Academic Advising : Good Advising Definition

Good Advising: A Shared Responsibility

The Advising Relationship

Academic advising is an educational partnership between a faculty member and a student whose goal is the student's academic, personal, and professional success. Advisors and advisees collaborate to help students achieve their aims. Advisors explain policies, identify resources, and give advice; however, students are ultimately responsible for making the decisions that will keep them on track. The advising relationship thus mirrors other teaching relationships at West Chester University.

At WCU, advisors and advisees:

Treat each other with respect
Understand their advising duties
Work to clarify students' professional and life goals
Contribute to realistic academic and career plans
Educate themselves about institutional policies, procedures, and opportunities
Contribute to making good class choices
Address challenges through knowledge and use of campus resources
Use available technological tools

Treat each other with Respect

Student	Faculty
Listen carefully to faculty advice	Listen carefully to student concerns
Make yourself reasonably available to meet with faculty	Make yourself reasonably available to meet with advisees
Whenever possible, answer advisor communications within two work days	Whenever possible, answer student communications within two work days
Make efforts to find information independently and be informed	Help advisees understand academic rules and policies
Communicate politely; maintain civility in all interactions	Communicate politely; maintain civility in all interactions
Help faculty understand your point of view	Help students feel welcome and comfortable with the advising process
Plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your adviser in advance of the registration period	Communicate availability to students and inform them of how they should schedule meetings with you
Reschedule and/or cancel sparingly and with as much notice as possible.	Reschedule and/or cancel sparingly and with as much notice as possible.

Understand your Advising Duties

Student	Faculty
Plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your adviser in advance of the registration period	Communicate availability for meetings and response time to students and inform them of how they should schedule meetings with you; inform them of the process for getting advice over winter/summer breaks
Strive to be available, especially at peak registration times	Strive to be available, especially at peak registration times
Try to see your advisor during his/her office hours	Attend regular office hours
Arrive for your advising appointment with topics/questions for your adviser	Keep records on your advisees that allow you to be prepared for meetings
Become an educated consumer so you can make well informed decisions; ask for guidance and advice from multiple reliable sources, double-check all information/advice with multiple sources (advising handbook, advisor, Registrar's website, etc.)	Find answers to student questions or direct students to the people who can help answer those questions
Take an active, collaborative approach to advising with your advisor	Understand the importance of high quality advising and foster a collaborative approach to advising with your advisees
Check your WCU email account daily. You are responsible for reading all messages in a timely manner and for meeting deadlines	Check WCU email to respond to student questions
Learn the requirements for your major and general education requirements.	Continue to educate yourself about requirements and policies
Remember that advisors provide "advice": you must know your own requirements. Ultimately, all decisions are yours.	Maintain confidentiality of student records by following university policy and FERPA guidelines

Work to Clarify Students' Professional & Life Goals

Student	Faculty
Discuss your professional and life goals with your advisor, to discover how academic planning can help you achieve them	Assist students in their efforts to formulate professional and life goals, to help them plan academic routes to achieve those goals
Accept responsibility for your decisions and your actions (or inactions)	Guide students in understanding the consequences of their decisions and actions (or inactions)

Contribute to Realistic Academic & Career Plans

Student	Faculty
Take advantage of campus resources for professional development, such as individual in-person assistance at the Career Development Center	Refer students to campus resources for professional development, such as individual in-person assistance at the Career Development Center
Do independent research into jobs and career paths	Discuss students' job and career options
Draw connections between classes and professional life through inquiry and reflection	Help students make connections between classes and professional life
Work on and follow a realistic academic plan; identify options when the plan encounters obstacles	Assist student in making a realistic academic plan; identify options when the plan encounters obstacles. Alert department chairs when you see patterns of obstacles

Educate yourselves about Institutional Policies, Procedures and Opportunities

Student	Faculty
Familiarize yourself with the policies in the Undergraduate Catalog – repeats, probation, academic integrity, harassment, etc.	Provide accurate information about institutional policies and procedures – repeats, probation, academic integrity, harassment, etc. – and refer students to appropriate offices
Familiarize yourself with your major program's special requirements (such as FATE for ed majors)	Provide accurate information about students' major program special requirements (such as FATE for ed majors)
Learn how to interpret university and program policies, procedures, and regulations	Keep up to date with university and program policy changes and emphasize these to advisees.
Seek out extracurricular activities and events that will support your academic, professional, and life plans.	Encourage participation in extracurricular activities and events that will support students' academic, professional, and life plans.

Make Good Class Choices

Student	Faculty
Devise an initial plan for your course schedule and take it to your advising meeting	Assess and adjust student class plans accurately
Actively participate in monitoring your degree progress by regularly accessing your Degree Progress Report (DPR) and by referencing the university catalog	Maintain an understanding of general education requirements, including changes, to assist advisees with correct course selection
Know your degree requirements so that you can choose classes wisely	Assist students in accurately choosing courses that satisfy academic requirements and help them actualize their career goals
Explore other options, if a class is not available	Help students devise options, if classes are not available. Alert department chair to patterns of unavailability

Address Challenges through Knowledge & use of Campus Resources

Student	Faculty
Learn about the resources available to you on campus, such as counseling, tutoring, housing, etc.	Makes appropriate referrals to students experiencing academic, emotional, or interpersonal challenges: counseling, tutoring, housing, etc.
Know that help is available on campus, and don't hesitate to ask for assistance	Connect students to the people or office that can help them
Be prompt in responding to problems, such as academic probation	Help students recover from problems: for example, by submitting and following up on Academic Recovery Plans

Use available Tech Tools

Student	Faculty
Actively monitor your progress by regularly accessing your Degree Progress Report, by examining your program's advising sheets, and by referencing the university catalog	Be able to use the Degree Progress Report and assist students in understanding how to use it
Learn to utilize and regularly access myWCU	Document students' degree progress, including using myWCU Advisor Comments