Academic Advising Policy/Procedure Mission of the Office of Academic Advising The Office of Academic Advising supports the educational mission of Dickinson College. By "advising for excellence" we strive to engage students in a community of inquiry, assist them in making thoughtful choices for their academic program and prepare them for a future beyond the limestone walls. Our student-centered program, which is faculty delivered and professionally administered, is developmental, recognizing that student needs and level of support change during their four years in college. It recognizes: the importance, dignity, potential and unique nature of each student that each student is ultimately responsible for accessing available resources in the pursuit of their educational goals that advising is an extension of teaching and that faculty should be primary in this program, deliberately challenging students, assessing progress toward their goals and referring to other resources as appropriate the importance of timely, proactive and appropriate training, information and support for faculty and students the importance of self-evaluation and on-going assessment to maintain a quality advising program Class Deans At Dickinson College, Class Deans support our faculty-based advising system. As coordinators for Dickinson s advising services, the Class Deans are available as an additional resource for students and their advisors. Class Deans monitor the overall academic performance of students contacting students who have received U grades at mid-term and informing students at the end of the term when their GPA is in jeopardy of falling below good standing. Students should consult with their Class Dean if they are considering: petitioning to the Subcommittee on Academic Standards; taking a Leave of Absence; or,
withdrawing from the College. Faculty Resources Dickinson s faculty-based advising system is an important component of faculty teaching responsibilities. The role of an effective academic advisor is to foster each student s ability to: consult appropriate people, organize information, ask thoughtful questions, and make sound choices about an academic course of study. Entering students are assigned to academic advisors who are members of the faculty or administrators. Students continue with these advisors until they are ready to declare a major field of study, usually in the sophomore year. Because of the critical role that the academic advisor plays in introducing the new student to academic life at the college, these relationships often take on a special character, and may be very long-lived. Early academic advising relationships often continue even after the student s move into another field, and provide lasting intellectual contacts between faculty and students. The formal advising commitment may last up to four semesters, until a student chooses a major advisor. When declaring the major, each student requests or is assigned an advisor in the major field. Entering transfer students are encouraged to declare a major when they enroll in classes. The most successful advising relationships are often those that take the form of a social contract between student and advisor, each party having a set of responsibilities. The critical elements established by the academic advisor in the mentoring relationship, are mutual intellectual respect and responsibility, coupled with a factual base of knowledge on which to give and receive academic advice. Although faculty advisors must be knowledgeable about the college curriculum and requirements for graduation, they should readily refer students to the appropriate department s faculty, the Class Dean, Registrar, and/or the electronic course catalog on the college website, so that detailed or idiosyncratic questions may be answered with the greatest depth and accuracy. Students are responsible for selecting the courses in which they enroll and for the election of courses that will satisfy the requirements of graduation. Advisors are available throughout the academic year, and students are encouraged to meet with their advisors frequently. As an important part of each course request period prior to enrolling for the next term, students are expected to meet with their faculty advisors to review their academic progress and revise their plans. Beginning in March 2006, all first-year students and sophomores will be required to meet with their faculty advisor, prior to selecting courses online. Students who have questions and would like to consult with someone other than their faculty advisor are encouraged to speak with their Class Dean in the Advising Center in Biddle House (x 1080). 2
Pre-professional Advisors Early consultation with pre-professional and program advisors is recommended and sometimes required for students who are planning specific careers or wish to participate in specific programs. The Student Handbook identifies faculty directors and advisors of individual programs. Utilizing Campus Resources Academic concerns are often intertwined with personal development. Licensed and certified professionals as well as peer counselors serve students through an extensive counseling network. Active referral and cooperation within the counseling and advising network encourages students to seek appropriate guidance and support throughout their college careers. When the academic advisor is aware of an advisee s difficulties, the advisor s responsibilities include: Responding quickly and supportively Making a prompt referral Following up in a timely manner with the advisee to assure appropriate care Students can benefit from the very practical help provided by various offices and should be encouraged to seek support before they reach a crisis. Faculty Advising Guidelines Provide adequate meeting time for advising with your students. For first-year students plan to offer at least 20-30 minutes each. Be familiar with Dickinson s graduation requirements and check your advisee s progress each semester. Encourage them to take advantage of the program evaluation (degreeaudit) option available in Banner Self-Service. Encourage your advisees to identify areas of interest and help them select a balanced course of study leading to possible majors. If you are notified that an Early Alert has been initiated for one of your advisees, ask your advisee to stop by your office to discuss how things are going. If your advisee has received a U grade at Roll Call, ask them to make an appointment with you within the next week to discuss their difficulty. Make sure your advisees know that they can meet with you during the year beyond course request/registration times. Encourage them to take the initiative. Find opportunities to let your advisees know that they can talk about non-academic concerns, if they want to. Use your role as an advisor to help them seek and find the help 3
