Connecting with First-Time Advisees

During the last two weeks in August: 

• All new students are assigned a departmental academic advisor.
• Advisors email new students
  • Invite them to stop by during office hours or another block of time to introduce themselves
  • Attach a copy of your advising syllabus and ask advisee to print out a copy, read it, and write down any questions they may have
  • Attach a copy of the Student Profile Sheet and/or Self Evaluation Sheet. Ask advisee to print, complete, and bring sheet to initial meeting
• Attend Advising Symposium in September 

After mid-September: 

• Early Warning grades will be disseminated to departments from the Registrar’s Office. Please check these lists for your advisees and take action to ensure students know about:
  • Drop deadline and procedure
  • Withdrawal deadline and procedure
  • Tutoring and Academic Assistance resources
  • Disability Support Services (if appropriate)
• Often, students identified on the Early Warning list are having difficulty transitioning to the university. They may need only a quick meeting to get their questions answered and a short pep talk. 

First week in October: 

• Send out a reminder about advising (see template)
  • Encourage students to review advising syllabus
  • Set expectations for advising meeting
  • Create a schedule for advising appointments 

Mid-October to mid-November: 

• Preregistration advising period 

After mid-October: 

• Check advisee midterm grades and take action
  • Many first-time students are unfamiliar with the withdrawal process
    • If a student has financial aid questions related to withdrawing from a course(s), consult this resource and refer them to the Financial Aid Office.
  • Help students set reasonable expectations about finishing the semester 

First or second week in November: 

• Registration for Spring semester opens
  • Many first-time students are unfamiliar with the VandalWeb registration process