Pages - Advisors

Advisors: What You Need to Know

The Assistant Dean for Advising uses the results of the New Student Survey, background information and student data to assign new students to an initial advisor. An attempt is made to find some qualities, interests, field of study, or experiences the advisor and student may have in common.

To share their interests, experiences, and educational goals
To assume ultimate responsibility for fulfilling all requirements for their baccalaureate degree
To be familiar with academic regulations such as class attendance; deadlines related to course elections, course adjustment, enrollment, and withdrawal
To make and keep advising appointments each semester
To prepare for their advising appointments by making preliminary course selections
To demonstrate openness to your suggestions before making final decisions
To keep you informed in a timely manner of their academic achievements, difficulties, and other factors that influence their education and life at Furman

To get to know their interests, experiences, and educational goals
To be available to meet with you during the Initial Course Election period each semester
To be available to meet with you at other times you and/or (s)he determine
To know the basic graduation requirements
To know about special requirements (e.g. prerequisites)
To be familiar with the introductory curriculum to help them select courses appropriate to their interests and abilities
To facilitate their development of thinking and learning skills, independence, responsibility, and contributions to the larger community
To offer advice and assistance if they should experience academic or personal difficulty
To refer them appropriately to campus offices that offer additional resources and support
To continue your development as an academic advisor

"Advisors teach students the language of higher education to help them navigate the system"

Informational (university policies and procedures, requirements, important dates and deadlines, fields of study, course elections)
About the individual student (core values, aptitudes, interests, strengths, areas for improvement {e.g. study skills, time management}, level of involvement in the life of the university)
About the future (goal-setting and posing questions, career and personal, how to make this future a reality, how the student is changing as a result of her/his education and experiences)

Advisors know their students well and go to unusual lengths to learn as much as they can about their advisees and believe their primary task is to help change students for the better by making certain they take full advantage of the institution’s resources for learning.
Advisors strive for meaningful interactions with students by mentoring and creating close connections with key persons and relationships that are especially important for students in underrepresented groups.
Advisors help students identify pathways to academic and social success by asking students to apply what they are learning in their classes to real life issues; and helping advisees learn the campus culture – traditions, rituals, and practices that communicate how and why things are done this way on our campus.
Advising and student success is considered a tag team activity involving communications with Student Life, Counseling Center, Chaplain’s Office, Office of the Associate and Assistant Academic Deans, Academic Assistance, Disabilities Services, Housing, Public Safety and the Infirmary.

ACC (Accounting) ART (Art) BIO (Biology) BUS (Business) CHM (Chemistry) ECN (Economics)	MUS (Music) NSC (Neuroscience) Dual Degree Engineering Pre-Health SUS (Sustainability Science)