Overview

Academic advisors assist students in developing and achieving personal, academic and career plans and preparing for life after college. Through effective academic advising, students are empowered to own their educational choices and craft individual plans that will help them attain their academic goals.

At Rochester, there are five primary groups of academic advisors:

  • College advisors
  • Faculty advisors
  • College Center for Advising Services staff advisors
  • Undergraduate coordinators
  • Peer advisors

You will find the names and contact information for your academic advising team in UR Student, by visiting your Academics tab and looking at your Important Contacts Support Network.

Beginning with the 2020-21 academic year, each new first-year and transfer student will be assigned to a College advisor who will remain with them from their first semester at the University of Rochester until graduation. Students planning to pursue a major in one of the Hajim School departments, will be assigned to a faculty member in the Hajim School, an undergraduate coordinator, and a College advisor, and will remain with this team of advisors until graduation, unless their academic plans change.

The College advisor should be a student’s first point of contact when they have an academic question or concern. College advisors are knowledgeable about course planning, academic resources, school policies, student challenges and concerns, and opportunities for enhancing students’ educational experiences. College advisors regularly refer students to other offices and resources including faculty advisors and academic support services. New students can learn more about advising on the New Incoming Students page. Students can access their College advisor’s name and contact information in UR Student.

Faculty advisors are available to meet with students throughout their years of undergraduate study and are an excellent source of information about majors, minors, clusters, and courses within a specific academic department or program. Faculty advisors are also available to provide information about classroom expectations, undergraduate research, graduate school, and career decisions.  For a list of faculty advisors in each department, see the “Authorized Approval List.” Once a major or minor is formally declared, a student’s  primary academic advising within the department of the major or minor will come from a faculty advisor.

The staff advisors in the College Center for Advising Services (CCAS) are knowledgeable about a broad range of academic programs and policies. They often assist students in developing comprehensive academic plans, refer students to specialized academic resources, and help students problem-solve when they are experiencing academic challenges.

Undergraduate coordinators are administrative staff within each academic department. Undergraduate coordinators may serve as academic advisors, and can often provide information on course offerings, course schedules, and other academic matters. Students intending to major in the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences will be assigned an undergraduate coordinator from the department in which they are planning to major, in addition to a faculty advisor and a College advisor.

Peer advisors are undergraduate students who have received special training to answer academic questions and refer students to other campus resources. Peer advisors regularly answer questions such as:

  • What is it like to be a major in this department?
  • How can I begin to plan for study abroad?
  • What if I’m not sure about a major; how should I get started?