Khetpapol Limphoka, 22, waited two hours to see an academic adviser for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences last week.
“It’s not surprising,” the UF biology senior said. “I know that it’s going to take that long.”
Joseph Spillane, the director of the college’s academic advising center, said wait times to see advisers in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have decreased this semester after two advisers were added this Fall. After renovations for the Otis P. Hawkins Center are complete in December, current advisers will have more space and others could be added, he said.
“We won’t have to have advisers double up and share space,” he said.
Fifteen academic advisers, one career adviser and three graduate student assistants are available for the about 11,000 students in the college, including those in UF online, according to the college’s advising website, which averages to more than 700 students per adviser. At the Hawkins Center, nine advisers see 525 student athletes.
During drop/add week and advanced registration, average wait times have been between 20 and 30 minutes. Last year, times averaged about 30 minutes, he said.
But students like Limphoka haven’t experienced shorter times. Last year, he said he waited 45 minutes for a walk-in appointment.
He said this year, he was able to use an online check-in to see where he was in line while waiting. But because the new waiting rooms aren’t open yet, he had to wait outside.
“Their system is not that good now,” he said. “It’s still a long time.”
