College life can be confusing and overwhelming, and sometimes you just need someone to help you sort things out. If you’re facing an issue that is affecting your ability to succeed at Indiana University Bloomington, you can get help from a Student Advocate. Student Advocates are retired IU faculty and staff members who volunteer their time and expertise to assist students in resolving academic, financial, and conduct problems. Advocates have been helping Hoosiers since 1981.
No matter what your situation is, Student Advocates are here to listen nonjudgmentally, provide unconditional support, and help you resolve problems so you can successfully maintain progress towards your degree.
We rely on a team of committed volunteers to carry out our mission of helping students address problems and stay on track with their education. If you’re a retired IU faculty or staff member ready for a new way to support students, we want you to join our team.
Confidential Victim Advocates (CVAs) are specially trained advocates who support students that have experienced sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking. Your Confidential Victim Advocate can help address any safety, academic, or other university-related concerns and assist you in making a report, if you choose.
No, it only withdraws you from the courses currently in session.
You may call 812-855-0761 or visit our Bookings page.
If you believe your final grade is not accurate because of an error in the calculation of the grade or believe that your grade was based on non-academic grounds (ex: bias), you may want to appeal the grade.
Grade appeal steps for academic units are typically outlined in the school's academic bulletin.
Please note: Issues related to an instructor's intrinsic evaluation of your work are not subject to appeal.
Contact the Student Advocates Office to schedule an appointment with an Academic Advocate for assistance in preparing your appeal.
Contact the Student Advocates Office to schedule an appointment to meet with an Academic Advocate to discuss the possibility of a grade change to W.
Note: Each school sets its own deadlines for submitting a grade change request. Check your school's academic bulletin for details.
Contact the Student Advocates Office to schedule an appointment with a Conduct Advocate. They can help you understand the conduct process at IU, as well as prepare for and/or join you in an advisory role at any scheduled meetings with the Office of Student Conduct.
Reach out to your professors to discuss your status in the course.
Schedule an appointment with your Academic Advisor to discuss your options.
Refer to your syllabus to see if the professor has instructions on how to best contact them.
Please give your professors at least 48 hours to respond.
If you have not heard from them after the 48 hour period, you can send them a polite email asking if they have had time to review your email.
If you still do not hear from them, you could contact their department for assistance in reaching the professor.
Try to talk issues out with your roommate. If problems continue, contact your Resident Assistant (RA) or other Residence Life and Housing staff for assistance.
Have you and your roommate completed your roommate agreement? If not, work with your RA to complete one. If you have, have a talk with your roommate about your concerns and bring your roommate agreement with you. Your RA can assist you if you need support speaking with your roommate.
Ask your RA for a meeting to talk through your concerns. They will escalate to their supervisors if needed. Remember, they may want to revisit your roommate agreement with you and your roommate.
It is always best to address an issue sooner rather than later. Resident Assistants, Graduate Supervisors, Resident Life Coordinators for Student Life, and the Residence Manager are there to help you work out roommate differences. Many conflicts are with dialogue, review of expectations, and having compassion and understanding for each other as roommates.
A student who does not meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy is considered ineligible for financial aid. However, they may submit an appeal if they have a documented extenuating circumstance that prevented them from meeting the SAP policy. You can contact the Student Advocates Office to schedule an appointment with an Academic Advocate for assistance in preparing your appeal.
Student Advocates are unable to assist with financial aid issues. Please contact Student Central for assistance.
The Student Advocates Office is unable to excuse students from class or missed work and is not the office that helps with that process.
If a student is missing class due to a current hospitalization or the death of an immediate family member, they can contact the Student Care and Resource Center for assistance.
If you are a student who has a permanent or temporary qualifying medical condition and have missed classes or will miss upcoming classes due to that condition, you should contact Accessible Educational Services for assistance.
