This advising syllabus communicates the expectations of what you will learn and be able to do as a result of your academic advising experience at Metropolitan State University. It outlines student responsibilities, advisor responsibilities, and the essential information and skills needed to navigate your education throughout your educational journey at Metropolitan State.
Academic advising is central to Metropolitan State's teaching and learning mission, in addition to the academic success of our diverse student body.
Professional academic advisors and faculty advisors will:
- work in partnership with students to help them develop educational plans that support meaningful academic and career goals
- provide accurate and relevant information, while emphasizing student responsibility for learning and making informed decisions
- engage students in an intentional teaching and learning process that values each student's experience while promoting inclusion, equity and critical thinking
Academic advising provides a context in which students can discover what is important to know, do and value at each stage of their academic development.
Expected student learning outcomes
As a result of your partnership with your academic advisor, you will be able to:
- discuss and clarify academic and career goals meaningful to you
- understand your degree and major requirements
- interpret and effectively use the Degree Audit Report (DARs) in your educational planning
- develop a degree plan and select appropriate courses and course loads to progress towards graduation
- understand how to use registration resources effectively to register for appropriate courses
- incorporate career and professional development activities into your educational plan
- understand when and how to declare your major program
- identify and access campus services and resources to support your success
- value the role of academic advising in your learning process
- articulate how your education has prepared you for your next career steps
Demonstrating your achievement of learning outcomes
You will demonstrate achievement of the student learning outcomes as you take responsibility for course registration, academic planning and completion of degree requirements.
Responsibilities in a student–advisor partnership
Advisor expectations include:
- Providing a safe environment for you to share your thoughts, questions and concerns.
- Respecting your individual values, goals, and choices. Ask you questions and listen respectfully.
- Providing you with accurate information about the University's programs, registration processes, academic policies, procedures, deadlines and degree requirements.
- Teaching you how to find and use important degree planning tools.
- Helping determine progress towards your degree. Providing an evaluation of how your transfer courses will apply toward your major. Assisting you in creating a degree completion plan. Helping you explore alternative course options, and determining a realistic course load that fits your life.
- Assisting you with major and career exploration. Help you clarify your academic and career goals, and make educational plans consistent with your goals, strengths and interests.
- Assisting you in gaining decision-making skills and in assuming responsibility for your educational plans and achievements.
- Being accessible to you via phone, email and in-person appointments. Keep appointments.
- Responding to your email and telephone messages in a timely manner:
- Standard response time is within 48 hours or two business days.
- Response time may be up to 4-5 business days during busy registration times and around the start of the term.
- Keeping accurate notes of your interactions and discussions.
- Maintaining student confidentiality in accordance with FERPA.
- Helping you determine your needs to refer you to appropriate campus resources and services for your academic, career, and personal development.
- Conducting them self ethically and professionally. Demonstrate intercultural competency. Represent the College and University by administering (enforcing) policies and procedures.
Student expectations include:
- Discussing your goals and educational plans during your meetings. Share your interests, concerns, and aspirations with your advisor. Ask questions and be involved in the advising process. Be prepared for your advising appointments.
- Learning how to find and understand your degree requirements, course prerequisites, college and university policies, and important deadlines and dates. Make informed decisions about your academic program by learning how to use the DARS report, Major Requirements Checklist, Course Sequence, and other University resources.
- Monitoring your progress towards completing your graduation requirements. Confirm that your transfer courses have been evaluated accurately. Inform your advisor of updates or changes to your educational plans. Learn strategies to balance your academic responsibilities with your personal, work and family commitments.
- Being open to exploring, developing and clarifying your personal, career, and educational goals. Be open and willing to consider advice from faculty, advisors, and other mentors.
- Learning to solve problems and make decisions. Improve priority setting, critical thinking, and study skills. Accept responsibility for academic decisions, progress, and successful completion of graduation requirements.
- Knowing where and how to access your academic advisor.
- Initiating contact with your advisor.
- Scheduling and attending advising appointments.
- Reading your university email daily for official communications, deadlines and messages from your advisor.
- Tracking and keeping notes of what you have discussed, requirements, deadlines, what actions you need to take.
- Asking questions.
- Locating and use student support resources and services. Understand, access, and use educational tools and resources. Ask your advisor for help. Follow through on referrals.
- Conducting yourself professionally, ethically and respectfully in dealing with your advisor and all university faculty and staff. Comply with university policies and procedures. Demonstrate communication skills by expressing yourself professionally verbally, non-verbally and in writing.