S89-10 UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT; ADVISING

Legislative History:

Document dated May 5, 1989.

At its meeting of May 1, 1989, the Academic Senate approved the following University Policy presented by Bobbye Gorenberg for the Instruction and Research Committee. This policy supersedes S 75-1.

ACTION BY THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT:

"Approved and Accepted as University Policy, with the understanding that nothing in this policy diminishes the responsibility each faculty member has for advising as a part of his or her academic assignment. Effective immediately." Signed: Gail Fullerton, May 5, 1989.

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT

S89-10

Supersedes S 75-1

Whereas, One of the most important relationships between students and faculty is that which develops during the cooperative planning of an academic degree program; and

Whereas, Official recognition of the importance of the advisory function is manifested in the staffing formula for instructional faculty which provides professional time for this purpose; and

Whereas, The current condition on this campus is one in which faculty advisors are sometimes inaccessible to students and the quality of academic advisement varies greatly from department to department; and

Whereas, Lack of satisfactory and sufficient academic advisement often alienates the student from the faculty and the institution resulting in withdrawal from the University or registration in unnecessary courses at great expense to the State of California and the student; and

Whereas, The University is increasing its use of computerized registration procedures, making student avoidance of advisor contact more probable, resulting in inappropriate academic planning; and

Whereas, The growing multicultural diversity and changing student population requires an increased awareness and sensitivity in the planning of appropriate advisement strategies; and

Whereas, The Admissions and Records Assessment Center provides essential information but no advisement services; now therefore be it

Resolved, All forms of academic advising shall take place in a supportive environment which is sensitive to the needs of a diverse student population; and be it further

Resolved, Academic advising shall include the following areas: major and minor advising, general education advising, and choice-of-major advising; and be it further

Resolved, The coordination, delivery, and evaluation of advising shall be a shared responsibility: the AVP shall hold ultimate responsibility for major, minor, and general education advising; the Dean of Student Services shall hold ultimate responsibility for choice-of-major advising; and be it further

Resolved, Each department and/or program shall be responsible for advising students about its major. The department chair or a designated professor shall be responsible for the coordination of academic advising in the major; and be it further

Resolved, The name of a student's declared major advisor will be supplied prior to his/her first semester's registration. This will be accomplished by notification included in the information sent to new students; and be it further

Resolved, Each department and/or program shall identify advisor(s) to see SJSU prospective students for its major; and be it further

Resolved, Schools/departments and/or programs shall develop a plan for academic advisement. Such a plan will identify how students will be advised during the semesters, semester breaks, summers and evening hours. The plans shall be on file in the school dean's office and information contained in the plan shall be made available to campus agencies in need of such information, e.g., Counseling, E.O.P., Admissions and Records; and be it further

Resolved, When appropriate, students, who so request, shall be provided with documented evidence of advisement; and be it further

Resolved, New faculty must attend academic advising training sessions and all faculty advisors should attend periodic academic advising training. The training shall be a joint responsibility of the academic administration, the Student Services Division, and the individual schools; and be it further

Resolved, In order to register for subsequent semesters, all NEW students including undeclared majors must see an advisor before the end of their first semester; and be it further

Resolved, New students with a declared major must meet with an academic advisor, and undeclared students shall confer with Counseling Services and/or Career Planning and Placement until such a time that they choose a major. This shall include undeclared students who have not as yet chosen a major and those in a major which they wish to leave, but have not as yet chosen an alternative; and be it further

Resolved, Each department and/or program shall maintain an advisement record for students; and be it further

Resolved, The effectiveness of academic advisement should be recognized; and be it further

Resolved, Measures for assessment of advisement should include student evaluation; and be it finally

Resolved, Students are responsible for becoming informed about, preparing for, and obtaining the advisement they need.