Mason Academic Advisor Onboarding

Training and professional development for all Mason academic advisors is a priority and essential in providing our students with quality and consistent advising experiences across all academic units and to promote opportunities for professional growth and advancement for our advisors. All new academic advisors at Mason are required to complete Academic Advisor Onboarding training. This training includes four live training modules, four asynchronous training modules, training within your school/college/department, and additional content to review on this page.

Academic Advisor Onboarding training topics were developed based on guidance from NACADA (National Academic Advising Association), the Global Community for Academic Advising, as well as needs specific to being an Academic Advisor at Mason.

If you have not already done so, please submit this form to be added to the advisor database.

After we receive your form, you will be added to the Mason Academic Advising group in Microsoft Teams. The MS Teams Mason Academic Advising-GRP is used for advisors to share brief updates and to ask each other questions about various advising related issues that may arise, related to registration, forms, processes, locating the appropriate office or advisor, and more. This group consists of academic advisors and members of other offices, such as the registrar, who can answer questions that are connected to their units. If you are not an advisor and would like to be added, please contact Sylvia Lee, Academic Advising Coordinator, at sleh@gmu.edu.

Make sure to sign up for the MAAN (Mason Academic Advisor Network) listserv so you can stay connected and receive up-to-date information about advising news, course updates, events, and more.

As you complete your Academic Advisor Onboarding training, we encourage you to continue to pursue professional development opportunities. Dedicating time to professional development throughout your time as an academic advisor is essential to our field so we can continue to best serve our student populations.

Introduction and Itinerary

Please begin by reading this onboarding introduction letter from the Office of Academic Advising.

Advisor Onboarding Itinerary
  1. Enroll in Academic Advisor Onboarding training on MasonLeaps.
  2. Complete Asynchronous Training Modules.
  3. Complete Banner Navigation and Navigate trainings
    • These need to be completed before the “Academic Advising Tools and Technology Workshop” Live Training Module
  4. Enroll in and complete Live Training Modules.
  5. Complete training within your school/college.

Note that items in the itinerary may overlap. We recommend enrolling in Live Training Modules when they are made available (as long as you have time to complete the pre-requisites before the actual workshop) and completing training within your school/college while completing the asynchronous and live modules.

Every module (both live and asynchronous) includes a quiz (on MasonLeaps) and evaluation.

Please submit a session evaluation after you complete each asynchronous and live module.

Navigate and Banner
Navigate is the current customer relationship management (CRM) system used by academic advisors and other faculty and staff at Mason for student appointment scheduling, note taking on student appointments, email and appointment campaigns, reporting, and more. Information on required training and access is included in the “Advisor Technology Workshop” content area, as completing the Navigate training is a prerequisite for the workshop. In order to complete Navigate training and gain access, you need to complete Banner Navigation training and gain access to Banner.

You can access the “Banner Navigation” training on MasonLeaps. Contact your supervisor about gaining Banner access.

After you have completed Banner training and gained access, you can complete the NavigateMason training which is accessed through Blackboard. After completing the training, you can request access to Navigate.

Required HR Trainings
You will be notified by HR via email and during your new employee orientation of other trainings that are required by HR as a new Mason Employee. Some examples of these include but are not limited to:

  • FERPA 101
  • Banner Navigation
  • Tools for an Ethical Workplace
  • Mason 101 (strongly encouraged)
Training within your School/College/Unit

In addition to the centrally supported advisor training, each school/college also provides training to their academic advisors on policies and processes specific to the school/college. The recommended areas include:

  • Curriculum requirements in your advising area
  • Details of school/college specific policies, procedures and forms
  • Advising appointment shadowing
  • New Student Orientation
  • Student programming/events
  • NavigateMason campaigns/outreach
  • Calendar and appointment expectations
  • Advising students for good standing (below 2.0, returning from suspension, unsatisfactory midterms, warning, probation, and related policies)
  • Advising for BAMs and graduate school

Live and Asynchronous Modules

The live and asynchronous modules are completed on MasonLeaps, but some of the information and articles from the trainings are made available on this page for anyone who cannot access MasonLeaps or is in a position that does not require completion of the entire training (e.g. someone who does not advise in an official capacity but would like to review some training materials). Below you can also find descriptions and learning outcomes for the modules as well as the link for module evaluations.

The live modules are only available to Mason academic advisors. The live foundations modules are designed with new academic advisors in mind.

Live Training Module: Academic Advising Foundations I
Required prerequisite: articles (access in the module on MasonLeaps)

Description:

In this session, advisors will learn about the history, importance, and role of academic advising at the local and international levels as it relates to student learning, success, and retention. Participants will also understand and recognize the importance of their educational community and their individual well-being through establishing a consistent practice of self-reflection and professional development.

Learning Objectives:

  • Advisors will be able to recognize the history and importance of academic advising.
  • Advisors will understand the four pillars of academic advising.
  • Advisors will be able to communicate responsibilities of being an academic advisor at Mason.
  • Advisors will be able to recognize advisor roles and expectations and understand the importance of these expectations in relation to their students.
  • Advisors will understand the structure of academic advising within their unit and at Mason.
  • Advisors will understand the importance of their educational community and the support it provides to students.
  • Advisors will recognize the importance of building in a consistent practice of self-reflection and professional development.

Course Materials:
If you are completing the training, access these articles in the module on MasonLeaps to receive credit.

