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ACADEMIC ADVICE TO STUDENTS POLICY


Date approved:	3 December 2010	Date Policy will take effect:	Autumn Session 2011	Date of Next Review:	December 2013
Approved by:	University Council
Custodian title & e-mail address:	Senior Manager, Policy and Governance Unit governance@uow.edu.au
Author:	Policy and Governance Unit (EPRS Academic Advice Working Party)
Responsible Faculty/Division & Unit:	Policy and Governance Unit, Academic Registrar’s Division
Supporting documents, procedures & forms of this policy:	Guidelines on Good Practice Provision of Academic Advice
References & Legislation:	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2002). The Role of Student Affairs and Services in Higher Education General Course Rules UOW Learning and Teaching Rules, Codes, Standards and Policies UOW Research Rules, Codes, Standards and Policies Records Management Policy
Audience:	Public – accessible to anyone
Expiry Date of Policy:	Not applicable

Contents

1 Purpose of Policy 2
2 Definitions 2
3 Application & Scope - Exclusions or Special Conditions (if any) 3
4 Policy Principles 3
5 Providing Academic Advice 4
6 Record Keeping 5
7 Roles & Responsibilities 6
8 Version Control and Change History 6
Guidelines on Good Practice Provision of Academic Advice 7

1 Purpose of Policy

1. Students require access to information and advice to support their academic progress through their programs of study. The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the provision of academic advice to students and to ensure that staff who provide specialist academic advice to students maintain appropriate records of this advice.
2. This policy is supported by Guidelines on Good Practice Provision of Academic Advice, which are designed to support faculties to implement effective systems to ensure that academic advice is accessible, accurate and timely.

2 Definitions

Word/Term	Definition (with examples if required)
Academic advice	Advice or information that is provided to a student and on which the student relies, or can be expected to rely regarding: 1. their academic discipline or area of study; 2. the rules, policies, codes and standards that apply to a course or a program of study and a student's progress through it; 3. other matters that impact on the student's progress; 4. the learning skills required for the course or subject and student support services available to help students with their studies; and/or 5. the professional requirements and attributes for the professions affiliated with the academic discipline. Academic advice may be: 1. administrative advice; 2. general academic advice; or 3. specialist academic advice. 4. Note: Academic advice does not include consideration of formal applications for determination relating to academic matters, such as academic consideration, applications for credit or advanced standing or applications to vary a course or program of study.
Administrative advice	Advice that may have implications for a student’s or a prospective student’s study and or progression, relating to legislative requirements, admission, enrolment and related visa and/or financial matters, leave of absence or deferral, timetabling, examinations or graduation, or University policy documents,
Electronic records	Includes emails, electronic versions of letters, memoranda and other records communicated and maintained by means of electronic equipment.
General academic advice	Advice that describes and clarifies relevant University rules, codes, policies or standards and/or published or standardised information on academic issues, Examples include: general advice on the requirements of a course or subject, based on the relevant course rules or subject outline general advice on the requirements for major and/or minor studies within a course general advice on honours requirements general advice on the operation of a University policy Any advice on academic matters provided to prospective students is general academic advice.
Policy documents	University rules, policies, codes, standards, guidelines and procedures.
Specialist academic advice	Advice that is individual advice to a student that addresses the student’s specific circumstances and varies from general, published or standardised information. Examples include: detailed course or subject planning and/or selection advice interpretation and application of course or subject requirements to the student’s individual circumstances interpretation of academic policy or procedures to the student’s individual circumstances tailored advice on learning skills or support services available to the student to meet the student’s individual circumstances/ All academic advice that is not general academic advice is specialist academic advice.
Staff	Employees of the University, UniAdvice and/or the UOW College and in respect of offshore programs, includes personnel involved in the delivery of UOW programs offshore.
Student	A person registered with the University of Wollongong for a course or unit of study.

3 Application & Scope - Exclusions or Special Conditions (if any)

1. This policy applies to academic advice provided to all students:

a. while studying at an Australian campus or education centres of the University or offshore; or
b. while undertaking study at the University within a virtual or online environment; or
c. while studying a UOW course or unit of study at UOW College;
d. while studying at the University while on student exchange, Study Abroad or undertaking a cross-institutional program; and
e. whether undertaking coursework or research.

2. This policy does not apply to students studying at the University of Wollongong Dubai.
3. This policy applies to staff of the University, UniAdvice and/or UOW College in providing academic advice to current or prospective students of the University.

