St. Olaf CollegeAcademic CatalogSt. Olaf College

Table of Contents

An Education for the 21st Century: Academic Life
» The Mission
» The St. Olaf Curriculum
» Majors and More
» The 4-1-4 Calendar
» Academic Advising
» Academic Support
» Academic Resources
» Grad. Requirements
» The Campus

Graduation Requirements and Curricular Advice
Academic Regulations and Procedures
International and Off-Campus Studies
Special Programs
Admissions and Financial Aid
Life Outside the Classroom
People
Facts and Figures
College Calendar

Registrar's Office
Admin 224
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057

507-786-3015
registrar@stolaf.edu

 

Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.

Academic Advising at St. Olaf College

Academic advising at St. Olaf College encourages the integration of the mind, body and spirit as students pursue academic, career and lifelong goals. Central to this developmental process is the partnership between students and their faculty advisers. This partnership assists students in directing their intellectual curiosities and overcoming personal or academic barriers to learning and guides them in attaining their goals.

Advisers

Each student is entitled to a faculty adviser. Advisers for new students are assigned by the Academic Advising Center. The student may remain with this faculty member or change to another faculty adviser at a later date with the permission of the new faculty adviser. All students have the right to change to a different faculty adviser at any time during the academic year.

The Academic Advising Center and the department chairs and program directors oversee the re-assignment of advisees for faculty on sabbaticals or other leaves.

The advice of faculty advisers does not constitute a promise or a contract ensuring a student's graduation on schedule or the completion of specific requirements. Students and faculty advisers must refer to the Class and Lab Schedules to determine which courses fulfill specific graduation requirements. The responsibility for understanding and meeting degree requirements rests entirely with the student. Students have access to their academic records at any time on St. Olaf's World Wide Web pages.

Student/Advisee Responsibilities

The responsibility for understanding and meeting degree requirements rests entirely with the student. To fulfill this responsibility, students should follow the guidelines below:

  • Develop plans for achieving academic, career and personal goals;
  • Take the initiative to acquire advice and to develop a relationship with a faculty adviser;
  • Become familiar with the General Education requirements and graduation requirements;
  • Schedule appointments with assigned faculty adviser when requested and prepare for the meeting;
  • Consult with the faculty adviser if making major changes in the semester class schedule or when dropping courses during the semester.

Faculty/Adviser Responsibilities

Faculty advisers assist the student in fulfilling their responsibilities by:

  • Being accessible;
  • Empowering advisees to explore and make their own decisions regarding academic, career and
    lifelong goals;
  • Assisting advisees in long-range planning as well as immediate problem-solving;
  • Assisting advisees in making choices that will lead to developing a realistic major;
  • Providing advice and when appropriate referring advisees to the relevant office or resource person;
  • Not guessing in response to an advisee question about policy or requirements and referring advisee to the relevant office or person for an answer;
  • Encouraging advisees to change advisers if they no longer have an interest in the adviser's area and/or it is felt that a positive relationship is not developing.

The advice of faculty advisers does not constitute a promise or a contract ensuring a student's graduation on schedule, or the completion of specific requirements. The responsibility for understanding and meeting degree requirements rests entirely with the student.

Academic Advising Center

The Academic Advising Center (http://www.stolaf.edu/services/aac) provides administrative and curricular support to all St. Olaf students and faculty advisers. The center provides high quality, timely service on routine and general academic curricular questions and encourages all students to become more knowledgeable and involved in planning their academic programs.

Academic Peer Advisers (APA)

Academic Peer Advisers are a select group of current St. Olaf College students who assist the Academic Advising Center in providing quality, timely service on routine and general academic curricular questions. With the center, they enable their peers to become more knowledgeable and involved in planning their academic programs. Academic Peer Advisers also assist with academic planning sessions during Week One, set up academic planning sessions during the year, provide support during registration times and assist the center as needed.