The Academic Advising Council offers a certificate of Advising Enhancement to all full and part-time advisors who are involved in academic or student success advising, whether in staff or faculty (tenure-track or non-tenure track) positions.  The certificate provides evidence of the advisor’s commitment to professional development and involvement in activities such workshops, seminars, training sessions, tutorials or conferences that are focused on enhancing one’s advising knowledge and abilities.  This certificate mirrors the “Teaching Enhancement Certificate” offered by the Center for Faculty Excellence, and individuals may obtain both certificates.  Advisors may earn this certificate after completing 8 units of approved advising enhancement activities and submitting documentation of how they have incorporated that information into their advising practices.  Specific information on how these units are awarded is listed below.  The certificate may be included in annual reviews, promotion and tenure documents (for faculty), and in consideration of advising awards.

Credit

To receive credit for Academic Advising Council sponsored activities, interested advisors should sign the “Record of Attendance” that will be available at these events.  To receive credit for outside events, individuals should download the “Outside Advising Activity Form” available on the Academic Advising Center website – instructions on how to submit the form are listed on the form.  Forms should be submitted immediately after attendance, rather than waiting to submit multiples at one time. After completing 8 units, individuals are required to submit a 2-3-page paper describing what they have learned and how they have incorporated this into their advising practice, as well as how their advising has improved.  The Advising Center will track the number of units and the certificate will be awarded upon completion of 8 units and the paper described above.

Unit Calculation Guidelines

  • Lunches, short workshops = 1 unit
  • Conference attendance = 1 unit per half-day, for 3 units maximum
  • Conference presentation = 1 unit
  • Tutorials, webinars = 1 unit
  • On-line course through NACADA = TBD based on course
  • A maximum of 4 units may be earned from events outside of MSU
  • Only events focused on advising will count toward this certificate (for example, Center for Faculty Excellence events will count IF they pertain to advising, but not teaching or research)

Contact Info:

Diane Donnelly or Shannon Patterson

Academic Advising Center

Gaines 130 – 406-994-3532

Advising@montana.edu

Updated: February 9, 2018