Declaring a major is an important step for each student. Students be offered pre-declaration advice about the major from faculty or student services staff in the program or department. Ideally, faculty will authorize the major declaration, but student service staff may also do so. Declaration must be completed by the end of Spring Quarter of the sophomore or second year in residence. Once students have declared a particular major course of study, it is important that they receive guidance as they progress through the curriculum.
Students take the initiative in seeking advice from faculty about topics of interest or concern.
Degree granting units have procedures that help students identify and select an appropriate faculty advisor. Students majoring in a department or program have a faculty advisor to serve as a mentor who is available to offer advice about the students' intellectual interests and career alternatives. The current transcript is a chronological record of a student's courses and grades. While useful in revealing academic development, this does not display whether or how a student has fulfilled requirements, making it difficult to advise students about their progress towards graduation. Moreover, the current transcript does not easily allow evaluation of the curricular coherence essential for a good education.