‘Be Advised’ campaign launched to encourage students to get advice

Idaho State University has launched its “Be Advised” campaign to encourage students to reap the benefits of good advising prior to registering for fall classes in April.

“Advising is the cornerstone of a successful experience at Idaho State University,” said JoAnn Hertz, director of ISU academic advising. “Interaction with departmental faculty who are experts in their field provides an advantage to any student who seeks it.”

The campaign by the ISU Division of Enrollment Management directs students on how to best pursue the information they need to progress towards attaining their chosen degree program.

The benefits of advising are many and include:

• direct student contact with faculty from their chosen discipline;

• access to up-to-date information from the department;

• assistance with long-range degree completion planning;

• opportunity to expand discipline knowledge on an informal basis;

• understand what is needed to stay on track to graduation; and

• referrals and invitations to relevant learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

“With proper advising students will benefit by developing a professional relationship with a professor who can write recommendation letters for research or internship opportunities or serve as a scholarship reference,” Hertz said. “Faculty advisors can also help with career questions and graduate school applications.”

Advisors and advisees have a shared responsibility when it comes to the advising relationship. Students can expect advisors to provide information, be accessible, encourage educational engagement and assist with attaining educational goals.

Advisors can expect students to meet with them each semester, read the catalog or Web site information, be prepared for the advising session, bring questions to the advising session and to assume final responsibility for course scheduling, program planning and the successful completion of graduation requirements.

The registration schedule for fall semester 2009 is as follows:

• Senior  (90 or more credits) online registration begins a 6 p.m. April 10, in-person registration begins April 13;

• Junior (58 or more credits) online registration begins at 6 p.m. April 14, in-person registration begins April 15;

• Sophomore (26 or more credits) online registration begins at 6 p.m. April 16, in-person registration begins April 17;

• Freshman (25 or fewer) online registration begins 6 p.m. April 20, in-person registration begins April 21.

For more information, contact ISU Academic Advising Center at (208) 282-3277 or hertjoan@isu.edu.