Student Support Networks
Overview
The Advisor Naming structure in Workday is designed to clearly define the different advising and support roles available to students. This ensures students can easily identify who to contact for academic guidance, mentorship, and program-specific support.
Advisor Roles
|
Role |
Role Description |
|---|---|
|
Academic Advisor |
Professional advisor(s) assigned to a student’s major(s). For OMNI students taking in-person classes on a regional campus, this role will be fulfilled by an OMNI staff member. |
|
Faculty Mentor |
Not all colleges will utilize this role. In colleges that do, a faculty mentor may be assigned to students either at the start of their academic journey or later (e.g., upon acceptance into a major, typically junior year). |
|
Program Support Specialist |
This role provides students with a point of contact for specific programs or populations (e.g., Honors, Oliver Wilson Scholars, Athletics) and the Office of Student Support & Belonging. Adult students aged 25+ enrolled in an undergraduate program delivered in a traditional on-campus format may have an OMNI staff member assigned as program support, in addition to their assigned academic advisor for the major. |
|
SSN Faculty Partner |
A faculty member assigned to a group of students who are new to GVSU as part of their Student Support Network (SSN). This role is intended to support students during their first year. Students are introduced to their Faculty Partner and encouraged to reach out as needed. This assignment concludes after the first year. |
Current State
Advisor roles and naming conventions are limited by fields in Banner. In addition, the naming conventions may vary across departments and systems, which may lead to inconsistencies in how students identify and engage with their support network.
Future State
With Workday we will have standardized advisor role naming across the university, creating a more consistent and transparent experience for students. Each role will be clearly defined and visible within Workday, improving accessibility and understanding of available support.
When Will This Change Take Effect?
A student’s support network will be available within their Academic Dashboard in Workday by the Fall 2027 semester.
Who Will Be Impacted?
- Undergraduate and graduate students
- Academic advisors and advising offices
- Faculty mentors and faculty partners
- Program support staff (e.g., Honors, Athletics, OMNI)
Benefits
- Clear and consistent advisor role definitions
- Improved student understanding of support resources
- Easier navigation of advising and program support contacts within Workday
- More streamlined communication between students and support staff
Potential Challenges
- Adjustment period and need for communication for students and staff learning new terminology to ensure clarity
- Variability in how colleges implement Faculty Mentor roles
- Incoming students will not have contact information for their academic advisors available in Workday until the official start date of the semester
Decision Making Process
Advisor naming conventions were developed through collaboration between advising leadership, academic units, and the Workday Student project team to ensure alignment with institutional needs and student experience goals.
Other Important Info
- Not all roles will apply to every student
- Role visibility in Workday will depend on assignment and program participation
- Students can continue to view their assigned advisor in Navigate, and student support networks may be added to Navigate in Fall 2027
- Ongoing feedback may inform future refinements
Contact
For questions or feedback, please contact one of the Advising Centers or Records and Registration: [email protected], 616-331-3327, 300 STU