Advising ResourceCenter

Roxie L. Catts
Director of the AdvisingResourceCenter and
Coordinator of Undergraduate Academic Advising

626-7988

University of Arizona began their task force on advising in 2001. There were 36 recommendations that came from this task force. You can read the complete information at From this task force, they created the AdvisingResourceCenter comprised of the Director who is an administrator and an administrative assistant. The director reports to their provost.

The set up of this university is very similar to ours in that each college has their own advising office. Most comprise of several advisors per college. UniversityCollege is a college like any other that is home to the undecided and general studies majors. This set up is similar to our divisional advisors.

Their mission according to Roxie is two-part. For students, their goal is to get students where they need to go, specifically their particular college (in our case – division) advisor. They are the general contact for the new student. They post a weekly advising column. Roxie says they do not advise students and there is actually little “real” traffic in their 2 person office. Most of the traffic is virtual through their on-line resources.

The second part of the mission is to the advising community. The ARC works with an advisor from each college and a student from each college. The group meets monthly on anything that effects advising (which is pretty much anything on campus). This is where the 36 recommendations are implemented. The ARC conducts a student advisory group as well. To the advising community, the ARC provides:

  1. Professional Development: brings in speakers,
  2. Assessment
  3. Recognition

The mission of the AdvisingResourceCenter is as follows:

Academic Advising Mission Statement

The University of Arizona recognizes academic advising to be a critical component of the educational experience of its undergraduate students. Through individual, collaborative relationships with academic advisors, students are best able to define and implement sound educational plans that are consistent with their personal values, goals and career plans. While academic advising occurs most visibly in these individual relationships, a broad network of professionals, faculty, staff and students exists in support of the Institution's overall advising mission. The University acknowledges its obligation to provide students with accurate and timely academic advising, delivered through its academic departments and colleges, as well as through additional units and colleges devoted to specific student populations such as undecided, transfer, and pre-professional students, freshmen, and those with disabilities.

Goals:

As an institution, the goals of academic advising include helping students:

  • clarify their life and career goals;
  • develop suitable educational plans;
  • select appropriate courses and complementary educational experiences;
  • interpret institutional requirements;
  • enhance their awareness of available educational resources (such as internship opportunities, honors, and tutoring programs);
  • evaluate their progress toward established goals;
  • assist them in completing degree requirements in a timely manner;
  • develop decision-making skills;
  • reinforce their self direction;
  • seek out and use support services in the institution and the community;
  • collect and distribute data regarding student needs, preferences and performance for use in making institutional decisions and policy.

came the following objectives:

  1. provide accurate and thorough referral services for students which enhance access to academic advising, counseling, and other student services they seek;
  2. assist advisors in developing a working knowledge of the range of counseling and student services available to students, and answer questions they may have in assisting individual students;
  3. provide a program of coherent and timely training and professional development for campus academic advisors;
  4. collect and maintain data about advising practices nationally and at the university; and
  5. consult with colleges and departments about aspects of good advising practices, recognition and rewards for advisors, and assessment of advising practices