EMU First Year Advising
The EMU first year advising model is designed to increase student sense of belonging and increase student success by providing holistic, student-centered support and equipping new EMU students to own their college and career plans. Documentation of these plans will enable students to carry forward their visions for their time at EMU as they transition to faculty advisors within their disciplinary areas during their second year.
During their first semester on campus, students will begin to draft their own 4-year Career and Academic plans and will discuss and refine them in consultation with their first year advisors. These plans incorporate curriculum guidance from the general education CORE courses, 4-year plans for the relevant academic majors, and suggested milestones for their student E-portfolio.
As students start meeting with a faculty advisor in their major during years 2-4, they will bring the working 4-year plan with them. Faculty advisors will be able to efficiently review the draft curriculum plans and, ideally, have more time to work with students on career preparation and considering how co-curricular involvements may support their personal aspirations. In this way, we anticipate that EMU’s first year advising will bolster student success, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy through advising far beyond the first year.
First Year advisors who do more than advise about classes
Traditionally, an academic advisor’s main job is to help students determine a major and select courses that will progress them toward meeting the requirements of graduation. This is still a very important aspect of first year advising and the foundation upon which successful advising is built. However, increasingly, academic advisors need to be knowledgeable about helping students deal with personal issues and help them connect to campus resources. Advisors also serve in mentor roles to help students resolve conflicts within the campus community and to help them navigate the functional aspects of the student experience, including interacting with the business office, financial assistance office, housing and residence life offices, tutoring center, and health/counseling services. First year advisors may not be able to answer all the questions a student has, but they will be able to guide the student to the person that can help them find the answer.
