CALS Advising Services

CALS Advising Services is a unit in the Office of Academic Affairs that includes two CALS college advisors who help students who are interested in learning more about CALS majors, know CALS is the right college but are still choosing a major, or who are exploring new major options in areas related to CALS. CALS college advisors help students learn more about possible areas of study and create schedules with courses that allow students to explore these areas while staying on track for degree requirements and a timely graduation.

Students can begin working with CALS college advisors as soon as they attend SOAR, where they can declare themselves as undecided, or at any point during their college career when they are feeling uncertain about their major. CALS college advisors may also support students going through a challenging time or who just are not sure where to go next for support.

Do you have other questions about CALS advising or advising in general? Check out this page for more information.

Meet the CALS College Advisors

Are you a current UW-Madison student and you know what CALS major you want to declare? Schedule a meeting with the advisor for that major by looking for the advisor on the major’s Guide page and scheduling a meeting using the advisor’s Starfish calendar or by e-mailing them directly.

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CALS Advising Services Mission, Vision, and Goals

Mission

CALS Advising Services provides high-quality holistic advising and support to prospective and current students exploring majors as well as advisors within the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences (CALS). We work to empower students with the skills and information needed to make well-informed decisions to achieve their academic and career goals. Together with CALS major advisors, we work to create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment where all students can learn, grow, and thrive.

Vision

CALS Advising Services aspires to provide the best possible advising experience for CALS students and advisors.

Goals

Our goals are to: 

• Assist students in identifying their values, interests, goals, skills, and abilities and the connection between academic, career and life goals.
• Collaborate with students to parallel plan and stay on track for timely graduation while deciding between multiple majors. 
• Teach students to utilize UW-Madison resources to support their success and help them get the most out of their undergraduate experience.
• Continuously improve our competence in inclusive and socially just advising practices.
• Reflect on student data to inform advising expectations and practices within the college. 
• Provide timely and accurate information to CALS students, advisors, and faculty.