Faculty Advisor Resources

Review the Tools and Resources section below.

One week prior to meeting with advisees, faculty advisors should do the following:

• Set up advising appointments in the Student Success Collaborative
• Set up advising campaign
• Communicate faculty advisor's expectations to advisees to come to their appointments prepared
• Review advisees' Degree Audits prior to meeting with each one and contact the Registrar's Office if there are any problems

Sample SSC communication

Sample email communication

During meetings with advisees, faculty advisors should do the following:

• Check on the advisee's well-being
• Review how to navigate Degree Audit with advisees, if necessary
• Ask advisees if they belong to a special population and check that they are on track with their requirements (student-athlete, ROTC, etc)
• Discuss academic progress, problems, and possible resolutions 
• Discuss career and professional development goals, aspirations, plans, and short- and long-term action steps to achieve them
• Review the advisee's course selections and possible alternative courses for the coming term and how they will facilitate progress toward degree and movement toward career goals
• Encourage students to engage in high-impact practices (e.g., internships, study abroad, service- and community-engaged learning, research assistantships)

Immediately after meeting with advisees, faculty advisors should do the following:

• Make notes on each advisee's Degree Audit and in SSC
• Contact the Registrar's Office about any changes to the advisee's Degree Audit

Within a few weeks after meeting with advisees, faculty advisors should do the following:

• Follow up with advisees and others regarding any issues raised, including their resolution
• Ask advisees about the outcomes of their short-term action steps to achieve career and professional development goals
• Encourage advisees to keep you informed of developments

The Research and External Scholarships Advisor at Stetson University promotes awareness of distinguished scholarships and fellowship opportunities (think Rhodes, Fulbright, etc.) and liaises with faculty/staff advisors to identify, support and advance student engagement at all stages of scholarship preparation and submission. Consider getting involved by doing any of the following:

• Do you know a student who shows great promise - academically or as a leader? Nominate them for distinguished scholarship and fellowship advising by emailing their name to the Research and External Scholarships Advisor at [email protected].
•  Are you a previous award winner or have experience advising for a particular scholarship? Contact [email protected] if you are open to sharing your experience or advice with interested students.
• Spread the word! Mention opportunities like Rhodes, Fulbright, and others in the class, show them the website, bring it up during your advising sessions, etc. Many students may never hear about these wonderful opportunities unless you tell them.

Website: External Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
Contact: [email protected]
Facebook: @StetsonUScholarships

• Academic Forms and Resources

Degree Audit

• Degree Audit is a tool that enables advisors and advisees to assess their academic progress toward completion of their degree. Access the Degree Audit tutorial here.
• This tool includes students' grade point averages (GPA), number of credits attained (at and outside of Stetson), number of cultural credits earned, and fulfillment of general education and major course requirements, as well as elective courses taken
• Degree Audit has a notes section where advisors can record information about an advisee's suggested or required courses for a given semester or about the advisee's future educational and career plans. In this section, advisors can also obtain information about whether a student has signed the FERPA waiver granting permission for the advisor to speak to specific individuals about academic issues.
• Another feature available to both advisors and advisees is the “What If” feature that allows the user to submit a hypothetical major and/or minor for a given year to see how the student's completed and in-progress courses map onto the courses needed for the hypothetical major or minor.
• Additionally, the planner feature allows students and advisors to enter information about the advisee's course schedule for each semester.

Student Success Collaborative (SSC)

• Stetson University's Student Success Collaborative (SSC) is a software platform used to promote student success on the DeLand campus. It provides faculty and staff with various information and features to support their work to increase student retention and persistence to graduation. SSC also provides students with a resource hub, including information about tutoring and booking appointments for various campus services.
• Although SSC is designed to be a very intuitive interface, online user guides are available for members of the Stetson community. Support is available from members of Campus Life and Student Success (CLASS) by calling 386.822.7127 and asking for Stephanie, Aaron, or Colin, or emailing [email protected] with any Stetson SSC questions or requesting a group training session. 

