First-Year AdvisingMeeting 1:

Why Are You Here?

Elizabeth Franklin LewisAssociate Professor of SpanishBA Auburn University; MA/PhD University of VirginiaMy specialty is 18th-19th century literature of Spain, and women’s literature in Spanish, but I teach Spanish language, culture and literature from 100-400 levelsOffice hours: MWF 11:00-12:00, and TH 10:00-11:00, and by appointment

Academic Advisor Student Information Sheet

Helps me to get a sense of:

who you arewhat your background iswhat your plans arethings that may affect your academics and how I should advise you

Introductions

Around the group:What is your name?Where are you from?What class are you most excited about?What class are you most worried about?What is a question about academics you have right now?

There are no stupid questions

How about things like:What is a Registrar? Where do I go for tutoring?Can I approach my professors after class?

Here’s your chance to ask any question you like, no matter if you think you’re the only one who doesn’t know. (You’re probably not the only one.)

Time Capsule Letter

What are your expectations?What are your questions/fears/goals?What are you most excited about?What are you dreading the most?

You’ve had an entire summer and you may not have written much. It’s time to get back in the swing of things. Write a letter for your future self to read at the end of the year.

Liberal Arts Education

BroadEngagingWell-roundedProductiveCritical ThinkingConnected

InformedDiverseFree-thinkingCollectiveGrowingLifelong

What Will These Folks Answer for Me?

Academic AdvisorWhat are the General Education Requirements?Where can I find my prospective major’s requirements? If it is not my advisor’s discipline, where (from whom) can I get more advice?How do I pick classes?Where do I go to get help with my writing or find out about study skills?Where do I go for help with emotional problems that are affecting my school work?

ProfessorsWhat are the course requirements?What is the syllabus?What are their office hours?What is the best way to contact them (e-mail or phone)?I’m having trouble understanding a topicI need some guidance with my paper

Who do I go to for…

Academic ServicesAcademic Rules and Regulations - Dictionary of Academic RegulationsExceptions to policies: late withdrawal, incompletes, course out of sequence, etc.Advising for students in academic jeopardy (probation, suspension)Tutoring and Study Skills

RegistrarTransfer/Dual Enrollment, AP, IB, Cambridge creditTranscriptsDates and DeadlinesDegree AuditsBanner – schedule, transcript, registration

Who do I go to for…Student Life

ClubsOrganizationsLeadership opportunitiesVolunteer opportunities (OSACS)

Residence Life (under Student Life)Housing concernsRoommates

Psychological ServicesStress and AnxietyProblems at homeProblems with friends, significant others, roommatesFeeling overwhelmedDepressionDon’t wait until you’re at a breaking point!

Health CenterIllness, Fatigue, etc.

Things to Know and Think About

Academic Calendar

Add/Drop Period

Print out your schedule every time you make changes

Plot out weekly commitments

Use a calendar to keep track of appointments and due dates

Look at the final exam schedule – I have a plane ticket or I’m going to a friend’s wedding will not excuse you from taking the final at the assigned time.

Attendance Policy

Faculty are entirely at their own discretion about whether or not to allow a student to make up missed assignments.

Class participation itself is an appropriate criterion for grading.

An instructor can drop you for non-attendance, but do not assume she/he has. If you do not drop a class that you are not attending, you will still have to pay for the course and will receive a failing grade.

Contact Academic Services if you will be out for more than 3 class meetings and they will send a courtesy notification to all of your instructors. This is a notification, not an excuse. You must then contact the instructors personally to see how they will handle missed work/time.

Tip: If you do have to miss a class, do not ask the instructor, “Did I miss anything important?” Assume it’s all important.

There is no such thing as an excused absence.

Common Misconceptions Cleared Up

As of this fall UMW has a variety of minors. You may decide to do one or more minors along with your major.

Education is not a major. You major in something else and work toward your teacher licensure.Pre-Med, Pre-Vet, Pre-Dental, Physical Education, Criminology, etc. are not majors. Consult the current UMW Catalog to see what majors are offered. You may be able to arrange some special majors, such as Linguistics or Italian Studies. Please see the Dictionary of Academic Regulations for details.

Search UMW

Need a quick answer to something? Try “Search UMW.” You can find the link on all UMW web pages. Enter a keyword and you will likely find the answer you are looking for. Check out:

http://www.umw.edu/search/default.php

EagleNet and E-mail

University offices will use announcements in EagleNet to communicate with groups. Check it daily.

University offices will use email for personal communications with you. Check it daily.

Important Dates Before the Next Meeting

August 27 – Last day to add classes

September 10 – Last day to drop a course without a “W” gradeSeptember 24 - 26 – Family WeekendOctober 1 – Last day to change to/from Pass/Fail (please note P/F regulations - Dictionary of Academic Regulations)

October 4 – Next meeting (Fall Break is one week later and the Advising Period comes right after Fall Break)