Advising Hints For CBA Faculty

Suggestions for Establishing Advising Relationships

  • Post office hours by the first class day. One hour for each credit hour of class taught is recommended. Include your office phone number.
  • Send a note of introduction and welcome to your new freshmen advisees. Invite them to stop by. Their names are provided to you before the fall semester begins. Your program assistant, or the Dean’s Office, can assist in obtaining local addresses by the beginning of the second week of class. [E-mail is probably not the best way to make early contact with new freshmen since many will not have had an opportunity to try out the system until the second or third week of the semester.]
  • Ask your advisees, particularly new freshmen and transfer students, to provide some written information about themselves: their goals, their hobbies, their sense of themselves academically, where they’re from, family, etc. Consider providing information about yourself to your advisees, too!
  • Create some type of portfolio for your advisees, at least those who meet with you. You might keep a copy of their SNAP report, notes of conversations and discussions about various issues, mid-term deficiency notices if sent, copies of recommendations you may write, copies of correspondence/e-mail you may send or receive, etc. This can provide both you and your advisee with useful information on which to follow-up.
  • Consider requiring an advisee contact at some point during the semester; registration time is probably the most logical opportunity. If you wish to try this, contact the Dean’s Office for information and assistance. {With the exception of Accountancy, the CBA does not require registration advising at this time. Accountancy majors cannot register without having met with their advisors.}
  • Provide a written referral to the Academic Discovery Lab (Wilder Hall), and Counseling and Testing Office (Wilder Hall) to your really undecided advisees. Consider notifying those offices about such students; they will follow-up!
  • Share your successes with and seek the advice of your colleagues.
  • Understand that some advisees will not take advantage of the myriad advising opportunities provided them, despite all the efforts. Concentrate your energy and thoughts on those who do.