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Academic Advising Today
Volume 29, Number 3, September
2006
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The
Changing Workplace: Implications for Academic and Career Advising
Judith
K. Hughey,
Kansas State University
Kenneth
F. Hughey,
Kansas State University
Editor's
Note: Kenneth
Hughey teaches EDCEP 863 Trends in Career Development, one
of the five graduate-level courses in the award-winning Kansas
State University / NACADA Graduate Certificate Program
in Academic Advising. The Fall 2006 section of this
course began on August 21st, but interested students may enroll
through September 5th. For more information, click here.
In
the process of developing an academic and career plan, it
is important for advisors to help students understand how
their career fits in the context of their future. The context
involves a workplace that is changing and a future that will
likely provide less security, an increased level of competitiveness,
and an increased rate of change. Gordon (2006) stated that
"now as never before, academic advisors need to be in tune
with the changing workplace and the many factors influencing
it" (p. viii) and to use this knowledge to enhance their advising
and facilitate students' academic and career planning.
It
is important that academic advisors be knowledgeable about
the evolving, changing workplace and the skills needed to
be successful. There is a need for students to become motivated
lifelong learners who "focus on monitoring and interpreting
change" (Feller, 2003, p. iii). Simonsen (1997) stated, "We
are experiencing a revolution in the world of work no less
dramatic than the industrial revolution of the nineteenth
century that caused major changes in the way people made their
living" (p. 13). The workplace evolved from being agricultural
to industrial to being characterized by knowledge, information,
and technology (Simonsen, 1997; Toffler & Toffler, 1995).
Feller and Whichard (2005) noted that the workplace characterized
by "innovation, speed, and independence demands behaviors
from all workers that were formerly expected only from professional/managerial
workers" (p. 46). Students must understand that "knowledge
is the most valued commodity in today's economy; workers who
understand this and have adapted accordingly are the ones
able to capitalize on the best and most creative employment
opportunities" (Feller & Whichard, 2005, p. 55).
This
information on the changing workplace can be helpful and provide
a context for academic and career advising and planning. An
advisor can maintain currency through reading the professional
literature (e.g., NACADA Journal , The Career
Development Quarterly ) and relevant magazines (e.g.,
FastCompany)
and resources (e.g., Brave
New Work World). In addition to advisors being aware of
the information, it is important to provide information to
students and help them seek ways to develop or enhance their
knowledge, skills, and marketability. This can be accomplished
through individual or group sessions, coursework, or formal
or informal types of activities.
Knotts
(2002) related workplace skills (core liberal arts skills
[written communication, oral communication, creativity, critical
thinking, theoretical thinking]; research design skills; data
analysis skills; computer application skills; and general
business skills) to undergraduate courses. For example, advisors
should, based on students' goals and future plans, guide students
to courses and experiences that will help students develop
the skills that will effectively prepare them for the future.
The development of an academic and career plan that effectively
prepares students for their future is an important task for
advisors. Understanding the changing workplace, skills needed
and valued to be successful in the future, and individual
academic, career, and personal needs is critical to the establishing
academic and career goals and plans. Further, it enhances
the potential for students to be prepared and respond proactively
to changes or transitions that will arise over a lifetime.
As
part of a student's academic and career plan, work-related
or major-related experiences may be included (e.g., internships,
experiential learning activities, or service-learning activities).
Other examples include seminars, job shadowing, or active
engagement within pre-professional organizations. The work-related
activities can provide students the opportunity to help them
become aware of the workplace, the in-demand skills needed,
and expectations of change and adaptability within organizations.
Further, these experiences may offer the opportunity to develop
skills relevant to their career. Also, through these activities
students can gain a clearer picture of their fit with the
majors, certificate programs, or occupational fields. Further,
advisors can work collaboratively with undergraduate faculty,
career services professionals, and business organizations
and temporary employment brokers to help students become aware
of the changing workplace and the skills needed to be successful.
It seems critical that students' preparation for their future
and the development of skills and knowledge should be goals
and addressed within all college coursework.
In
her recent book on career advising, Gordon (2006) noted areas
in which advisors can assist students with their preparation
for the future. These include:
- Helping students gather and
interpret complex educational and career information related
to the work world of the future;
- Helping them become career
strategists, not just planners;
- Helping them develop contextual
and portable skills;
- Helping them develop the ability
to negotiate school and work environments;
- Helping them develop contingency
plans for changes; and
- Impressing upon them the need
to set realistic and measurable personal, academic, and
career goals (p. 126).
