Academic Catalog

Center for Academic Advising

Mission Statement

The purpose of the Center for Academic Advising (the Center) is to contribute to student satisfaction, and thereby increase campus retention rates, through the offering of comprehensive advising services for undergraduate students.

The UW-Superior Center for Academic Advising's mission is to advocate for, support, and empower students to be successful and achieve their educational goals. It is also the Center's mission to collaborate with campus partners to ensure continuity of service and to provide the best educational experience for students.

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
  • Non-degree seeking students

Additional services offered by the Center for Academic Advising include:

  • Goal setting
  • Course selection
  • Policy clarification
  • Academic success planning
  • Individualized degree planning

The Center also serves as an academic advising information clearinghouse, general referral source, academic advisor training and development center, as well as academic policies and procedures consultant for UW-Superior faculty and departmental 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 advisor in their academic department (undeclared students will only have one primary, professional advisor until they declare).  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 or Individually Designed Majors and Minors (IDM), 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 at www.uwsuper.edu/advise/forms.

Vision Statement

The vision of the Center for Academic Advising is to ensure that academic advising is a full partner in integrated, collaborative, comprehensive, and systemic campus-wide retention initiatives.

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 freshmen, sophomores, undeclared, readmitted, transfer, and special students to explore their interests, skills, and values as they complete their university studies 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 their E-Hive Student Center. Students who see "Assigned, Staff" for their advisor assignment should contact the Center.

Primary 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 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 are central to UW-Superior's academic advising structure. All faculty and Instructional Academic Staff who have one year of service at the University and who have completed the new advisor training assume academic advising responsibilities. Faculty primarily advise juniors, seniors, and students admitted to specific academic programs. Faculty advisors also act as mentors and secondary advisors for freshmen and sophomores.

Key Academic Staff in departments such as the Educational Success Center, Center for Continuing Education, Department of Education, and the Department of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 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

Learning Outcomes

The Center for Academic Advising’s learning outcomes align with the University of Wisconsin’s learning outcomes.

Communication

UW-Superior Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply modes, styles, and conventions of communication appropriate to the students’ work and their audience
  2. Identify the essential components of a work/presentation and describe their relationship to each other and to the broader context
  3. Clearly express themselves to achieve a purpose
  4. Civilly engage in an exchange of ideas integrating diverse perspectives

Advising Learning Outcomes

  1. Knowledge of technological resources and campus learning systems
    1. Ability to find information and register for courses in E-Hive
    2. Ability to login and find course information in Learn@UW-Superior
    3. Ability to login to student email account
    4. Understanding of the importance of email as the official communication system of the Center for Academic Advising and UW-Superior

Individual and Social Responsibility

UW-Superior Learning Outcomes

  1. Engage in thoughtful analysis that fosters well-being and holistic self-development
  2. Articulate their roles and responsibilities in a global community
  3. Practice healthy interdependence and mutual respect for others through teamwork
  4. Demonstrate informed civic engagement, including intercultural competence as a dimension of the experience
  5. Apply ethical reasoning in their academic and community learning experiences

Advising Learning Outcomes

  1. Ability to set realistic personal, academic, and professional goals
  2. Knowledge and understanding of university policy and procedures
  3. Understanding of the purpose of higher education, liberal arts, and university studies requirements
  4. Knowledge of campus resources and how to effectively utilize them to achieve personal, academic, and professional goals

Creative and Critical Thinking

UW-Superior Learning Outcomes

  1. Articulate important theories, questions, theories, and creative processes
  2. Analyze information to answer specific questions
  3. Evaluate assumptions and biases associated with a project, practice, or process
  4. Consider multiple, diverse, and global perspectives to answer important questions or produce original work
  5. Use evidence to reach and present innovative conclusions or produce original work

Advising Learning Outcomes

  1. Understanding of degree progress using advising reports in E-Hive
  2. Ability to make effective decisions in regard to academic and career goals
  3. Ability to accept responsibility for personal and academic decisions

Return to Superior: Degree Completion at UW-Superior

Return to Superior: Degree Completion at UW-Superior

Research shows1 that college graduates earn more money and are more satisfied with their jobs compared to those without a college education. That's been especially true throughout the Great Recession and the recovery: those with the most education have the lowest unemployment rates and the highest income, but it's not just about the money. It's about expanding your mind and your horizons. It's about finishing something you started. It's about showing the world, and yourself, what you can do. No matter what led you to pause your education, what matters most now is your desire to move forward. So, take the next step: Return to UW-Superior.

Return to UW-Superior is a program designed to help students who wish to complete a degree after an extended period away from school. Students work with a professional academic advisor to develop a degree plan that incorporates previously earned credits into a path to graduation.

Here's How to Get Started

  • Contact your Return to Superior Coordinator
  • Decide your field of study, and whether you'll enroll on-campus or online
  • Submit a Reentry Application2
  • Send your official transcripts, if you completed any course work outside of UW-Superior
  • Register for classes with an advisor
1

Research by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.

2

Students who left UW-Superior on academic suspension will also need to file for reinstatement if planning on returning for Fall or Spring semesters. Complete a Petition for Reinstatement and return to the Registrar's Office.

Navigate Alerts

Navigate alerts are used by faculty and staff to inform professional academic advisors and a team of professionals across campus about students who may need additional support. Alerts allow faculty and staff to communicate directly with professional advisors and other professional staff members regarding student concerns. Professional advisors in the Center for Academic Advising, Educational Success Center, Student Support Services, or in academic departments (Teacher Education, for instance), and other appropriate professional staff follow up on these alerts by reaching out to students and offering additional support and referrals to resources.

Professional Academic Advisors:  Respond to alerts for primary and secondary advisees,

Faculty, Instructional Staff, Adjuncts, other teaching professionals, and UWS staff:  Create alerts for students who require intervention.

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