4 Policy Principles

1. In order to support the student experience, the University strives to ensure that students have access to appropriate academic advice to inform the decisions that students must make to progress their study at the University.
2. According to UNESCO, student advice programs support the following important objectives:

a. assisting students with decision-making and career direction.
b. helping students understand and comply with institutional requirements.
c. providing clear and accurate information regarding institutional policies, procedures and programs.
d. assisting students in the selection of courses and other educational experiences (e.g.internships, study abroad).
e. referring students to appropriate resources, on and off campus.
f. evaluating student progress towards established goals.
g. collecting and distributing data regarding student needs, preferences and performance for use in refining or revising institutional/agency decisions, policies and procedures.
h. interpreting various interest/ability inventories that provide students with information related to their career choices.
i. utilizing a variety of supplemental systems such as online computer programs to deliver advising information.

3. Academic advice given to students will be:

a. current and accurate;
b. based on the information provided by the student;
c. ethical and impartial;
d. provided directly by staff to the student, and not through an intermediary;
e. provided in a timely manner, responding as promptly as possible to student enquiries; and
f. provided only by those persons properly authorised and qualified to provide the advice.

4. Any student who considers that they have been disadvantaged as a result of receiving academic advice that does not meet the requirements of this policy is entitled to lodge an academic grievance.

5 Providing Academic Advice

1. Academic advice may be:

a. provided by a staff member to a student; or
b. information published by the University in printed form or on its website and/or systems.

2. General academic advice may be provided to students by all staff authorised to do so. Authorisation may be given by the relevant Dean or Director at the Faculty or Division or at UOW College, or by the Manager of the University Education Centres. Authorisation must be in writing, and may be granted to individual staff or to staff holding designated positions.
3. General academic advice may be provided to prospective students by all staff authorised to do so by the relevant Dean or Director at UniAdvice, UOW College or at the Faculty.
4. Specialist academic advice may be provided by the following staff, known as Specialist Academic Advisers:

a. Deans, Sub-Deans, Deputy Deans, Associate Deans, Directors of Study, Discipline Advisors, Course Coordinators, Heads of School and Associate Heads of School in relation to the program of study;
b. Lecturers and Subject Coordinators in relation to advice on a subject which they teach or coordinate;
c. Supervisors, Associate Deans – Research, Heads of Postgraduate Studies and the Director, Research Students Centre in relation to higher degree research students;
d. Members of University Ethics Committees and the Ethics Manager on ethics issues in relation to higher degree research students; and/or
e. Learning Development staff in relation to learning skills.

5. Specialist academic advice or may also be provided to students by any member of general staff authorised to do so, who is known as a Student Adviser, subject to the following:

a. Student Advisers must be authorised to provide specialist academic advice by the Dean or Director of the faculty or Division;
b. staff are not eligible to be authorised as a Student Adviser unless and until the Dean or Director is satisfied that they have been trained to provide advice or are otherwise competent to do so on the basis of previous experience;
c. the authorisation may include restrictions on the nature or scope of the advice to be provided by the Student Adviser, who must only provide advice in accordance with those restriction; and
d. Student Advisers must consult with Specialist Academic Advisors or refer students to appropriate Specialist Academic Advisers where the issues are complex.

6. Administrative advice will be provided to current students by staff of the Academic Registrar’s Division (in respect of leave of absence or deferral, timetabling, examinations or graduation, University policy documents) singly or in conjunction with any person authorised to provide specialist academic advice.
7. Administrative advice to prospective students relating to legislative and visa requirements, will be provided by designated staff of UniAdvice.
8. Administrative advice to current students relating to legislative and visa requirements and that may have implications for an international student's study and or progression will be provided by designated staff of the Academic Registrar’s Division.
9. Academic advice should not be provided to students by Peer Leaders in the Peer Assisted Study Sessions program.

6 Record Keeping

1. Where staff provide specialist academic advice that impacts or is likely to impact on a student's studies, it is recommended that the advice is confirmed in writing using a SOLSMail message or by providing it to the student in some other written form.
2. Written or electronic records of specialist academic advice will be recorded and retained in accordance with the principles and requirements for the management of records set out in the Records Management Policy.

Notes:

Specialist academic advice provided during public and high activity periods such as during enrolment may be recorded and retained using batch forms, running sheets or using other efficient methods of recording information.

Under the State Records Act, 1998, each public office (which includes the University of Wollongong) must make and keep full and accurate records of the activities of the office. Under the General Retention and Disposal Authority – University Records, records of advice to students in relation to academic matters must be retained for a minimum period of 6 years from completion or discontinuation of the student’s course of study.

