Chapter II: Academic Advising

The Academic Advising Center
1255 Angell Hall
764-0332

The Academic Advising Center serves undergraduates by:

1. Helping them make informed decisions about educational goals and LS&A curriculum.
2. Encouraging them to formulate an academic program appropriate to their individual interests and activities.
3. Assisting them in evaluating their academic progress and performance.
4. Providing them accurate information about LS&A policies and procedures.
5. Furnishing them an opportunity to explore the purposes of their liberal arts education.

Students first meet their academic advisors during the orientation period prior to the first term. General advisors are either faculty members or professional advisors. Student-advisor contact during orientation occurs over two days and includes a group meeting and two personal interviews. The group meeting is given over to a discussion of LS&A and its mission as a liberal arts college. The student and advisor become acquainted during the first interview and explore the student's interests and academic purpose. They then plan the student's first term elections during the second interview. The staff advisors follow up these contacts by inviting their orientation students to come in for an appointment after the fall term has begun. The expectation is that many students will want to discuss their adjustments to the academic challenge in the College with their advisors at this time. A similar outreach occurs during the winter term. Students generally choose to consult the advisors whom they met during Orientation but may elect to make an appointment with any advisor who is available. Students are free to see any advisor they prefer, but they are encouraged to find one advisor with whom they can relate well and to see that advisor on a regular basis. It may be that that advisor turns out to be the staff member who is assigned to the residence hall in which the student lives. The Academic Advising Center staff maintain regular hours in each of the residence halls. The College has a long-standing commitment to faculty advisors who work side-by-side with the professional staff. Both faculty members and professional staff are employed as general advisors and concentration advisors. General advisors keep regular appointment hours in the Academic Advising Center (1255 Angell Hall).

Freshmen and sophomores most often see general advisors with questions about course elections, College and distribution requirements, and with the first queries about how to choose a concentration or degree program.

Students in Bachelor of Arts (AB) or Bachelor of Science (BS) programs are expected to declare a concentration by the end of their sophomore year. They then meet with a concentration advisor and formally declare their concentration. Students must also have their concentration advisors sign a Concentration Release Form when they are planning to graduate. Concentration advisors are, most often, faculty or staff members from LS&A departments who help students shape and focus their academic goals. They discuss with students how best to progress in a concentration program and to utilize the skills acquired in the study of a particular discipline both in graduate or professional schools or on the job. Some concentration advisors keep appointments with their students in the Academic Advising Center, but it is more common that students meet with concentration advisors in their departmental offices.

Students pursuing a Bachelor in General Studies (BGS) degree may consult with general advisors, but are urged to make appointments with BGS advisors. The Academic Advising Center employs BGS advisors who are knowledgeable and experienced staff members familiar with the College rules, regulations, policies, and curriculum. BGS students should see a BGS advisor when they declare their degree program and also when they are submitting graduation materials. Many choose to see their advisors each term to discuss course elections and program planning.

All students are required to obtain advisor approval for their original elections and for any changes in elections during their first term enrolled in LS&A. After that term students are not required to obtain approval of elections if they are enrolling for a program between 8 and 18 credits.

Academic Standards Board 1219 Angell Hall 764-0311

The educational policies and practices of the College are stated in the Faculty Code. The LS&A Academic Standards Board and a number of related offices are responsible for interpreting the academic policies set forth in the Faculty Code. Students are responsible for knowing the College and departmental requirements contained in this Bulletin. Failure to work within the guidelines for a program of study may delay a student's graduation. Members of the Academic Standards Board are able to help students individualize their programs of study and may grant exceptions to College-level academic policies and degree requirements. A student may discuss with a Member and, if necessary, petition in writing for a waiver or modification of College rules. (Honors students petition the Honors Academic Board; Residential College students petition the RC Board on Academic Standing.) The petition should state the request and present clear supporting reasons. Exceptions to College policies may be granted if a student presents evidence of unusual circumstances or has an alternative proposal to specific requirements consistent with the spirit of those requirements. Members of the Academic Standards Board also administer academic discipline. Each term the Academic Standards Board, after reviewing the academic records of students who show evidence of academic difficulty, acts in accordance with the policies described in Chapter IV. The Academic Standards Board has responsibility for readmitting students dismissed because of unsatisfactory academic performance.

