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Academic Advising Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The University acknowledges the need for students to have access to information and advice to support their studies and progress through their program of study. The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the provision and recording of academic advice to students.

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Section 2 - Definitions

(2) For the purpose of this policy:

  1. Academic advice is advice or information given to one or more students on:
    1. the academic discipline or area of study;
    2. the course rules that apply to a program of study and a student's progression through it;
    3. other matters that impact on the student's progression;
    4. the learning skills required for the course or unit and support services available to help students with their studies; and
    5. the professional requirements and attributes for the professions affiliated with the academic discipline.
  2. Routine academic advice is published or standardised information.
  3. Specialist academic advice is individual advice to a student that addresses the student's specific circumstances and/or varies from routine published or standardised information.
  4. A student file is a file which relates to an individual student and is held on the University's official records management system, in accordance with the Records Management Policy.
  5. A student record is the admission, enrolment, progression and financial record on the Student Management System, managed by the Academic Registrar's Office.
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Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) Academic advice given to students will be:

  1. current and accurate based on the information provided by the student; and
  2. provided in a timely manner, responding as promptly as possible to student enquiries.

(4) Academic advice may be:

  1. provided by a staff member to a student; or
  2. information published by the University in printed material or on its website and systems.

(5) Academic advice may be routine or specialist.

(6) Routine academic advice, consistent with University policies and published information, may be provided by many staff as part of their role, including directors of academic programs, academic course advisors, unit coordinators, members of supervisory panels, counsellors, careers education consultants, school administrative staff, student centre, and other designated staff in the Academic Registrar's Office and UWS International.

(7) Specialist academic advice, as defined in clause (2) c., consistent with UWS policies, may be provided by:

  1. Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education), Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), Director Academic Program/ Academic Course Advisor, members of Supervisory Panels, in relation to the program of study;
  2. Lecturer/unit coordinator in relation to unit advice and learning requirements or skills for the unit; and/or
  3. Student Learning Unit staff on learning skills.

(8) Administrative advice, that may have implications for a student's study and or progression, relating to legislative requirements, enrolment and financial matters, leave of absence or deferment, examinations or graduation, University Policies and Codes of Conduct, will be provided by staff of the Academic Registrar's Office. Students seeking administrative advice should be referred to staff of the Academic Registrar's Office.

(9) Administrative advice, that may have implications for an international student's study and or progression, relating to legislative and visa requirements, will be provided by staff of the International Office.

(10) The University is responsibility for ensuring that all information regarding courses, and policies, is accurate and available on the University's website.

(11) Staff responsible for providing academic advice must ensure they familiarise themselves with relevant University policies and provide advice consistent with the policies.

(12) Students are responsible for familiarising themselves with relevant University policies and seeking academic advice when required from designated staff. It is in students' interests that specialist academic advice, (as defined in clause (2) c.), is confirmed in writing.

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Section 4 - Procedures

(13) Where staff provide academic advice that is not published by the University (ie which is not routine or standardised) which impacts a student's studies, they will:

  1. record the advice electronically by sending an email from their UWS staff email account to the student's UWS email account; and
  2. send a copy of the email to the student file by including trim@uws.edu.au in the Cc or Bcc field of the email.

(14) Electronic records will be captured on the student's file, using the University's TRIM file management system, in accordance with the University's Records Management Policy.

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Section 5 - Policy Guidelines

(15) Refer to Appendix 1 in the Associated Information for details on how to send a copy of the email (record of advice) to the student file where an academic does not have level 3 access to TRIM File Management System.