This page offers a range of career development and advancement resources for academic advisors, including employee support services, tools for preparing annual reviews, opportunities to engage with campus committees, and guidance specifically for supervisors in advising.
Explore Your Advising Niche
Looking to grow in your advising career and deepen your impact? The Find Your Advising Niche: A Reflective Workbook is here to help! This guided resource walks you through four steps to reflect on your strengths, interests, and professional goals.
Each step offers space for reflection and action—so you can move from insight to implementation.
Start discovering your niche today!
Expand Skills with On-Campus Training & Courses
Explore a wide range of development opportunities at MSU. Take advantage of courses and certifications through ElevateU and MSU Human Resources' Organization and Professional Development division, explore tuition assistance for undergraduate and graduate programs, and access free media resources to support your ongoing learning.
ElevateU is a free online training resource, offering programs that cover leadership, IT & desktop, business, finance, change management, project management, interpersonal skills and more.
The Office of Faculty & Staff Development offers programs and additional training opportunities for advisors, including leadership development, career enhancement and growth, and professional development workshops that foster engaging conversations and collaboration among academic specialists.
The Organization and Professional Development division of MSU Human Resources provides instructor-led courses and workshops on a broad-range of topics. This includes leadership development, methods for enhancing communication skills, and opportunities to expand knowledge in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Kognito for Faculty & Staff helps us learn to notice signs of distress, use techniques to discuss our concerns, and, if necessary, refer students to appropriate resources. Practice these challenging conversations at your own pace through role-play with virtual students.
All academic specialists with fixed term, probationary, or continuing appointment status and who have a minimum of 24 FTE (full-time equivalent) university service months and are appointed 50% time or more are eligible to apply.
- Coverage is limited to four (4) credits per semester with a maximum of twelve (12) credits per academic year at the rate corresponding to the student’s academic level. Only MSU credit courses are covered.
- Additional information and eligibility requirements can be found on the Academic Specialists Professional Development Support Program (this link opens in a new window/tab) page of the Human Resources site.
To apply, navigate to the Enterprise Business Systems (EBS) portal, select Educational Assistance System under the My Careers & Training category, and then Apply at the top left of the page. The application will be sent to your supervisor for approval before being submitted to HR for final review.
Get Involved
Discover an array of on-campus networking opportunities aimed at connecting academic advisors across diverse spaces. Click on an image to learn more about one or more of these groups and how to join.
Employee Support Resources
Michigan State University offers a wide range of resources to support faculty, academic staff, and employees throughout their careers. Whether you're looking for professional development, assistance with work-life balance, help navigating employment processes, or support services, the following offices and programs are here to help. Explore these resources to find the support and information you need to thrive at MSU.
Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs provides information on faculty development, strategic planning, equitable hiring practices and more. This site also links with Academic Governance, where information is available on processes, committees, meeting schedules and reports.
View public job postings at MSU.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential counseling service provided at no cost to MSU faculty, staff, retirees, graduate assistants, and their families. In order to access services, individuals must be located in the state of Michigan due to licensing regulations.
HR Employee Relations assists with questions regarding unions, grievances, arbitration, and employee discipline.
The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) provides assessments, services, and accommodations for a range of disabilities that substantially limits major life activities for MSU students and employees.
Performance Management
Below are two key resources to support academic specialists in navigating important career milestones at MSU. The first is the Annual Review Guidance provided by MSU’s Central Human Resources, which outlines expectations and best practices for the annual review process. The second is an Interactive Guide to the Reappointment and Promotion Process for Academic Specialists, designed to help you understand timelines, required documentation, and review criteria.
Annual Evaluation Process
MSU staff, faculty, and specialists are expected to complete an annual review each year. These discussions offer an opportunity to gain feedback on performance and guidance on improvements, set professional goals, recognize achievements, and identify training and support needs. MSU HR offers a variety of resources to help support employees preparing for the annual review process.
Academic Specialist Resources
An interactive guide designed specifically for academic specialists in academic advising has been created to support them through the Reappointment, Award of Continuing Status, and Promotion to Senior Specialist processes.
For Supervisors and Aspiring Leaders
Resources are being developed for current supervisors and aspiring leaders in undergraduate academic advising. Click on the button below to explore trainings, workshops, and opportunities for engagement.