Some Useful Information
Twice a year, professors and students meet one-to-one for academic advising sessions. I treat this time as having two purposes:
Here are some ways you can prepare for advising:
- to be sure that students are making good progress through their course of study
- to check in about life issues that are affecting a student’s educational experience in good and/or not-so-good ways
- know what’s your responsibility as a student
As a seminary student, you should know what’s involved in your plan of study and know the kinds of forms you need to access for exceptions to AMBS’s academic policies (course substitutions, course extensions, leave of absence, etc.). - know what my responsibilities and roles are as an adviser
Part of my job is to complete some paperwork to document your progress through your studies. Here is a link to the topics that are part of my reporting. Also, know that when and where policies aren’t clear to you, it’s my job to help you track down answers to your questions. The advising setting and relationship are also resources for you when you need support to process issues that arise in virtual and physical classrooms, internships, or other spaces that impact your educational experience. I have training that prepares me to be a “safe person” with whom to talk about challenging things, so know you are welcome to bring concerns about your or another’s well-being to me in my role as your advisor. (At AMBS, teaching faculty members are not mandatory reporters.)
Here are some ways you can prepare for advising:
- read (and even re-read) the e-mail that comes from the Registrar’s Office about the advising process
The information in the message is full of straightforward information, but it can be easy to miss important bits and pieces. I like to think of reading this message as a practice in empathy. How would you feel if you were the AMBS Registrar and you communicated clearly about registration processes, and students didn’t read your e-mail? - sign up for an advising meeting
Because I have advisees both here in Elkhart County and at a distance from the AMBS campus, I use Google Calendar Appointment Slots to give you a way to schedule your session with me — it makes more sense to use this approach than posting a sign-up sheet outside my office door! Here is the link to my booking page. - prepare for our meeting
The AMBS catalog, academic calendar, and course list are your top resources to prepare for advising, along with all those goodies in your Advisee/Formation Portfolio shared through Google. As your prepare, this is a great time to note any questions you have and either e-mail them to me in advance of our meeting or bring them with you to the meeting. You can also prepare by reviewing the topics that the Dean’s Office asks us to discuss.
photo | sampler quilt (detail 2) by knitsteel| Creative Commons License: CC BY-NA 2.0