Senate policy 32-20 establishes the Nature of the University Advising Program

Each academic unit will establish an academic advising program designed to meet the broad goals set forth in 32-00. An effective academic advising program should possess the following elements:

Organizational structure:

1. A mission statement that aligns with 32-00 and 32-10 as well as additional student learning outcomes as determined by the unit.
2. Assessment plan to measure program effectiveness at helping students reach stated learning outcomes.
3. A clear advising structure communicated to faculty, staff, and students.
4. Access to academic advising.

Advising Delivery:

5. Should be student-focused to promote an environment that allows students to make informed choices relating to their goals.
6. Should promote engagement with University advising tools to reach advising objectives, including the documentation of advising interactions to permit communication across the University.
7. Should establish ratios of adviser to students at a level appropriate for additional responsibilities of the adviser and should recognize that advisers assigned to advise students within particular subgroups may need lower ratios of students.
8. Should encourage advisers to engage in proactive advising practices to help meet University commitment to academic success, student learning, and degree completion. This includes regular review of all student academic records and adherence to appropriate University policy; referral of individual students to appropriate offices; follow-up with alerts or other issues that may interfere with student success; and incorporation of a variety of advising strategies.
9. Should ensure that units maintain accurate web information on academic information as well as unit level policies and procedures.
10. Should ensure that units devise visible assessment plans that connect of the mission and objective of academic advising to student outcomes with the intent of allowing students and others to see and understand the value of academic advising.

Academic Advisers:

11. Should have access to professional development opportunities
12. Should receive recognition and rewards such as university and college-level advising awards
13. Should participate in ongoing assessment by supervisor or peer review. This assessment and feedback can serve as evidence of advising effectiveness for evaluation.
14. Should articulate clear expectations regarding their advising responsibilities to departments and academic units.

The academic advising delivery and assessment employed by each advising unit should address its own standards and practices.