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Provost Advising Award

The 2012 JMU Provost Awards for Excellence in Academic Advising

The Office of University Studies, Career and Academic Planning, and The Graduate School are pleased to announce the annual Provost Award for Excellence in Academic Advising in response to recommendations from the university advising initiative completed in 2004.  Awards will be presented to a JMU Faculty member who advises within their undergraduate department, a JMU Freshman Advisor, and a JMU Faculty member who advises in their graduate department. We are seeking nominations of those who have made significant contributions and superlative achievement in the delivery of quality academic advising during the 2012 calendar year. A list of previous winners is listed below.

Eligibility for Departmental Advisors:

All full-time faculty whose primary responsibilities are teaching and who spent a portion of their time providing academic advising services to students during the calendar year may be nominated.  Recipients will receive a $1,000 honorarium.  Recipients cannot receive more than one advising award within a five-year period. 

Eligibility for Freshman Advisors:

All freshman advisors who provided academic advising services to students during the calendar year may be nominated. Recipients will receive a $1,000 honorarium. Recipients cannot receive more than one advising award within a five-year period.

Eligibility for Graduate Advisors:

All full-time graduate faculty whose primary responsibilities are teaching and who spent a portion of their time providing academic advising services to students during the calendar year may be nominated.  Recipients will receive a $1,000 honorarium.  Recipients cannot receive more than one advising award within a five-year period.

Criteria

The following criteria have been adapted from JMU's Best Advising Practices for Faculty at www.jmu.edu/advising and the National Academic Advising Association's faculty award criteria at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Awards/OA_Guidelines.htm.  The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the evidence of qualities and practices that distinguish the nominee as an outstanding academic adviser.  Evidence may include:

Quality of information and advice:

• Knowledge of graduation requirements including General Education, Major and Degree requirements for undergraduate advisors (Departmental and Freshman Advisors)
• Knowledge of Graduate Program requirement (Graduate Advisors)
• Knowledge of appropriate schedule development and course sequencing
• Appropriate use of advising tools and forms
• Use and dissemination of appropriate information sources
• Monitoring of student progress toward academic and career goals
• Mastery of institutional regulations, policies and procedures
• Knowledge of careers and post graduate study
• Participation in and support of adviser development programs

Support

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Caring, helpful attitude towards students
• Willingness to act in the student's best interests
• Sensitivity to diversity issues
• Knowledge of campus resources and appropriate referral activity
• Demonstration of holistic advising principles.

Accessibility

• Availability to advisees and frequency of contact
• Face-to-face and electronic communication
• Welcoming and responsive to students

Approval

• Approval from the Department Head or Departmental Director.  Click here for the approval form.

Nominations: Due December 7, 2012

Nominations for the Academic Advising awards can be submitted by completing the nomination form and submitting it to the Office of University Studies, Maury Hall 110, MSC 1104.  Nominations will be accepted from students, colleagues, department heads and alumni.  Self nominations are also welcome.   Nominees will be asked to provide information regarding the criteria of quality, support and accessibility listed above.  A selection committee, chaired by the Assistant Dean in University Studies, will be comprised of faculty members and representatives from Career & Academic Planning. The committee will make its recommendations to the Provost's Office by March 1st.  The Provost's Office will notify the award recipients and the awards will be presented in April.

Previous Winners of the Provost Award for Excellence in Advising