In
summary, given the changes in the workplace and the decreasing
level of employment security and job tenure of many workers,
the development and implementation of career management skills
and skills valued in the workplace have the potential to facilitate
students' ownership of their career development and effectively
prepare them for the future. Advisor involvement in facilitating
students' development of academic and career plans and goals
that support students' personal and professional development
for a changing, evolving future is critical. Career and academic
advising has an integral role in preparing students for their
career and future.
Concluding
Thoughts
Advisors
observant of how their careers are changing can appreciate
college students' challenges interpreting how they should
prepare for a changing, evolving workplace and future. Often
the best advising is that which offers some sense ofhope,
encouragement, and concrete examples so that students see
the connection among their course selections, experiences,
and expectations. Burton Nelson (2006) offered a mission statement
for effective career advising as educating and graduating
students "with the skills needed to enter suitable employment
and contribute to the economic development of surrounding
communities and beyond." Feller and Whichard (2005) recommended
that students make "courageous choices." They stated the following:
"Confront your fears about risk and change. Explore new possibilities.
Make the hard choices. Climb the tallest peaks. Look behind
the shadows and listen to those without voices. Live life
fully" (p. 134). Through effective advising to facilitate
academic and career planning, students can learn and develop
skills, knowledge, and characteristics needed for a successful
career and life.
Judith
K. Hughey
Kansas
State University
Kenneth
F. Hughey
Kansas
State University
khughey@ksu.edu
References
Burton
Nelson, D. (2006). Career
advisors: A new breed. Retrieved March 23, 2006, from
the NACADA Clearinghouse of cademic Advising Resources
Web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/career-advisors.htm
Feller,
R. W. (2003). Connecting school counseling to the current
reality. Professional
School
Counseling, 6
(4), ii-v.
Feller,
R., & Whichard, J. (2005). Knowledge nomads and the
nervously employed: Workplace change and courageous career
choices. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
Gordon,
V.N. (2006). Career advising: An academic advisor's guide.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Knotts,
H. G. (2002). Rethinking liberal arts skills in the new economy.
NACADA Journal, 22 (1), 26-31.
Simonsen,
P. (1997). Promoting a development culture in your organization:
Using career development as an agent of change . Palo
Alto, CA: Davies-Black.
Toffler,
A., & Toffler, H. (1995 ). Creating a new civilization
. Atlanta: Turner.
|
| What
a Year We've Had!
Jo
Anne Huber,
President,
NACADA
As I write this final article
as president, I look back at a year that has proven fruitful
in many ways. Following
a record Annual Conference attendance of
3,380 in Las Vegas
last October, February found us in Clearwater
Beach , Florida
for three outstanding
professional development events: the Ethical/Legal
Issues in Academic Advising Seminar,
the
4th
Annual Academic Advising Administrators' Institute, and
the
2nd Annual Assessment of Academic Advising Institute.
Our
spring Regional meetings concluded in late May with over
2,250 in attendance. From Hartford, CT to Honolulu, HI,
academic advisors - be they faculty, professional staff,
graduate students, or advising administrators - were actively
engaged in exciting and highly successful professional development
activities.
June
professional development in Portsmouth,
VA
began with the Effectively Engaging Faculty
in Academic Advising Seminar, during which
148 registrants pondered the history, training and assessment
services for faculty on our campuses. All indications are
it was extremely successful! Then, the 20th annual
Academic Advising Summer Institute was
held in the same locale with 145 registered. Special recognition
of this anniversary was marked with a presentation of a
plaque to Wes
Habley, Summer
Institute Advisory Board Chair and Summer Institute founder,
by Peggy King, a charter faculty member.
The culmination of this celebration was held in Madison,
WI
at the second Summer Institute, July 30-August 4th. A special
scholarship named for Wes
Habley was unveiled
at this time. Wes' term as Chair of the Advisory Board ends
in October 2006, and Rich
Robbins of
Cornell University
will assume the role.
