Preview Advisor Application 2026

What is Preview?

Preview is UF's orientation program for incoming first-year students. The program is spread out over the summer and is broken down into 23 two-day sessions for residential students.

Preview sessions are designed to address many aspects of a new student's transition to UF; one major goal is to get new students registered in appropriate courses. Another goal is to assist students with developing their comfort levels around faculty and staff; this allows students to feel connected to campus and overcome reservations about reaching out for assistance. New students commonly take large survey courses, and the initial connection students make with a faculty member during Preview increases the likelihood they will talk to their instructors and seek assistance when needed. In addition, research shows that students who develop a relationship with one faculty or staff member while in college are much more likely to persist and graduate. While the Preview advisor may not end up being that person for some of their advisees, they demonstrate that caring, interested faculty and staff members do exist on campus.

Advisors are responsible for three key academic components of Preview: a group advising session, a schedule assistance session, and individual advising.

• In the group advising session (approximately 1.25 hours on the morning of Day One), the advisor reviews the basic requirements for a UF degree and explains the course selection process to a small group of students.
• During the scheduled assistance session (about 1.5 hours on the afternoon of Day One), the advisor helps students apply their understanding of degree requirements and incoming credits to create potential course schedules.
• In individual advising appointments (from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Day Two), the advisor works with each student to finalize their schedules.

Benefits of Being a Preview Advisor

Preview advisors report many benefits from their Preview experiences. These include:

• an "orientation" to the University, its undergraduate mission and programs.
• a better understanding of undergraduate students, thus enhancing teaching and advising skills.
• exposure to a network of colleagues across campus who can serve as resources through interdisciplinary cooperation.
• a comprehensive understanding of the undergraduate curriculum, which enhances their ability to provide service to their departments, colleges, and the Faculty Senate about curricular issues.
• developing skills helpful in becoming a departmental advisor, an undergraduate coordinator, or a department chair.

Time Commitments

Faculty/staff who choose to work as Preview advisors will be assigned to work approximately nine of the two-day Preview sessions (unless another commitment is mutually agreed upon ahead of time). This includes approximately five hours on Day 1 and seven hours on Day 2.

Prior to Preview, advisors are expected to participate in approximately 30 hours of training during March, April, and May. All advisors who work Preview must make themselves available during the 2026-2027 academic year to the students advised during Preview. Because of this commitment, faculty/staff must inform us if for any reason they will not be working at UF during the upcoming academic year.

TENTATIVE Compensation

Pending final budget approval by the Provost's Office, it is anticipated that 9-month faculty will be paid at the following levels, based on years of Preview advising experience.

• If Preview 2026 would be your first year of Preview advising, your compensation would be $6,600.*
• If Preview 2026 would be your second year of Preview advising, your compensation would be $7,150.*
• If Preview 2026 would be your third, fourth, or fifth year of Preview advising, your compensation would be $7,700.*
• If Preview 2026 would be your sixth year (or more) of Preview advising, your compensation would be $8,250.*

Pending final budget approval by the Provost's Office, it is anticipated that 12-month faculty and staff will be compensated with expense money that is transferred to their department's account for their use, at the following levels, based on years of Preview advising experience.

• If Preview 2026 would be your first year of Preview advising, your compensation would be $1,650 in expense money.*
• If Preview 2026 would be your second year of Preview advising, your compensation would be $2,200 in expense money.*
• If Preview 2026 would be your third, fourth, or fifth year of Preview advising, your compensation would be $2,750 in expense money.*
• If Preview 2026 would be your sixth year (or more) of Preview advising, your compensation would be $3,300 in expense money.*

*These rates are for nine two-day Preview sessions, plus the required training (see "Time Commitments" above) during March, April, and May. If advisors make arrangements with Preview coordinators to work more/fewer sessions, compensation will be adjusted accordingly.

Selection of Preview Advisors

Choosing Preview advisors is a complex process due to budget factors and scheduling considerations. We attempt to have a diversity of academic areas represented, as well as hiring both veteran and new advisors. We are very interested in faculty/staff members' presentation and interpersonal skills, since the Preview advisor is one of the first UF employees with whom new students have contact. A commitment to students and an understanding of the issues facing incoming first-year students are both important. Advising requires the ability to remember a large number of details about requirements and regulations. In addition, the ability to develop rapport with students in a short time is key.

Since Preview is also a recruitment tool (many students make their final decision about whether or not to attend UF after participating in Preview), we are looking for advisors who are enthusiastic about UF. We aim to hire advisors who possess all of these abilities.

After the deadline, we will review all applications received. In addition, we will likely contact colleagues in your area to discuss your qualifications and suitability for Preview. We will also arrange individual interviews with new applicants and those returning advisors who did not work at Preview last year. We expect to make our selections in early March.

If you have additional questions about Preview Advising, please contact Nigel Richardson at (352) 392-2466 or nigelrayrich@ufl.edu.

Advisors will be hired for the Summer Term in which they are assigned to work the majority of their sessions, within reason.

Thank you for your interest in Preview!