III. Recommendations

A. Departments and programs should make strong declarations in support of advising and make it clear to students that advising is required as a part of normal progress through the major program. Student orientation is a key point at which to make clear to students the importance of advising.

B. While maintaining the position that all students would benefit from in-person advising from faculty members, it is recognized that not even a majority of students can feasibly be convinced (or even coerced) to receive that advising. Consequently, emphasis should be placed on strategies to deliver to students at least some of the benefits of advising by alternative means. Such strategies should be strengthened where currently in place and instituted where not currently used.

C. The strategies should include the regular and widespread dissemination to students of advising information by means of printed information, class announcements, e-mail messages, and web pages.

D. Vigorous efforts to deliver in-person advising should continue to be made.

E. The College and its departments and programs should generously accommodate student needs for information. Advising at the department and program level should be offered for the GE Program and other University graduation requirements, as well as various administrative rules and requirements, in order to deal with student information needs in a more nearly "seamless" fashion. However, care must be taken by advisors not to provide advice when there is any uncertainty about the correct response. In such cases advisors should be prepared to direct students to sources which will, with certainty, be able to provide correct advice and information.

F. Minimum expectations for departmental advising policy and procedures:

1. Formal written advising polices and procedures.

2. Statement of departmental objectives for its advising program.

3. Advising required at least once per year.

4. Assignment of students to faculty advisors. (Chairs or specialists in some cases.)

5. Dissemination of policy, procedures, and advising information to all major students by means of major-class announcements, printed copy, e-mail, and a Web page.

6. Maintenance of faculty advising competency, including provision of up-to-date advising information sheets.

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