Advising Syllabus for Students
Advising Syllabus
Advising at Roanoke College
Academic advising is central to the mission of Roanoke College. Academic advisors meet individually and in group settings with their first-year students several times each semester, beginning during orientation. Advisors get to know their advisees and provide guidance, especially regarding academic progress and course selection. Advisors often suggest co-curricular and community service activities to encourage students' personal development and involvement in campus culture. Students remain with their initial advisors until they declare majors, usually at some time during the sophomore year. At that time, they are advised by faculty in their major departments. The academic advising of undeclared students is coordinated by the Director of Academic Support Services.
Advising Philosophy
Academic advising is integral to fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of higher education. Through academic advising, students learn to become members of their higher education community, to think critically about their roles and responsibilities as students, and to prepare to be educated citizens of a democratic society and a global community. Academic advising engages students beyond their own world views, while acknowledging their individual characteristics, values, and motivations as they enter, move through, and exit the institution.
Expectations
Your advisor will:
- Help you to understand the meaning and relevance of the college experience.
- Assist you in developing and achieving realistic academic and career goals based on interests, abilities, values, and needs.
- Interpret College policies, procedures, and requirements.
- Address your academic questions and concerns.
- Respond to academic questions via roanoke.edu emails.
- Guide you in selection of courses.
You will be expected to:
- Take responsibility for your educational experience.
- Learn how to access, use and check your university e-mail often.
- Maintain contact with your advisor throughout the semester.
- Come to each advising appointment prepared to ask questions and discuss concerns. You should bring all advising-related materials, this advising syllabus, completed forms, etc.
- Assess your interests, abilities, values, and needs and be ready to discuss these with your advisor.
- Clarify your educational, career and personal goals.
- Use the Academic Catalog and appropriate checksheet(s) and other resources to become knowledgeable of academic requirements, policies, and procedures.
- Know important dates and deadlines (registration, drop/add, final exams, etc.) as listed on the College's Academic Calendar.
- Discuss selection of courses with your advisor.
- Accept responsibility for decisions and actions (or inactions) which affect educational progress and goals.
Learning Outcomes
- Craft a coherent educational plan based on assessment of abilities, aspirations, interests, and values
- Use complex information from various sources to set goals, reach decisions, and achieve those goals
- Assume responsibility for meeting academic program requirements
- Articulate the meaning of higher education and the intent of the Roanoke College curriculum
- Cultivate the intellectual habits that lead to a lifetime of learning
- Behave as citizens who engage in the wider world around them
- Identify and use academic and non-academic support resources
- Appreciate the value of being involved in the campus community
Year-by-year for Students
Freshman Year
- Know who your advisor is and how to contact your advisor.
- Learn and accept the differences between high school and college.
- Know that academic advising is different from high school guidance counseling.
- Become familiar with the Intellectual Inquiry and General Education requirements.
- Know how to access checksheets for individual majors, minors and concentrations.
- Become familiar with RC academic calendar/deadlines, add/drop, registration dates, etc....
- Participate in campus activities and join clubs which interest you personally and professionally.
- Develop a high degree of academic integrity.
- Understand the College's expectations for student behavior.
- Learn to manage your time successfully so that you are able to complete assignments and still manage personal responsibilities (including coming to understand that sometimes you cannot do it all).
- Learn to ask for help when you need it rather than attempting to deal with overwhelming situations alone.
- Learn about/take care of financial aid responsibilities, including filing FAFSA on time.
- Discover your own personal learning style and learn how you can use it to be a more successful student.
- Visit Career Services and begin to develop a resume, cover letter, and/or portfolio.
- Determine if your strengths and interests fit your major/career choice through discussion with your advisor and a career counselor in Career Services.
- Begin investigating study abroad options.
- Become familiar with the Academic Catalog.
- Explore academic, career, and personal interests.
- Learn what future employers expect of their employees and adopt a level of academic integrity that will provide a foundation of ethical behavior in the career arena.
- Discover/assess skills, values, talents, strengths and weaknesses.
- Be able to navigate Student Self-Service.
- Learn how to use e-mail to communicate with faculty and staff.
Sophomore Year
- Work with your advisor to begin to narrow your interests to determine a major if not already declared.
- Explore course requirements (What IF? scenarios in Student Planning) for potential majors and start to make faculty contacts in the respective departments.
- Explore experiences that will help you clarify goals and interests (internships, undergraduate research opportunities, professional organizations, mentorships, student employment, volunteering, study abroad, etc.).
- Visit Career Services to further explore your goals and interests.
Junior Year
- Get to know your faculty advisor in your chosen field(s).
- Visit Career Services (if you haven't already) to map out a job search plan.
- Research criteria for internships. Meet deadlines for participation.
- Research multiple career options within your field of study to determine best fit.
- Make academic, career, personal decisions - it's a lifelong skill!
- Research employment or graduate school options and requirements for admission/employment.
- Begin the networking process; consider participating in career/employment fairs.
- Be aware of graduation process/dates/deadlines.
- See faculty advisor for input on identifying and addressing additional education/skills needed for employment or for graduate school. (Check registration dates for GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc.)
Senior Year
- Begin the graduation application process.
- Apply to graduate school(s).
- Complete your INQ-300 Capstone Experience.
- Prepare to market yourself to potential employers/graduate schools by articulating your skills and knowledge acquired through your course of study.
- Take advantage of Career Fairs and on-campus interview opportunities.
- Continue networking.
- Polish your resume, cover letter, and portfolio.
[1] NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. (2006). NACADA concept of academic advising. Retrieved from https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Pillars/Concept.aspx
[2] Adapted from NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. (2006). NACADA concept of academic advising. Retrieved from https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Pillars/Concept.aspx.