Grad Student Email-News: No GAP, then No CAP.  2/6/02

Dear RLS Graduate Student,

This is the third grad student email-news of the spring semester.  Please look over the important information below that may effect if you graduate on time or at all, and also help me solve a problem.  The department is switching over to an email and website (www.sfsu.edu/~recdept/html/gradhm.htm) communications strategy for grad students.  For example, these grad news-updates are only sent via email, none are mailed.  The problem is that the RLS department does not know if you are receiving our emails, and if we have the best email addresses for you and other fellow grad students.  So please do two things:

1.  Reply back to me that you received this email and tell me the best email address to use for communicating with you.
2.  Look at all the email addresses at the top of this message and let me know if I am missing the email address of any other RLS grad students you know.

Now for the news..... well actually reminders.  First something for continuing grad students.

*  Students must  file a GAP, signed by your advisor, when they are 6-15 units away from graduation, or at least one semester prior to starting a thesis or taking a comp exam.  If the GAP is not filed on time you can not register for REC 898, you may be taking classes that will not be allowed to count towards graduation and your graduation will be delayed.  So check your files if unsure of your GAP status and see your advisor.

*  Each new grad student should know their situation in regards to "Advancement to Candidacy" also known as "Advancement to Classified" status.  This could effect your ability to take classes and delay your graduation by a year!  The strict policy in the RLS Department is that until students have achieved Advancement to Classified status they can not take any 800 level class.  So how do you find out about your standing?  In your letter of acceptance to the RLS grad program it listed whether you had to take any prerequisite classes and had a work experience requirement.  You can also check the "Request For Advancement To Classified or Credential Status" form sent to you by the SFSU Graduate School once you were admitted to SFSU.  Generally, if you lack an undergraduate degree in recreation or a closely related field and have limited recreation work experience the typical conditions for your advancement to Classified Status are:  Take and have a B average in REC 400, REC 410, REC 500 and REC 520 or REC 430.  Plus you may need to complete one year of FULL TIME professional experience (or show substantial progress towards that work requirement to take an 800 level class).

*  If you are not concurrently enrolled in any SFSU classes for two semesters or more you must reapply for admission to SFSU.

Hope this reminders are helpful.  Please respond to my questions.