| Module 1: College Advising
Introduction to MTSU Academic Advising The Advising Process
Each year of students' careers will be marked by challenges and opportunities as they learn more about themselves and make choices about their future. While students bear the responsibility for making decisions about their university experiences, you, as the advisor, play a key role in students' educational growth. The keys to student success are planning ahead, managing time well, taking advantage of campus and community resources and being pro-active. The advising process, then, parallels student development and must be individualized to the needs of your students. You will find that advising is an on-going responsibility; advising takes place any time of the year, any time of the day, in your office, or anywhere on campus. In fact, advisors have been known to "advise" students in grocery store check-out lines as their advisee scans their cereal boxes! Retrieved from: www.lssu.edu/advising/handbook/AAH_2-1-0.php The Advisor’s Responsibilities: - Be knowledgeable about university and departmental requirements, policies, procedures, and important deadlines
- Maintain adequate office hours throughout the semester
- Provide a respectful, supportive atmosphere
- Provide students with needed materials – catalog, schedule book, forms, etc.
- Assist students in planning programs of study (both short-term and long-term) that are consistent with their abilities and interests
- Help students assume responsibility for their decisions and actions
- Make appropriate referrals
- Keep accurate records
- Maintain confidentially according to established standards
The Student’s Responsibilities: - Be proactive – ask questions!!
- Maintain contact with advisor
- Keep scheduled appointments
- Discuss information that affects academic performance
- Learn requirements for dept., college, and university
- Make use of all resources on campus
- Be responsible for planning a course of study and fulfilling all necessary requirements and regulations by accepting ultimate responsibility for decisions
Adapted from Fort Hays State University Academic Advising Handbook, 2004 |
