Members of the Educational Affairs and Academic Advising Committee

Functions of the Educational Affairs and Academic Advising Committee:

• Enforce study regulations, laws and instructions, and make sure that they are strictly applied
• Coordinate with scientific departments, Deanship of Admission, as well as the various UQU colleges and departments to facilitate processes related to educational affairs 
• Coordinate with academic departments in preparing study schedules for each semester, and follow up their implementation by the Deanship of Admission
• Supervising academic advising, in coordination with supervisors of academic departments
• Review the equivalent certificates of transferred and re-enrolled students at the beginning of each semester, and oversee internal transfers from one department to another;
• Follow up listing and delisting of students
• Follow up students about to graduate, and hand over disclaimer forms to graduates;
• Oversee everything having to do with final exams; in terms of implementation of exam schedules, deployment of exam observers, following up progress of final exams, and receiving final results approved by departments

 Support and Academic Advising:

Objectives of the Support and Academic Advising Unit:

• Familiarize students with the university life
• Provide students with accurate information about the college, educational policies, as well as educational resources and programs
• Promote students' academic attainment, hone their skills, and remove the obstacles that impede their academic achievement
• Curb chances of academic under-achievement (proactive advising)
• Provide support and advice for the College's students suffering academic troubles
• Cater for under-achieving students, and pay thorough attention to them, aiming to improve their academic attainment
• Provide social, financial, mental and health support to students, as well as occupational support if need be
• Care for talented and outstanding students, and provide them with all that would enhance their capabilities, and stimulate their creativity

Functions of the Support and Academic Advising Unit:

• Develop academic advising plan
• Monitor implementation of the academic advising plan
• Raise students' awareness of the unit, its importance, and how to make best use of its services, by means of meetings, seminars, brochures, as well as the college's website
• Introduce students with the college's vision, mission and objectives, as well as its educational programs, departments, and job areas for its graduates, in addition to providing them with the necessary guidance to opt for the majors that fit best with their skills and capabilities
• Distribute new students to academic advisors at the beginning of every, and make such lists available on the college's notice boards, as well as at its website
• Prepare reports on a regular basis (by the middle of each semester) on the unit's activities, as well as assessment of students, and submit them to the college administration
• Consider the cases referred to it by the college administration, and submit reports about them to the competent authorities
• Consider students' problems raised by academic advisors, and try to solve them with the college administration
• Consider students' academic complaints, find appropriate solutions, and submit them to the college administration if necessary
• Consider students' complaints from any of the courses, find appropriate solutions, and submit them to the college administration
• Raise students' awareness of the importance of academic advising, and continuing communication with the academic advisor, by publishing brochures, flyers, as well as posting on the college website
• Oversee orientation programs for new students, to introduce them with the study and exams systems adopted by the college
• Convene regularly (once every 4 weeks), or as needed, to discuss regular or emergency reports submitted by academic advisors.
• Contribute to solving students' mental, financial, social or occupational problems. If necessary, solutions shall be submitted to Deanship of Student Affairs to take the appropriate action

Academic Advisor's Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Be aware of the dates declared by the Admission Deanship for registration, listing and delisting.
• Be aware of the college's study plan, and student graduation requirements, and make sure that students' schedule go in line with the college's study plan.
• Prepare and update students' academic advising registers; the academic advisor opens a profile for each student, including his/her courses, grades, GPAs, and minutes of meetings between the student and his academic advisor, in addition to reports or alerts directed to the student, which affects his/her assessment.
• Schedule regular meetings (at least one meeting per semester) with each of students under the advisor's supervision, to assess their performance over the previous semester.
• Encourage students, stimulate them for hard work, and praise their excellence.
• Discuss hardships (if any), and find appropriate solutions to them.
• Discuss with students their options for the next semester (courses to enroll in or withdraw from, raise GPA, major selection, etc.)
• Support students facing difficulties to enroll in a course, or suffering discrepancy of courses.  
• Closely follow up students progress and level of achievement in their courses, prepare regular reports and enclose them to the student's profile.
• Discuss with faculty members in case the student's level is not up to the expectations 
•    In case of non-attendance or poor attainment, the academic advisor shall intensify regular meetings, discuss reasons with the student exhaustively, and try to suggest solutions and ways to overcome such hardships, or communicate them to the Academic Advising Committee.  
• Explore students' talents and skills, and make every effort to further hone them.
•   Help students make the most of the college's e-learning website.
• Urge student to engage in academic and non-academic activities.
• It is advisable for each student not to change the academic advisor from joining the college till graduation
• The college dean, or whomever he assigns to act on his behalf, shall not sign certificates of good conduct for a student until he receives a recommendation from the academic advisor stating that the student met all requirements.
• The academic advisor is supposed to base his relation with the student on academic friendship.
• The academic advisor is supposed to act as a social and occupational advisor to the student as well, to be aware of his/her social circumstances, and help him/her find the appropriate professional path, as well as opening new vistas and offering new chances through training, postgraduate studies, etc.
• Dedicate certain office hours to meet students, and discuss the academic obstacles facing them.
• Introduce students with the college's vision, mission and objectives, as well as its educational programs, departments, and job areas for its graduates, in addition to providing them with the necessary guidance to opt for the majors that fit best with their skills and capabilities
• Submit a regular report about students' performance to the Academic Support and Advising Unit (towards the end of each semester), including the student's academic performance report, showing whether it has improved or regressed, as well as suggestions to redress regression.
• Submit a report of the problems that necessitate intervention from the unit or the college administration.
• Prompt students to make the most of the library, and manage time efficiently.
• Encourage student to study in work-groups, so that each student could benefit from his/her peers.

Student's Roles and Responsibilities:

• Each student shall be fully responsible for his/her academic performance, with the academic advisor responsible only for academic support.
• The student is supposed to review the college's guide and website, so that s/he could get familiar with the requirements of the university, department and department.
• The student is supposed to be attentive to the academic calendar, as well as deadlines of registration, withdrawal, and apology, etc.
• The student shall know his/her academic advisor and his office hour.
• The student shall meet his/her academic advisor to discuss academic and professional objectives, as well as the study program and schedule, and put forth all inquiries s/he has in mind in these areas.
• The student is supposed to adhere to the academic advisor's recommendations, and be committed to the preset schedule for meetings.
• The student must let his/her academic advisor of any changes that would affect his/her program or academic performance.