Mission
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, places academic advising within the teaching/learning mission of the institution and recognizes it to be a critical component of students’ educational experience and undergraduate success. Faculty, professional academic advisors and administrators promote academic advising as a shared responsibility with students. Academic advising serves to develop and enrich students’ educational plans in ways that are consistent with their aspirations, interests, strengths, and values—preparing them for a life of learning in a diverse and global society.
Values that Guide Academic Advising
- Advising integrates self-exploration, career exploration, academic planning, experience learning, and leadership targeted to students’ aspirations, interests, strengths, and values
- Advising includes faculty who are expert mentors in their disciplines and professions
- Advising involves a team that includes academic advisors, student success, faculty mentors, and career development professionals seamlessly working together on the common goal of supporting the development and success of UT students
- Advising focuses on a collaborative and student-centric problem solving process
- Advising includes professional academic advisors who help students navigate the institution, develop academic plans, and connect to university and community resources
- Advising depends on a robust program of academic advisor development with career paths
- Advising provides the context and opportunity for students to engage in self-authorship, make meaning of their experiences, and assume responsibility for their futures.
University Academic Advising Goals
- to foster a campus culture that supports academic advising as a shared responsibility essential to the educational experience and student success
- to assist students in self-exploration
- to assist in the development of educational plans that are consistent with students’ aspirations, interests, strengths, and values
- to encourage holistic engagement with the college experience (academically, socially, culturally, and professionally) preparing students for a life of learning in a diverse and global society
Academic Advising Student Learning Outcomes
Students will demonstrate that they know
- curricular requirements, academic standards, and academic milestones related to an intended/chosen academic program in order to graduate in a timely fashion
- university and college academic policies and procedures
- the career and professional development opportunities available as well as on-campus support for the identification and exploration of experience learning, leadership, and career paths
- campus resources, programs, and support systems that promote academic success
Students will demonstrate they can
- develop an academic plan and assess degree progress through graduation
- critically reflect upon academic and career goals
- develop skills and strategies for academic success that include using institutional resources, policies, and procedures
- take responsibility for making decisions regarding their academic success
Academic Advising Process Outcomes
- All students will have an assigned professional academic advisor
- All students will have the opportunity to schedule a substantive advising appointment during any semester requiring advising previous to their registration date
- Faculty, professional academic advisors, career development staff, and alumni will serve as undergraduate mentors
- All students will have the opportunity to participate in a university-wide advising assessment every year
- All students will have the opportunity to participate in college-specific advising assessments every year
- All professional advisors and advising leadership will participate in a comprehensive professional development program.
- All professional academic advisors will utilize current university technology for academic planning, student data, advising notes, advising appointment campaigns, student communication and holistic case management (early alert, tutoring, referrals, etc.)
- Professional academic advisors and faculty mentors will participate in a college/departmental evaluation/feedback process as part of their annual review