I
am particularly delighted to be able to report that 45 of
our members were published for the first time in one of
our offerings (Academic Advising Today,
the Clearinghouse, or one
of our new monographs), and another dozen are serving for
the first time on a Content
Review Board for one
of our publications. NACADA publication highlights from
this past year include two on-time Journals
and the tremendous success of the first CD
in the Foundations of Academic Advising series: What
is Academic Advising? (And it is my
understanding that CD2: Models of Academic Advising,
which is currently in the final production stage, may
be available by the time you read this.)
Virginia Gordon's new book, Career
Advising: An Academic Advisor's Guide,
a joint NACADA-Jossey-Bass venture, has also proven to be
a big hit.
Coming soon are the
first in a new Pocket Guide series, first
NACADA webinar, and New Advisor
and Special Populations monographs.
An Advisory Board, with Jayne Drake as
Chair, has just begun work on the Advisor Training Video
update.
A
Concept of Academic Advising statement
- a project that has been in process for several years -
is now ready for Board approval. This year's Task Force
was co-chaired by past presidents Eric White
and Ruth Darling. The draft was presented
in a special session at each Regional Conference this spring,
with feedback channeled to the co-Chairs and their committee.
It is my strong belief this will be a fait accompli
after the fall Board meeting!
On
the last day of the midyear Board meeting in Indianapolis,
with Council leaders present as well, the two leadership
groups met with a facilitator from IUPUI, Marilyn
Bedford, to review the Strategic Plan and prioritize
our needs. Work groups were formed to work on the top three
items earmarked for emphasis this year.
A
major initiative this year spearheaded by Jane Jacobson,
Vice President, and myself was "Building the Next
Generation of Academic Advisors." An Interest
Goup for new advising professionals was formed
and was co-chaired by Ben Chamberlain
(Iowa State
University)
and Nathan Vickers (The University of Texas
at Austin).
An active list serve with new names added after every Regional
Conference led to productive chatter! Jane and I would
like to publicly thank Ben and Nathan for taking on this
worthwhile endeavor and so quickly making it productive!
We
continued our quest to gain more recognition nationally
by having NACADA representation at the ACE conference and
FYE national conferences. Internationally, Charlie
Nutt, NACADA
Associate Director, was the keynote speaker at the Counseling
Arabia's 4th annual conference on advising and counseling
held in the United Emirates in May. This was followed by
another keynote address by Charlie at the Higher Education
Academy's nd annual conference on Personal Tutoring in York,
England.
Participants were from universities/colleges from across
the United Kingdom.
The reports I have received were stupendous and have led
to discussions for future international collaborations for
NACADA.
The
2006 Annual Conference is being planned
for October 18-21 in Indianapolis,
with Alan Welch from Purdue
University
chairing this event.
The title, "Diverse Advising for a Diverse World,"
is especially appropriate this year as we build
on the sound work done by Skip Crownhart
of Metropolitan University and the Diversity Committee,
which is presently detailing plans for an Emerging Leaders
program to enhance the involvement of our diverse membership
in our Association. Foundations CD3: Understanding
Cultural Identity and Worldview Development,
which is currently
in the works, will also support our diversity initiatives
.
Lastly,
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep
appreciation to our membership for entrusting the presidency
to me. Special thanks to the Executive Office for their
support and to my Vice President, Jane Jacobson,
who has been phenomenal. Thanks also to all the members
who have contributed to the many NACADA initiative this
past year, and to all for providing me the opportunity to
give back to NACADA for the many, many wonderful years I
have had the opportunity to be involved.
Jo
Anne Huber,
President
National
Academic Advising Association
(512)
232-7218
johuber@mail.utexas.edu
|
At
the Effectively Engaging Faculty Academic Advising
Seminar, June 22-23 in Portsmouth,
VA,
the 148 participants spent the day and a half focusing on
the key issues of faculty advising and faculty advisors.
Small group institutional-type team work resulted in the
discussion of issues and development of strategies specific
to the faculty on their campuses.
"The
topics were really well-chosen - they touched on all the
major issues in faculty advising"
- Lisa Walker, University
of Southern
Maine

The
NACADA Academic Advising Summer Institute,
June 25-30 in Portsmouth,
VA ,
had 145 participants, with over 50% of the attendees coming
from two-year colleges! In addition to intensive sessions
and workshops, participants worked all week in their institutional-type
work teams on the development of Action Plans for implementation
on their campuses.
"It
was a wonderful experience. We were able to take away ideas
that can be employed both in the short term and the long
term."
