Faculty Responsibilities and Resources

Faculty are assigned as advisors within departments or divisions. For full-time faculty, advising is an important responsibility. Disciplinary expertise is important for offering students avocational guidance. However, advising should also be informed beyond department- or major-specific matters. This helps ensure that students know about requirements and school-wide opportunities.

Primary faculty advisors are expected to meet with their advisees individually during fall Advising Days and to make themselves available in the spring to release advising holds before fall registration.

To best serve students, you are expected to:

• Get to know your advisees and help them build on their strengths: Students bring their own perspective and interests that can help shape a meaningful path through the curriculum.
• Articulate your expectations: Let your advisees know your role and how advising can help them. Work together to establish common goals.
• Introduce your advisees to policies, responsibilities, expectations and resources: RISD has a lot to offer students—and asks a lot from them—at every stage of their education. Make it a regular part of your advising sessions to discuss relevant policies and responsibilities.
• Help advisees develop a timeline for completing their academic requirements: This is one of the most important ways you can support students in completing their degree program on time.
• Encourage students to be open about difficulties: Work with your advisees to resolve any challenges to their degree progress. As needed, point them to relevant support resources.