Advising for less stress
Jaqueline Quillen
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: News
According to Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean Leona Sevick, there are very few advising mistakes here at the Mount. Students who are having bad advising experiences can request a new advisor. Sevick says they do their best to honor all advisor-change requests. The only issue that occasionally complicates an advisor-change request is overloading the advisor with too many advisees, which hurts both the advisor and the student. Traci Hurley, Executive Assistant to Sevick, works in conjunction with Department Chairs and deals with advisor changes.
At college level students are expected to take responsibility and action for their future, which means we cannot expect advisors to tell us what is required of us and plan it all out for us.
Students have access to vital information like transcripts, core curriculum, and major/minor requirements online at the Portal website and in the Undergraduate Catalogue, which is also available online. Dean Sevick points out that all students should have a copy of the Undergraduate Catalogue and states that, "It is every student's responsibility to ensure they are progressing with the necessary steps towards graduation."
During advising week students are responsible for one person while advisors are responsible for 10, 20 and in some cases, 35 students. This is why it is important for students to prepare for their advising appointment in advance. Students are primarily in control of making advising a valuable and helpful experience. Preparation and communication are essential in making the most out of advising.
Sevick is extremely passionate about advising and enjoys the experience with her Freshman Seminar students. She says, "There is nothing more exciting than helping students choose courses for a semester that is in the future." If only all advisors had this outlook and all students would organize and prepare in advance, advising week might be a little less stressful.
At college level students are expected to take responsibility and action for their future, which means we cannot expect advisors to tell us what is required of us and plan it all out for us.
Students have access to vital information like transcripts, core curriculum, and major/minor requirements online at the Portal website and in the Undergraduate Catalogue, which is also available online. Dean Sevick points out that all students should have a copy of the Undergraduate Catalogue and states that, "It is every student's responsibility to ensure they are progressing with the necessary steps towards graduation."
During advising week students are responsible for one person while advisors are responsible for 10, 20 and in some cases, 35 students. This is why it is important for students to prepare for their advising appointment in advance. Students are primarily in control of making advising a valuable and helpful experience. Preparation and communication are essential in making the most out of advising.
Sevick is extremely passionate about advising and enjoys the experience with her Freshman Seminar students. She says, "There is nothing more exciting than helping students choose courses for a semester that is in the future." If only all advisors had this outlook and all students would organize and prepare in advance, advising week might be a little less stressful.
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