About the OAA

OAA advisors provide academic advising to New Paltz students1 from onboarding through graduation. In addition, students will have a dedicated faculty advisor once they declare their major. OAA advising includes an array of services including guidance with academic policies and procedures, holistic academic support and educational planning, and informed referrals to campus resources. OAA staff includes a School of Education specialist and degree completion specialist.

For general advising inquiries, contact us at advising@newpaltz.edu or (845) 257-3015.

Our Mission

The mission of academic advising at SUNY New Paltz is to assist students as they develop meaningful educational plans to help them achieve their academic, career, and life goals. The Office of Academic Advising (OAA) supports this mission by advising SUNY New Paltz undergraduates1 who are in the process of selecting majors. The OAA is integrated with the Center for Student Success to provide whole student support and partners with faculty in support of advising efforts.

What is the role of the OAA advisor and how do they partner with faculty advisors?

OAA advisors are primarily responsible for advising undeclared students, while faculty advisors are responsible for advising declared students in their respective major.

When students declare a major, they are assigned a faculty advisor for advisement in the major. The student remains connected, however, with their OAA advisor as a general advisee. In this dual role, OAA advisors maintain a caseload of undeclared and declared students.

In their role as a general advisor, the OAA advisors will always refer students to their major advisor for registration clearance and for educational planning in their major. 

Faculty advisors may find it helpful to know that the OAA advisors complement the faculty advisor’s role by providing their caseload students (declared and undeclared) with the following forms of guidance and assistance:

  • Degree Requirements/Policies. General advisors assist students in understanding their degree requirements and answer questions pertaining to their progress report. General advisors can also provide information regarding academic policies (i.e. add/drop, course withdrawal, etc.) and submit requests for General Education (GE) equivalencies.
  • Educational Planning. Students may visit their general advisor to discuss adding a minor and changing their major, as well as to review study abroad plans and their General Education (GE) requirements.
  • Student Support & Performance-based Interventions. The OAA’s general advisors use Starfish as a student management system to monitor their caseload students’ academic progress and by providing timely student support in response to flags raised by their instructors in Starfish. General advisors work with students to create an individualized success plan to support their needs within the context of holistic educational planning throughout the semester.
  • Campus-wide Resource Referrals. General advisors are equipped and positioned to refer students to the appropriate campus resources to support their individual needs, including the student’s faculty advisor, Center for Student Success, Career Resource Center, Psychological Counseling Center, among others.

Liaison Model 

OAA advisors serve as liaisons between the Office of Academic Advising and undergraduate programs across the College. The liaison’s role is to support faculty in their role as academic advisors. Faculty advisors in need of support or training are encouraged to communicate directly with their designated liaison.

Professional Advisors

Students and faculty in the following schools/majors/programs are supported by professional advisors. 

1

Exceptions are noted above, under Professional Advisors.