Every student has a faculty don who serves as the student’s academic and personal adviser throughout the undergraduate years. During a student’s first year, the don teaches the student’s First-Year Studies course, where he or she comes to know the student both academically and personally. Each student works with his or her don at the beginning of the year to design a program of study best suited to the student’s needs, interests, and experience. Throughout the year, student and don continue meeting to discuss and evaluate the progress of course work.

While students work closely with all of their teachers, the don remains the member of the faculty best able to help the student think about the connections between work in different disciplines and to help the student reflect on the relationship between his or her academic and personal growth. Though the relationship between the don and student may begin with academic advising, dons are available to discuss situations of importance to students’ lives.

During the first year, while students are becoming accustomed to new ways of working, the relationship between teaching and advising is very close. In subsequent years, students continue to find in their dons the support and guidance they need to make further decisions about their college careers. During the first year, don conferences are scheduled every week.

If after the first year a student feels that another faculty member could be more helpful, he or she is free to change dons. Transfer students are assigned a temporary faculty adviser at the beginning of their entering year. During their initial year, transfer students select a don.