Actions to be Implemented

Over the next four years, UNG will hire approximately 29 additional professional advisors who will be centralized in Academic Advising Centers on the various campuses. The advisors will be specially trained in specific academic programs of study. Students will be mandated to see a professional advisor through their first 40 credit hours, during which time they will develop educational plans and receive advisement on a wide range of academic concerns such as core curriculum requirements, choosing a proper major, the effects of changing majors, and how to become more independent in tracking degree progression.

After 40 earned hours, faculty will serve as each student’s primary advisor, with mandatory checkpoint advising at 60 and 90 hours. Faculty will move students toward learning experiences that support the major, such as research and internships, as well as discuss career opportunities and/or graduate school.

To strengthen faculty advising, a Master Faculty Advisor Program (MFA) will be created. MFA’s will take the lead in individual departments to improve advising at those levels, predicated on the needs of a given major. MFA’s will also collaborate closely with professional advisors centralized in campus Academic Advising Centers.

Advising programming both before and during new student orientations is designed to expose students to information that will support them in defining academic goals, taking personal responsibility for developing educational plans, and engaging in appropriate learning experiences to achieve educational goals.

Specifically, students will be required to complete a mandatory online orientation prior to attending on-campus New Student Orientation. The academic advising section of the online orientation provides students with an introduction to the mission of academic advising as a teaching and learning experience, informs about expectations of advisor and advisee, explains core curriculum and graduation requirements, and provides information about other important academic policies and procedures.

During mandatory New Student and Transfer Student Orientations, Maximize Your Major programming will be implemented. The sessions are scheduled to take place after the core curriculum overview, but prior to students completing course registration. Information provided during the sessions is designed to address immediate student needs as well as provide an overview of the educational path the students have chosen, including program requirements and learning opportunities outside of the classroom.