Catalog

• The Stetson University Catalog is published each year and includes information on admissions, scholarships and other financial aid, student life, academic programs and course offerings.
• To access 4-Year Advising Plans, start with the Stetson University Catalog, select "Undergraduate" on the left-hand side, then choose the applicable college. Navigate to the tab labeled "Majors" and select the plan that best matches your student's path.

Registrar

• The Registrar's website offers helpful advising information for students and faculty, including the Academic Calendar with specific dates for advising and registration, information about the 1974 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and a Course Search which is also accessible through MyStetson

Students may be unable to register due to a hold on their account. These holds appear on the top right of the degree audit and list the type of hold and the office or person responsible for each one. Students should contact those offices or persons to learn the steps necessary to remove the hold.

Types of Holds:

• Meet with Advisor. The student needs to meet with their Faculty Advisor. The hold is removed by the faculty advisor after meeting with the student advisee.
• Student Account. The student needs to speak with Bursar's Office. (386-822-7050; [email protected]; located in the One Stop Office in the Welcome Center)
• Registration. The student needs to speak with the Registrar's office. (386-822-7140; [email protected]; located in the One Stop Office in the Welcome Center)
• Advising Labs. (e.g., Advising 101 Hold, Advising 102 Hold) 
  The student needs to complete the Advising Lab in Canvas. Contact Academic Success with questions (386-822-7345; [email protected]; located in the Hollis Family Student Success Center on the second floor of the duPont-Ball Library). 
• Discovery Advising. First-year students that are enrolled as Discovery majors must meet with their assigned Discovery advisor in order to register for classes. If a student declares their major within their first year at Stetson, they will no longer be required to meet with the Discovery advisor and the hold will be removed. For assistance with this hold please you can contact the Academic Success department by at 386-822-7345 or[email protected].
• Career 201 Lab. Students in their 3rd semester at Stetson will be required to complete the Career 201 lab, housed in Canvas, before being able to register for classes. For questions concerning this lab, you can contact the Career and Professional Development office at 386-822-7315 or [email protected].
• Athletic. This does not stop a student from registering. This is to make the advisor aware that the advisee is a student-athlete. If a student has a question about their compliance or registration as it pertains to eligibility, direct them to the Office of Student Services, Academics, and Compliance in Athletics (bottom floor of the Edmunds Center).
• Community Standards. The student needs to speak with the Office of Community Standards. (386-822-7205; [email protected]; Student Life Building).

Process for Removing “Meet with Advisor Hold” before Registration:

Highlights:

• PIN's are no longer required for registration, except for students who receive priority registration.
• The practice of students seeing their advisor in order to register does not change.

Process:

• All currently enrolled students will have a hold placed on their registration approximately three to four weeks before the start of the official advising period begins.
• Once a student has completed her or his advising session with the faculty advisor, the advisor will remove the registration hold.

How an Advisor Removes a Hold:

• Navigate to My.Stetson/Faculty/Advisor Menu/Current List of Advisees.
• Select the term for which the student is being advised to register.
• Enter a checkmark in the box located by the student's name in the column titled “Advised Student.” This will remove the registration hold in the system for this student instantaneously. However, it will remove only the registration hold; it will not remove any other holds (e.g., financial).
• There is no need to submit, save, or do anything after entering the check mark, and check marks may be entered for more than one student. Close the browser window once the process is finished.
• The student will now be able to register.

What Happens When An Advisor or Department Chair advises a student who is not their advisee?

• Contact the Registrar's Office to remove the hold.
• How will I know whether a student has priority registration? If you see the student ID and a Registration PIN combination (e.g., 800123456/123456). 
• What if I put the checkmark in the box of the wrong student? Remove the checkmark from the student who should not have the hold removed and enter the checkmark for the correct student.

Students who have not completed two years of a foreign language in high school may be admitted to the University with the provision that they demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at the 102 level within their first four fall/spring semesters at Stetson. This can be satisfied by taking a 102L course at Stetson, transferring to a 102-level foreign language course from another institution, or taking the language placement exam and placing it into the 201 level. Students admitted provisionally have a notation in Degree Audit in the Degree Requirements section underneath the GPA requirement labeled Provisional Admit Language. The Provisional Admit Language block within Degree Audit has the requirement of “Must complete Modern Language through 102” with details of “This requirement must be completed within your first four fall-spring semesters at Stetson per your Provisional admission to the University.” Students also receive communication from the Office of Admissions about their provisional admission, which includes details about how to satisfy the requirement.