7 Roles & Responsibilities

1. Faculties and the Academic Registrar’s Division are responsible for:

a. ensuring that all information regarding courses, subjects, relevant University rules, codes, standards and policies and regarding how to access providers of administrative, general and specialist academic advice is:

i. accurate
ii. current
iii. appropriately presented to assist students to access and understand the information, and
iv. readily available on the University's website and on relevant student systems.

b. taking action to inform students of significant changes to the University’s rules, codes, standards and policies affecting students’ academic experience.

2. Faculties and Divisions are responsible for ensuring that all staff authorised to provide academic advice are provided with appropriate induction, training, resources and support to ensure this responsibility can be carried out.
3. Faculties are responsible for implementing, where appropriate, the Guidelines on Good Practice Provision of Academic Advice.
4. Staff authorised to provide academic advice are responsible for familiarising themselves with relevant University rules, codes, standards and policies, and for providing advice consistent with these University policy documents.
5. Students are responsible for:

a. familiarising themselves with relevant University rules, codes, standards and policies and for seeking academic advice when required from designated staff.
b. being proactive in seeking academic advice from those staff authorised to provide that advice before making significant decisions affecting their academic experience;
c. fully and accurately disclosing all background information that they believe is relevant to the issue on which academic advice is sought to the person providing the academic advice;
d. retaining records of academic advice they receive (e.g. retaining electronic or hard copies of specialist academic advice, making diary notations etc.);
e. the actions that students take contrary to academic advice provided, and the consequences of such actions.

8 Version Control and Change History

Version Control	Date Effective	Approved By	Amendment
1	Autumn Session 2011	University Council 3^rd December 2010	First Version
2	21 June 2011	Vice-Principal (Administration)	Updated to reflect change of name from Wollongong College Australia to UOW College.

Guidelines on Good Practice Provision of Academic Advice

1. Web based advice:

1.1. The University should provide on the web information on courses and subjects including

a. Course Overview, Entry Requirements, Course Requirements, Time Limits, Fields of Study (if applicable), Assessment Summary
b. Subject Information as per the Subject Database

1.2. The University should provide web based access to all University rules, codes, standards and policies affecting academic matters, which can be located on the UOW Policy Directory, http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/index.html
1.3. UniAdvice, the Research Students Centre and the Academic Registrar’s Division should provide web based information for students on :

a. The process of seeking admission to the University, and
b. The process of enrolling at the University
Both items should be located on the UOW Future Students website.

1.4. Faculties should provide web based information for students, both on the Current Students website (in cooperation with Academic Registrar’s Division) and on their faculty websites, on who to contact at their Faculty (including the location of these staff and the times at which these staff are available during sessions, study recess and exam periods, or the process for making appointments with these staff):

a. For general advice
b. For specialist advice

2. FAQs and Student Handbooks provided by Faculties

2.1. FAQs should be made available to students. Topics should include but are not limited to

a. Enrolling in tutorials/seminars/workshop/computer labs
b. Finding a lecture/tutorial room or office
c. What are lectures and tutorials, and when do they start
d. What are subject codes, credit points, core and elective subjects
e. What is a major and what is a minor study
f. What are prerequisites and co-requisites
g. Important deadlines
h. Credit transfer
i. Details on student professional experience programs
j. Who to see about enrolment, advanced standing, subject variations and other specialist academic advice matters
k. Subject outlines – what they are, what do they contain and how to obtain them
l. Plagiarism and academic integrity
m. Copyright
n. Where to get assistance with study
o. Student consultation hours

2.2. Access to FAQ will be provided through faculty specific websites.
2.3. Student Handbooks prepared by faculties for students generally, or for specific cohorts, should contain up to date references to university policy documents and other relevant information such as that listed above at 2.1

3. Student Enquiries Centres

3.1. Student Enquiries Centres (known in some faculties as Faculty “Centrals” and including the Research Students Centre at the Wollongong Campus) should be available to students studying on the Wollongong Campus.
3.2. Students studying at Shoalhaven Campus, Sydney Business School Sydney and Education Centres should have access to a facility that offers services like those provided at the student access centre for the location.
3.3. Students should be advised on the faculty, campus or education centre website and in other information (such as subject outlines and enrolment information) of the following:

a. hours of operation (which should as closely as possible coincide with the hours of operation for the University),
b. which providers of general and specialist advice are available at the Student Access Centre or equivalent
c. services offered at the Student Enquiries Centre or equivalent, for example,

i. access to forms,
ii. submission and collection of assignments,
iii. access to general advice,
iv. scholarship enquiries,
v. credit transfer enquiries,
vi. student academic consideration enquiries,
vii. arranging appointments with academic staff,
viii. referral of students to appropriate specialist academic advice providers, and
ix. referral of students to other relevant support and/or advocacy services, including:

the Dean of Students,

the Student Advocacy Officer or

the Student Support Advisor for the faculty.

