About advising

Advisor and advisee responsibilities

The mechanism by which advising is provided to students may vary by academic unit.

It is the responsibility of faculty and staff who serve as advisors to:

1. Be knowledgeable about the curriculum requirements for the program(s) for which they advise
2. Assist students in selecting appropriate classes and developing an academic plan that meets degree requirements
3. Assist students in linking program requirements with relevant career and other post-graduation opportunities
4. Be familiar with campus resources and make appropriate referrals when necessary
5. Support the achievement of campus-wide goals for increasing graduation and retention rates
6. Clarify and provide accurate and timely information about university policies, regulations and procedures
7. Be available and accessible to student advisees on a regular basis
8. Maintain student confidentiality in accordance with FERPA
9. Be proficient in the use of the university's student information system/computerized advising tools relevant to the advising process

It is the student's responsibility to:

1. Seek advising assistance in a timely manner
2. Come to advising appointments prepared
3. Become knowledgeable about university, college/school, and departmental program requirements associated with his/her major(s) or minor(s) as well as relevant policies and procedures
4. Take the initiative to become familiar with and utilize available campus resources
5. Keep his/her advisor informed of any changes that might impact or interfere with satisfactory academic progress
6. Take responsibility for his/her actions and decisions

The role of an academic advisor is to assist, not make decisions for students.

Types of advisors