Universityof Memphis Advising Syllabus

What is an academic advising syllabus?

An academic advising syllabus is similar to the syllabus you receive from the instructor of your classes. It is a tool to communicate to you the expectations of what you will learn as a result of your academic advising experience at U of M. It outlines your responsibilities and mine in our advising partnership and identifies the essential information and skills you need to master to be successful both in and out of the classroom.

How will we use this syllabus in our advising communications?

Each time you and I communicate, whether that be in a face to face (f2f) advising meeting, by telephone, email, text chat, or video chat, we will refer to the syllabus to discuss your progress in meeting the advising learning outcomes outlined in this syllabus.

What is Academic Advising?

Academic Advising at the University of Memphis is an on-going, intentional educational partnership dedicated to student academic success.  As your advisor, I care about your academic progress and want to help you reach your academic and career goals. You can always count on me to give you accurate and complete information you need to be a successful student. You will get as much out of your advising relationship as you put into it. Meet with me regularly and be sure to use the information and skills you learn from your advising experience to make intelligent, informed decisions throughout your college career. If you experience academic difficulty, I can assist you in finding ways to become a more successful student, and I can direct you to free, valuable resources on campus. The bottom line: I am here to guide you and teach you about your career choices, degree requirements, university policies and procedures, and how to be a successful student.

Your Responsibilities in the Advising Partnership

1. Know your advisor. Click the "Contact Us" link (see left) if you can't find your advisor, or if you are having trouble finding out who your advisor is.

2. Accept responsibility for academic choices.

3. See your advisor at least once a semester to plan your schedule of coursework, and seek further help from the advisor when needed.

4. Know basic university, college, and departmental graduation requirements for your chosen major or minor well enough to plan your own progress toward degree completion.

5. Keep current on academic policies, procedures, and requirements by reviewing the current Undergraduate Bulletin, Schedule of Classes, and degree plans.

6. Maintain personal copies of tentative degree plan, progress reports, and transfer credit evaluations until the official graduation application is processed. Take these materials to each advising conference.

7. Develop social, academic, and career goals and examine how these goals will affect your life and the lives of persons important to you.

My Responsibilities in the Advising Partnership

1. Have access to an up-to-date record for each student. Provide students with correct up-to-date academic information about university, college, and departmental graduation requirements for their selected degree program.

2. Help students develop a course of study - including the selection of electives - that reflects each student's academic background, personal situation, and educational goals.

3. Provide students with information about alternatives, limitations, program changes, and the consequences of academic decisions.

4. Serve as a mentor to foster students' progress in their academic pursuits. Post regular office hours for students and seek to be flexible to reasonable student needs when possible.

5. Use as many campus and community resources as necessary to best advise the student. Encourage students to review their progress toward degree completion in order to assure early detection of problems.

6. Compile information to help students become aware of their academic, educational, and personal needs and be aware of how these needs affect their educational and career goals.

What will you learn in academic advising?

This is what we expect you to learn as you participate in the advising experience:

When you first arrive…

·         You will begin to explore and research your academic and career interests as they apply to U of M and start to narrow those interests to an area of study.

·         You will understand the importance of class attendance, reading the syllabus, and interacting with faculty members.

·         You will explore the connection between college major selection and career/life goals.

·         You will understand academic standing and how to compute your GPA.

·         You will be aware of dean’s list requirements and graduation with honors requirements.

While you’re here…

·         You will develop relationships with U of M faculty and staff. Networking now will lead to opportunities such as internships and co-ops. References will be needed if you are thinking about attending graduate school or even applying for your first professional job.

·         You will learn how to get involved by becoming part of a student organization. The benefits of being active on campus are endless. Develop friendships, relieve stress, and experience new things. Being connected to the university community will support your persistence and help you become a U of M graduate.

·         You will utilize various student resources on campus.

·         You will understand the connection between your major and your desired career path.  

·         You will understand the requirements for your degree.

Privacy of Student Records

Your academic record is considered confidential. The University of Memphis complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). This Act, with which the institution intends to comply fully, was designed to protect the privacy of educational records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading information. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office, Department of Education, concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the Act.

Students with Disabilities

A comprehensive program of services and academic accommodations designed to provide access and opportunity is available to qualified students with disabilities through Student Disability Services. Some services are available to all students registered with SDS, however, academic services and accommodations are individually determined and are based on the student's current functional limitations outlined in the medical or professional documentation, the student's compensatory skills and the requirements of a particular course or program.

My academic advisor has explained the advising syllabus to me, and I understand how the syllabus will be used in my advising experience. I understand my responsibilities in the advising partnership.

____________________________      _________________________           ____________________      

              Print Name                                              Signature                                               Date

PDF Version               Word Version