Advising Resources
- Academic Maps
- DegreeWorks for Advisors
- DegreeWorks Course Substitution Form (Faculty/Staff)
- National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
- Faculty Athletic Mentors
Guidelines for Faculty Advisors
Purpose/Functions:
- To assist students in developing education plans that are consistent with their life goals.
- To provide students with accurate information about academic progression and degree requirements.
- To assist students in understanding academic policies and procedures.
- To help students access campus resources that will enhance their ability to be academically successful.
- To assist students in overcoming educational and personal problems.
- To identify systemic and personal conditions that may impede student academic achievement and developing appropriate interventions.
- To review and use available data about students academic and educational needs, performance, aspirations and problems.
- To increase student retention by providing a personal contact that students often need and request, thereby connection them to the institution.
Typical Activities:
- Assisting students with decision making and career direction.
- Helping students understand and comply with institutional requirements.
- Providing clear and accurate information regarding institutional policies, procedures and programs.
- Assisting students in the selection of courses and other educational experiences (e.g. internships, study abroad).
- Referring student to appropriate resources, on and off campus.
- Evaluating student progress towards established goals.
- Collecting and distributing data regarding student needs, preferences, and performance for use in refining or revising institutional/agency decisions, polices, and procedures.
- Interpreting various interest/ability inventories that provide students with information related to their career choices.
- Utilizing a variety of supplemental systems such as online computer programs to deliver advising information.
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:
- Fall (Mid-October-Thanksgiving)
- Spring & Summer (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:
- How to register online
- Should the student use grade forgiveness?
- Current UCA Core (General Education) Requirements
- How to declare a major and assign an advisor
Late Registration:
- After Advance Registration through the first week of classes
- Students can be advised, and have their holds released until classes begin
- All students register online except University College students and new Freshmen
- Once classes begin, students can only add classes through their advisor, and must pay a late registration fee.
Drop/Add Period:
- The first four days of classes
- Extremely busy time
- Use the Schedule Change Form
- Advise the student to check in with Financial Aid regarding scholarship requirements prior to dropping class.
- Send student to Registrar to process the change.