- Susan Calabrese, Wilbur
Wright
College
"I
met such wonderful people from other institutions and was
very impressed with the faculty's expertise!" Paula
Day, Central
Piedmont
Community
College
|
| 
Pathways
to Leadership in NACADA
Roberta
"Bobbie" Flaherty, NACADA
Executive Director
The
new academic year always brings new members to NACADA, and
along with those who have settled into the Association,
there are many who are ready to increase their level of
participation. NACADA leaders become involved for a variety
of reasons: to enhance their professional development, to
raise the visibility of academic advising on their campus,
to contribute to the advancement of the field and profession,
to develop leadership skills, to enhance their network of
colleagues around the world, and many others. It is my hope
that everyone who wishes to be involved can be! We need
EVERYONE!
The
NACADA governance structure was developed to provide a variety
of avenues for involvement. The myriad opportunities can
be explored on the NACADA website
and include involvement at the State, Region, Commission,
Interest Group, Advisory Board, Task Force, Committee, Council
and Board levels.
Many
states have organizations that are Allied Members of NACADA,
while others simply organize NACADA state drive in meetings
(see list here).
Your Region Chairperson can help you identify a state contact
person if you wish to get involved at that level. That same
Chairperson is the one to contact if you wish to get involved
at the Region level (see Region webpages).
Regions have Steering Committees, Regional Conference committees,
and other opportunities for volunteers.
There
is a Steering Committee for Commissions, and each Commission
and Interest Group has subcommittees or subgroups of volunteers
to work on various projects throughout the year. The Chairpersons
are your contact for these opportunities. (Find CIG Division
contacts here).
Typically,
members who have demonstrated a genuine interest and ability
to contribute to the Association at the Region or Commission
level and have gained a bit of knowledge about the organization
and its operations express their interest to continue their
involvement to a Committee, Task Force, Advisory Board Chair
or the President, who appoints members to the respective
groups.
Service
as a Chairperson qualifies one to be nominated for the Division
Representative positions. The six Division Representatives
form the NACADA Council and act on issues brought forward
from the three Divisions (Region, Commission/Interest Group,
and Administrative). Issues of Association policy or funding
are forwarded to the Board of Directors (10 members), who
are elected (3 each year) from the slate of nominees. These
nominees must have served as a Chair within a Division prior
to nomination. The Board is charged with guiding the Association
by setting the Vision and the strategic plan to work toward
that vision while also allocating funds in support of that
plan.
As
you can see, your Association needs many volunteers to operate
and continue to provide the member services desired of its
9000+ members! A thorough inspection of the NACADA website
will further demonstrate the variety of services provided
and highlight the additional opportunities for involvement
- authorship of web articles, Academic Advising Today
articles, Journal articles, monographs,
and books; Content Review Boards for all publications, videos,
webinars, & CDs; special Task Forces to address current
issues; and many, many more opportunities for you!
By
pondering these possibilities for involvement now, you can
be prepared to discuss your interest with the appropriate
leaders during the Annual Conference in Indianapolis,
October 18-21.
As
always, if you are seeking information about academic advising
or the association OR if you have ideas/suggestions on additional
services we could provide, please let us know. Best wishes
for another rewarding year in higher education!!
