All first-year students are allocated in small groups to a College Advisor who will be responsible for helping them to settle into the University and for supporting and advising them on welfare and other matters in their first year. College Advisors are senior members of the College and may be teachers, researchers, administrators or other members of the University staff. They are all volunteers who are committed to helping students make the most of their time at the University and to ensuring that they have the support to overcome any difficulties they may face.
In Bowland, students living in the College are allocated according to the kitchen they use in their residence, so you will have the same Advisor as your neighbours. This makes it easier for students to meet their Advisor as a group to discuss common problems or just to socialise.
For many new students this will be their first time living away from home without the immediate support of family and friends. For others, it may be a return to full-time education after a break of a number of years. Making that transition can often be stressful, and sometimes traumatic. It involves meeting many new people, having to build new friendships, dealing with new demands and having to get by on a tight budget. This is where the College Advisor stem comes into its own. Your Advisor will be available to help you meet these new challenges by providing information and guidance on a wide range of matters, and by acting as your supporter and advocate if you run into difficulties. Even if you have no problems, your College Advisor will be glad to hear from you about your progress and your participation in University life.
Your College Advisor is the first person to see about academic, financial or personal difficulties. He or she will always deal with you in strict confidence. A College Advisor who cannot immediately deal with the problem will always be able to guide you towards the best source of help. You may prefer to go directly to Student Based Services in University House, to the Counselling Service, to the JCR Education and Welfare Officer or to the Students’ Union Welfare department. That is your own choice. However, you should ALWAYS tell your College Advisor if you are in significant difficulty, if only in very general terms.
The effectiveness of the College Advisor system depends to a great extent on the personalities of the individuals involved and their ability to form a useful working relationship. Advisors will often arrange social events for their groups, but don’t be shy about taking the initiative yourself and getting together with the rest of your group to invite your Advisor for a drink or for a meal in your kitchen. In ways like this students develop close relationships with their Advisors that last during their time at Lancaster University and often beyond.
Please do not forget that it is your degree and your responsibility to seek help if you are experiencing difficulties. The University will do whatever is possible to assist you within the Rules and Guidelines of the University, if you are having problems whether financial, personal or academic, provided that we are aware of those problems.
