Your Advisor

Your Academic Advisor is here to collaborate with you to work out your academic goals and develop your educational plans.

Although students are personally responsible for planning out their academic program to meet all graduation requirements, the advisor is there to help students make meaningful choices.  It’s in these advising relationships that students can explore more fully their vocational hopes and consider their life direction, along with sorting out what core and major courses to take in the next semester.

Advisors are available to meet during their regularly scheduled weekly office hours and during specific advising seasons each semester.

YOUR FIRST-YEAR ADVISOR

Responsibilities of Advisor

• Create an atmosphere of openness, caring and concern.
• Clearly define advisor/advisee responsibilities.
• Share your communication preferences with advisees (email, voicemail, etc) and post regular office hours.
• Familiarize yourself with information in the student's advising file.
• Direct students to campus resources according to their individual needs.
• Help students clarify values and goals.
• Assist students in planning a program consistent with abilities, interests and vocational aspirations.
• Assist students in understanding core requirements and the connection to the major.
•  Know Gordon College’s academic standards, policies and procedures in sufficient detail to provide students with accurate, usable information.
• Understand the FERPA guidelines
• Study, discuss, verify and respond to advisees' course approval requests and advisement forms.
• Communicate important departmental information with your advisees when appropriate.

Responsibilities of Student Advisees

• Recognize personal responsibility for continuous evaluation of academic progress and the ultimate responsibility for all academic choices.
• Clarify personal values and goals.
• Come prepared to advising sessions with questions and goals, your schedule and your laptop or other device.
• Study the catalog and have identified preferred courses.
• Become familiar with Gordon College academic policies, procedures and requirements. Make sure you know where to find the information.
• During mid-semester course registration, ensure that advisor receives notice for course approvals.
• Know graduation requirements for chosen field of study and maintain accurate, current records of progress toward those requirements. (see your checksheet on my.gordon)
• Know and respect advisor’s office hours.
• Show up for scheduled appointments.
• Respond to emails and phone calls from advisor.
• Initiate contact with advisor and seek help on a regular basis.