Academic advising is an educational process that, by intention and design, facilitates advisees?understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and fosters their intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning. (NACADA, 2004)

At Mohawk Valley Community College, academic advising provides advisees with the opportunity to build a relationship with their advisor for the purpose of gaining assistance in planning their educational career, in learning the skills needed for academic success, and in learning how to access the variety of resources and services available to them on the Mohawk Valley Community College campus.

Academic advising is a collaborative educational process whereby advisees and their advisors are partners in meeting the essential learning outcomes, ensuring advisee academic success, and outlining the steps for achievement of the advisees?personal, academic, and career goals. This advisor/advisee partnership requires participation and involvement of both the advisor and the advisee as it is built over the advisee’s entire educational experience at the college. Both the advisee and the advisor have clear responsibilities for ensuring the advising partnership is successful.

You can expect your advisor to:

• Understand and effectively communicate the curriculum, graduation requirements, and college policies and procedures
• Encourage and guide you as you define and develop realistic goals
• Encourage and support you as you gain the skills to develop clear and attainable educational plans
• Provide you with information about and strategies for utilizing the available resources and services on campus
• Assist you in understanding the purposes and goals of higher education and its effects on your life and personal goals
• Monitor and accurately document your progress toward meeting your goals
• Be assessable for meeting with you via office hours, telephone, and e-mail.
• Assist you in gaining decision making skills and skills in assuming responsibility for your educational plans and achievements
• Maintain confidentiality

As an advisee, you have clear responsibilities in the advising partnership in order to be successful:

• Schedule regular appointments or make regular contacts with your advisor during each semester
• Come prepared to each appointment with questions or material for discussion
• Be an active learner by participating fully in the advising experience
• Ask questions if you do not understand an issue or have a specific concern
• Keep a personal record of your progress toward meeting your goals
• Organize official documents in a way that enables you to access them when needed
• Complete all assignments or recommendations from your advisor
• Gather all relevant decision-making information
• Clarify personal values and goals and provide your advisor with accurate information regarding your interests and skills
• Become knowledgeable about college programs, policies, and procedures
• Accept responsibility for decisions