Student Expectations

As our mission states, we are here to assist all undergraduate College of Arts and Letters students reach their academic, professional, and personal goals. Reaching these goals however, requires joint responsibility of both the advisor and the student. In order to effectively reach these goals, we ask that students know and understand the following expectations:

Expectations of Students

  • Be an active partner in the advising relationship.
  • Accept full responsibility for your academic success and acknowledge that academic advisors are only one of many resources for achieving success.
  • Monitor your own progress toward degree completion which involves knowing and understanding general education, major, college, university and state requirements. Know how to access and interpret your unofficial transcript available at all times via MyFAU.
  • Be aware of and assume responsibility for knowing academic policies, procedures and requirements found in the University catalog and accept responsibility for your decisions.
  • Be aware of important dates on the academic calendar and keep all essential contact information up-to-date with the University Registrar’s Office.
  • Conduct all university business through your FAU email account and regularly check it for updates from your advisor and for other important university information. Please respond in a timely manner to all requests and inquiries.
  • Be aware of courses you want to register for and have planned alternatives if necessary. Students should be able to effectively navigate the registration and scheduling systems.
  • Schedule, attend and be on time for appointments.
  • Demonstrate courteous and professional behavior. Come to every advising meeting prepared with questions, materials and / or topics to be discussed.
  • Follow through with actions agreed upon in advising sessions.
  • Be a self-advocate and learn how to locate and utilize available campus resources and student support services.
  • Please note a 15 minute grace period will be permitted from the start time of the appointment for a student to log in or check-in for their appointment for unforeseen delays a student may encounter. After 15 min the appointment will be considered a no-show and the student will need to reschedule their appointment or visit the virtual chat on Thursdays to speak with an advisor.

Expectations of Advisors

  • Recognize that the primary goal of advising is the academic success, professional and personal growth of the student.
  • Guide the student’s academic decision-making process and assist the student in identifying the appropriate path to achieving academic goals through nurturing self-reliance.
  • Provide current, accurate information about student degree plans and overall progress toward degree completion based on available information.
  • Respond to inquiries to clarify college and university policies and procedures.
  • Act as a resource for information on majors, minors and other academic opportunities available based on student’s stated needs and goals.
  • Maintain confidentiality in accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and other university regulations.
  • Make referrals to campus resources as needed.

Finally, here are a few roles that academic advisors do not perform. If a student states a need concerning any of the services below, an advisor will make a referral to the appropriate university office with a specialty in the area.

  • Academic advisors are not a primary resource for inquiries regarding financial aid, tuition or fees. For this, students should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.
  • Academic advisors are not personal counselors. Students should not expect academic advisors to assist them with personal issues. Students who require this type of assistance are encouraged to take advantage of services offered through Counseling and Psychological Services in the Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management.
  • Academic advisors are not tutors. Students should not expect advisors to give supplemental instruction concerning their academic courses. Student who require this type of assistance are encouraged to take advantage of services offered through the Center of Learning and Student Success.
  • Academic advisors do not register students for or withdraw students from classes.Students can do this on their own using MyFAU.