Advisor Toolbox
Advising is an important component of the student experience in the School of Business, and we recognize that it may come from a variety of sources. We hope to provide information here to guide those who support School of Business students, current and future. Thank you for your involvement in mentoring and advising Business students.
Faculty Advisors
What do we tell students to expect from their Faculty Advisor?
While Professional Academic Advisors (on the School of Business Undergraduate Programs team) support students in their first two years, we let students know that Faculty Advisors are the primary support for juniors and seniors, and are accessible through appointments, emails, and office hours. We explain that advising is not required in junior and senior years for Business majors, and that no Business advising holds are placed, but we encourage students to reach out and initiate meetings when in need of support from their Faculty Advisor. You may notice that our Professional Academic Advisors continue to be assigned in the StudentAdmin system for their past advisees, but as soon as a student has a Faculty Advisor assigned, that Faculty member is the primary Advisor for the student.
See the latest LAUNCH publication sent to students outlining this, and much more, here: The Importance of Advising: Knowing Your Faculty Advisor and Professional Advisors
Note that Honors Faculty Advisors play an extensive role in requirement planning, thesis guidance, and formal approval of honors related requests and forms.
Where can I find my advisee list? How else can I use StudentAdmin to help my advisees?
You can see your advisee list and their information in StudentAdmin. Here are some instructions:
- Log into StudentAdmin
- View your advisee list
- Read their Academic Requirements Report to see student's progress toward fulfilling graduation requirements
- See details under EPOS for help with interpreting the report
- Contact the Undergraduate Programs Office at 860-486-2315 or undergrad.business@uconn.edu if you have any questions
- Full help index
What needs my signature? What can I approve?
The Undergraduate Catalog outlines which forms require what approvals. Note that many also require the Dean's Designee signature (and possible evaluation of extenuating circumstances) to have final approval, so while an Advisor approval is required, be sure to indicate to your advisee that it is not approved completely until Dean's Designee signature is obtained. All Dean’s signatures are provided by the Executive Director and Directors for the Undergraduate Program.
- Student enrollment change requests require Advisor approval when an advisee wishes to change enrollment after the first two weeks of class. Students make these requests by submitting the online "Student Enrollment Request Form". Refer to the Academic Calendar each term for the dates associated with the 11 week deadline. Deadlines are strict, please advise as such. Students are sent reminders of the deadlines, and also a link to our website with more guidance on pass/fail and withdraws for Business majors.
- Withdrawing from one class before the 11 week deadline: You may discuss the decision with the student and approve as you see appropriate. Once the student obtains your electronic signature approval, the Registrar will process the withdrawal. No additional approvals are needed.
- Requesting to place a course on pass/fail: You may discuss the decision with the student and approve as you see appropriate, provided the below three bullets (outlining University policy) are followed. Once the student obtains your electronic signature approval, the Registrar will process the withdrawal. No additional approvals are needed.
- Business students cannot place any business courses on pass/fail, ever (ACCT, BADM, BLAW, BUSN, FNCE, HCMI, MENT, MEM, MKTG, or OPIM), so those can safely be denied.
- Other non-Business courses can be placed on pass/fail, but they will no longer satisfy any major/minor/gen-ed requirements. If passed, they only count towards elective credits.
- Students can only put one course on pass/fail per term, for a total of three courses over their undergrad career. Students cannot place a course on pass/fail if they have already placed and removed it from pass/fail in that same term.
- Withdrawing from more than one class AND/OR withdrawing after the 11 week deadline: University policy states "to drop a course after the eleventh week, the student needs the advisor’s recommendation and the permission of the dean of his or her school or college. The dean grants permission to drop a course after the eleventh week for extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Exceptions are not made for the student’s poor academic performance. Some schools may require a petition to drop after the 11th week." You may approve the form indicating your support, however, the form is not considered approved and students should be made aware they must be prepared to submit documentation and continue seek further approval. Please refer these students to the Undergraduate Programs Office immediately. Your electronic signature indicates support. The student needs to seek final approval at the Dean's level.
- Excess credit requests are placed and approved through the Undergraduate Programs Office for all Business students.
- Refer students to our virtual Drop-In Advising hours to discuss.
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization is required for any international student to participate in any internship, work, experiential learning or training activity that is part of the student's academic program, whether paid or unpaid. You may sign the form for your international advisee if the experience is determined to be related to their program of study and the student has already registered for the credit-bearing course. See full procedures on the ISSS website. Your signature indicates support. The student needs to seek final approval from ISSS (International Student & Scholar Services Office). Please feel free to reach out to the Undergraduate Programs Office if you need assistance with these requests.
Electronic Plans of Study (EPOS)
You will need to review all electronic Plan of Study (EPOS) submitted by any of your graduating advisees. It is most helpful to turn these around quickly, ideally in the first two weeks of the term, which will allow for your adivsees to make any schedule changes (if necessary) earlier on so as not to impede their ability to graduate on time. You will get an email once the student submits it through their StudentAdmin, or you can login to StudentAdmin and see all of your pending EPOS awaiting your review. View the StudentAdmin help site, or see below for guidance.
- It is important to have all EPOS reviewed before add/drop is over (the first two weeks of the term) so, if denied, students can adjust their schedule.
- On the EPOS, Catalog Year will always read “Not Satisfied.” This is OK.
- You are only approving the student's Business major degree requirements, so if other items are listed as "Not Satisfied" related to a minor or a second major, this is OK.
- IMPORTANT: If any items are listed as "Not Satisfied" in the Business major section, deny the plan of study and ask the student to meet with a UPO advisor to review their options. Even if they have made a comment in their submission with an explanation, it still needs to be denied. It is best to refer students to contact us during our drop-in advising hours. Here is a note if you would like to copy/paste:
- Not all Business major requirements are listed as satisfied, so I cannot approve your Plan of Study. Please work with an Advisor in the Undergraduate Programs Office if you have questions on your remaining requirements, and resubmit your Plan of Study ASAP once all is showing as satisfied. You may utilize virtual drop-in hours (https://undergrad.business.uconn.edu/advising/dropinadvising) and/or email undergrad.business@uconn.edu for assistance.
Where can I find the Academic Misconduct Procedures for Instructors?
The Office of Community Standards lists procedures on their website:
Advisors of Prospective Business Students
Advising Current UConn Students
- All advisors of prospective business students are encouraged to use the Prospective Business Student Advising Record (available on our forms page). This is updated as changes occur to the program each academic year. Please obtain the most up to date document directly from our website each academic year.
- For all School of Business majors, the applications are accepted the first two weeks of every Fall and Spring term (last day to apply is always the last day to add/drop courses through StudentAdmin)
- It is recommended all students attend an information session (schedule on admissions website) before visiting Advisors at drop-in advising hours.
- Advisors are not available to meet with active applicants because they all serve on the Admissions Committee.
Advising Students at Outside Institutions
Visit our transfer page to explore the resources available to you and the students you support.