Most faculty members will have extensive teaching, research, or outreach assignments in addition to their advising obligations. Official responsibilities encompass those areas that relate to guiding advisees through the rules and regulations required of all students as they work toward their degrees. The academic adviser is ISU's way of making the whole process more personal. The adviser interprets the rules and requirements of the university as well as of each student's college and department. The adviser assists students in making informed decisions about their programs.
Advisers also affect students' lives through unofficial functions.
They help students select co-curricular experiences supportive of personal and professional development. These experiences assist students in determining their career options as well as in building a strong resume. Advisers may further assist by helping students articulate goals for their education at ISU and set an appropriate course work path to reach those goals. Academic advisers have numerous resources for information to answer most advising questions. The Dean of Students Office distributes the Student Information Handbook , and the Office of Campus Visits and Orientation produces the Orientation Notebook .