Criminal Justice and Criminology Department Honored for Advising

For its broad-ranging “convocation to commencement” approach to advising, the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology has earned the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising.

This award is presented annually to an advising center, department, program, or unit that demonstrates a sustained and collective responsibility among faculty and staff to assist students in achieving their educational goals. Advising, said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Joan Lorden, “means providing support and guidance to students so that they might reach their full academic potential.”

The department provides support to majors and minors academically, professionally, and personally to help them achieve their fullest potential, Lorden said. To help students achieve their educational goals, the department restructured its administrative operations to include an undergraduate advising coordinator, ensuring that students know the requirements for the major or minor and are aware of activities which effect student engagement, student achievement, and personal development. The department actively and routinely communicates to its pre-majors, majors, and minors through the use of the Banner system. Students can speak to departmental advisors on an individual basis by scheduling appointments, but group advising options are also popular.

By creating a network of faculty advisors who integrate the academic experience with personal and professional development activities, the department advising program is addressing the internationalization mission of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences by encouraging study abroad opportunities. It also is growing a departmental honors program that targets transfer students, and is contributing to student achievement and academic success of new transfer students through the CJUS Learning Community. The department conducts quantitative and qualitative assessments during peak advising times, with the goal to improve advising practices.

The award includes a $2,500 award and a plaque commemorating the department’s achievements in undergraduate advising.