Academic Advising

First-Year students begin their advising experience with being able to:

Information Acquisition and Skill Development

• Identify their assigned academic advisor and know how to best contact them.
• Know about the resources and assistance available through the Academic Success Center (ASC), Student Support Coordinators, the Student Accessibility Coordinator, the Associate Dean of Students, and the Equity and Inclusion Center.
• Be informed regarding their financial aid, housing, meal plan, and student account information.
• Learn to utilize their MIAD e-mail and the MIAD website.
• Understand their FYE and Critical Studies course requirements.
• Develop an effective time management/prioritization strategy and study skills.
• Understand the course registration process, including reading a Program of Study (POS), course selection, how to build a schedule, and policies and procedures regarding registration.
• Learn about the major and minor options offered through MIAD.
• Understand what is required to be considered in good academic standing, as well as the policies and the process of academic probation and dismissal.
• Become aware of Career Services and the options for gaining skills and experience outside of their studio education.
• Identify, communicate, and set goals and create action plans in relation to their academic and personal goals, and professional and creative aspirations.

Cognitive Development

• Understand the value of building healthy relationships with their peers, faculty, and First-Year Experience advisor.
• Begin to develop professional and self-awareness.
• Take responsibility for their learning experiences and their personal and academic success.

Upper-level students, through their advising experiences, will continue to:

Information Acquisition

• Develop an awareness and understanding of their individual Program of Study (POS), degree and major requirements, and course offerings.
• Actively utilize Career Services as a resource for opportunities such as internships and other professional experiences, alumni and employer connections, resume and interview skills, and job search strategies.

Skill Development

• Work collaboratively with their academic advisor to develop a self-directed, comprehensive, and cohesive plan of coursework and learning experiences.
• Develop a professional attitude and approach to their learning.

Cognitive Development

• Identify and effectively communicate their creative professional goals.
• Understand how their personal, academic, and creative choices will impact their creative professional goals.
• Continually self-assess their goals and abilities.
• Develop an appreciation for and understanding of the benefit of lifelong learning, growth, and development and how these impact their ability to adapt to new challenges and environments in their future creative professional life.

As an advisee and student, my responsibilities are to:

• Schedule, be on time, and be prepared with necessary materials for all advising meetings.
• Contact my academic advisor prior to a scheduled meeting when I may need to cancel or reschedule.
• Check my MIAD e-mail account daily and respond in a timely and appropriate manner as necessary.
• Keep records of my advising meetings and experiences.
• Seek assistance, when necessary, with my study habits and academic progress.
• Follow through on agreed upon action steps and tasks identified during advising meetings.
• Utilize and understand my Program of Study.
• Become knowledgeable and adhere to institutional policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Request reassignment of a different academic advisor if necessary.
• Clarify my personal interests, skills and abilities, values, and goals.
• Explore majors and careers as they relate to my interests, skills and abilities, values and goals.
• Accept final responsibility for my educational decisions.

As an advisor, my responsibilities are to:

• Be approachable and available to advisees.
• Be on time and prepared with necessary materials for all advising meetings.
• Respond to e-mail and phone calls from advisees in a timely manner.
• Maintain consistent and effective contact with each assigned advisee.
• Maintain accurate and complete records, for each advisee.
• Interpret and provide rationale for instructional policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Request reassignment of advisee to a different academic advisor if necessary.
• Inform students of resources and services available for academic assistance and other identified needs.
• Offer advice and guidance regarding appropriate course selection, course load, and schedule development.
• Identify needs and make necessary referrals to MIAD Student Services when appropriate.
• Assist students in defining and developing realistic personal, social, academic, and creative life goals.