As undergraduate advising responsibilities switch from the Pre-Major Advising Center to individual departments, Trinity College administrators have decided to leave adviser training decisions to professors in those departments. Some have already started the learning process.
"We can't see [retraining] every major adviser, and we don't think that will be necessary, especially if we empower students with the tools they need," said Robert Thompson, dean of Trinity College.
Thompson said the administration has already contacted the network of 34 undergraduate studies directors about advising under Curriculum 2000.
Several departments have already organized training sessions for their faculty.
"When I became [the director of undergraduate studies], we organized with Bob Thompson to have a training session for our department," said Martha Putallaz, professor in the Department of Psychology: Social and Health Sciences. "I feel we are prepared for it."
Angela O'Rand, professor and DUS in sociology, has also held workshops with faculty members in her department.
"We've developed a set of handouts for understanding how the curriculum works," O'Rand said. "I think Bob Thompson has encouraged all departments to [have training sessions]."
But the results of the training remain to be seen, as sophomores begin declaring their majors in large numbers this spring.
Many of those that have declared have not yet been advised extensively within their majors.
"Obviously this is speculative. Are the students confused? Or is this something that they pretty much have a handle on?" asked Tom Spragens, professor of political science. "It's to be found out.... Anything beyond that is speculative."
Also, more focus may be placed on meeting major requirements rather than curricular distributions requirements for graduation, Spragens said.
Alec Motten, associate professor of the practice of biology, said he has spoken with some sophomores who have approached him to discuss their majors before declaring.
"I'm only just starting to see sophomores who are coming in as advisees," Motten said. "[Curriculum 2000] is something I have to be aware of."
Many professors said they found students seemed to have a good understanding of the new curriculum.
Warren Lerner, professor of history and a freshman adviser, said that although his department has yet to adjust its advising policy for Curriculum 2000, he did not think the changes would have a significant impact.
"Curriculum 2000 isn't a serious problem. I think people are getting a handle of it," Lerner said. "The whole problem is the same as before--to get students to go and see their advisers."
Since upperclass students are not required to see their advisers, Lerner said, they sometimes neglect to seek advice on the appropriate requirements.
Some other departments have not yet made preparations for the new curriculum.
"The preparations for the department remain to be seen," said David Sanford, DUS in philosophy, who said he planned to attend a meeting Tuesday afternoon to familiarize himself with the new curriculum.
Dave Ingram contributed to this story.
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