All students are assigned an academic advisor when they are accepted to Chowan University. You may have been assigned a temporary advisor during summer SOAR (Student Orientation and Registration) dates in order to equitably distribute SOAR attendees; not all faculty members are available at each SOAR session. If you have declared a major, your new advisor will usually teach within that department and will begin working with you during the first semester.

If you have not yet decided on a major, your advisor will be someone experienced in advising undecided students; once you declare a major, you will be assigned a permanent advisor in that field.

Campus Web will give you your advisor's name, email address, telephone number and office location.

• Log onto Campus Web using your Chowan ID and PIN number. (If you don’t know your ID and PIN number, go to the Registrar's Office and be prepared to show with your Chowan ID or other picture identification.)
• Click on the "My Profile" tab near the top of the page.
• Scroll down the left side of this page to the "My Academic Info" section: your advisor's name will be shown in underlined bright blue letters.
• Click on your advisor's name to see your advisor's email address, office location, and campus telephone number, as well as a list of courses your advisor is teaching this semester.

Contact information for the Blackboard Administrator can be found on the Blackboard login page. You may be required to show your Chowan ID or other picture identification to receive information about your password and ID.

Advising should be a collaborative effort between you and a professor who specializes in your field. Both of you share a responsibility for making this relationship work. The initial purpose of advising is to help you make decisions regarding classes. However, the more successful your relationship is, the sooner it will lead to your taking more responsibility for your own program of study. Through the years you work together, you become a team whose goal is to make sure you do as well as you can while at Chowan and graduate with a degree that has prepared you for your chosen career or the next step in your education. Both you and your advisor share responsibility for fostering this relationship so that you make the most of your opportunities at Chowan.

While your advisor will help you navigate university policies and procedures, and provide suggestions for completing the program you have chosen, all responsibility for knowing and fulfilling the requirements for your degree ultimately rests on your shoulders. This means you need to spend time thinking about what you want and where you want to go after Chowan:

1. Develop short-term and long-term academic and career goals. Reassess these on a regular basis. Share information about educational and career these goals with your advisor – especially if they change.
2. Study the Chowan catalog to find a program that fits those goals.
3. Evaluate your current program of study frequently to determine if it still meets your needs and plans.
4. Consider sharing any learning disabilities with your advisor. You will get the best advice from an advisor who knows all of your academic needs.
5. Evaluate your academic performance in the context of these goals. Pay honest attention to how you are progressing through the program. If you are having difficulty in your major area of study or you discover you are not enjoying the work anymore, it is time for a meeting with your advisor.
6. Do not discard your dream program only because you are finding it difficult to achieve, but honestly assess your aptitude abilities and commitment to your program of study and do not be afraid to explore other options. (This is an essential element and part of the fulfillment that comes from a liberal arts education.)
7. Schedule each advising appointment in a timely manner. Keep the appointment and show up on time, prepared with a schedule of classes you are considering and alternative courses as back-up.
8. Assume increasing responsibility for registration, career planning and completion of graduation requirements.

1. Be familiar with your catalog (see discussion under Item 6 below).
2. Be familiar with degree requirements for your major listed in that catalog.
3. Meet for advising at least once per semester to review your academic progress and select courses for the upcoming semester.
4. Prepare for advising appointments—review degree requirements, assess current-semester progress, and be prepared to make suggestions regarding the next semester’s course selection.
5. Periodically monitor Review progress toward successful completion of graduation requirements at these meetings.

1. Help finding a new program of study if your education or career goals change.
2. A source of information to help you plan a program of study, which encourages you to take on more responsibility for your own career planning and completing degree requirements.
3. Help understanding what you have to accomplish to successfully pursue your chosen career path.
4. A source to discuss alternatives if your academic performance does not match your career aspirations.
5. Someone who understands academic and administrative policies and procedures and can help you navigate them successfully.
6. Someone who will schedule time to meet with you, whether during regular office hours or at a scheduled appointment time when you need help
7. Someone who will make every effort to provide you with accurate information.
8. Help when you are uncertain about what to do.

You must see your advisor at least once a semester, during the Advisement Period for Pre-registration in order to plan the classes you wish to take the following semester. In addition, if you are having trouble in a course, general academic problems, personal problems, or difficulties with a professor, you can turn to your advisor as a mentor and confidante. Should you need further guidance, your advisor can direct you to additional counseling or to a member of the staff or administration who can assist with your particular problem. Academic advisors are an excellent resource for any academic question and to take full advantage of the advising relationship you should meet 2-4 times during each semester.

If you and your advisor just don’t work well together or there is another faculty member whom you would prefer as an advisor, speak to the chair of the department in which you are majoring and explain the situation. It may be possible for the Chair to assign you to a different advisor. If you have not yet declared a major, discuss the situation with the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.