Advising at Truman

Truman views academic advising as an important aspect of student learning and development. All entering students are assigned fulltime professional academic advisors in the Residential College Program (RCP). The academic advisors’ offices are found within the students’ own residence halls. Through individual and small group meetings, the RCP advisors help students develop an educational plan consistent with students academic and life goals.

Students work with their RCP advisor during their first year at Truman. In most majors, faculty members are informal mentors to first-year students meeting through contacts inside and outside the classroom. In some majors, faculty act as co-advisors to first-year students. After the first year, most students with a declared major are assigned to a faculty advisor within their own major. Pre-Business, Pre-Accounting, Psychology, and undeclared majors stay with their RCP advisors for one more academic year and then move onto faculty advisors in their major.

The faculty advisors in the major engage students in conversations about major and LSP requirements, internships, graduate school planning, and undergraduate research opportunities. Faculty advisors accept responsibility for general oversight of the students’ progress in the degree program.

Truman students and their academic advisors share the responsibility of academic advising. Students are taught to study the general catalog and to chart their course of action allowing them to fulfill the requirements of their chosen degree program. Ultimately, the larger goal of effective advising will empower students by helping them develop skills in planning, decision-making, and self-understanding. Ideally, academic advising fosters the liberal arts values of autonomy, responsibility, and growth as life-long learners.