Academic Advising

Need help? Do you want to speak to an ESCC Representative?

Dava Foster dfoster@escc.edu

Micaela Knight mknight@escc.edu

Contact Counseling Services and any Success Center staff member at 334-347-2623 or email advising@escc.edu. A counselor will either assist you or connect you with your advisor.

Academic advising at Enterprise State Community College is designed to help students define and achieve their academic goals. Academic advisors can assist you with:

• Short and long term academic and career goal setting
• Course selection for your program of study
• Transfer information and requirements
• Registration and class scheduling
• Information regarding college policies
• Support services and community resources information
• Academic concerns or issues

Who is my advisor?

Each first-time freshman is assigned a Freshman Advisor. Upon completing the freshman year, students who achieved a 2.6 GPA or higher will be assigned a faculty advisor based upon their program of study. Students who achieved a 2.5 GPA or lower will be assigned a Success Advisor. The name of your advisor is listed on your degree plan.

How I can contact my advisor?

Your advisor can be contacted by visiting his/her office and via phone or email. Faculty email is the first letter of the faculty member’s first name and their full last name @escc.edu. (Ex. Jane Doe jdoe@escc.edu).

How often should I meet with my advisor?

Plan to meet with your advisor at least once per semester, especially during your first few semesters at ESCC and as you near graduation. First-year freshmen are unauthorized for web registration until they have met with their advisor.

What do I do if I cannot reach my advisor?

Contact the Counseling Services Department at 334-347-2623 or email advising@escc.edu. A counselor will either assist you or connect you with your advisor.

What role should my advisor have in my academic experience?

Advisor Role and Responsibilities

The academic advisor serves as a coordinator of the student’s educational experiences and assists students in realizing the educational benefits available to them. The advisor’s task is to guide the student toward accepting responsibilities for mature academic decision-making. If the advisor and the student take responsibility for their share of the partnership, then both should have a rich and satisfying experience. As such, the academic advisor’s responsibilities include the following:

1. Inform students of the nature of the advisor/student relationship.
2. Designate and post hours available for advising.
3. Assist students in selecting a realistic program consistent with their abilities and interests.
4. Discuss relationships between institutional programs and occupational careers.
5. Assist students in monitoring and evaluating their educational progress.
6. Approve all designated educational transactions.
7. Interpret instructional policies, procedures, and requirements.
8. Refer students to appropriate campus resources.
9. Encourage students to accept responsibility for their own actions and decisions.
10. Evaluate the advising system, when requested, in order to strengthen the advising process.

What role do I have as the advisee in my academic experience?

Advisee Role and Responsibilities

Academic advising is a joint responsibility of advisors and students. Students carry a large portion of the responsibility in the advising process and should take the initiative to seek advisement and develop the advisor/advisee relationship. In order to contribute to an effective advising relationship, students are expected to:

1. Make contact early in the term with the academic advisor prior to any need for pre-registration assistance.
2. Meet with the advisor during the official academic advisement period prior to registration, and keep scheduled appointments unless other arrangements are made with the advisor.
3. Prepare for advising sessions and bring appropriate resources or materials.
4. Communicate personal values, abilities, interests, and goals to the advisor.
5. Be willing to seek out the academic advisor at times other than registration for advice.
6. Follow through on actions identified during each advising session.
7. Become knowledgeable of all graduation requirements and adhere to institutional policies, procedures, deadlines, and requirements.
8. Become familiar with campus resources.
9. Evaluate the advising system, when requested, in order to strengthen the process.
10. Accept final responsibility for all decisions.

What if I have not decided on a major?

Visit the Counseling Services Department to speak with a counselor about online career interest inventories such as FOCUS 2 that are available to assist you with a major selection that will be the best fit for you.

What if I would like to change my major?

Visit the Counseling Services Department to speak with a counselor about changing your major and the impact it could have on your financial aid, degree completion, and course transferability.

Advising Procedures

New Student Orientation

Entering freshmen will participate in a New Student Orientation session and will meet with an academic advisor during the Orientation session to receive assistance with registering for their first semester classes.

Connections Week & Academic Advising Week

During Connections Week, current, returning, and transfer students will schedule an appointment with their advisor to meet with him/her during Academic Advising Week to register for the upcoming semester classes. During Academic Advising Week, students will go to the assigned advisor’s office to plan their schedule, print an Alabama Transfers guide, and discuss their plan of study. The advisor assists the student in creating a schedule, authorizes the student to register online for the next term, and explains the online registration procedure.

Outside Regular Faculty Advisor Office Hours

Students should go to the Counseling Services Department where counselors will be available to assist when academic advisors are not available.

Web Registration.

Students can access the Web to register once their advisor authorizes them. Students who are in freshmen status are not allowed to register online until they are assisted by an advisor to receive Web authorization.