Academic Success Resources

How You and Your Faculty Advisor Should Work Together

Each student at the University is assigned to a faculty member who is a discipline specific departmental advisor for both educational and vocational guidance. The advising process is designed to help students as they make important decisions related to their academic progress at the University. As new advisees, recently admitted students should become familiar with both their discipline specific departmental advisors and the advising process. Below you will find some guidelines to follow throughout the year to make the advising process a successful part of your University experience.

How to meet with your discipline specific advisor 

1. Become familiar with your advisor's office hours/schedule.
2. Whenever possible, call to make an appointment instead of dropping by without one.
3. If it is necessary to drop by without an appointment, try to do so at a time when your advisor has posted office hours, avoid lunch time (12:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.), and allow plenty of time in case you have to wait to see your advisor.
4. Because the first and last two weeks of each quarter are the busiest for advisors, schedule longer conferences during the middle portion of the quarter.

What you and your discipline specific advisor should do 

1. You should...contact and keep in touch with your advisor. 
   Your advisor should...post office hours.
   
   
2. You should...make and keep appointments or call if it is necessary to change or cancel an appointment. 
   Your advisor should...keep appointments or call if it is necessary to change or cancel an appointment.
   
   
3. You should...come with specific questions in mind. 
   Your advisor should... provide accurate and specific information.
   
   
4. You should...come with necessary materials (pencil/pen, class schedule, process form, etc.) 
   Your advisor should…have resource material on hand (The University Bulletin of Information, Advising Handbook, etc.)
   
   
5. You should...ask about other sources of information. 
   Your advisor should... suggest other sources of information.
   
   
6. You should...be open concerning school work, study habits, academic progress, etc. 
   Your advisor should...listen and help you solve problems.
   
   
7. You should...build a schedule free of conflicts in time. 
   Your advisor should... check your schedule for appropriate selection of courses.
   
   
8. You should...make decisions concerning careers, choice of majors, and selection of courses. 
   Your advisor should...suggest options concerning careers, choice of majors, and selection of courses.