Academic Advising

Academic advising services for nursing students are provided by the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing. Academic advising services include but are not limited to course selection, program planning, summer course work, change of courses, withdrawal from the program, career advisement, and referrals for academic support. This discussion occurs on an individual basis and may be augmented as needed by referrals to appropriate student services on campus. 

Academic Advising Process 

At the beginning of the program, you will be assigned to one of the Academic Advisors for the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, Reggie Lamothe (rllamoth [at] nursing [dot] umass [dot] edu) or Amy Sliwa asliwa [at] umass [dot] edu. Questions about program, schedule, courses, retention and graduation are to be directed to the Academic Advisor.

Advising notes will be recorded in SPIRE or Navigate with the capacity for emailing a copy of the advising note to the student. Advisors are available for student consultation either during their posted office hours or by appointment. Advisors can best be reached by e-mail. 

The university designates one week each fall and spring for students to pre-register for courses the following semester. 

Although each student has an academic advisor, the student carries the responsibility for ensuring that they meet all the requirements for progression in the major and for graduation. 

Course Evaluations 

During the last weeks of each course, students are asked to evaluate the course and the clinical and/or classroom instruction by the faculty electronically using a survey called Forward Focus. Students are expected to complete this survey in order to effectively evaluate the course and provide constructive feedback for course improvement.

The Forward Focus Survey asks students to respond to general questions regarding the course objectives, teaching/learning environment, faculty instruction, clinical experience (if appropriate), and the clinical preceptor (if appropriate). Course evaluation data is confidential and assists the College of Nursing in enhancing the quality and continued improvement of the curriculum and the Nursing programs.

All responses are anonymous. Instructors receive feedback via a report with a statistical summary of multiple-choice responses and open-ended responses and comments. This is your opportunity to offer constructive suggestions and recommendations for the continued growth and development of the nursing program. Thoughtful participation in the evaluation process is appreciated

Program Evaluation 

At the conclusion of a students’ program, an End of Program or Exit Interview Evaluation is conducted with all students by the Dean or a designee, which provides valuable information for Elaine Marieb College of Nursing program review.