ACADEMIC ADVISING

 

Because ISG faculty mentors (see the info on ISG leaders in the LM section of this handbook) serve as academic advisors for their ISG students, faculty members must adequately understand academic programs and the registration procedures and be available during the registration process to provide advising and required signatures for their students. Faculty members who feel inadequate to undertake this responsibility or cannot be available should contact LP for appropriate training or to arrange for substitute/supplementary personnel.

 

Academic advisors should plan to either be on campus and available to students in their ISGs during the week of each deadline date (see the annual semester schedule provided by the Registrar for these dates), or make arrangements to meet with them and sign completed forms in advance of these dates.

 

In order for an MA or MDiv course to be officially offered, the required enrollment is six (6) students or more. If five (5) students or less pre-register for a course, it is up to the discretion of the instructor in consultation with the Discipline Chair and LP Director whether to meet in class sessions, to require the enrolled students to complete the course as an independent study, or to cancel the course. Higher level courses are offered even with fewer than six students due to the low number of students in related programs.

 

When advising students, whether because of changes initiated by LP or when students desire to switch programs, academic advisors need to consider carefully all related factors so students avoid or minimize unforeseen difficulties that could hinder graduating on the anticipated date. They should ensure that students enroll in courses needed for their specific degree programs and that those courses are taken in the proper sequence to maximize learning based on pre-requisite requirements and to avoid unnecessary scheduling conflicts.