Changing Academic Advisors

Each matriculated student has an academic advisor, a member of the faculty (or sometimes the staff) who serves that student’s primary point of contact for academic and other issues and concerns. Ideally, each student should be advised by a person she or he feels comfortable with and who understands the student’s academic plan.

Matriculating students are assigned one of the instructors teaching in the First-Year College they have selected as their initial academic advisor. This person usually continues as the academic advisor until a student either decides to change advisors or declares a major. Once a major is declared students must have an advisor in the major department (and if the student declares either a double or a combined major, that person must have an advisor in each department).

The FYP advisor remains in place during the fall semester of a student’s first year. After that, students may change their advisor at any time. Because the principle is that each student should have an academic advisor she or he is comfortable with, it follows that the student should take the initiative necessary to ensure that this is so.

If a current advisor leaves (either temporarily or permanently) the university, students must change their advisor—departing faculty usually alert advisees to such changes but the student needs contact a new advisor personally and make this change. If a student does not make this change, she or her may find themselves on a Dean’s Hold and so will be unable to register for courses until they resolve their situation.

Any student who has a question about the status of his or her advisor should consult the Office of Academic Advising Programs, Whitman Annex, 315-229-5964.