Roberta
"Bobbie" Flaherty,
Executive Director
National
Academic Advising Association
(785)
532-5717
NACADA@KSU.EDU
|

Visit
the Conference webpage |

Diverse
Advising for a
Diverse World
October
18-21, 2006
Early
Registration Due: September
22, 2006
Indiana
Convention Center
& The Westin Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
|
Keynote
Presentation: Thinking
DEEPly about Academic Advising and Student Engagement
by George
D. Kuh, Chancellor's Professor and
Director, Center for Postsecondary Research, Indiana
University Bloomington |
Best
of Region Presentations
Region
1: It's
All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Trained,
Susan Kolls (Northeastern University)
& Terri Downing (Franklin Pierce
College)
Region
2: Academic Advising
via Online Communication: Bearing the Facts While
Avoiding Cyber and Legal Bear Traps, Rebecca
Sterley (Indiana University of Pennsylvania)
Region
3: Drawing Conclusions
Through the Use of an Online Faculty Advising Manual,
Carla Hatfield, Barbara Hensley,
& Mark Templeton (Middle Tennessee
State University)
Region
4: Breaking Bad
News to Students: Delivery is the Key,
Jose Rodriguez (Florida International
University)
Region 5:
Grounding the Helicopters: Rolling with
the Challenges Presented by Today's Parents,
Julian Parrott (University of Illinois)
Region
6: Digital Distractions:
College Students in the 21st Century,
Danielle Tisinger & Jennifer
Rude (University of Minnesota)
Region
7: All Minds Do
Not Think Alike: Concrete Strategies for Advising
Students with Learning Difficulties,
Julie Hunt (Kansas State University)
Region
8: Advising &
Retention: Unveiling the Mysterious Link,
Brett McFarlane (Portland State University)
Region
9: Light the Way:
Engage Students in the Advising Process as Soon as
They Are Admitted!, Sue
Saunders (California State University-Channel
Islands)
Region
10: The Total Package:
Freshman Advising and Retention for a New Generation,
Anne Suzuki, Elaine Rostad,
& Michael Allen (Arizona State
University) |
|
Sound
Bites for Sound Advising
Christopher
Armstrong and
Hollie Heintz, University
of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
Can
you remember a pivotal advising moment when a question you
asked caused a student to stop and respond, "Good point.
I never thought of that before"? In that second, you
realized you had a wonderful sound bite to remember, because
that simple question challenged the student to develop a
new perspective on his or her motivations, interests, or
opportunities. As academic advisors, we engage students
on a daily basis and ask the tough questions that encourage
them to take responsibility for their academic success.
We are pleased to have this opportunity to share with you
some effective sound bites we have gathered, and to offer
ideas for sharing your sound bites with your colleagues.
As
advisors who prefer a developmental approach, we often find
ourselves sharing helpful suggestions within our department.
We are continually looking for ways to enrich the advisor-student
interaction. How can we get the most from each advising
session? How can we build rapport as we continue to meet
with students?
From
talking with others, we generated so many sound bites that
we spread the word at the Regional and Annual NACADA Conferences.
The wonderful interactions and ideas exchanged at both Conferences
allowed us to compile an extensive list of sound bites from
advisors across North
America . We have provided
a list of our "top ten" sound bites below, along
with explanations of why we love them.
What
brings you in today?
We
feel the connotation of this sentence is vastly different
than oft-used "How can I help you today?" because
it shifts the responsibility toward the student.
How
important would you say it is for you to ______ on a scale
from 1 to 10?
This
gives students a concrete way to evaluate and quantify their
priorities. You can use this question to determine how important
it is for the student to clear academic probation, work
x hours each week, participate in extracurricular activities,
etc.
What
are you passionate about? What fascinates you?
This
is an in-house favorite that we ask students exploring their
major options. This helps divorce the idea that a major
equals a career and focuses on their strengths and interests.
What
do you think will happen if you don't change anything? What
is the worst outcome if you do change? Best outcome?
Sometimes
we encounter students who seem apathetic or stuck. To someone
who feels this way, taking that next step can often feel
overwhelming. This conversation script provides a catalyst
for the student by reframing the dilemma.
Would
it be okay if I told you some of my concerns regarding your
plan?
This
can be a powerful question from the advisor to gently but
firmly express that the student has a plan that may be unrealistic
or un-researched.
What
strengths do you want to focus on?
It
is important to provide encouragement to students who are
on-task and taking an active role in their academic and
career development. This question suggests students identify
areas in which they excel and the core competencies they
can build upon.
I
can suggest advantages and disadvantages, but the decision
is yours.
This
statement is appropriate for students who have little experience
making their own decisions or are expecting the advisor
to tell them what is best for them. In other words, it puts
the responsibility on the student to make an informed decision.
What
can you do to break down these challenges into tasks that
are manageable?
Goals
can feel overwhelming without specific steps in place. As
advisors, we can encourage students to approach problems
in a step-wise and time-sensitive way that seems manageable.
It
sounds like you have a number of concerns/questions. What
are you most concerned about?
Often
we meet with students who bring a list of questions to cover
during the appointment. This sound bite allows both the
student and advisor to focus on what is most immediate and
relevant. It helps the student reframe his/her priorities
more clearly.
What
experiences do you want next?
As
advisors, we feel it is important to challenge students
to think about real life experiences as opportunities to
learn about themselves and their world.
