Purpose of Award
To recognize and encourage excellence in academic advising.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this award, a candidate must hold a full-time faculty position with teaching and academic
advising responsibilities. Candidates must have held this position for a minimum of three years. Previous
recipients of this award will not be eligible to receive it again for another five years.
Nomination Procedure
Each faculty member/administrator may submit one nomination no later than the deadline, as posted
on the Faculty and Staff Awards page.
The nominee, who should be notified promptly of the nomination, will supply all the appropriate
supporting material to the Chancellor’s office.
Description of the Award
Each advising award will consist of a $500 check and a framed certificate. The awards will be presented at the Annual Faculty /Staff Awards Convocation or other appropriate public ceremony.
Composition of the Awards Committee
The Awards Committee will consist of the two most recent recipients of the award, two faculty representatives selected by Faculty Senate, and a student representative selected by the Student Government Association.
Selection
Evaluations of the nominees will be made based on demonstration of the following criteria:
- Evidence of accessibility and responsiveness to students
- Demonstrated familiarity with the College’s academic and administrative policies related to advising
- Documented efforts to improve advising skills
- Evidence of the quality of advising regarding program curriculum, career guidance, and assisting students to navigate the University’s support infrastructure.
Nominations will be reviewed by the Service Award Committee, which will make recommendations to the Chancellor. If the committee believes that none of the nominees meets the criteria for the award, the committee may recommend that no award be presented. There is no requirement that the award be presented annually.
Supporting Materials
Each nominee shall provide sufficient supporting materials for evaluative purposes. Suggested materials may include, but are not limited to the following:
- A personal statement of the nominee’s advising philosophy (maximum length: 3 pages or 750 words).
The statement of advising philosophy should address the question: How does the nominee see his/her role in the advising process related to such issues as availability to students, ability to connect and direct students to key support services, knowledge about course and curricular requirements, and/or efficacy as a life-planning agent who can assist students in making academic and career plans upon graduation? -
Demonstration of competency in developmental advising: Is the nominee proactive in apprising students of institutional policies and protocols while working to the tailor the students’ college experience according to the college’s mission, curricula, and venues for extracurricular learning?Credentials may include records of advising contacts (e-mail contacts, appointments, e-Lion transactions, or memos and/or notes associated with reviews of degree audits), evidence of familiarity with technology resources (e-Lion), degree audits, the Undergraduate Advising Guide, or any other University advising publications and/or forms, participation in advising workshops (e.g. FTCAP, AARP, etc.), or evidence of other out-of class interaction with students that can be seen as fostering a stable, ongoing, mentoring relationship between advisor and advisee.
- A letter of support from the nominee’s School Director attesting to the candidate’s effectiveness in adhering to both University and Penn State Harrisburg advising policies.
- A curriculum vitae (CV).
The total length of the nomination packet (except the CV) should not exceed 10 pages.
Nominees must submit this documentation to the Chancellor’s Office by the due date. The deadline for submission of materials will be made part of the announcement that calls for nominations.