The 2024 JMU Provost Awards for Excellence in Academic Advising

The Provost Awards for Excellence in Academic Advising seek to recognize the various areas of academic advising offered at JMU. University Programs is proud to oversee the following awards.

We are seeking nominations of those who have made significant contributions and superlative achievements in the delivery of quality academic advising during the 2024 (January-December) calendar year. A list of previous winners is listed below.

Recipients cannot receive more than one advising award within a five-year period.

Here is the nomination process:

1. Students nominate the advisor by using the Nomination Form by December 2nd.
2. Each nominee will be reviewed for eligibility for the corresponding award.
3. Eligible nominees are sent an email the week of December 9th informing them of the nomination and instructions on the process regarding material submission. 
4. Committees review the candidate materials in February.
5. Award winners are notified by the Provost's Office in late March. 

Award Criteria:

NOTE:  An award winner may be selected by the university for nomination for the NACADA's National Outstanding Advising Awards (NACADA membership is not required). There are two NACADA award categories. 

1.  NACADA Academic Advising - This award equates to JMU's Full-time Advisor role.

2.  NACADA Faculty Academic Advising - This award equates to JMU's Faculty Departmental Advisor role and Faculty First-year Advising role. Only one may be nominated for the NACADA award.

We strongly recommend you review the award criteria listed below when creating your nomination packet for alignment with the NACADA National Award criteria.

The following criteria have been adapted from JMU's Best Advising Practices for Faculty at https://www.jmu.edu/advising and the National Academic Advising Association's faculty award criteria at https://nacada.ksu.edu/Programs/Awards/Global-Awards/Outstanding-Advising/Outstanding-Advising-Guidelines.aspx. 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 (Faculty First-year, Faculty Departmental and Full-time Advisors)
• Knowledge of Graduate Program requirements (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 toward 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 2, 2024

Nominations for the Academic Advising awards can be submitted electronically by completing the online nomination form. Nominations will be accepted from students, colleagues, department heads and alumni.  Nominees will be asked to provide information regarding the criteria of quality, support and accessibility listed above. A selection committee is chaired by the Director of University Advising. 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.