Getting to Know the Student:
Communicating with Your Advisee

Talk to the Student

• Call or e-mail the student periodically during the semester.
   
• Discuss both your responsibilities and the student's in making the advising relationship work.
   
• Stop and chat with them as you walk around campus or eat lunch together.
   
• Ask them to stop by and visit you in your office or go for a casual coffee.

Maintain the Mentoring Log

• Every advisee folder should have an mentoring log.
   
• After every meeting with the advisee, fill out what you discussed and what follow up is planned
   
• In order to refresh your memory about an advisee, review the mentoring log.

Devising email or letter templates for messages you need to send regularly to advisees will speed up communication. For example, you may want templates for the following:

• Instructions on preparing for Fall Mentoring Week
   
• Instructions on preparing for registration in the Spring
   
• "You received a mid-term warning slip -- come and see me."
   
• Welcome back notes at the beginning of Fall and farewells at the end of Spring.
   
• For Juniors, reminder about filling out their Application for Degree form.

In "Outlook", create a list or group of all of your advisee's e-mail addresses. Realize that some students do not regularly use their  Monmouth College e-mail address, so be sure to ask them for the address that they use.

Finally, if you receive a mid-term warning grade slip, make sure to contact the student and discuss what is happening.

• Ask leading questions about their academic and non-academic lives.
   
• If you are referring the student, make the appointment from your office.
   
• Remember to follow-up with the student.
   
• If needed, follow-up with referral, as well.
   
• For further help, see Students Having Academic Difficulties