Mission Statement

The mission of Academic Advising at UW-Superior is to teach and support students through their university experience by providing individual attention and comprehensive support for students to achieve their academic and career goals.

UW-Superior Academic Advising envisions fostering a student-centered, supportive, inclusive, and collaborative environment that empowers every UW-Superior student to make informed decisions to achieve academic, career, personal, and professional success.

Services Offered

The Center for Academic Advising provides comprehensive academic advising services to:

• Freshmen or sophomores in all majors
• Undeclared students regardless of year
• Students considering changing majors
• Students readmitted after suspension
• Individually designed majors and interdisciplinary studies majors
• Associate degree seeking students
• Policy clarification
• Academic success planning
• Individualized degree planning

The Center also serves as an academic advising reference center and can help with general referrals, academic advisor training, advising professional development, academic policies, and procedure clarification for UW-Superior faculty/program advisors and administrators. 

Shared Advising Structure

UW-Superior utilizes a total intake advising model called the Shared Advising Model (SAM).  All students are assigned two advisors who shift between primary and secondary roles.  Generally, freshmen and sophomores are assigned to a primary, professional advisor in the Center for Academic Advising and a secondary, faculty/program advisor in their academic department (undeclared students will only have one primary, professional advisor until they declare a major).  Specific relationships between the Center for Academic Advising and academic departments are outlined in individual agreements held in the Center and the departments.

Professional advisors in the Center also serve students planning to change their majors, students declared as Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) majors, students pursuing an associate of arts degree, new transfer students, and students readmitted after suspension. The Center assigns and re-assigns advisors, processes change of major and/or minor forms and maintains advising data for the campus.

In addition to providing advising services to students, the Center for Academic Advising plays an essential role in campus-wide retention initiatives, as well as advisor training and development.  All new faculty and professional advisors participate in training hosted by the Center. The Center houses advising resources available to all campus advisors and hosts professional development events throughout the year.

UW-Superior subscribes to an appreciative advising philosophy and uses case management to ensure close, proactive relationships with students. Advisors are expected to become partners on their advisees’ academic journey, developing advisees’ decision-making skills, comfort level, and abilities as a college student.

Declaring or Changing a Major or Minor

Each year, up to 1/3 of the new students arriving on campus enter the university as "undeclared." Other students declare a major and later change it - some change majors more than once. At UW-Superior that's OK! The undeclared major is the ideal place to explore topics, new ideas, and professions all while earning credits toward your degree and being connected to the campus community. As your knowledge and experience grows, you will find a major that fits your needs and interests. Your professional academic advisor is available to assist you if you need help making the decision. When you are ready to declare your major, or if you wish to change your major, you may do so online here.

Academic Advising Definition

Academic advising empowers students to realize their maximum educational potential though a collaborative process. A student-centered advising process is ongoing, the responsibility of both the student as well as the advisor, and will result in the student gaining a clearer understanding of themselves, as well as the higher education experience. Good academic advising assists students in clarifying personal and career goals, developing consistent educational goals, and evaluating the progress toward established goals by utilizing University resources and referring students to the appropriate academic support services.

Functions of the Center for Academic Advising

Individual Student Appointments

Professional academic advisors in the Center work with online and on-campus first year, sophomores, undeclared, readmitted, transfer, and special students to explore their interests, skills, and values as they complete their General Education coursework, program admission requirements, prerequisites, and declare a major.

Advisor Assignments

The Center manages primary and secondary advisor assignments for all undergraduate students. Students can find their advisor assignment in E-Hive or Navigate. Students who see "Assigned, Staff" for their advisor assignment should contact advise@uwsuper.edu.

Advisors are notified via e-mail when a new student has been added to their roster. Advisors are asked to reach out to their new advisee(s) to introduce themselves and provide instructions for setting up an appointment.

Administering Major, Minor, Degree, Catalog Year, and Advisor Changes

The Center processes requests for major, minor, degree, catalog year, and advisor changes from undergraduate students. Forms to request a change can be found on the Center for Academic Advising website under “Advising Resources and Forms.” Requests are processed within ten business days, and a confirmation e-mail is sent to students when the request has been processed.

Consultation and Professional Development for Advisors Across Campus

The Center staff are available to departments for consultation and to provide orientation and development opportunities and resources regarding advising best practices and policies.

Advising Holds

The University places enrollment holds on student accounts each semester to ensure that all undergraduate students discuss their course selections with their primary academic advisor prior to registration. Once the student has met with the advisor and had the course selections approved, the advisor will lift the enrollment hold, allowing the student to register for classes on or after their enrollment appointment.

Who Advises?

Professional Academic Advisors in the Center for Academic Advising work primarily with freshmen, sophomore, undeclared, readmitted, transfer, and non-degree seeking students. Additionally, the Center serves as a support resource to faculty advisors, facilitates advisor training and development, and plays a vital role in University retention efforts.

Faculty/IAS Advisors (Program Advisors) are central to UW-Superior's academic advising structure. All faculty and Instructional Academic Staff who have completed the new advisor training assume academic advising responsibilities. Program advisors primarily advise juniors, seniors, and students admitted to specific academic programs. Program advisors also act as mentors and secondary advisors for freshmen and sophomores.

Key Academic Staff in departments such as the Educational Success Center, athletic coaches, Center for Continuing Education, Department of Education, and the Department of Student Support and Engagement also advise special student populations and are listed as co-advisors in addition to the professional and faculty advisors for the students that they serve.

You should always see your advisor ASAP for:

• Course troubles
• Dropping courses or withdrawing from the University
• Changing or declaring a major or minor

Student Learning Outcomes

As a result of academic advising:

1. Students will effectively use the university advising software to know their academic curriculum, including degree, General Education, major, and minor requirements.
2. Students will map their courses to graduation using the university advising software.
3. Students will identify their academic, career, and personal goals.
4. Students will demonstrate an awareness of options for furthering their academic, professional, and career goals.
5. Students will communicate with their advisors when they encounter challenges or need assistance.
6. Students will be able to find university policies and resources. 

Contact Information

Center for Academic Advising
University of Wisconsin - Superior
Old Main 134/135
Belknap and Catlin Ave.
P.O. Box 2000
Superior, WI 54880
Phone: 715-394-8515
Email: advise@uwsuper.edu
Office Hours:
M-F 7:45am - 4:30pm