For
more sound bites we have collected, feel free to visit our
presentation website.
Advisor
Exercise:
Our
hope is that reading our favorite sound bites has resonated
with you in some way. If so, we suggest the following exercise
to help spread the exchange of ideas:
- Write
down 5 of your favorite sound bites. These can be ones
you created or adapted from someone else.
- Find
5 sound bites from the list on our website that you would
like to use and write them down.
- Work
to incorporate these into your daily interactions with
your advisees.
- Create
an exchange program with your colleagues in which each
of you completes steps 1-3 and shares your sound bites
with one another.
- Let
us know what worked well for you! We can incorporate them
on our website to benefit the advising community.
We
have learned so much from creating our presentations and
dialoguing with our fellow advisors. In our student interactions,
we have found these sound bites to be an excellent way of
revitalizing our advising enthusiasm and understanding our
students better. Students seem to like it, too. We hope
that this has helped you to generate practical ideas for
your advising sessions and rekindled your passion for working
with students. Advise on!
Christopher
Armstrong
University
of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
cmarmstr@uiuc.edu
Hollie
Heintz
University
of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
hheintz@uiuc.edu
|
|
Editor's Note: Christopher Armstrong
will be presented a NACADA Outstanding
New Advisor Certificate of Merit at
the October Annual Conference in Indianapolis.
If you see Christopher in Indy, be sure to offer
your congratulations!
Learn
more about the NACADA Awards
Program here.
|
|
|
| 2007
NACADA Awards Program
The
2007 Call for Nominations for the NACADA
Annual Awards Program will be available in November
2006. Until then, the criteria
and nomination guidelines used for the 2006 awards can provide
you with a general idea of the types of information and
documents requested in the nomination materials for the
current award categories. Please note that it is possible
that some nomination guidelines and criteria may change
for the 2007 Awards Program, depending on discussions held
by the Awards Committee at the Annual Conference. Therefore,
please be sure to check all guidelines closely once the
2007 Awards Call becomes available before submitting any
nomination materials.
Next
year's deadline for submitting nominations or applications
for most award categories will be March 5, 2007.
Retiree recognition notifications will be due June 4, 2007.
Information on the Awards Program is available
here.
Start
now in planning for the advising awards nominations to be
submitted in 2007 from your institution!
|
How
to Make Effective Referrals: A Three Step Framework
Mark
C. Rehfuss,
Regent University
Melissa
Mentzer,
Ashland University
Typical
advising sessions can quickly turn into crisis points when
students' conversations lead to disclosure of personal concerns
and struggles (Butler,
1995). Students trying to deal with issues related to major
career concerns, disabilities, pregnancy, mental health
issues and thoughts of suicide are clearly overwhelmed and
in need of additional assistance. When mundane advising
issues are pushed aside with student crisis, advisors must
know how to effectively refer those students for help (Shane,
1981; Kuhn, Gordon, & Webber, 2006). Effective advising
referrals usually involve the following three steps:
- Try
to put yourself
in the students' shoes and communicate understanding.
- Think
what resources
are available to help with this issue and normalize the
service.
- Transition
from the
advising office to other resources.
Effective
referrals start with trying to put yourself
in the students' shoes even if you have heard the issues
many times before. This involves listening, understanding
and then communicating your understanding back to the students.
This is often referred to as empathic listening or listening
for understanding (Rogers, 1961; Egan, 1998). This skill
involves linking the students' feelings to their experiences
or behaviors: "I hear you saying that you feel
. (the emotion expressed by the student) because
. (the experiences or behavior that has given
rise to the emotions)." For example, an advisor might suggest,
"It sounds to me as though you feel frustrated because
of your poor grades." Or, the advisor might say,
"I hear you saying that you feel overwhelmed because
you still have not declared a major" or "It
seems to me that you feel confused and isolated because
your friends cannot help you any longer." When advisors
accurately use these types of statements, students feel
understood. The key is to link students' current emotions
to the reasons behind them and communicate true understanding.
Thinking
means taking
the time to identify the individual resources that can assist
students in working through their current struggles. This
means having available the names and telephone numbers of
known professionals at the Counseling
Center,
Career Center,
Student Disabilities
Center,
etc. It is more effective to say to students, "I know
Pat, and she has really helped a few of my students who
were dealing with very similar issues; why don't I give
her a call?" than to say, "Why don't you just
call the counseling center when you get back to your room?"
