MISSION
The mission of the Student Advising Center at Emporia State
University is to provide that academic advising and assistance
which helps freshmen and undeclared students make a satisfactory
transition to college life. Students learn not only to
set personal and academic goals but to develop strategies
for achieving those goals. The Student Advising Center
and its faculty advisors subscribe to the philosophy
of intrusive, developmental advising. Intrusive advising
means showing an active concern for the academic welfare
of our students being proactive in contacting students,
and helping them resolve problems. Developmental advising,
an important aspect of intrusive advising, is the process
of helping students clarify their short-term and long-term
goals. This form of advising helps students to develop
educational plans to meet those goals.
SAC's major activities (provision of intrusive, developmental
advising; coordination of the diagnostic/tutorial program;
administration of the Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree;
and coordination of some activities of the academic skills
labs) are designed to help fulfill its mission, one which
is central to the achievement of Emporia
State University's mission "to develop lifelong learning
skills, impart society's cultural heritage, and educate and
prepare for both the professions and advanced study."
OPERATION
The Student Advising Center reports to the Associate Vice
President for Academic Affairs. There is a full-time director
who oversees SAC and the Bachelor of Integrated
Studies degree.
Our office staff consists of a full-time classified administrative
specialist and six undergraduate student paraprofessionals
who perform a variety of clerical tasks and interact with
the many students, faculty, administrators, and visiting guests
who use the office.
SAC keeps close ties with Student
Affairs. It is crucial that good communication and information
flow be maintained between SAC and all areas of the campus.
Early each semester SAC advisees are
invited by mail to make an appointment for an "advising session"
with the advisor of the student's intended major. These sessions
allow the advisor and advisee an opportunity to discuss, in
a relaxed manner, issues related to the student's past academic
performance, the student's aspirations for a major and degree,
and other factors which influence academic achievement. If
the student needs help with a concern outside the advisor's
expertise, such as assistance from a professionally trained
counselor, appropriate referrals are made. Students
are also invited to see SAC advisors if there are signs of
academic difficulty or concerns expressed by their professors.
Students remain with the advisors in the Student Advising
Center until three conditions are met: 1) the attainment of
thirty semester hours toward degree, 2) satisfactory academic
progress (a 2.00 grade point average minimum), and 3) the
selection of a major for which there is a reasonably high
certainty of continuance. When these three conditions are
met, an advisor representing the division in which the student
plans to major initiates a transfer of the student to a permanent
advisor in that division.
Presumably the student will have made a successful transition
to college life, begun to establish a sense of self-identity,
and have made progress toward the development and attainment
of personal and educational goals. If, however, a student
should later change majors or educational objectives, the
student may be transferred back to the Student Advising Center
for additional advising.
SAC RECOGNITION
Since it was established in 1984, the Student Advising Center
has achieved significant external recognition. In 1986, SAC
received an ACT/NACADA Outstanding Institutional Advising
Program Award , in 1990 a Retention Excellence Award from
the Noel/Levitz National Center for Student Retention, and in 2007 NACADA's Outstanding Advising Technology Innovation Certificate of Merit. In 2002, the director received NACADA's Outstanding Advising Administrator award. Seven
ESU faculty advisors have received NACADA's Outstanding Advisor
Award. SAC advisors and directors have written
numerous articles for the NACADA Journal and are regular presenters
at regional and national conventions. SAC is a continuing
source of information for universities wanting assistance
with their advising programs.
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