Advising Students

1. The Advising Role

   From a student's point of view, the advisor serves as the first and most important link between the faculty member and the student. The ideal advisor is available to talk about general academic requirements, academic or adjustment problems, majors, career prospects, and educational opportunities after graduation. The advisor offers assistance but allows the student the freedom to make his or her own decisions. If an advisor is successful, he or she will become more than somebody who simply releases a student to register; he or she will form a beneficial relationship whose influence will last throughout the student's time here and, perhaps, beyond.

2. Duties of Advisor

   Full-time members of the faculty share the responsibilities for advising students within their major program as well as the responsibilities for advising students who have not yet declared majors. Incoming students will be assigned an advisor who will perform that role through the student's sophomore year. Wherever possible, the student's academic interests will be matched with the advisor's program area. Students who have declared majors will be assigned an advisor by the chair of their chosen academic program. Students who have not declared majors will be assigned advisors by the Assistant Dean and Director of student Academic Support, who will attempt to distribute these responsibilities equitably. The Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support also will assign a peer counselor to each faculty advisor to serve as an assistant during orientation. Faculty advisors should expect to be consulted about: study skills and time management, pre-registration for courses, adding or dropping a course, taking a course on a pass/unsatisfactory basis, choosing and developing a major, petitioning program committees or the Academic Standards Committee for waiver of academic rules, and certifying the completion of requirements of the College and of the major program for graduation. The advisor should counsel the advisees about academic performance, progress toward the completion of the general requirements and major requirements, planning to study off-campus, and educational or career opportunities. If the advisee should ask a question the advisor is unable to answer, the advisor should refer the advisee to a knowledgeable source.

   Before releasing a student for registration, advisors should ascertain that:

   1. the student is making adequate progress toward completion of the College's general education requirements;
   2. the student is making adequate progress toward meeting basic skills requirements in expository writing, foreign language, and mathematics;
   3. the student has the appropriate prerequisites for all the courses for which he or she intends to register;

      Questions regarding registration or requirements should be referred to the Registrar's Office, to the Associate Dean, to the appropriate program or Division Chair, or to the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support.

3. CentreNet Advising Portal and Folders for Advisors

   Advisors have access to academic information for each advisee through CentreNet and other electronic programs. Information may include student schedules, grades, degree audit, biographical data, GPA projection, a copy of the application form, and a copy of the high school transcript.