they need. In the course of your conversations, make sure your advisees know about the resources and opportunities available to them at Dickinson College (Class Deans and Peer Advisors in the Advising Center, Career Center, and Internships all in Biddle House). Ask periodically about future plans (beyond Dickinson). Encourage exploration and flexibility in course selection and activities beyond the classroom. If you are contacted by parents and are comfortable talking with them, be sure there is a FERPA waiver (in the student s official life in the Registrar s Office) before discussing specific information with them. In all cases feel free to refer parents to Associate Provost Bretz. Student files are confidential. You should never discuss a student s record with another student. Conversations with colleagues about students should be limited to a legitimate educational interest. As an advisor, you may need to be in touch with an advisee s faculty members if there are problems or concerns, and similarly you may have other faculty members contacting you about concerns with one of your advisees. It is useful to keep the class dean informed of concerns about a student, and you should expect to hear from the class dean when she has received information that you, as advisor, should know. Student Resources Dickinson College faculty and staff are committed to delivering high quality advising and support services to help students succeed academically at the college. The availability of resources is not without responsibility on your part as a student. If you need help for study skills or tutoring, you must learn to ask for it. If you are having problems, and are not sure what to do, you need to talk with your advisor, your class dean, or a peer advisor. When we see that you are struggling at roll call or in early alert, we will ask you to meet with us so we can discuss with you what actions are most appropriate to improve your situation. Students who succeed at Dickinson have learned how to use the great services and resources available to them on campus. Academic Resource Services The Office of Academic Resource Services offers individual and group programming which supports the intellectual development of Dickinson Students. Programming includes evening workshops to assist students in developing skills in time management, note-taking and exam preparation, library research skills, motivation, and stress management. Academic Resource Services coordinates and trains peer tutors for language classes. Forms to request a tutor are available in the Office of Academic Resource Services in Biddle House and in the modern language office located in Bosler on the first floor. Students are invited to make individual appointments with the Coordinator for more intensive 4
and individualized instruction to learn study skills specific to their classes. Appointments can be scheduled by calling (717) 245-1080. Academic Resource Services also provides services to students with disabilities. If you are in need of academic accommodations, please contact the Office of Academic Resource Services at (717) 245-1080. Peer Tutoring As a student completes courses to fulfill the distribution requirement, he or she may find that they are not adequately prepared or lack aptitude for the required discipline. Tutors are available to assist students experiencing such difficulty. The tutoring relationship offers a unique opportunity to meet the individual needs of the student. This is particularly helpful when a course requires knowledge of material from previous courses. The goal of tutoring is to teach the student how to learn in the discipline. Students receiving tutoring can expect to learn ways to review and practice what they are learning using their particular learning style. The tutor is meant to supplement what is being taught in the classroom, not replace the professor. Tutors are required to collaborate with the class instructor. Applications to request a tutor are available from the Staff Associate for Advising in Biddle House, and in the office on the first floor of Bosler Hall. For information concerning tutoring, contact the Coordinator of Academic Resource Services, ext. 1080 or tutoring@dickinson.edu. Peer Advising Peer Academic advisors are here to help you with questions about the academic requirements of the college. They can answer questions about academic requirements, campus resources, and other issues related to the academic program. Peer Advisors can assist you in preparing for productive and successful meetings with your academic advisor, and help you make informed decisions related to your academic program and major. Peer Advisors are available in Biddle House, first floor, from August 25, 2008 to December 14, 2008. Drop-in hours: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. You may also email questions to advising@dickinson.edu. Related Information 5
3 History/Revision Information Responsible Office/Division: Effective Date: Last Amended Date: Next Review Date: Also Found In: Advising Web Site (www.dickinson.edu/departments/advising/index.html) 6