Defining Roles

Responsibilities and roles during the academic advisement process can be difficult to determine.   It’s important to clarify roles to help avoid confusion.  The following information may be helpful in outlining advisor, student and parent roles. 

In order to have a successful and meaningful college experience, students must accept full responsibility for their personal and academic progress. Academic advisors and parents can act as role models to help students accept this responsibility.

Advisor and Student Roles:

The link from the Office of First Year Experience located in the upper right corner of this page outlines student and advisor responsibilities.  

Parent role:

    * Be available to support and encourage;

    * Maintain regular contact;

    * Offer advice (when appropriate);

    * Encourage students to do things they can do for themselves;

    * Allow students to make mistakes in this safe environment.

One of the most important and valuable things parents can offer their college students is support and encouragement. Because students of today's millennial generation look up to their parents as mentors and role models, positive reinforcement from parents is crucial to college success. It is also important that advisors, students, and parents support each other in helping students make responsible decisions that will shape their future. Young college students are in the process of realizing their autonomy. Helping parents understand the importance of letting their children do things for themselves can help students emerge as capable adults. If parents understand the competencies and expertise of the academic advisor, they are more likely to trust the judgment and wisdom of the advisor and allow their children to experience and appreciate the new and exciting challenges college life can bring.

Written by Mark D. Menezes, Advisors and Parents: Together Building Stronger Advising Relationships, Advising Services, University of Southern Maine and edited by Ithaca College staff