Recommended Academic Advising Definitions & Role Statements

For the Provost of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

From the Advisory Council for Comprehensive Academic Advising

May 2004

(endorsed in June 2004 by Outgoing Provost Miller & Incoming Provost Earns)

Definition of Advising:

 Advising is a dynamic relationship between a student and advisor. At the center is a shared responsibility for a coherent education plan that incorporates personal, social, academic and career considerations. Advising focuses on helping students identify life goals, acquire skills and attitudes that promote intellectual growth, and become academically successful.

 Intended Outcomes of Academic Advising

             Through advising, students will learn to frame questions about the future and seek information needed to formulate answers. As a result, they will practice decision-making strategies and self-leadership skills that they will use throughout their lives.

             Through advising, students will be able to put the college experience into perspective, especially with regard to understanding the value of the learning process, whether it is independent or collaborative.

             Through advising, students will experience stimulation of and support for their quests for an enriched quality of life.  They will be encouraged to utilize unique opportunities to structure their college experiences so as to maximize their abilities to lead their lives as they decide.

Comprehensive academic advising shall follow the developmental advising hierarchy, defined as:

             ·        Exploration of life goals, values, abilities, interests, limitations.

·        Exploration of vocational/career goals.

·        Selection and design of academic major or program of study.

·        Selection of courses.

·        Scheduling classes.

Roles of Students, Faculty, Professional Advising Staff, UARC,

Departments & Colleges

at UW Oshkosh Related to Academic Advising.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Student:

• Explore and give thoughtful consideration to personal, educational and career goals;
• Explain values, abilities, interests, and goals to the advisor as related to the academic plan;
• Seek relevant information about career options and how they are related to the educational program;
• Become familiar with program requirements and accept responsibility for course choices and decisions;
• Make and be on time for all scheduled advising appointments;
• Seek assistance, as needed, with school work, study habits and academic progress;
• Ask questions concerning confusing information and procedures;
• Develop a tentative schedule of classes each semester before meeting with an advisor;
• Make decisions and keep good records of all advising interactions;
• If planning to transfer, contact an advisor in the prospective major at that institution to obtain appropriate information about the future degree;
• Be prepared with accurate information and relevant materials when contacting and meeting with the advisor;
• Be honest and ethical in interactions with the advisor;
• Become knowledgeable about and adhere to the relevant policies, procedures, and rules of the University, college and academic program;
• Follow through on student decisions made during each advising session;
• Acquire the information needed to assume final responsibility for course scheduling, program planning and the successful completion of all graduation requirements; and,
• Consult with advisor at least once a semester to discuss major and career choices, make decisions on courses, review progress toward degree requirements and discuss the suitability of other educational opportunities provided by the University.

Roles and Responsibilities of the UARC Academic Advisor:

• Help the student define and develop realistic personal, social, academic and career goals;

• Develop a caring, mentoring relationship with students that creates a positive environment and encourages success and involvement;
• Develop an understanding of each student's individual needs and concerns as they affect academic progress;
• Be knowledgeable about student development theory and apply this knowledge and experience to developmental advising practices;
• Be knowledgeable about available resources in order to make appropriate suggestions and referrals to meet student needs, interests and concerns;
• Be knowledgeable about degree requirements and familiar with degree/major requirements in the academic programs in which he or she advises;
• Assist undeclared and deciding students in exploration of major and career options;
• Help the student plan a course of study, offering advice about courses, course loads and prerequisites;
• Encourage the student to become familiar with program requirements, graduation requirements, and to accept responsibility for course choices and decisions;
• Teach the student how to read the STAR;
• Help the student understand the academic and administrative processes of the University;
• Assist the student in assessing his or her educational and career objectives in light of his or her abilities and interests and set academic goals accordingly;
• Help the student understand the relationships between formal coursework and other academic experiences provided by the University;
• Explain the relationships between the instructional program and his or her occupational and career goals to the student so the student can develop clear goals and plans;
• Monitor student progress toward educational and career goals, maintain accurate and complete records and follow up with the student when necessary;
• Maintain confidentiality regarding student conferences and records;
• Participate in advisor training; and,
• Be honest and ethical in interaction with the student and colleagues.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Faculty/Instructional Academic Staff Advisor:

• Help students to define and develop realistic personal, social, academic and career goals;
• Identify needs of individual students and make appropriate referrals to campus resources;
• Refer students who change majors, become undecided, or are in academic trouble to the UARC;
• Participate in advising development activities as provided by the UARC;
• Maintain current knowledge about academic policies (campus, college and departmental);
• Maintain current knowledge about the curricula of the program of study and general education requirements related to the program of study;
• Be able to assist the student in assessing his/her progress by interpreting the STAR report;
• Understand linkages between academic preparation and careers;
• Adhere to the campus and department’s formulae for academic advising;
• Be adequately available to students on a regular basis;
• Offer individual advising appointments as needed;
• Offer periodic reviews of student academics and follow these up with congratulatory or inquiring contacts and referrals, as appropriate; and,
• Explore alternative ways of communicating with students; for example, hosting one group advising meeting per semester or operating a student list-serve for the purpose of information sharing and community building.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Undergraduate Advising Resource Center (UARC):

• Provide overall direction for a campus-wide developmental, comprehensive advising program;
• Provide entering students with education about the advising system;
• Maintain UARC website;
• Teach students to use campus information sources (STAR, Bulletin, TitanWeb, advising and departmental websites);
• Develop and maintain an Early Warning Intervention program that gathers information from faculty about first-year student academic performance and use this information in advising meetings with students to make referrals and recommendations that encourage student academic success;
• Provide professional development opportunities and support for academic advisors;

• Prepare students for transition to faculty/departmental advising;
• Create and deliver initial and on going Faculty Colleges about the conceptual, relational and informational components of advising;
• Provide professional advisors who are available for one-on-one or group consultation as requested by faculty;
• Develop an online and paper faculty advising handbook;
• Provide professional development opportunities for faculty advisors to participate in state, regional and national advising organizations (NACADA - National Academic Advising Association);
• Help departments organize and participate in the advising transition by which students pass from the UARC advisor to the faculty advisor;
• Provide departments/teams with working models and best practices from similar institutions and UW Oshkosh departments;
• Act as consultants for colleges, departments or programs that are developing their own advising process;
• Provide development services for faculty seeking to become advisors;
• Provide rewards and recognition for advising excellence; and

• Provide the framework for the development of a campus-wide model of assessment of advising effectiveness.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Department/Program:

• Design, implement and periodically assess a faculty advising plan appropriate to that department’s discipline, role and human resources;
• Prepare and distribute appropriate advising documents (a “Handbook for Majors” is highly recommended);
• Maintain a web page linked to the department’s main web page with advising information clearly displayed, including major planning sheets;
• Assign students in the major/degree to faculty advisors;
• Participate in the advising transition by which students pass from the UARC advisor to the faculty advisor;
• Support faculty advising as a component of teaching; and,
• Communicate curricular changes to the UARC and other affected campus departments and academic programs.

Roles and Responsibilities of the College:

• Include advising as a professional teaching activity in pertinent personnel actions (hiring, merit, tenure, etc.);
• Participate in campus-wide advising recognition processes; and,
• Facilitate and support departmental efforts to provide effective academic advising.