Office of Student Data and Publications (POINT-10, 764-6810)

The Office of Student Data and Publications is a College service distinguished by its focus on LS&A academic information. To maintain accurate and current information, the Office of Student Data and Publications is in regular contact with the Academic Advising Center, the Academic Standards Board, the Honors Program, academic departments and programs, faculty members, and many University offices. The Office of Student Data and Publications services include a telephone system; postings on the bulletin boards outside 1419 Mason Hall; an annual series of four Newsletters that focus on information applicable to a specific term; an annual First-Year Handbook and Fall Term Course Guide; and the LS&A Course Guide published for each Fall and Winter Term and the Spring and Summer Half-Terms. The Course Guides are also made available for reading on the Web at :

Telephone system: POINT-10 (764-6810)

• Specific information about academic policies and procedures is given in response to questions about College and departmental degree requirements and rules.
• Course description information is available from written descriptions provided by faculty for courses they teach in a particular term.
• Specific information about the mechanics of registration and drop/add procedures is provided as well as information about university-wide procedures that apply to LS&A students.
• Closed and open course/section information for LS&A courses.

Senior Academic Auditors 1401 Mason Hall 763-3101

The Senior Auditors review the records of all students who submit Diploma Applications and Concentration or BGS Release Forms. An audit statement sent to the student indicates any conditions stipulated by the concentration advisor on the Concentration Release Form, as well as the student's status with regard to other degree requirements. Finally, responsibility for certifying students for graduation rests with the Senior Auditors.

The Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs 1402 Mason Hall 764-7297

Overall administration of LS&A Student Academic Affairs is the responsibility of the Assistant Dean. Policy and procedure matters are handled in this office and personal assistance is provided to students in special circumstances.

LS&A Students' Counseling Office (SCO) G216 Angell Hall 763-1553

The LS&A Students' Counseling Office, staffed completely by undergraduates, offers a unique comfortable atmosphere in which to obtain relevant academic information. Providing peer counseling, SCO presents students with an opportunity to share and receive experiences in an informal fashion. The office maintains such resources as course evaluations and examinations. It disseminates information concerning the newest and most innovative classes. SCO also stocks graduate catalogs from schools across the country as well as the latest in post-graduation materials.

The Honors Program 1228 Angell Hall 764-6274

The Honors Program is responsible for academic advising and academic actions for students admitted to the Honors Program. Honors students have frequent contact with an academic advisor and are required to obtain advisor approval for each term's elections and course changes. The Honors Program welcomes students participating in the Comprehensive Studies/Opportunity Program and the Residential College. Honors students enrolled in either of these programs should also maintain contact with advisors in the Honors office. Honors students should consult Honors Program staff about all matters involving academic requirements, policies, and procedures.

Residential College Counseling Office 134 Tyler (East Quadrangle) 763-0032

The Residential College Counseling Office is responsible for academic advising and academic actions involving Residential College students. The Residential College program is described briefly in Chapter VI; further information may be found in the Residential College Bulletin.

Student Records

Several kinds of academic files are maintained by the Academic Advising Center and the Academic Standards Board. The Honors Council maintains the files of Honors students. All LS&A students have a standard academic advising file containing admissions material, test scores, unofficial copies of academic records, memoranda, correspondence, and cards upon which academic advisors or Members of the Academic Standards Board make notes of their conversations with a student. Information of a sensitive nature may be removed from the academic advising file at the discretion of a member of the Academic Standards Board or at the request of the student and placed in a special file. These special files are also created for those students charged with some form of academic misconduct, and for recording grade grievances filed by students. In addition, files exist for LS&A Scholarship applicants.

Students have the right to examine all materials in their own academic files except for confidential admissions material collected prior to January, 1975, and except for parents' confidential financial statements submitted by LS&A Scholarship applicants. Students who wish to review their advising files may do so by scheduling an appointment with an academic advisor. Access to Academic Standards files may be obtained by an appointment with Assistant Dean Nurse; access to LS&A Scholarship files may be obtained through the chairman of the LS&A Scholarship Committee.

Students may request duplicate copies of any information in their academic files at cost except for copies of academic records, parents' confidential financial statements, and confidential admissions materials collected prior to January, 1975. They may also add clarifying notes and other materials to their advising files at any time. Requests for deletion of material from an advising file should be directed to Dr. Judge (Academic Standards), Dr. Rice (Academic Advising Center), or Professor Scodel (Honors). Additions to or deletions from judiciary or Academic Standards files should be discussed with Assistant Dean Nurse. Changes in LS&A Scholarship files should be discussed with the chair of the LS&A Scholarship Committee.

Access to student advising files is restricted. Only official academic advisors, members of the Academic Standards Board and clerical staff who assist in carrying out official advising or Academic Standards Board functions have direct access to these files. Only the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs and individuals directly involved in a judiciary or grade grievance case have direct access to special academic files. Only members of the LS&A Scholarship Committee and their clerical staff have access to LS&A Scholarship files. Parents, faculty, and graduate school admission committees do not have access to specific academic files without authorization from the student.