Seattle University's
Guiding Principles for Advising
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Within a supportive relationship, advisors promote reflection, engagement and achievement for each of their advisees. To this end, Seattle University has the following as its guiding principals for advising:
Inspire advisees to reflect on experiences and discern goals.
- Open discussions that prompt advisees to explore the meaning of their experiences.
- Ask advisees first to identify and then to refine personal, educational and vocational goals.
- Promote advisee self-assessment of the habits and skill development they need to achieve their goals.
- Challenge students to integrate their many experiences into a meaningful whole.
Guide advisees in holistic educational planning and choices.
- Ask students to make a multi-year plan on entering the major.
- Provide information about Core, college and major requirements.
- Encourage students to include co-curricular opportunities in their plans.
- Encourage advisees’ participation in activities that will help them explore their interests and abilities.
- Encourage advisees to get to know their faculty and to further explore their academic interests.
- Review advisee quarterly course choices.
Monitor advisee performance and intervene as appropriate.
- Review student academic performance and registration each quarter.
- Meet with students who are not achieving success, holding difficult conversations as needed.
- Provide feedback on advisee performance and progress towards their goals.
- Challenge under-performing students to see new opportunities and push themselves further.
- Connect students to appropriate opportunities and services.
- Direct students to appropriate policies, procedures and forms.
- Respond to advisee questions, presenting options and guiding their decision-making.
Honor the advising/mentoring relationship.
- Meet with your advisees at least once per quarter providing the time needed for a relationship to develop.
- Prepare for advising meetings by reviewing advising files, grades and the advisee’s program evaluation, and by searching requirements, policies and procedures if needed.
- Keep advising notes on SU Online for a mutually available record of discussions.
- Foster the relationship with a welcoming attitude, keeping appointments,being on time, and communicating thoughtfully.
- Request a change of advisor, if needed for a successful relationship.
In addition, faculty advisors mentor students in the ways of the discipline, professional requirements, and graduate school and career possibilities.
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