The Mandatory Milestone Academic Advising Program 

Why MMAP?

The research is clear: academic advising makes a difference in student success. Front-loading advising helps students connect early with a key member of their campus support network and begin building relationships that can serve them throughout their university experience.

MMAP is one part of a broader campus effort to help students develop a sense of belonging. When students feel connected—to faculty & staff, resources, and their academic goals—they are better positioned to persist and graduate.

Mandatory advising is a win for students—and for the campus.

Building Awareness Across Campus

Students will begin hearing about MMAP well before the advising window opens. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, first-time students will receive a welcome email from the academic advising community that includes the Academic Advising Syllabus.

Additional MMAP outreach will include:

• MMAP swag in the Destination AZ bag
• Rack cards in residence halls
• A MMAP assets library for campus-wide digital displays
• A-frames around campus
• Email and text-message campaigns
• Announcements through campus-wide communications

This broad-based approach is possible because many campus partners are contributing to MMAP’s success.

For example, the Office of General Education, through UNIV 101, will promote MMAP in several ways, including an extra-credit assignment that asks students to reflect on their academic advising appointment. And that is just one of the ways campus partners are creating opportunities—or “carrots”—to encourage students to connect with their advisors. More details about incentives will be shared in future UGED Bulletins.

MMAP Training for Academic Advisors

Academic advisors will have two opportunities to learn about MMAP and prepare for the Fall 2026 launch:

• August: Asynchronous Advisor Training
• Sept. 10: Hybrid MMAP Training Workshop

Training will introduce the program, provide guidance on using MMAP technology, highlight available resources, and explore advising approaches that support the program’s student learning outcomes.

What Happens Next?

As the Fall semester approaches, first-time students will receive communications explaining MMAP and letting them know when it is time to connect with their advisor.

The MMAP advising window runs Sept. 21–Dec. 18, with incentives designed to encourage early participation, particularly during September and October.

Together, we can support our newest Wildcats to make an early connection, find their support network, and take an important first step toward academic success. 

Learn more at https://advising.arizona.edu/mandatory-milestone-advising-program.  Don’t hesitate to reach out to Sharon Aiken-Wisniewski with questions or comments.  

Components of Milestone Academic Advising 

• Receiving an advising syllabus prior to the first semester of enrollment, providing clear expectations, helpful resources, and a roadmap for success from day one.
• One-to-one appointment First Term - all new first-time** students admitted to Main Campus connect with an academic advisor/primary major during their first semester.
• Participating in at least one advising-focused group experience during the first semester—such as a Student Success course, registration lab, or UNIV 101 course—creating opportunities for connection, collaboration, and skill-building.
• Engaging in an individual advising appointment during the second year with an academic advisor in primary major to develop a comprehensive degree plan that thoughtfully integrates both curricular and co-curricular experiences, empowering students to align their academic goals with their broader aspirations.

**First-time students are students who are attending a higher education institution for the first time after leaving high school.  This term does not include transfer students. 

A Brief History of the Initiative

A dedicated group of academic advising leaders and campus partners were invited by Provost Prelock to join the U of A Milestone Academic Advising Task Force in October 2026.  After 3 months of exploration, recommendations were sent forward and accepted for future implementation. The Milestone Academic Advising Strategic Initiative will front load academic advising within the first two years of the undergraduate student experience. Students are expected to meet with an advisor during key points in the first two years of enrollment. By guaranteeing that all first-time students interact with an advisor and these interactions are guided by relevant academic advising learning outcomes, students will be empowered to navigate their Wildcat experience leading to a sense of belonging and timely goal attainment. 

The Milestone Task Force reconvened in Spring 2026 to work on details around the advising syllabus, learning outcomes, marketing & communications, assessment, and advisor training and development. First time, Main Campus students in the Fall 2026 cohort will be the first students to participate in this program.