Stetson's general education requirements are based on and align with the Association of American Colleges and Universities Liberal Education and America's Promise initiative, including LEAP's essential learning outcomes. Access general education information for each college/school with the links below.

• General Education
• College of Arts and Sciences
• School of Business Administration
• School of Music

Course placement procedures are outlined for several subjects to ensure that students are placed in the most appropriate courses. Click here to access more information on Placement Testing.

Honors

• The Stetson University Honors Program provides a select group of students an academically enriched and intellectually stimulating experience. In place of the general education classes required of all Stetson students, Honors students experience a uniquely integrated curriculum consisting of specially designed Honors core courses and special educational opportunities and experiences. In addition to meeting with their faculty advisor, honors students have access to an honors advisor. 
• Honors Advisors: Yohan Ripert - [email protected]

First-year Discovery students

• Students who have not yet chosen their major are automatic members of the Discovery Program. All students, however, are welcome and encouraged to participate in the program. For those students who are undecided when they enter Stetson, the aim is that they will be able to identify and transition into their major by the end of their first year. Students who have not yet declared a major must complete additional requirements. In their second semester, Discovery students must have an individual meeting with their secondary advisor, the Coordinator of Advising Support. 
• Discovery Advisor: Steven Carrillo ([email protected])

Multiple Majors

• Students with more than one major will have a faculty advisor for each major. On degree audit, the names of each faculty advisor are listed at the top on the righthand side. Requirements for any declared majors will appear on degree audit. However, if the student is earning more than one degree (e.g., a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science), select the drop-down menu within the degree option at the top of the screen in order to see the audit worksheet for each degree.

Financial Planning

• The Stetson Office of Student Financial Planning promotes financial literacy, the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial well-being. The goal is to help equip students with knowledge and skills to make better decisions about their financial resources. This includes personal finances, investing, budgeting, paying for college, how to protect themselves from identity theft, understanding their financial aid and the FAFSA, and preparing for life after college with career and professional development.

CLaSS (Campus Life and Student Success)

• The Campus Life and Student Success (CLaSS) division offers resources, information and services to empower students to achieve success and significance at Stetson and beyond. The CLaSS umbrella includes a set of offices: Career and Professional Development, Residential Living and Learning, Diversity and Inclusion, Public Safety, Health Service, Student Development and Campus Vibrancy, Religious and Spiritual Life, Community Standards, Dining Services, Wellness and Recreation, Title IX, Student Counseling Services, Community Engagement, and Academic Success. For students who are interested in getting involved or are trying to find their place on campus, there are over 140 student organizations and multiple opportunities for leadership development in various departments on the CLaSS website.

Career and Professional Development Resources

• Hatter Jobs: Online professional development portal that students can access via My Stetson under the Student Life tab. Provides opportunities for students to make appointments with career advisors, receive resume feedback, find opportunities including on-campus jobs, internships, and full-time positions, practice with a video interview tool, connect with employers, and view upcoming events.

• Additional Resources for Students:
  • Major & Career Guidance: Access resources including Traitify personality assessment with results matched to careers and Stetson majors, What Can I Do With This Major?, and the O*NET occupational database.
  • Internship Preparation & Student Registration
  • Graduate School Preparation
  • Job Search Resources

Mental Health

• If you are concerned about a student, report on SSC as an alert or note (SSC Alert vs Notes), see the SSC Case Tier System for what outreach steps will be taken by Academic Success and use the How to Report Student Concerns Flowchart to find the best way to give them support. 
• Kognito is a 30- to 45-minute interactive online simulation program that is available to for faculty and staff. It can help advisors to identify students experiencing high levels of distress, Approach and discuss your concern with a student in distress, and make an effective referral to Student Counseling Services (if necessary). All new faculty and staff members are encouraged to complete this simulation. To access Kognito for new and returning users: Go to my.stetson.edu >Employee tab> My Job box > Kognito At Risk for Faculty and Staff Suicide Prevention Training > Select At-Risk for Faculty staff box > Click launch.

