All new students are required to go through an orientation program where they meet the Dean, the Assistant Deans, the Head of the Departments, the Student Advisors and the senior students. The orientation program includes tours of the campus, the library, residence options, placement tests, individual appointments and registration for classes. The objective of the orientation program is to guide the new students in making a smooth and successful transition to the University life by helping them with the academic, personal and social adjustments needed. During the orientation period, students are informed about the registration and the advising processes. After orientation, all new students meet the ADUS, who allocates an academic advisor for each student. The students meet their advisors who help them in several ways: (1) define their choices and offer any needed guidance; (2) assist in choosing an academic program that meets student’s career objectives; (3) guide students about curricula requirements, recommended electives and the procedures for registration; (4) monitor the student’s progress; and (5) give guidance in course selection.
Students admitted to the program are advised and monitored by faculty members from the ECE and MIE departments. All students are assigned an academic advisor before beginning their first semester in the program. At the first meeting of the student with his/her academic advisor, the student's transcript and the credits taken up to that point are examined in the context of the various degree requirements. The academic advisor helps the student in course selection by ensuring that the student registers for courses following the degree requirements. During the semester, the advisee is required to see his/her academic advisor in matters such as dropping or adding a course, course withdrawal, change of major or transferring colleges, postponement of study or withdrawal from the university. In addition to academic matters, an advisor may offer advice on personal issues that affect the academic performance of the student. Based on the academic advisor’s judgment and after consultation with the student, the student can be referred to the second level of advising, that is professional counseling or medical help that is available at SQU.
In general, all students are expected to meet their advisors at least twice in each semester: at the beginning of the semester, and midway through the semester. In addition, all students are encouraged to meet their advisors on an as-needed basis throughout each semester.
Maintenance of contact between the advisee and his/her advisor during the semester is of utmost importance. This is achieved through emails as well as through notices placed on departmental announcement boards. Reminders about registration deadlines, in particular, encourage students to come in ahead of registration dates in order to discuss course selection and other related matters.
Furthermore, the current advising process is based on online registration. The students personally register in courses for the coming semester. The automated system contains relevant information to aid the student in the selection of courses, or provides information on topics such as add, drop and withdrawal. The prerequisite and co-requisite requirements for courses are enforced electronically which can be overridden only through a lengthy process of petitions by the Chair of the Steering Committee, which should be approved by the Deanship of Admission and Registration.
The online registration is also linked with the University Website. It should be noted that the adviser could also go online to monitor the student’s academic progress. If the student has any academic difficulties, he/she is referred to the advisor. Once the problem is resolved, the student can go directly for online registration. The advisors have an online access to the student academic transcripts for tracking and monitoring the progress of their advisees.
Comprehensive advising and registration guides are also available on the internet http://sisinfo.squ.edu.om/ or http://sis.squ.edu.om. This document serves as the guideline and is available to staff, faculty and students. There are seminars and presentations arranged to the faculty on student advising.
The advising system and the academic regulations used by the University are summarized in a brochure provided to the students. The document describes:
- Admissions regulations
- Registration regulations
- Grading regulations
- General advising information
- Graduation regulations
Academic advisors are required to keep a file on each of their advisees. In the College of Engineering, this file includes: (1) Student Information Sheet – Form SAA1; (2) Student Academic Record Summary – Form SAA2 and transcripts; (3) Recommended Semester Course Load – SAA3; (4) Probation Interview Report – SAA4; (5) Transfer Form to Counseling & Guidance Center; and (6) Admission material, transfer equivalency records, and correspondence.
The academic advisors use the Student's Academic Record Summary, which incorporates the requirements for completing a degree and the university regulations to track students’ progress towards attaining the B. Eng. Degree.
There is a strong emphasis on student advising at SQU. As a matter of fact, SQU has hosted “The First Counseling and Guidance Symposium. A vision for Changing Situations, 3-4 December 2005” to emphasize and enforce students’ advising and counseling.
Finally, beside the open-door policy that is used for all student related issues, the Student Counseling Centre is extremely active in counseling and providing assistance to students. Furthermore, student advising is taken in account in faculty applications for promotion.