Advising Protocol
Each graduate student's education is greatly enhanced when he/she receives sound academic advising. Therefore, advising is mandatory for all graduate candidates in the Department of Elementary Education. Program Coordinators serve as advisors. Graduate students take the initiative in seeking advising and advisors respond to students in a timely manner as good advising is a cooperative activity that students and faculty must work together to achieve. If admission to the graduate program is provisionary or probationary, it is the graduate student's responsibility to make sure the deficiency is satisfied before moving into the next semester.
The Department of Elementary Education values its students and provides quality advising to each graduate student each semester. In an effort to ensure personal one-on-one advising, this Advising Protocol is designed to offer optimal opportunities for communicating with your advisor. Students adhering to the protocol are guaranteed to have their advising questions answered in a timely manner so they can register for classes.
Graduate students in the Department of Elementary Education are permitted to their classes. This means that in order to register, the advisor must recommend the course and request the academic advising hold be released. Admission deficiencies must be satisfied before advancing to the next semester. Upon release of the academic advising hold, and barring there are no other holds, the graduate candidate is free to register for classes once registration opens. It is highly recommended that students seek advising well before registration begins.
Advisor & Advisee Expectations
The working relationship between advisor and advisee is most successful when both parties put forth time and effort to establish and maintain rapport. Understanding the roles of each strengthens their bond.
Advisor
- Advise students of available master degree programs.
- Direct students to admission and degree requirements in the Graduate Bulletin and on the program web pages.
- Share Advising Protocol.
- Be available during scheduled advising weeks to field questions, address concerns, and make comments.
- Advise in a timely manner.
- Write Degree Plans.
- Assist students in writing Degree Plan Petitions when appropriate.
- Maintain each graduate candidate's database records to ensure accurate advising.
- Collect College of Education and the Department of Elementary Education documents for accreditation purposes.
- Provide information about end-of-the-study comprehensive examinations (COMPS).
- Schedule, proctor, and coordinate the evaluation of COMPS.
- Notify graduate candidate of COMPS results.
Advisee
- Initiate advising contacts with advisor during stated advising times.
- Remain open to the advisor's recommendations.
- Complete paperwork in a timely manner.
- Assume responsibility for knowing the Advising Protocol and following procedures.
- Maintain an electronic advising folder to include all documents and emails (both to and from the advisor).
- Keep hard copies of all documents from the Graduate School and advisor.
- Commit to memory campus identification number (CID#).
- Include CID# on all written communications.
- Respond to advisor requests in a timely manner.
- Take special care to carefully read and know the guidelines outlined in the Stephen F. Austin State University Graduate Bulletin for the year in which you enter your program. Become familiar with and adhere to the regulations for admission, academic policies, application for graduation, and general requirements for the master degree-especially the checkpoints for the master's candidate.
Academic Advisors
Dr. Vi Alexander - Professor E-mail: valexander@sfasu.edu
Professional Reading SpecialistMaster Reading Teacher
Dr. Elizabeth Witherspoon - Associate Professor E-mail: ewitherspoon@sfasu.edu
Bilingual Education CertificationEnglish as a Second Language Certification