Making use of academic advising will help you make informed decisions, fell confident about your plans, make the most of your education, and complete your degree as efficiently as possible.

An effective advising relationship is a partnership between you and your advisor. Your advisor is your consultant, helping you understand your degree requirements and your options, but you make the decisions – you are in charge of your education.

Your advisor:

• Will provide accurate and timely information about program requirements, policies and procedures so that you can make informed academic choices.
• Can assist you in making educational plans consistent with your goals, abilities and interests.
• Will assist you in exploring alternatives and determining a realistic course load.
• Can refer you to appropriate sources of information and assistance.
• Will offer support and encouragement.
• Will address complaints appropriately.
• Will document issues you discussed and information you were given, and will keep your records private, as required by law.
• Will maintain appropriate professional boundaries
  

You:

• Are responsible for knowing the program’s policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Take the initiative to contact your advisor when you have a question or concern.
• Check course prerequisites to be sure you are prepared to succeed in the course.
• Know what information is available from the college catalog, class schedule, and website and use them actively
• Check course availability on the Web.
• Become familiar with the full range of campus resources and use all those you need.
• Track your progress and satisfy all requirements for your degree program.
• When you seek advising help, have the following information available:
  • Your updated curriculum checklist
  • The current semesters class schedule
  • Current catalog
  • Your questions.