Trinity University provides strong academic advising for all its students and particularly supports a program for first-year students so that they receive considerable attention and assistance from their faculty advisors. Not only do the faculty advisor and student mentor work with the students on orientation to Trinity, class schedules, and program decisions, but advisors accompany the new students through their first registration. The academic advisor will be a member of the full-time teaching faculty of Trinity University. The Office of Academic Affairs appoints the faculty to the student, as well as works with the Office of Student Affairs to appoint upper-class student mentors to these faculty/advisee pairs.

Professor Curtis Brown, a member of the Department of Philosophy at Trinity, aptly describes the University's position:

            "We regard advising, both of majors and of beginning students, as an important faculty activity. When advising is done well, it can aid beginning students in planning an educational strategy that will enable them to learn about subjects in which they have an interest, develop new interests, satisfy University requirements, and determine which subjects might be suitable majors for them to pursue."

During the first two years,

Trinity generally assigns advisors without regard to the entering student's intended major or area of interest except for those planning to seek careers in health professions, those planning to major in engineering science, computer science, music, or those who wish to enter the five-year education program.  This allows students the freedom to explore the curriculum and request a particular faculty advisor from a more knowledgeable standpoint their sophomore spring.

In the summer preceding enrollment in the fall,

first-year students receive the names of their faculty academic advisor and their student mentor. The student should expect a letter, email, or call from the faculty member and the mentor.

Upon the student's declaring a major,

usually in the spring semester of the second year, he or she will submit a "Declaration of Major" form to the relevant department chair.  This person will assign the student an advisor from the major department.

Any questions or concerns about advising should be directed to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Sheryl R. Tynes, Northrup 410. Tel. 999-8201.

WHAT STUDENTS MAY EXPECT FROM ADVISORS AND MENTORS

From the student mentors

Ø      The mentors will correspond with the advisees in their advising group during the summer preceding enrollment.

 Ø      The mentors will assist the faculty advisors, guide their advisees to the planned activities, and accompany their groups through the first registration process in the fall semester.

 Ø      The mentors will maintain contact with advisees during the entire first year.

 From the faculty advisors

 Ø      The faculty advisors and advisees will meet prior to registration each semester and at other times when assistance is needed. The advisee may expect the following:

 Ø      The faculty advisor will be available to advisees during scheduled office hours or at other mutually convenient times.

 Ø      The advisor will serve as a major resource in solving academic problems at various times during the academic year.

 Ø      The advisor will be familiar with the Courses of Study bulletin and the Advising Handbook and will help advisees assume responsibility for program planning and course selections.

 Ø      The advisor will be able to provide a referral or a resource for questions an advisee may have in special areas.

WHAT ADVISORS MAY EXPECT FROM STUDENTS

Students should:

 Ø      become familiar with the Courses of Study bulletin, which they will receive upon their arrival. Advisees are particularly urged to examine the Common Curriculum requirements prior to orientation and to come to campus prepared to discuss their proposed courses of study.

 Ø      attend all scheduled meetings during orientation.

  Ø      participate fully in the advising experience, seeking counsel and information while taking responsibility for planning their own programs.

 Ø      resolve academic program questions with their academic advisors as well as with personnel in other offices, such as the Registrar, the Business Office, the Offices of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, and the chairs of the departments.

 Ø      consult their advisors before adding or dropping any course during the semester.

 Ø      contact their faculty advisors and student mentors during the year by scheduling appointments at a mutually convenient time.

The Nature of the Advisor-Mentor-Advisee Relationship

Advising is bound by:

Ø     The advisor respects confidential information about advisees acquired in the advisor-advisee relationship but reserves the right to provide information about the student to other appropriate units of the University. The advisor may refer an advisee to other campus offices for assistance in nonacademic areas.

 A student may request a change in advisor, but, in all cases, a change in advisor for a student without a major can be approved only by the Office of Academic Affairs. The student may request such a change from the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, NH 410.

Ø      Similarly, an advisor may request a change in advisee, but in all cases a change in advisor for a student without a major is approved only by the Office of Academic Affairs. The advisor may request such a change from the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Ø      The advisor and the student commit themselves to honoring appointments at designated times and to attending the scheduled orientation and advising group sessions.

Ø      The advisor, mentor, and student will discuss academic expectations, academic integrity, and academic programs. They also will talk about academic support areas such as the library and computing, curricular requirements, policies and regulations, and social life on campus.

Ø      The advisor and student meet in individual academic advising appointments on Monday and Tuesday during orientation. At that time the student and advisor discuss courses that might be taken during the first year. Working with the Courses of Study bulletin and the Class Schedule, which lists instructors, times, and locations for courses, the student will select a set of courses for the Fall semester.