Academic Advising
Academic advising is available from a wide range of sources on campus. Most important to your success in LAS is having access to knowledgeable and helpful advisors. As an LAS student, you must make regular contact with the academic advisors of the LAS Academic Advising Center and with the advisor in your major department once you have selected a major. Even if you utilize the services of other programs on campus, it is essential that you also work with the college-based advising staff.
This section concentrates on the two types of advising for LAS students.
2. Academic advising provided by faculty in the major department
LAS Academic Advising
LAS academic advisors, as representatives of the dean, assist students with program planning and course selection and are able to discuss the feasibility of various career paths based on a student's interests and academic strengths. Advisors can explain university policies, college rules and graduation requirements and refer students to other campus resources when appropriate. At the present time, most students do not have an assigned advisor. You can meet with the same advisor regularly if you prefer, but in some instances, the nature of your question or problem may require that you meet with an advisor whose specialty or expertise relates to your specific question or problem. Freshmen are required to see an advisor during the Fall and Spring semesters in order to register for the following semester.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors are expected to see an advisor at least once a year and obtain an updated degree audit (DARS) report. This computerized printout is a detailed record of the academic status of the student and shows progress toward degree requirement completion. It is absolutely essential that students in their junior year schedule an appointment to review exactly what requirements must be fulfilled in order to graduate as planned. No student should enter the senior year without an updated DARS report in hand. All college advisors are able to generate and explain the DARS report. Unofficially, DARS reports are available through DARSWeb for Student.
LAS Major Advising
Academic advising in your major field of study is the responsibility of the individual department. If you have questions regarding your major, you should schedule an appointment with the Director of Undergraduate Studies who is the primary faculty member responsible for advising undergraduate majors and for reviewing your progress in fulfilling major requirements. In many departments, other faculty members or professional advisors advise students as well. Contact information for Directors of Undergraduate Study is available via individual departments, their websites, or department listings in the on-line Undergraduate Catalog. Faculty advising is a valuable resource, providing you with an opportunity for mentoring with an educator who is active in your discipline. The faculty advisor assists students in the following ways:
- talks with declared majors and prospective majors
- helps students confirm that the major they have chosen is suited to their academic strengths and interests
- recommends a sequence for taking the required and collateral courses
- assists with schedule planning to help the student to complete the major in a timely manner
- discusses issues regarding cooperative education and internship placements and possible career, employment, graduate, or professional school options
In many departments, students must have the approval of the department before they can declare a major in that discipline. Similarly, some departments require declared majors to meet with a faculty advisor before registering. Consult the department of interest for specific advising requirements. Some courses may be reserved for students in a major, and therefore consultation with the departmental advisor is essential.
If you are uncertain about a particular issue or if you want confirmation that you are proceeding correctly, schedule an appointment with an LAS advisor.
Although we recommend that students meet with an LAS advisor at least once a year, we welcome students to schedule appointments as questions and problems arise. By seeking the LAS advising staff’s expertise, students can determine the best course of action for their academic pursuits, and avoid any misinformation that they may inadvertently receive from less qualified sources. While advisors are available to assist, the essential responsibility for selecting courses and meeting graduation requirements rests with each individual student. Intelligent planning in scheduling your program not only helps you meet the basic educational requirements of LAS, but allows you to develop an educational program consistent with your future goals.