301 Advisement

The faculty advisor should bear in mind the extreme importance of his or her role.  He or she should know the core curriculum and degree requirements.  The advisor's work with the student can determine the degree of success the student attains.  A student's initial and possibly only lengthy contact with a faculty member is with his or her advisor.  It is imperative that this contact be meaningful in terms of the student's academic and personal needs.

A student should not only feel free to seek academic advice from his or her advisor but may also solicit opinions and help in any matter the student feels pertinent to his or her personal needs.  The advisor should make every effort to assist the student with these needs and, if necessary, refer the student to the appropriate campus agency.  Friendly and personal dialogue is encouraged for the promotion of advisor-advisee rapport.  The advisor functions in a strictly advisory capacity and should not attempt to force adherence to the advisor's wishes.   Although the advisor is expected to know university policy and curricula, it is the student's responsibility to fulfill all degree requirements.

The academic advisory system functions within the framework of the colleges of the university.  Assignment of an advisee to a college for advisement is made on the basis of information in the student's admission material or upon the student's stated interest after enrollment.  The Registrar's Office provides an evaluation of university courses taken by students who transfer from other institution.  An advisor's manual is furnished to all assigned advisors.  The number of advisees in the "undecided major" category assigned to a college is based on the faculty members available to the college.

A student may change his or her major by completing the "Change of Major" form in the departmental office of the desired major.  The advisee will be assigned an appropriate advisor prior to the next advisement period if the request is made by the fifth week of the current semester.

Immediately prior to any advisement period, the professor should post on his or her door (or other appropriate place) a notice to indicate the time when he or she will be available for advisement and request that advisees sign up for appointments.  The advisor is expected to be available for advisement during these times.

Not only should the advisor help the student plan his or her schedule for each semester, but he or she should also, at the beginning of the year, plan with the student a schedule for the entire year in keeping with the student's academic goals.  Haphazard or perfunctory planning can result in enrollment in courses for which the student is poorly fitted with consequent failure or can result in failing to take prerequisite courses when scheduled.

Several specific academic policies should be noted:

  1. In selecting courses, a student may step up one level of course numbers or down one level of course numbers.  Freshmen are not permitted to enroll in 3000 or 4000 courses.  Normally, a senior should not be enrolled in a 1000 course, and few should be taking courses at the 2000 level.
  2. Exceptions to degree requirements or substitutions for them must be recommended by the advisor in writing and approved by the appropriate dean.
  3. The advisor's authority is limited in advisement matters but his power of persuasion is not.  Under current policies, one cannot ordinarily compel a student to take a core or required course if the student wishes to postpone it in favor of an elective.  The advisor can point out the undesirable results which might stem from such a choice and place a memorandum in the advisee's folder pointing out that the course selection was against his or her advice.  Flagrant abuse of the privilege of free choice should be reported to the dean of the appropriate college.