Advisor & Student Expectations

“Academic advisors mediate the dissonance between what students expect from the educational environment and what they experience in that environment.” – Habley Wes. (1981)

What We Expect from Students:What Students Can Expect from Their Advisor:
  • Be proactive and seek assistance early in semester.
  • Be available during regular office hours. Serve as a guide, teacher, facilitator, coach, and counselor.
  • Understand role of academic/faculty advisors and come prepared for your academic advising appointment.
  • Encourage active engagement in the advising process/relationship.
  • Know how and where to contact your advisor(s). Maintain your Charlotte email account and update your university contact information as necessary.
  • Respond to student email and phone inquiries within 2 business days. Notify students of any changes in contact information.
  • Become familiar with requirements for major, minor, general education, and graduation.
  • Provide accurate and timely information and insight about major and career requirements. Advise from an integrated perspective of general education, major(s), and minors.
  • Know your current grade point average, enrolled credits, and earned credit hours. Bring a copy of your transcripts and checksheet to your appointment.
  • Be able to access and confirm student records.
  • Adhere to the university academic calendar, policies and procedures.
  • Be knowledgeable of the university academic calendar, policies and procedures.
  • Schedule and arrive on time for appointments with your advisor.
  • Be available for scheduled appointments.
  • Prepare questions and a course schedule before meeting with your advisor. Bring a proposed plan of courses and questions to your advising appointment.
  • Be prepared to respond to student questions and/or refer student to appropriate campus resources. Recognize student individual course scheduling needs. Be resourceful, utilizing web-based resources, advising tools and professional development opportunities.
  • Make notes and keep all paperwork and forms from advising sessions.
  • Maintain accurate and updated advising records.
  • Collect the information necessary to make effective decisions and accept responsibility for those decisions.
  • Empower each student to make independent decisions. Be supportive of each student’s decisions. Provide realistic options for student decision making.
  • Utilize available campus support offices and online resources.
  • Be aware of and make appropriate referrals to campus offices and online resources.
  • Accept responsibility for decisions regarding your chosen major and career.
  • Facilitate smooth transition for students exploring and changing majors.
  • Create a timely and acceptable academic and degree completion plan and parallel plan.
  • Encourage and facilitate a reasonable time to degree completion.