The George Washington University
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
Academic Advisor: Jessica Porras
Academic Advising Syllabus
CCAS Advising Office: 801 22nd Street, NW, Suite 107
Washington, DC 20052 Phillips 107 & Smith 118
Main: 202.994.6210  Fax: 202.994.6213
E-mail: jporras@gwu.edu www.columbian.gwu.edu
Drop-in Office Hours:
Monday- 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday- 2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday- 12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m.
Appointments: To schedule an appointment, please call or stop by
Phillips 107. Typical appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes.
Express Advising: Drop-in sessions, limited to 10 to 15 minutes, with
an advisor readily available to answer quick questions.
E-mail: Advisors are available to answer general questions over email. Questions that require extensive discussion are best asked in
appointments. Emails to advisors are professional communications,
so please include: First Name and Last Name.
CCAS Academic Advising Mission Statement
The professional undergraduate advisors in the Columbian College of Arts and
Sciences seek to educate students by providing the knowledge, support and
guidance students need to take advantage of the resources and tools available
at The George Washington University. Students are thereby empowered to take
ownership of and responsibility for their educational experiences. Columbian
College advisors use a holistic approach to student development and actively
partner with students in a welcoming and supportive environment that values
each student's needs and strengths.
What is academic advising?
An educational process that, by intention
and design, facilitates students’
understanding of the meaning and
purpose of higher education and fosters
their intellectual and personal
development toward academic success
and lifelong learning (National Academic
Advising Association, 2004).
Expectations
Advisors and students both play an important role in the academic advising process.
Your role, student responsibilities:
 Develop an advising partnership with your advisor by communicating goals, needs, wants, and concerns in a
respectful and sincere manner.
 Know academic policies, procedures, and regulations (i.e. add/drop, financial aid, DegreeMAP).
 Familiarize yourself with degree requirements and remain informed about changes in your curriculum, including
mapping out a plan of action for your academic career and reviewing it with your advisor.
 Accept responsibility for your academic career, including monitoring your degree progress, updating plans of
study, and making, keeping, and preparing for appointments with your professional and faculty advisors.
 Make use of the resources available to you on campus and inform your advisor of any circumstances that might
impact your academic performance.
 Keep a personal record of any official communications with university representatives.
My role, advisor responsibilities:
 Develop an advising partnership with advisees, communicating and delivering individualized and accurate
information in a professional and sincere manner.
 Be informed of and provide accurate information about academic policies, procedures, and regulations.
 Ensure availability to advisees via access to appointments, express advising, office hours, and timely e-mail
response rates.
 Assist advisees in course selection, registration, academic planning, and long and short-term educational
objectives.
 Maintain advisee confidentiality, unless revealing information is necessary to protect your health and safety.
 Be knowledgeable about campus resources and refer advisees to the services needed for success.
Academic Timeline
1st Year:
2nd Year:
3rd Year:
4th Year:
Build a strong partnership with your advisor
Select courses, understand DegreeMAP, G-PAC, and GW/Office of the Registrar
Explore a variety of major/minor options
Meet with your advisor to review courses and lift advising holds
Attend pre-health/pre-law information sessions, as well as other useful programs
Meet with your advisor, review your degree audit, register for courses, and clear advising holds
Declare a major; establish relationship with your faculty advisor
Explore study abroad options
Consider internship opportunities; meet with the internship coordinator
Enhance your co-curricular involvement (i.e. student organizations)
Review your plan of study and degree audit with your advisor
Consider fellowship/grant opportunities
Study Abroad (if applicable)
Explore career/graduate options (meet with graduate advisor, faculty advisors, Career Center)
Closely review your final degree requirements and register for courses accordingly
Finalize course plans; check degree requirements with your advisor
Apply for graduation
Review your graduation audit with your advisor
Complete any outstanding work and clear any account holds
Useful Campus Resources
CCAS Advising Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/CCAS.Advising
Important Dates to Remember – Fall 2012
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
http://www.gwu.edu/~go2gw 994.6040
August 27 – Last Day to Drop Classes with FULL REFUND
Career Center
http://gwired.gwu.edu/career 994.6495
August 28-September 9 – Late Registration/Program Adjustment
Period
University Counseling Center
http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel 994.5300
September 2 – Last Day to Drop with a 90% Refund
Dean of Students Office
http://gwired.gwu.edu/dos 994.6710
September 9 – Last day for Add/Drop on GWeb; 60% refund
Registrar’s Office
http://www.gwu.edu/~regweb 994.4900
September 21 – Last day to add/drop a course using the RTF-EZ
without academic penalty; 25% refund
Disability Support Services
http://www.gwired.gwu.edu/dss 994.8250
Student Health Services
http://www.gwired.gwu.edu/shs 994.6827
August 28 – Classes Begin
September 7 – Last Day for Consortium Registration
September 14 – Last Day to Drop with a 40% Refund
October 1 – Application Deadline for Fall Graduation
October 19 – Last day to withdraw from a course with a ‘W’ on
transcript; last day to change grade mode to P/NP/Audit
TBA – Spring Registration
November 21-23 – Thanksgiving Break
Housing
http://living.gwu.edu 994.2552
December 7 – Last Day of Classes
December 10 – Make-up Day
International Services Office
http://www.gwired.gwu.edu/iso 994.4477
December 13-21 --- Final Examinations