Thinking also involves normalizing or explaining
the referral resources (O'Hanlon and Weiner-Davis, 1989).
Help the students understand that their struggles are often
a normal part of personal development and maturity; in fact,
their challenges are common enough that the university has
developed resources designed to assist them. Here are two
examples of possible statements:
Student
Disability Services can let you know the accommodations
that could be available to you and that may help you be
more successful in your academics. Sometimes it involves
more time on tests or an environment without distractions.
The whole reason they exist is to level the playing field
for all students so that everyone has an equal chance
at success.
The
Counseling
Center
may be able
to help you process what is going on in your life currently.
It seems like everything that is going on right now is
making it hard for you to feel like you are still in control.
I think talking to a professional who is trained to help
could assist you in getting some perspective. The Counseling
Center
provides
a variety of services from addressing study skills and
relational problems to successfully handling very personal
issues like yours.
Transition
is the third
and final step; it moves students from the advisor to other
specific resources. This
referral is effectively accomplished by first summarizing
what students have been sharing and then t hanking them
for being so open with their concerns. Once advisors have
affirmed students in this manner, they can transition with
a statement such as, "As an advisor I can help you with
many things, but I'm not really trained to help you with
what is going on in your life currently. However, I do know
some others on campus who could really provide the assistance,
encouragement, support, and help that you need." Advisors
can then mention the name of the referral or suggest a call
right then: "Why don't I give Sue a call and see if
we can set up an appointment for you?" These effective
transitional statements communicate personal understanding
and concern, but are also somewhat directive. While direction
is needed, advisors must remember that the goal of referral
is not to pressure students, but rather to educate and inform
them of their options. Here are two examples:
You
know, the issues you have been sharing are really important,
and it sounds like you may want some help and support
in processing what you are currently going through. I
have found that the Learning
Center
can be a
great resource for students. I know Fred Smith over there,
and he has assisted many of the students that I advise
to work through their concerns and successfully finish
college.
Sometimes
there are things that your friends or parents cannot help
you with, especially when you are here at college. It
may be helpful to get another source of support, such
as meeting with a counselor or speaking with a physician
about your concerns. Debbie Jones, who runs the Campus
Counseling Center, is a personal friend of mine. Why don't
I just give her a call and see if we can get you in to
meet with her?
The
foundation of any effective referral is the advisor's ability
to understand and to connect with the student through basic
empathy skills. Once this has taken place, the advisor can
think of and transition the student to the needed resources.
Taking the time to develop an effective referral framework
will equip you with a needed skill and empower your students
to be more successful, both personally and academically.
Mark
C. Rehfuss
Regent
University
mrehfuss@regent.edu
Melissa
Mentzer
Ashland
University
mmentzer@ashland.edu
References
Butler
, E. (1995). Counseling
and advising: A continuum of services. In R. Glennen
& F. Vowell (Eds.). Academic Advising as a Comprehensive
Campus Process . Manhattan
KS
: NACADA Monograph Series
Number 2, pp. 107 - 114.
Egan,
G. (1998). The skilled helper. Pacific
Grove, CA:
Brooks/Cole Publishing.
Kuhn,
T., Gordon, V., & Webber, J. (2006). The advising and
counseling continuum: Triggers for referral. NACADA
Journal , 26 (1), 24-31.
O'Hanlon,
W., & Weiner-Davis, M. (1989). In search of solutions:
A new direction in psychotherapy. New
York: Norton.
Rogers,
C. (1961). On becoming a person. Boston,
MA:
Houghton Mifflin.
Shane,
D. (1981). Academic advising in higher education: A developmental
approach for college students of all ages. NACADA Journal,
1 (2), 12-23.
|
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Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Issues in Advising
Situations
Brandy
L. Smith, The
University
of Memphis
Editor's
Note: The following
article is drawn from the presentation "Colors of the Rainbow,"
given by Brandy Smith at the 2006 NACADA Region 3 Conference
in Nashville, TN. Before
reading this article, the reader may wish to become familiar
with Brandy's NACADA Clearinghouse article "Working
More Effectively in Advising: Understanding Multicultural
Dimensions of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Identities."
"Why
do I need to be aware of GLBT persons or issues?"
