Academic
Advising as a Comprehensive Campus Process Series
Note:
This is an article in a series celebrating NACADA 30th anniversary.
In this series current NACADA members
build upon the work done within the 1995 monograph, Advising as
a Comprehensive Campus Process , as they highlight the important
connections advisors make across campus.
It
Takes a Village: Academic Advising at Miami University
Stephanie
Acheson
First
Year Advisor
Miami University
Jennifer
Rybski
First
Year Advisor
Miami
University
Named
for the Miami Tribe, Miami University is an Ohio public university
with an undergraduate enrollment of 14,500 students. “At Miami
University, advising is a developmental and collaborative academic
planning process that promotes self-efficacy for success at the
University and beyond “(Miami University, 2009). The advising
community includes faculty, First-Year Advisers (FYA), the Undergraduate
Advising Information Office, divisional advisors, and staff in
academic support and career-related offices.
One
of the many services offered by Miami University’s Office of Residence
Life is providing academic advising for first-year students living
on campus. First-year students have direct access to a full-time,
master’s level advisor who lives and works in their residence
hall (first-year commuter students meet with an advisor on staff
at the Commuter Center). Often assisted by a trained graduate
student, the FYA serves as the student’s primary advisor throughout
the first semester.
FYAs
support students as they explore and define their academic plans.
This support includes information about the Miami Plan for Liberal
Education, divisional and major requirements, choosing a major,
career planning, and making referrals to appropriate campus support
offices.
Philosophy/Background
of MU First Year Experience
Academic
advising is a collaborative effort between the student and the
advisor. Miami University advisors believe students can be successful
relative to their individual goals and efforts. Students have
learning needs that vary according to individual skills, goals,
and experiences. Students hold their own beliefs and opinions.
Students
are expected to visit their academic advisor at least once a semester
to discuss their progress and to receive appropriate assistance.
In preparation for this visit students should acquire and keep
useful materials, such as the Miami Bulletin, course planning
guide, Degree Audit Report System (DARS), and divisional materials.
In the advising appointment, students are encouraged to think
carefully about their personal, academic, and career goals.
Miami
University academic advisors serve as resource persons by providing
information about university programs and institutional requirements
needed by students developing a coherent plan for their first
year of college. Advisors also serve as a link between students
and the university community, referring them to areas of assistance
and familiarizing them with the resources provided by the institution
that can help them meet their needs and goals. Additionally, advisors
assist students in understanding the nature and purpose of higher
education and helping them develop self-direction in the decision-making
process.
Miami
University academic advisors pride themselves on taking a developmental
approach to academic advising. Three methods frequently used are
the Learning Partnerships Model (LPM), Developmental, and Appreciative
Advising. As mentioned earlier, students are expected to play
an active role in their advising appointment. Advising at Miami
University is similar to riding a tandem bicycle: advisors sit
on the back and guide while the student steers from the front
seat. This approach allows students to take ownership of their
educations. At times advisors are faced with resistance from students,
and sometimes parents, but they work through the resistance by
asking questions and getting to know the individuals better.
Roles
of the academic advisor in the Office of Residence Life
After
summer orientation, the primary academic advisor for most first-year
students is their FYA, a fulltime, live-in staff member who works
and lives in the residence hall. First-year commuter students
are advised by the Commuter Center Graduate Advisor who is trained
to help students develop academic goals and find resources on
campus.
As
live-in academic advisors, FYAs develop personal relationships
with the students, assisting student transition to college academics.
As a result of living in the residence hall, advisors know their
advisees as holistic individuals. The FYA is able to explore educational
and career objectives with students, while conveying realistic
expectations to students. In this way, the FYA helps advisees
identify the implications of their educational choices, including
selection of major and course work based upon the special needs
and skills of each student. If needed, the FYA provides intervention
strategies for students experiencing academic difficulty.
In
late-February, first-year students are assigned a faculty or departmental
advisor in their major who then serves as their primary academic
advisor. Students who remain undecided about a major are advised
by a professional advisor in the College of Arts and Science divisional
office.
The
Appointment
Students
are expected to meet with their FYA at least one time in the fall
semester for 45-60 minutes. This appointment not only addresses
students’ academic goals but also focuses on other areas of their
life, e.g., roommates, clubs and organizations, their
living learning community, and their overall transition to Miami
University. Two tools that help advisors learn about the student
and document the conversation are briefly explained below.
MAP-Works
MAP-Works
(Making Achievement Possible) is a transition survey designed
by Educational Benchmarking, Inc. Miami University first
used this survey in fall 2008. The survey assesses the transition
of first-year students to university life in first month of school.
At the completion of the survey, students are encouraged to become
involved on campus and are offered suggestions to improve their
probability of academic success. Miami faculty and staff view
student results and provide early intervention for students who
appear to be at-risk. FYAs use survey results to address academic
and social issues in the residence hall including homesickness,
time management, financial stress and campus involvement.
AdvisorTrac
Academic
advisors at Miami University utilize AdvisorTrac©, a Web-based
software system that provides convenient record-keeping of advisee
information. Through AdvisorTrac, advisors and administrators
access student records, demographics, and log notes from each
appointment.
Relevant
conversations with students are noted on the AdvisorTrac appointment
log. Brief notes document any extenuating circumstances that
might interfere with the student’s ability to be successful, situations
where the student’s desire differs from advisor recommendation,
discussions, referrals, and actions taken during the appointment
for future reference. For example, a lengthy conversation with
a student involving academic struggles, submitting a petition,
or dropping a class should be noted in the student's advising
record. Advisors are not encouraged to note daily conversations
with students, but are encouraged to record situations and/or
conversations that may be relevant to the student's academic career.
Conclusion
We
believe the one-on-one interaction between a student and a professional
faculty/staff member at Miami University should foster each
student's potential to become an educated person and contribute
to the learning environment. For this reason, academic advising
at Miami University is a collaborative effort that encompasses
many campus offices. Academic advising provided by live-in
advisors is the one campus service in which a majority of first-year
students participate.
Reference
Miami
University Undergraduate Academic Advising Council (2009). Definition
of academic advising. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from the secured
site http://orlphp01.rsl.muohio.edu/main.php
