements.

Barber said the interactive plan is flexible and allows each student to individualize their education.

“With a plan, you can create anything you want to,” Barber said. “If you want to get through in three years, the student and the adviser can build that in. However you want to do it, you can do it.”

Frank said he believes the plans will help students and allow them to explore their educational options.

“It’s designed to help students navigate their education,” Frank said. “It’s going to make navigating much simpler for students and much friendlier for students.”

Contact Britni Williams at [email protected].