Kinsey, Pomeroy and Martin (1948) in their seminal work
noted that up to ten percent of the population may be Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender (GLBT). Thus, probability
alone suggests that advisors will work with many GLBT students
during their careers. Others may say, "What does it
matter if I know a person's sexual orientation?" True,
we may not need to know a student's sexual orientation to
be a good advisor, but there are times when issues of sexual
orientation arise. This can occur when advisors seek to
connect with students in a holistic way i.e., when
they seek to know more about students than their course
schedules.
A
holistic advisor may ask a female transfer student the basic
question, "What brings you to X University?"
This wonderfully open question has a multitude of answers.
If the student says that she transferred because of a dating
relationship, the advisor may follow up by asking how long
the student and her boyfriend have been together. In this
case, the advisor has made an assumption about the student's
sexual orientation. While an advisor may find it helpful
to know more about the dating relationship, it is recommended
that he/she inquire in a way that does not infer heterosexuality.
Simply asking, "How long have you two been together?"
can garner the same information, while allowing for
the possibility that the student may not be heterosexual.
Hetherington
(1991) noted that assumptions exist regarding appropriate
and inappropriate fields for GLBT people. These thoughts
are based on assumptions and stereotypes that must be challenged.
Because we are exposed to socialization beliefs and stereotypes,
some advisors and students may explore only majors related
to sexual orientation stereotypes. Advisors should seek
to discover students' reasons for choosing their majors.
An
advisor may work with a male student who indicates that
he is gay. This advisor may suggest theatre as a major because
the arts have traditionally been seen as a "good fit" for
gay people. In this instance, the advisor needs to broaden
his or her perception of student career possibilities instead
of limiting the majors to stereotypical fields. Yes, certain
fields have historically been more open and affirming to
GLBT people, but that does not mean that those are the only
fields in which GLBT people can succeed. This issue may
arise if the student expresses interest in teaching, the
military, criminal justice, or the business world.
Believing
that GLBT people can only enter certain fields limits the
students' possibilities and restricts the contributions
they can make. GLBT people are employed in a variety of
occupations. Advisors who choose not to discuss certain
careers because of the student's sexual orientation should
challenge their beliefs. It is true that some fields may
be more restrictive regarding how open a person can be about
his/her sexual orientation (e.g., teaching elementary
school or the military), but an honest discussion of the
issues is very different than refraining from discussing
a career option because the person is gay, lesbian, bisexual,
or transgendered.
GLBT
individuals often "come out" during their college years.
The "coming out" process may include student discomfort
with sexual orientation and may lead students to choose
careers that are traditionally seen as congruent with gender
stereotypes. In these cases, male students may choose a
stereotypically masculine major, e.g., sports
management, while female students may select a stereotypically
feminine major, e.g., nursing. Exploration of
the reason for the choice of major is important. The question
"What makes you choose that major?" can lead to
a productive discussion about the reasons for the choice
and an indication regarding how satisfied students may be
with a choice made because of gender stereotypes. Some persons
may be satisfied with choosing a career path based upon
gender stereotypes, but others may realize that alternative
reasons for choosing a major may be more important.
Much
of what has been suggested here involves challenging stereotypes
and assumptions. This can be hard, especially if students
and advisors are surrounded by inaccurate information. Advisors
can increase their understanding of GLBT persons and the
issues they face in the following ways:
- read affirming books that
accurately portray GLBT people
- talk in a respectful way
with people who are GLBT to learn about their experiences
and struggles
- attend presentations that
discuss GLBT persons' experiences or perspectives in an
affirming way
- visit
the Human Rights Campaign website at www.hrc.org
- connect with individuals
who are GLBT to learn more about them and how their sexual
identities are integrated into their personalities rather
than isolated from who they are.
Brandy
L. Smith
The
University
of Memphis
brandysmith9@yahoo.com
Brandy
Smith is a counseling
psychology doctoral student in the Counseling, Educational
Psychology, and Research program at The University of Memphis.
References
Hetherington,
C. (1991). Life planning and career counseling with gay
and lesbian students. In N. J. Evans & V.
A.
Wall (Eds.), Beyond tolerance: Gays, lesbians and bisexuals
on campus (pp. 131-146). Alexandria,
VA
:
American
College
Personnel Association.
Kinsey,
A., Pomeroy, W. & Martin, C. (1948), Sexual B | | |