4. Access to Specialist Advice

4.1. Students requiring specialist academic advice require tailored advice that involves the exercise of judgment in the interpretation of facts and circumstances and the application of University policy documents to those circumstances.
4.2. Specialist advice may be in the areas of course or subject selection, enrolment, assessment requirements, credit transfer, student discipline matters, academic grievances or learning support.
4.3. Students should be able to access specialist academic advice in a timely way using the information noted in these guidelines to determine from whom such advice may be obtained and how and where to access the providers of such advice.
4.4. Faculties should ensure that alternative arrangements are in place in the event that a staff member who is designated to provide specialist academic advice is unavailable for a significant period.

5. Communicating Changes

5.1. Any policy changes which directly affect students should be brought to the attention of students through a variety of means including:

a. Using the New Policy Information area of the University Policy Directory
b. Advising students using the Current Students website
c. Notifying students using SOLSMail
d. Using UOW digital signage
e. Using local staff in the case of offshore programs.

5.2. ARD and faculties will ensure that changes to UOW courses and subjects are communicated to students by timely updates to the Online Course Handbook information and the UOW Subject Database.

6. Record Keeping

6.1. Records should be kept of specialist advice given to students who are or have been enrolled, documenting the nature of the advice, to whom it was provided, by whom and on what date.
6.2. Where practicable, it is recommended that students should receive a copy of any record of advice given.
6.3. Advice should be given directly to the student, not through an intermediary. Students should be aware that advice given to a third party or received via a third party is not official University advice; official University advice is given directly to the student.
6.4. Students should make and retain a record of any academic advice received, when it was received and by whom it was given.
6.5. If a student receives academic advice and acts against that advice then the student is responsible for the consequences of that action.
6.6. Where advice is given to a student, the record can be made directly on the student’s record on the Student Management Package. If it is not possible to make such a record directly, the record should be made in written form and retained consistent with University record keeping obligations. It is good practice to provide a copy to the student.
6.7. Where specialist academic advice is provided to students during public and high activity periods such as during student enrolment, records may be made and retained using run sheets such as the example set out at Attachment 1.

7. Faculties should prepare process maps for staff and students showing how the process of providing academic advice at UOW is administered.
8. Induction and Training

8.1. Faculties should provide assurance that staff are equipped to deal with enquiries through structured induction and development of staff performing this role.
8.2. Faculties should provide ongoing training and development of staff, including ensuring that staff are provided with access to information on changes to University policies and practices that impact on the provision of routine academic advice.
8.3. Faculties should use a range of methods to monitor and confirm the capacity of staff to provide quality routine academic advice, such as monitoring student feedback (including complaints and grievances) relating to the quality of academic advice, surveying student satisfaction and monitoring issues identified in other University surveys such as the Student Experience Questionnaire.

9. Rights of Appeal

9.1. Faculties and ARD should make students aware of their right to lodge an academic grievance in response to any academic advice they receive that detrimentally affects their academic experience on the basis that the advice is not in conformity with the standards set out in this policy.

Appendix – Student Advice Run Sheet Sample

Student Advice Run Sheet – Enrolment Day – 17 February 2011

Student Adviser:

Student Name	Student Number	Issue	Advice
John Smith	3217445	Subjects Course Student Support Intn’l Other (specify)	Student interested in double major in international business and marketing. Discussed options and outlined limits of double counting of subject MGMT 302
Sani Hamid	3934579	Subjects Course Student Support Intn’l Other (specify)	Has wife with disability. Advised of option of registering under associate provisions with Disability Services. Referred to SSA.
Li Lin	3766782	Subjects Course Student Support Intn’l Other (specify)	Looking at transfer from MAF to MComm. Discussed scope for use of MAF subjects to fulfil elective requirements, and outlined compulsory subjects in MComm. Explained process of course transfer. Will need change to COE as International Student. Referred to ARD for Application to Vary Course Registration form.
Aliesha Davies	3999111	Subjects Course Student Support Intn’l Other (specify)	Dean’s Scholar – seeking information on support for program. What is value of the text book voucher? Advised it depends on number of subjects. Gave advice on upper limit per year, pro-rata depending on subjects undertaken.