This document summarizes key information from a first-year advising meeting, including introductions of the advisor and an overview of the advising process. Students are encouraged to ask questions and provided with information on academic resources and policies. Key contacts are outlined for academic advising, support services, and clarification on attendance policies and important upcoming dates.

1. First-Year Advising Meeting 1: Why Are You Here?

2. Elizabeth Franklin Lewis Associate Professor of Spanish BA Auburn University; MA/PhD University of Virginia My 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 levels Office hours: MWF 11:00-12:00, and TH 10:00-11:00, and by appointment

3. Academic Advisor Student Information Sheet Helps me to get a sense of: who you are what your background is what your plans are things that may affect your academics and how I should advise you

4. 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?

5. There are no stupid questions 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.) How about things like: What is a Registrar? Where do I go for tutoring? Can I approach my professors after class?

6. Time Capsule Letter 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. What are your expectations? What are your questions/fears/goals? What are you most excited about? What are you dreading the most?

7. Liberal Arts Education Broad Engaging Well-rounded Productive Critical Thinking Connected Informed Diverse Free-thinking Collective Growing Lifelong

8. What Will These Folks Answer for Me? Professors What 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 topic I need some guidance with my paper Academic Advisor What 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?

9. Who do I go to for… Academic Services Academic Rules and Regulations - Dictionary of Academic Regulations Exceptions to policies: late withdrawal, incompletes, course out of sequence, etc. Advising for students in academic jeopardy (probation, suspension) Tutoring and Study Skills Registrar Transfer/Dual Enrollment, AP, IB, Cambridge credit Transcripts Dates and Deadlines Degree Audits Banner – schedule, transcript, registration

10. Who do I go to for… Student Life Clubs Organizations Leadership opportunities Volunteer opportunities (OSACS) Residence Life (under Student Life) Housing concerns Roommates Psychological Services Stress and Anxiety Problems at home Problems with friends, significant others, roommates Feeling overwhelmed Depression Don’t wait until you’re at a breaking point! Health Center Illness, Fatigue, etc.

11. 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.

12. Attendance Policy There is no such thing as an excused absence. 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.

13. 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 UMWCatalog 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 AcademicRegulations for details.

14. 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

15. EagleNetand E-mail University offices will use announcements in EagleNetto communicate with groups. Check it daily. University offices will use email for personal communications with you. Check it daily.

16. Important Dates Before the Next Meeting August 27– Last day to add classes September 10– Last day to drop a course without a “W” grade September 24 - 26 – Family Weekend October 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)