In the case of a mental health concern, refer or walk the student to Student Counseling Services.

• During Business Hours: Call 386-822-8900 or visit Student Counseling Services located in Griffith Hall (next to the CUB, in front of the Hollis Center).
• If not urgent, make an appointment with Student Counseling Services.
• Evenings, Weekends, or University Holidays: Call WellConnect at 833-848-1765 to reach an on-call counselor.

Accessibility

• If a student discloses a disability to you and needs accommodations, direct them to Accessibility Services. See Accessibility Faculty Resources for links that provide further information about general resources to support students academically, as well as specific information about classroom accessibility and accommodations.

Academic internships are a faculty-guided experience that empowers students to utilize knowledge and theory learned in the classroom in a professional setting.

• Faculty Steps to Initiate and Finalize Internship Course Registration
• Academic Internship Policies

Professional and Career Readiness is the attainment and demonstration of requisite competencies that broadly prepare college graduates for a successful transition into the workplace. In 2017, Stetson University adopted the National Association of Colleges and Employers Career Readiness Competencies to fit our unique student culture.

All students are required to complete Career Advising 201 in the first semester of their second year. Students access this online lab through the Career Advising 201 Canvas course. Building upon the skills and knowledge acquired through the Advising 101 and 102 Labs, completing Career Advising 201 prepares students to reflect upon their career readiness, learn about tools and resources offered by Career and Professional Development, and plan for the next steps in their professional journeys.

Career 201 Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to identify and access online tools and resources for their career and professional success, such as resume guides and templates, HatterJobs (Links to an external site.), and the Sophomore Pathway to Career Success.
   • This outcome relates directly to the career readiness competency of Technology, defined by NACE as "Understanding and leveraging technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals".
2. Students will be able to reflect upon their career interests, career readiness competencies, and experiences to create a resume showcasing their education, work/volunteer experience, and competencies.
   • This outcome relates directly to the career readiness competency of Career & Self-Development, defined by NACE as the skill to "Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization".
3. Students will be able to further develop their personal narratives by reflecting on their career interests, describing a competency they developed last year, and identifying a competency they intend to develop this year.
   • This outcome relates directly to the career readiness competency of Critical Thinking, which NACE defines as the ability to "Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information".

Career and Professional Development Tools and Resources

Students are instructed to watch the three videos below about some of the tools and resources provided by Career and Professional Development to help them explore, understand, and articulate their career interests and competencies.

Resume Assignment

Students are instructed to complete the Resume assignment, where they will create and upload a resume to HatterJobs for review by the Career team. This assignment is required to satisfy the Career Advising 201 lab hold.

Reflection Questions

Students are instructed to complete a three-question reflection based on their experience developing career readiness competencies while at Stetson. This assignment is required to satisfy the Career Advising 201 lab hold.

1. Describe one way in which you developed a Career Readiness competency through one of your academic courses last year. What did you do or learn, and how did you apply it?
2. Identify one of the Career Readiness competencies that you want to develop this year and describe how you can develop it through your academic courses. What do you want to do or learn, and how will you apply it?
3. Describe one of your strengths and one area for growth.
   1. For your strength: explain what it is and describe a specific example of when you have used it.
   2. For your area for growth: explain what it is and describe a specific example of how you might be able to grow in this area.

All first-year students are required to complete Advising 101 in their first semester and Advising 102 in their second semester. Students access these online tutorials through the Advising 101 and Advising 102 Canvas organizations (not courses). Completing these tutorials should prepare students for impactful advising meetings with their faculty advisors.

