Student advising plays a key role in college success.
The Office of Academic and Career Advising in the College of Visual and Performing Arts is here to assist students in reaching their full potential.
“An excellent advisor does the same for a student’s entire curriculum that the excellent teacher does for one course.”
– Marc Lowenstein
The Professional Academic Advisors
Academic advisors will be one of your best resources as you figure out your academic career at Syracuse, to help navigate class schedules, course selection, and provide info on how to get involved with the college, university and arts community in order to graduate on time and with the experience necessary to succeed.
Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions!
Throughout your career in VPA, you will have a Professional Academic Advisor who will guide, counsel, and inform you about matters relating to you and the pursuit of your degree. Advising is a two-sided relationship: you, as a student, are just as accountable for the quality of advising as your advisor.
Academic Advisor’s Role
- Inform: An advisor may inform advisees about degree requirements, resources for study (minors etc), and educational opportunities (study abroad etc).
- Deliberate: An advisor may discuss with advisees about which courses to take, career goals, progress toward completion of degree, course scheduling, and extracurricular interests.
- Advocate: An advisor may be an advocate for advisees by writing letters of recommendation for jobs, internships, or graduate school.
- Refer: An advisor may refer an advisee to a person or office when the advisee’s needs extend beyond the reach of their professional abilities. Examples include adjustment problems, assessing learning disabilities, personal crises, and grievances.
- Keep records: When appropriate, an advisor may keep records, notes, degree progress checklists, etc. to facilitate progress towards degree completion.
Student’s Role
- Be respectful of your advisor’s time: come to meetings prepared.
- Know and fulfill your degree requirements. Become familiar with your Degree Works page.
- Be proactive. This includes knowing your advisor’s office hours, contact information, and how appointments are created – get comfortable utilizing Orange Success. You should reach out to your advisor to schedule meetings if you cannot meet during posted office hours. Make sure you schedule meetings well in advance of deadlines and ask for information/advice/assistance when needed.
- Speak up: your advisor cannot help you unless you tell them that there is a problem.
When to See your Advisor
The professional academic advisors at VPA are here to help you! Please stop by or contact your advisor when you need help with:
- Identifying degree options
- Admissions requirements
- Evaluating your transcripts
- Identifying educational and financial services
- Monitoring your progress