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About Academic Advising

What is academic advising?

Professional Academic Advising is a collaborative and holistic process designed to facilitate students’ understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and to foster students’ intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning.

Successful academic advising is a shared responsibility between an advisor and a student. It requires active participation from both parties. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to make decisions about their life goals by creating a plan to reach those goals. The advisor serves as a facilitator of communication and a coordinator of learning experiences through course and career planning and academic progress reviews.

Academic advisors are committed to provided students with high-quality assistance in order to support them in the development and pursuit of academic objectives consistent with their life goals and available opportunities at UCA’s campus. 

“Get it right. Get advised.”

 

How can academic advisors help?

Academic advising is available to all students at UCA. Our goal is to assist students in a variety of ways. Advisors can explain the academic requirements for university programs; discuss and explain the requirements of the programs offered; interpret academic policies and procedures; develop program plans; discuss various program options; provide resources to students to improve their study skills; and refer students to appropriate departments and campus resources as necessary.

Students are required to meet with their assigned academic advisor at least once each semester to ensure they remain on track.

Schedule an advising appointment here.

What are the expectations of academic advisors?

  • Create an environment in which students feel safe exploring their goals and ideas
  • Help students explore areas of study that correspond to their professional goals and map an appropriate path
  • Listen to students’ questions and concerns and refer them appropriately for any help they are not equipped to provide (tutoring, counseling, medical concerns, etc.)
  • Provide accurate and up-to-date information
  • Teach students how to use online advising resources, including the tools necessary for registration
  • Communicate with students regularly via their UCA-issued email account
  • Equip students to feel confident in making their own academic decisions by arming them with knowledge
  • Respect students’ right to privacy regarding both academic and personal matters

What are the expectations of students?

  • Explore majors and careers, taking into account their interests, abilities, and values
  • Prepare in advance for advising appointments, coming up with a list of any pertinent questions, classes of interest, academic goals, etc.
  • Read and understand the policies detailed in the Student Handbook
  • Utilize campus resources as needed
  • Use online advising resources to map out their academic path, track their goals, and plan each semester
  • Be familiar with the Academic Calendar, and be aware of upcoming add/drop deadlines
  • Check their UCA-issued email regularly to ensure they receive up-to-date information in a timely fashion
  • Accept personal responsibility for their own decisions and actions
  • Be aware of the rights provided to them under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Who is my assigned academic advisor?

Professional Advisors are assigned to students based upon student’s declared major. Students will be with their professional adviosr until they graduate unless they change majors. Students may find their assigned academic advisor by logging into their MyUCA account and then selecting Self-Service > Student > Student Records > View Student Information.

Click here for a video tutorial of how to find your assigned academic advisor.

Cycle of Advising:

The academic year is broken up into different segments with specific jobs to perform.  Each category requires a different type of advising skill. Advisors must be flexible and able to quickly adapt to a variety of tasks.  Also, because advising is student focused, advisors must effectively plan in order to complete projects in a timely manner.

Advance Registration:

  • Next Spring (End of October-Thanksgiving)
  • Next Summer & Fall (End of March-April)
  • Currently enrolled students only
  • Advisors see only their Advisees
  • Most students are advised and then released to register online
  • Students are allowed to register starting on a specified date, based on their classification
  • Important things to know:

Late Registration:

  • After Advance Registration ends which is the first day of class through the 8th day of classes
  • Students can be advised, add or drop classes until the 8th day of classes that have begun
  • Must pay a late registration fee
  • All students register online except new first-time Freshmen
  • Once Late Registration ends, (after the 8th day) students can only add classes through approval of the Teacher/Faculty of the class they want to attend.

 

No-Show Policy

In an effort to provide equal time to all students, the Academic Advising enforces a no-show policy. This policy is not designed as a punishment; rather, it serves as a reminder to be respectful of fellow students’ time, as advising and registration appointments are in high demand and can be particularly difficult to come by during the busiest parts of the semester. A no-show deprives another student of the opportunity to meet with their advisor.

Additionally, because advisors must spend time preparing for each appointment, it allows that preparatory time to be used to its best purpose: providing accurate information and timely assistance to each of their students. A no-show takes away from advisors’ time to respond to other student concerns.

A no-show, or missed appointment, is noted in the system if:

  • A student arrives more than 10 minutes late for an appointment
  • A student fails to cancel an appointment in advance, either via Navigate or an email to the assigned academic advisor
  • A student improperly cancels an appointment or notifies the advisor after-the-fact

After two no-shows, a student will be unable to schedule another advising appointment in Navigate. The next opportunity to meet with the advisor regarding registration for the following semester will be during designated no-show times, which advisors will schedule after the advance registration period. During these times, students will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis.

Get it right. Get advised.