Academic Advising Objectives & Responsibilities
The Advising Experience
Through academic advising experiences you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to make effective decisions concerning your degree and career goals.
- Develop an educational plan for successfully achieving your goals and selecting courses each semester to progress toward fulfilling that educational plan.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the value of higher education.
- Utilize the resources and services on campus to help you achieve your academic, personal and career goals.
- Be able to accurately read and effectively utilize a degree evaluation (previously referred to as a graduation evaluation) in your educational planning.
- Graduate in a timely manner based on your educational plan.
Advisor Responsibilities
You can expect your advisor to:
- Understand and effectively communicate the curriculum, graduation requirements and university policies and procedures.
- Assist you in understanding the purposes and goals of higher education and its effects on your life and personal goals.
- Encourage and guide you to define realistic academic goals.
- Support you as you acquire the skills to develop clear and attainable educational plans.
- Provide you with information about and strategies for utilizing the available resources and services on campus.
- Monitor and accurately document discussions regarding your progress toward meeting your goals.
- Maintain the level of confidentiality provided by FERPA.
- Assist you in gaining decision making skills and skills in assuming responsibility for your educational plans and achievements.
- Promote and encourage you to develop productive working relationships with your professors.
Student Responsibilities
As an advisee, you have clear responsibilities in order for the advising partnership to be successful. Among those responsibilities are the following:
- Schedule regular appointments or make regular contacts with your advisor each semester.
- Come prepared to each appointment with questions or materials for discussion; be an active learner by participating fully in the advising experience.
- Ask questions when you do not understand an issue or have a specific concern.
- Keep a personal record of your progress toward meeting your goals. Organize official documents (academic records, communications from professors or the advisement coordinator—including emails, letters and/or phone calls) in a way that enables you to access them when needed.
- Clarify personal values and goals and provide your advisor with accurate information regarding your interests and abilities.
- Become knowledgeable about WSU programs, policies and procedures.
- Accept responsibility for your decisions.
- Respond to official notification from the advisement coordinator (letters, emails, phone contacts, etc.) in a timely manner.
- Maintain effective working relationships with advisors, faculty and administrators.