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Student/Advisor Relationship

How You and Your Academic Advisor Work Together

1. You should contact and keep in touch with your advisor. Your advisor should post and keep office hours.
   
2. You should make and keep appointments or call if it is necessary to change an appointment. Your advisor should keep appointments or call if it is necessary to change or cancel an appointment.
   
3. You should come with specific questions. Your advisor should provide accurate and specific information.
   
4. You should come with the necessary materials (pencil, forms, potential class and work schedules, etc.). Your advisor should have on hand resource material (Marist catalog, information bulletins, your folder and degree audits).
   
5. You should be open to a variety of suggestions regarding course work, study habits, academic progress, etc. Your advisor should listen to you and offer suggestions.
   
6. You should build a schedule free of time conflicts. Your advisor should check your schedule for an appropriate selection of courses.
7. You should make decisions concerning your career, choice of major, and selection of internships and courses. Your advisor should suggest options concerning careers, majors, and selection of internships and courses.

When To See Your Advisor

1. To discuss any problems that affect your academic performance.
2. To select courses for the upcoming semester your advisor will need to enable your account before you attempt to register using the Student Self Services web system registration option.
3. To add or drop courses during registration periods.
4. To register for classes under the pass/no credit/fail option or to discuss withdrawal from a course.
5. To help you work through the process of declaring a major field of study.
6. To complete an Academic Planning & Consultation Record, for probationary students and fulfill the terms of the contract.
7. To discuss: changes of major; the addition of a minor; or the addition of a certificate program.
8. To consider study abroad, internship and career options.
9. To discuss academic policies and procedures for which you require clarification.
10. To explore the possibility of graduate study.

How To See Your Advisor

1. Become familiar with your advisor's office hours at the beginning of each semester.
2. Call to make an appointment so that your advisor has the necessary lead time to look through your advising folder and to spend an appropriate amount of time with you. Remember, there is a voicemail box for every member of the faculty and staff, and messages that are time-stamped can be left at any time of the day or night. If it is necessary to drop in without an appointment, go only during your advisor's office hours and allow plenty of time in case you have to wait to see your advisor.

Adapted from "How You and Your Faculty Advisor Should Work Together", in Houston Baptist University's Academic Advising Handbook 1989-90 by Jerry Ford.