Advisers from each college will be in Free Speech Alley on Wednesday greeting students with refreshments, games and prizes as part of the second annual Academic Adviser Awareness Week.Between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. students passing in front of the Student Union will be encouraged to meet their advisers. The event is a part of preparation for Oct. 26, the first day students are able to schedule classes for the spring semester, Spring Intercession and summer.”Through this event and other activities throughout this semester we hope to educate students, administrators, faculty and staff about the intregal role that [advisers] play at LSU,” said Andrea Jones, college of education counselor. Students will again have the opportunity to meet their advisers Friday at Fall Fest, Jones said.The University deems advising “an essential key to the success of each student,” Jones said.”We hope to build stronger relationships with our students and encourage them to seek advising and personal assistance whenever necessary,” Jones said.Jones said last year’s Awareness Week was a “huge success” and estimated about 400 students met their advisers and participated in the activities.”Our hope is just to have the opportunity to meet and talk with more students,” Jones said of her goal for this year’s event.She said the eight-semester plan and the new W policy were evidence of the University’s higher expectations for students. She said about 46 advisers and assistant deans are available to help students, about the same number as last year.Eric Monday, interim chancellor of Student Life and 1996 University alumnus, said advisers play a larger role in the lives of students today than in the past.Today’s students’ lives are more complicated than they were a decade ago, and advisers work with students so they can “concentrate on their school and their academic mission,” he said.Monday said the University is looking for options to make advisers more available to students like re-evaluating the hours they are available.This year’s event is being funded by donations, the College of Engineering and the College of Education, Jones said.
 
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Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]