The ROLE OF THE ADVISOR can be summarized by the following five activities:
• Informing : An advisor may inform advisees about degree requirements, resources for study, educational or career opportunities, etc.
• Deliberating: An advisor may deliberate with advisees about which courses to take, career goals, progress toward completion of degree, course scheduling, and extracurricular activities.
• Advocating: An advisor may be an advocate for advisees by writing letters of recommendation for jobs, internships, or graduate schools. An advisor also engages in the petition process with advisees and works behind the scenes on behalf of the advisee.
• Referring: An advisor may refer an advisee to a person or office when the advisee's needs extend beyond the purview of the advisor's office or beyond the reach of her or his professional expertise. Examples include adjustment problems, assessing learning disabilities, personal crises, and grievances.
• Record Keeping: When appropriate, an advisor may keep records, notes, degree progress checklists, etc. to facilitate advising.

You, the student (a.k.a. the advisee), are ultimately responsible for
• knowing and fulfilling your own degree requirements
• being familiar with the CVPA Undergraduate/Graduate Student Handbook
• being proactive, which includes knowing your advisor’s office hours and scheduling meetings if you can’t meet during office hours, scheduling meetings well in advance of deadlines, asking for information/advice/assistance when you need it, coming to meetings prepared
• helping develop mutual awareness of the advising process by providing feedback to your advisor.