Letter from the Dean

	Ron Irving

New students arrive on campus with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The UW can be overwhelming, with so many options and opportunities available. Fortunately there is a wonderful resource available to students at every phase of their education: academic advisers.

There are more than 60 advisers in the College of Arts and Sciences, all based in departments. Their knowledge of this institution rivals that of anyone on campus, as I learned in my academic and administrative roles in the Department of Mathematics.

Advisers can explain the requirements for a major, suggest courses, guide students to research opportunities, and build
connections between students and faculty or alumni. On their own initiative, they have developed workshops on writing, career planning, and other topics.

Because students tend to be comfortable sharing frustrations and concerns with them, advisers also are able to provide valuable input on curriculum decisions. They know which courses are over- or under-enrolled, which subfields are increasing in popularity, and which course sequences cause scheduling conflicts. In many departments, advisers are integral members of curriculum planning committees, with input on new courses, course revisions, and degree programs.

It is no surprise, then, that advisers came to mind immediately when we were looking for ways to spread the word about the UW’s Exploration Seminars. The seminars are month-long study abroad courses held prior to autumn quarter. They are a terrific opportunity for students to experience foreign study, but not all students have been aware of them. Those organizing the seminars realized that if advisers understood the value of the seminars, they would share that information with students. And recognizing that there is no better way to grasp the value of foreign study than to experience it, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of International Programs and Exchanges, and the Office of Global Affairs provided funding to send 18 advisers along on seminars this year. The advisers’ Exploration Seminar experiences are highlighted in "A Global Reach for Advisers" this issue of A&S Perspectives.

The College has created another new opportunity for advisers, establishing the A&S College Advisory Council in March 2006. The Council was created to build a community of advisers across the College, encouraging regular communication and establishing ties between advisers and others involved in
undergraduate learning within the College as well as across campus. The Council is made up of eight advisers — each representing about a half dozen other A&S advisers — and the College’s assistant dean for educational programs. The group meets weekly to discuss procedures, policies, and new
initiatives. The Council’s work already has led to improved communication and sharing of information, which will undoubtedly benefit students.

In September, the Council offered a day-long workshop for all A&S advisers, with 40 attending and the College’s divisional deans visiting for part of the day. The focus was on the College as a provider of a liberal arts education, with emphasis on the role advisers can play in promoting the value of the liberal arts. Advisers are in a unique position to help students recognize the importance of the liberal arts as part of their learning and their lives.

I opened the workshop by offering my perspective as interim dean of the College. Seeing all those A&S advisers in one place, focused on their shared goals, I was struck by their tireless dedication to their work. Through their efforts, students become more fully engaged in the College’s mission: understanding what is and imagining what can be.

Ron Irving
Interim Dean
rsi@u.washington.edu

[Autumn 2006 - Table of Contents]