NACADA Pillars of Academic Advising

Additional Resources:

  • We encourage you to explore the Advising site as well as the advising sites for the different colleges, schools, and departments to gain an understanding of the advising structures at Mason.
  • You can also check out the Mason Academic Advisor Network (MAAN) website for additional information and professional development opportunities.
  • Please review this article regarding advisor training recommendations in our field: Training Blueprint for New Advisors (from NACADA)

After you attend the live workshop, return to MasonLeaps to complete the quiz for this module.

Also remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Live Training Module: Academic Advising Foundations II: Best Practices
Required prerequisites: Academic Advising Foundations I, articles (see Course Materials below)

Description:
This training module builds on Academic Advising Foundations I and provides information on Best Practices in Academic Advising. Areas covered include advising models and approaches, the structure of an advising meeting, advising meeting note taking, and referrals.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize various approaches and models of academic advising and when to employ them
  • Learn the structure of an academic advising meeting
  • Recognize the point at which a student should be referred to another office
  • Employ efficient and effective note-taking strategies
  • Identify Mason resources in the area of self-care

Course Materials:
Please review the following resources prior to the live workshop.

After you attend the live workshop, return to MasonLeaps to complete the quiz for this module.

Also remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Live Training Module: Using Your Advising Syllabus to Develop Trust
Preferred prerequisites: Academic Advising Foundations I and II

Description:
This session will introduce the concept of an academic advising syllabus and its importance, review the university-wide advising syllabus template, discuss how to make the syllabus your own and finally the best ways to share the syllabus with your advisees. Establishing and communicating clear expectations with your advising syllabus will contribute to establishing rapport and trust with your advisee.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the purpose and importance of an advising syllabus
  • Identify the components of an advising syllabus
  • Identify academic advising student learning outcomes
  • Learn when and how to share your advising syllabus with your advisees
  • Begin to customize the university-wide academic advising syllabus template and make it unique to you

Course Materials:
We recommend that you review these prior to the live workshop.

After you attend the live workshop, return to MasonLeaps to complete the quiz for this module.

Also remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Live Training Module: Academic Advising Tools and Technology Workshop
Required prerequisites: All of the asynchronous training modules (see below), NavigateMason training and access
Required prerequisite to NavigateMason training: Banner Navigation training (available on MasonLeaps) and access

Description:
During this workshop, new advisors will be able to ask questions and trouble shoot regarding any advising technology and tools, such as DegreeWorks, Navigate, PatriotWeb, Banner, the advising website, transfer credit matrix, and more. More senior advisors will also share tips and tricks within these tools.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to apply various tools and technology in advising situations
  • Recall where to find academic policies and deadlines
  • Recognize purpose of forms and where to submit
  • Determine which form to use depending on a student’s situation
  • Interpret academic policies to support student academic goals

After you attend the live workshop, return to MasonLeaps to complete the quiz for this module.

Also remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Asynchronous Training Module: The Mason Degree
Description:
This session will provide advisors an overview of the Mason degree, and will include information on the Mason Core, Major coursework, degree structure, and a brief introduction to the Honors College. Through this session advisors will be able to articulate requirements of the Mason degree and develop a broader understanding of the student experience.

Learning Objectives:

  • Advisors will develop an understanding of the major components of the Mason Degree
  • Advisors will be able to identify the Mason Graduate
  • Advisors will be able to articulate overall requirements of the Mason Degree
  • Advisors will be able to communicate with students components of the Mason Core curriculum

Remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Asynchronous Training Module: DegreeWorks for Advisors
Description:
This session will provide new advisors with a step-by-step overview of the Degree Works system. How to search for students and how to read their audit. Additional time will be spent reviewing unique features such as, the What-if function, Plan-ahead and Notes.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to navigate Degree Works
  • Utilize the “What If” feature in Degree Works for major and minor exploration with students
  • Understand the various Degree Works icons (requirement has been met, not met, in progress)
  • Know how to add a note in Degree Works

Supplemental Resources:

Remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Asynchronous Training Module: Registration and Program Changes
Description:
Advisors will learn about academic policies and resources necessary for their role. This session will go over Mason specific academic standards applicable across schools/colleges throughout the student lifecycle.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recall where to find academic policies and deadlines
  • Recognize purpose of forms and where to submit
  • Determine which form to use depending on a student’s situation
  • Interpret academic policies to support student academic goals

Remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Asynchronous Training Module: Withdrawals, Exceptions and External Options
Description:
Overview of possible academic requirement exceptions, external options for academic requirements, and processes to follow for academic and non-academic withdrawals. This session will be especially useful when working with transfer and international students

Learning Objectives:

  • Recall pertinent academic policies and procedures
  • Recognize purpose of forms and where to submit
  • Determine which form to use depending on a student’s situation
  • Interpret academic policies and forms to support student academic goals

Remember to submit a session evaluation after you complete the module.

Wrap-Up and Thank You

Thank you for participating in Academic Advisor Onboarding training! Your progress and ultimately your completion of this process will be tracked in Mason Leaps. Once you have completed all of the training modules, as well as the quizzes for each training module, then your training is complete, and you will be notified by an Office of Academic Advising team member. Your supervisor will also be notified of your completion.

We hope you also were able to complete the evaluations after each training module as we truly value your feedback.

Questions? Email Sylvia Lee, Academic Advising Coordinator, at sleh@gmu.edu