• Advising 101 focuses on the tools, requirements, and logistics of advising
• Advising 102 gives students an opportunity to reflect on their Stetson narrative thus far, envision career aspirations, and become aware of and plan for the incorporation of high-impact practices into their educational plan

Advising 101 Learning Outcomes- Lab for first-year students

• Students will be able to articulate what they would like to learn and demonstrate how they can use Stetson University's curriculum and campus resources to design a unique learning experience.
  • Critical Thinking will be used to identify available campus tools and resources that are instrumental to success in Stetson's curriculum. Students will create and implement innovative ideas to design a unique learning experience during their time.
• Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the General Education Curriculum.
  • Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the General Education Curriculum illustrates Professionalism. By setting and accomplishing goals and producing high-quality results during their General Education, students will prepare themselves for major-specific courses.
• Students will be able to navigate the three major registration systems: degree audit, course search, and course selection. These tools will be used to give students autonomy over their course schedules.
  • Technology allows students to leverage existing technologies in order to complete tasks and accomplish goals. Learning how to use online tools gives students the autonomy to search for classes, build their schedules, and navigate the curriculum. 
• Students will prepare suggested courses and key questions for meeting with your faculty advisor.
  • Meeting with a faculty advisor requires Communication as well as Teamwork. Students should be able to express ideas and build a collaborative relationship with their advisor in order to achieve a common goal.

Stetson Tools

Students are instructed to watch the three videos below about Stetson's various tools and resources that will assist them through registration and advising.

• Course Search/MyStetson Tools 
• Understanding Catalog and Registrar Tools
• Degree Audit

Assignments

• This course consists of 5 Edpuzzle video assignments, totaling 20 questions and about 20 minutes of video content. Students must earn at least a 75% overall grade in the course to have the hold lifted. This assignment is required to satisfy the Advising 101 lab hold. 

Advising 102 Learning Outcomes- Lab for continuing first-year students

• Students will begin to explore and write their personal narratives by reflecting on their transition into higher education and their first semester at Stetson.
  
  • Professionalism and Productivity will be key elements in crafting a student’s personal narrative. By identifying how they have set and accomplished goals, as well as sharing their success and struggles in adapting to a new environment, students show accountability and drive.
• Students will be able to identify and articulate places in their chosen curriculum where learning and individual values meet.
  
  • Openness, inclusiveness, and sensitivity are important qualities to demonstrate while learning at Stetson. Global and Intercultural Engagement will be present in a student's curriculum, and interactions with faculty and peers, and will help shape students' shared experiences. Meaningful connections and authentic interrelationships will be developed and used to contribute collaboratively and equitably. 
• Students will identify areas for continued success and/or improvement in academic choices. 
  
  • Awareness of one’s actions, abilities and beliefs is important for continued success and/or improvement in higher education. Leadership is demonstrated through these qualities and the ability to empower others to make good academic choices.
• Students will prepare suggested courses and key questions for meeting with their faculty advisor.
  
  • Communication and Career Navigation will help students express ideas and gain a variety of options for their future. Faculty advisors can help navigate career goals and identify areas of necessary professional growth through the curriculum chosen.

High Impact Practices Video

• The student will learn about the high-impact practices available at Stetson, which include internships, community engagement, study abroad, research, and leadership development. Students are encouraged to consider how they will integrate these practices into their academic experience. 

Reflection Questions

Students are required to answer the questions below as part of their reflection activity. This assignment is required to satisfy the Advising 102 lab hold.

• Reflect on your personal and academic growth since you arrived this fall. How has your Stetson experience helped you develop new skills, new attitudes, different beliefs or values, or new goals/interests? (Wirth & Christiansen, 2017)
• Identify and describe a challenge or failure you experienced during this past semester. What have you learned about yourself that will shape the way you face challenges and/or failures in the future? (Wirth & Christiansen, 2017)
• What goals do you want to set for yourself for the semester and the future? As part of your goals pick one high-impact practice you are interested in pursuing (Wirth & Christiansen, 2017). To prepare for your faculty advising meeting, write at least one question related to the high-impact practice you chose to discuss with your advisor. For example, “Does my major require an internship?” “What are some of the study abroad experiences students in my major have gone on?” “What is the best time for an internship or study abroad experience in my major or course sequence?”