6 Faculty Advising
6.1 A Commitment to Advising
Fordham University is committed to providing sound and comprehensive advising for its students. Undergraduates need guidance on issues such as course requirements and expectations, the curriculum, registration, administrative procedures, choosing a major, planning a career, adjusting to college life, and dealing with the various stresses that affect their work. There are a number of offices on campus which assist students in these areas. At Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, and the Gabelli School of Business, an assistant dean is in charge of academic advising for each of the class years. In the Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies, although most students are adults studying on a part-time basis, consultation with a dean is required prior to registration in each of the first two semesters of study and at any time thereafter if good academic standing is not maintained.
Specialized academic advisors provide information on prestigious fellowships and pre-professional programs; the Counseling Center helps the student deal with emotional, psychological, and developmental issues and offers workshops on study skills and test anxiety; and the Career Services assists students with career decisions. Faculty, as well, play a critical role in the academic advising process: by advising students in their classes, by serving as faculty advisors for freshmen and for students in the academic majors.
6.2 Advising in the Classroom
Since faculty have regular and significant contact with the students in their classes, they are often in the best position to recognize and address student problems. Speaking with the student may be the only course of action required, but at other times it is important to contact the Class Dean as well as to advise the student to do so. This is the case, for example, when the faculty member is unable to help,when the problem is serious and may jeopardize the student's well being or general academic performance, or when the action required must become a matter of record.
6.3 Faculty Advisors for Freshmen
Since first-year students have broad and special advising needs, the Freshman Dean in Fordham College at Rose Hill and Fordham College at Lincoln Center annually recruit faculty to assist formally in the advising process. Each advisor is assigned approximately 15-20 freshmen with whom he or she meets at regularly scheduled times throughout the academic year. Before meeting with their advisees, the advisors of FCRH and FCLC attend a training session on the program. The first meeting between advisor and students takes place during Freshman Orientation, at which time the students receive their class schedules.
Advising session’s times are used to discuss specific topics, among them: the college bulletin, study skills, time management, academic honesty, drawing up a course schedule, and choosing a major. Each semester, all faculty are required to submit mid-term grades for freshmen. At that time the advisor also arranges individual meetings with the students to review the grades. In FCRH, these grades are distributed by the freshman advisors at that meeting. Freshmen on both campuses are also encouraged to meet with their advisors as problems or questions develop during the year. Freshman advisors in Fordham College at Rose Hill and Fordham College at Lincoln Center continue to advise their students until the student declares a major which normally occurs in the Spring semester of their sophomore year.
GSB freshmen will be enrolled in a non-credit freshman enrichment seminar that will be administered by a fulltime faculty member in conjunction with the freshman class dean. This new freshman enrichment program is a joint effort between business faculty and the GSB Dean’s Office. The business faculty members will engage the freshmen with business related discussions and introduce them to the various business disciplines. The administrative side of freshman advising, which includes the distribution of midterm grades, course scheduling, and program opportunities will be handled via advising sessions by the Dean’s Office.
In Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies, faculty representatives are invited to participate in the Orientation Programs for new students held prior to the start of each term. Students are not assigned to faculty advisors but are encouraged to consult frequently with faculty members of their choice. A formal consultation is required when a Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies student declares his/her choice of major.
6.4 Major/Minor Advising
Advising of majors and minors is handled by the individual departments and interdisciplinary programs. In most cases, the Associate Chair of the department or the Program Director coordinates the faculty advising efforts in the area.
In GSB, advising in terms of selecting a major, concentration, minor or special program are handled by the appropriate class dean and/or special program director.
