Academic Advising
The academic adviser is an important person in putting into action the College's commitment to a personal concern for a student's academic and social well-being. Academic advisers are expected to be knowledgeable about the general academic program of the College so that they are able to advise all students. Advisers approve student course schedules, monitor progress towards completion of degree (and major, once declared) requirements, counsel students on academic probation, and assist in preparing for the declaration of major. In addition, academic advisers may be called on for personal counseling or to make referrals for personal counseling. Increasingly, academic advisers are also expected to provide initial career and vocational counseling.
However, the person who bears ultimate responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements and choosing courses that will meet the student's goals is the individual student. Therefore, a large part of the work of the faculty adviser is to develop and to cultivate in the student advisee responsibility for academic planning, careful judgment, timely decision making, and personal follow through on plans The academic adviser's role is to facilitate the student's attainment of the goals set by the student; the academic adviser cannot and should not make the most important choices for the student.
The academic advising system has two components: 1) a first-year and sophomore component and 2) a departmental majors component.
Each year the Committee on Academic Advising invites approximately forty-five faculty members and administrators to be the advising group for the entering class. This group of advisers continues to serve that class of students until the end of their sophomore year when the students will have formally declared their majors.
The assignment of majors to faculty members is at the discretion of the departmental chair. Advising within this component of the system continues until the students graduate.
An advising group totaling 14-20 students is considered normal; however, because of large numbers of students interested in certain departments, this norm is occasionally exceeded.
Academic adviser workshops are conducted annually to help make the advising responsibility clear and the system more efficient. The College Catalogue and the adviser's handbook contain helpful information on the academic program and institutional policy affecting the student's instructional program.
Each member of the faculty is expected to serve as an academic adviser to a group of students. Advising is the most important part of the service component of a faculty member's duties. Section VIII in this document indicates the role of effective advising in the overall evaluation of the performance of a member of the Faculty.
In effect April 26, 2004.
Provost of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
