Brief Overview of Academic Advising at UC

ACADEMIC ADVISING AND RELATED SERVICES
UC provides university-wide and college-specific academic advising services. Advising is provided by both faculty and full-time professional advisers. Contact your home college office (the college of your enrollment—see chart following) to obtain the name of your assigned adviser.

Academic advising is a collaborative educational process that, by intention and design, facilitates students’ understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and fosters students’ intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning. (NACADA, 2004)

This adviser/student partnership requires participation and involvement of both the adviser and the student as it is built over the student’s entire educational experience at the university. Both the student and the adviser have clear responsibilities for ensuring the advising partnership is successful.

Adviser Responsibilities

• Understand and effectively communicate the curriculum, graduation requirements, and university policies and procedures
• Encourage and guide students as they define and develop realistic goals
• Encourage and support students with information about strategies for utilizing the resources and services available
• Assist students in understanding the purposes and goals of higher education and its effects on their lives and personal goals
• Monitor and accurately document students’ progress toward meeting their goals
• Be accessible for meeting with advisees via office hours for advising, telephone, e-mail, or web access. Advisers will respond to student inquiries within 48 hours
• Assist students in gaining decision making skills and skills in assuming responsibility for their educational plans and achievements
• Maintain confidentiality
• Assist students in working closely with their professors

Advisee Responsibilities

• Accept responsibility regarding the investment you have just made in yourself. Your education is an investment that can affect the rest of your life
• Be prepared for each advising session with questions or materials for discussion
• Be an active learner by participating fully in the advising experience
• Ask questions if you do not understand an issue or have a specific concern
• Keep a personal record of your progress toward meeting your goals
• Organize official documents in a way that enables you to access them when needed
• Complete all assignments or recommendations from your adviser
• Gather all relevant decision-making information
• Clarify personal values and goals; provide adviser with accurate information regarding your interests and abilities
• Become knowledgeable about college programs, policies, and procedures
• Accept responsibility for decisions

University-Wide Advising Centers
In addition to the offices listed, UC offers a number of centralized academic advising services. The Division of Professional Practice (http://www.uc.edu/propractice/, 513-556-2667) provides faculty advising related to the Co-op program. The University Honors Program (http://www.uc.edu/honors, 513-556-6254) program offers advising to honors students. The Career Development Center (http://www.uc.edu/career/, 513-556-3471) offers career counseling and programs which support the career decision-making process (also available to Graduate Students). The Center for Exploratory Studies (http://www.uc.edu/explore/ 513-556-6540) provides exploratory advising services and programs designed especially for students who are deciding upon or changing majors. The Transfer and Lifelong Learning Center (http://www.uc.edu/tllc, 513-556-2247) provides resources especially for students who are non-degree seeking, adult/non-traditional, transitioning from a branch campus, and transfer students. Continuing Education (http://www.uc.edu/ace, 513-556-6932) offers programs and courses related to professional development, including distance learning.

COLLEGE-SPECIFIC ADVISING
Each college of the university offers academic advising for students enrolled in that college. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, contact your UC college as listed below. General information can be found at http://www.uc.edu/advising.