Academic Advising

Academic advisors assist with decisions related to course requirements, academic majors and minors, career choices, and academic success. They meet with their advisees periodically each semester to explore the students’ needs and interests, assist their advisees with various administrative procedures (i.e., course registration, drop-add or withdrawal), and generally monitor their advisees’ academic progress.

First year students who transfer in fewer than 30 credit hours are assigned to a Professional Academic Advisor as part of their first year experience. Professional advisors have a background in helping students adjust to college and will specifically work with students to educate them on academic policies and positive methods for academic engagement. Faculty who teach First-Year Experience courses may also serve as advisors for the students enrolled in their sections.

Once a student officially declares an academic major, a professor within that academic department will become the student’s new Faculty Advisor. Students may declare a major as early as the end of their first year. Students transferring in with 30 or more credits will be assigned a faculty advisor from the beginning.

Students who believe that they are not receiving adequate advising from their Professional Academic Advisor may contact Karen Price, Vice Provost and Dean of Institutional Effectiveness; or from their faculty advisor may contact, Dr. David Williams, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs for a review of their concerns. The student, however, is ultimately responsible for seeing that all degree requirements are fulfilled.