Student/Advisor Expectations

Student

  • Check your Appalachian email account daily for important announcements from App State, the Hayes School of Music, administration, and your advisor
  • Schedule an appointment and show up on time to meet with your advisor as needed
  • Thoroughly review your program of study in the student handbook
  • Be able to articulate the underlying rationale of the curriculum for your particular area of study (Why are you required to take your assigned courses and how are those courses interrelated?)
  • Become familiar with and consistently review your academic progress on DegreeWorks
  • Learn to utilize available institutional resources in order to search for policies, procedures, program requirements, and important dates and deadlines
  • Be prepared for your advising appointment by reviewing course offerings for the upcoming semester and create a preliminary schedule to review with your advisor
  • Be prepared to ask questions you may have about course material, requirements, deadlines, policies, or procedures
  • Utilize the available resources on campus to form networks, refine skills, overcome obstacles, and develop strategies for reaching your academic, personal, and professional goals.
  • Notify your professor and advisor immediately if you are facing academic or personal challenges that are affecting your coursework
  • Understand that the ultimate responsibility for understanding and meeting university requirements for graduation resides with you

Advisor

  • Be available for advising appointments during regularly scheduled office hours
  • Remain knowledgeable and up to date on the requirements of the specific program(s) you are responsible for advising and provide accurate information about the curriculum
  • Know how to locate and share important institutional policies, procedures, and deadlines
  • Develop a working knowledge of DegreeWorks and document all advising interactions utilizing the advising notes function
  • Provide honest feedback to students and help them to develop best practices for achieving academic success
  • Actively listen to student concerns, respect individual values and choices, empower students to make informed decisions
  • Encourage students to develop their critical thinking skills and to accept ownership of their responsibilities in meeting their academic requirements
  • Understand how and when to make the proper referrals to departments across campus when students have challenges that are beyond the scope of the advising relationship
  • Maintain confidentiality of student records according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)