The University views sound academic advising as a significant responsibility in educating students. Academic advisors assist students in developing intellectual potential and exploring educational opportunities and life goals. Many people in the campus community contribute to the advising process, including faculty, staff, student, and professional advisors. Through the relationship established between advisor and student within a friendly, helpful, and professional atmosphere, a student has the opportunity to learn about educational options, degree requirements, and academic policies and procedures; to clarify educational objectives; to plan and pursue programs consistent with abilities, interests, and life goals; and to use all resources of the University to his or her best advantage.

Ultimately, the student is responsible for seeking adequate academic advice, for knowing and meeting degree requirements, and for enrolling in appropriate courses to ensure orderly and timely progress toward a degree. Frequent advisor contact provides students with current academic information and promotes progress toward educational goals. The University supports that progress and encourages effective academic advising campus-wide.

The advising systems are described in the college/school sections of this catalog.

Student Responsibility

While University faculty and staff members give students academic advice and assistance, each student is expected to take responsibility for his or her education and personal development. The student must know and abide by the academic and disciplinary policies given in this catalog and in General Information, including rules governing quantity of work, the standard of work required to continue in the University, scholastic probation and dismissal, and enforced withdrawal. The student must also know and meet the requirements of his or her degree program, including the University’s basic education requirements; must enroll in courses appropriate to the program; must meet prerequisites and take courses in the proper sequence to ensure orderly and timely progress; and must seek advice about degree requirements and other University policies when necessary.

The student must give correct local and permanent postal addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail address to the Office of the Registrar and to the offices of the student’s deans and must notify these offices immediately of any changes. Official correspondence is sent to the postal or e-mail address last given to the registrar; if the student has failed to correct this address, he or she will not be relieved of responsibility on the grounds that the correspondence was not delivered.

The student must verify his or her schedule of classes each semester, must see that necessary corrections are made, and must keep documentation of all schedule changes and other transactions.

All students should be familiar with the following sources of information:

The University Catalog

Information about the University catalog is found in General Information.

The Course Schedule

The Course Schedule is published by the Office of the Registrar and is available before registration for each semester and summer session at http://registrar.utexas.edu/schedules/. It includes information about registration procedures; times, locations, instructors, prerequisites, and special fees of classes offered; and advising locations.

Dean’s Offices

In each college, the office of the assistant or associate dean for student affairs serves as a central source of information about academic affairs and student services. The student should consult the dean’s office staff for information not provided in the publications listed above; a student who is in doubt about any University regulation should always seek clarification in the dean’s office before proceeding.