When you were admitted to the Department of Special Education you were assigned an Academic Adviser. This is a faculty member from the concentration area in which you plan to primarily focus your study. Prior to your first semester of coursework, you must make an appointment with the faculty member who has been assigned as your Academic Adviser to broadly plan your doctoral coursework and to specifically discuss your first semester's courses.
In addition to meeting with your Academic Adviser to complete the Program of Work, there are several reasons and benefits to meeting with your Academic Adviser on an ongoing basis:
Your relationship with your Academic Adviser is the foundation for a successful doctoral experience. This is the individual who will typically (though not necessarily) serve in a variety of roles in your doctoral work, including research mentoring supervisor, and dissertation supervisor
Your Academic Adviser can assist you in becoming familiar with the concentration, the department, and other university resources
Your Academic Adviser represents you at Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) meetings, for any matters that go before the GSC, including your annual review of progress, and advancement to candidacy
It is not unusual for your Academic Adviser, Research Mentoring Supervisor, and the Dissertation Supervisor to be the same faculty member. However, you may select different faculty members based on personal preference and mutual interest in the research being conducted.