Make Advising Work For You

Academic advising is the responsibility of both students and faculty or professional advisors. Students are responsible for making their own life, career, and educational plans; advisors are responsible for assisting them to identify and assess those plans and their alternatives. Because educational goals are defined in the context of life and career goals, advisors work together with the Advising Office and other student service programs to provide support and resources to help their advisees develop and realize their educational goals.

The Advisor's Role

Advisors help students to:

• Provide guidance in developing academic goals and choosing a major
• Offer support if you experience academic difficulty or are in transition
• Clarify general university requirements and academic policies
• Provide referrals to other services on campus
• Assist in general academic planning

The Student's Role

As a student, you have an integral role to fill. It is your responsibility to:

• Maintain regular contact with your advisor (your advisor cannot help you if he or she cannot contact you)
• Contact and make appointments with your advisor when required or when in need of assistance
• Prepare for advising sessions and bring relevant material
• Ask questions as they arise – Remember that the only “stupid” question is the one that remains unasked!