uAchieve/Grad Planner update

Work is underway to move uAchieve (e.g., APAS and transfer credit articulation) from on-premesis to the cloud and to upgrade to the newest version. Because Graduation Planner depends on APAS data to function, when that transition to the cloud and upgrade is complete, Graduation Planner will no longer work. Additionally, Graduation Planner does not meet the Title II digital accessibility requirements that must be met by April 2026.

For these reasons, Graduation Planner will be retiring on January 30, 2026. Planning for a replacement option is underway, but there will be a period of time when no long-term course planning tool is available.

A town hall Zoom meeting is being held on Thursday, September 25 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. for stakeholders to learn more about this work and to share feedback with those leading the effort. Please share this information with anyone you think would be interested. They can RSVP to receive meeting details. More information is available on the uAchieve cloud project page.

Coming soon: The updated Academic Support Resources website

The Academic Support Resources (ASR) website will be updated September 22, 2025. The redesigned website will aim to help users find the processes and resources they need quickly and efficiently. This update also has improvements for accessibility and usability.

The website will feature Folwell functionality, streamlined navigation, and an improved user interface. All existing links will be redirected, so any bookmarked links to the current ASR website will still be usable.

If you would like a preview of the site, you can watch a five-minute website video tour covering the new navigation, structure, and showcase the newly organized resources. One big difference for ASR staff is that the link to the ASR staff site has been moved from the main navigation to the footer (the bottom of each page) of the site.

Mid-quarter updates: Projects status

During the mid-quarter review period, ASR teams selected 4 new projects starting in October. This is in addition to the 15 projects that are currently in the analysis or implementation phase. Refer to the Current Quarter Status ClickUp dashboard for a summary of all in progress projects this quarter.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

Mid-September marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Beginning as Hispanic Heritage Week, President Lyndon Johnson started the observation in 1968, and in 1988 it was expanded to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15, the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, and ending on October 15.

There are several celebrations and events taking place across the University of Minnesota and Twin Cities communities over the month. Please check them out!

University of Minnesota events

• September 9 - December 9: Vaivén: 21st-Century Art of Puerto Rico and Its Diaspora
• September 24: 5th Annual Ramona Arreguín de Rosales Lecture: Somewhere We Are Human

Twin Cities events

• September 20-21: Viva La Vida: Taco & Tequila Festival
• October 8-12: Cine Latino Film Festival
• October 17: Gala Latina

ClickUp Tips & Tricks: Assign and resolve comments

To easily assign an action to a ClickUp collaborator, click the Assign icon when commenting. Assigning a comment will notify the person and display an unresolved comment in their “Assigned Comments” card on the “Home” tab.

The assignee can resolve the comment once the action is complete by clicking the Resolve checkbox or directly from the “Assigned Comments” card on the “Home” tab. This action also notifies the original commenter that the comment has been resolved. You can find more tips in the ASR ClickUp Tips & Tricks in the ClickUp Member User Guide.

Digital Playground

Digital Playground’s next session will be on October 8 at 9 a.m. The topic will be Google Docs. We’ll dive into some of the very useful and more niche things that Google Docs can do including formatting, editing tips, and sharing content among other topics. We’ll also touch on some of Title II related areas like alt text, color, and making documents accessible for all. The Google Calendar invite and Zoom link will be sent out later.

If you haven’t already, join the Google Group to find recordings and resources from previous sessions on Gmail, Zoom, and Google Drive organization. If you have any questions or would like to join the Google group, reach out to Pete Fleenor (fleen010@umn.edu).

ASR Staff Engagement September 18 Survey

This week’s ASR Engagement Survey continues our seasonal theme. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to last week’s survey, most consider the day after Labor Day to be the start of the fall season (34.3%), followed closely by the start of school (28.6%). Honeycrisp apples received the most votes for your favorite apple (45.7%), followed by Pink Lady apples (20%).

Finally, we asked about your favorite fall candle scents. Spiced apple/apple cinnamon was the top vote-getter (31.4%), followed by pumpkin/pumpkin spice (20%), and cedarwood/sandalwood (20%). Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

September 4 survey results

What do you consider to be the start of the fall season?

• When the leaves start changing color (17.1%)
• The day after Labor Day (34.3%)
• The Autumnal Equinox (17.1%)
• When school starts (28.6%)
• When pumpkin spice lattes are available (0%)
• Once the weather is cooler on a consistent basis (2.9%)

What is your favorite type of apple?

• Honeycrisp (45.7%)
• Pink Lady (20%)
• Fuji (8.6%)
• Granny Smith (5.7%)
• Golden Delicious (2.9%)
• Braeburn (2.9%)

What's one of your favorite fall candle scents?

• Spiced apple/apple cinnamon (31.4%)
• Vanilla (8.6%)
• Pumpkin/pumpkin spice (20%)
• Autumn leaves (11.4%)
• Cedarwood/sandalwood (20%)
• I don’t like candles (5.7%)
• Football season by Bath and Body Works (2.9%)