Filmmaker
Philip Gröning waited sixteen years for permission to capture
the lives and work of French Carthusian monks on camera for
his movie Into Great Silence. As academic advisors,
we can wait for two or three seconds for a response to a question
or we can allow an advising moment to extend for what seems
like a lifetime without a spoken word.
In
the din of our hectic and harried world, silence is an under-rated
and under-valued gift. Between cell phones, MP3 players, Blackberries,
television, e-mail, cars, subways, planes, and trains, many
of us hardly ever experience stillness or silence. This article
is not an attempt at religious conversion, but when academic
advisors are mindful about using silence, or allowing silence
to take hold, it can be, truly, revelatory. In my work, I
serve both as an academic advisor and have responsibility
for administering the college’s policy on academic integrity,
so silence is something that I use at appropriate moments
with good effect. And when I am speaking with parents or families,
there is often nothing more powerful than a moment of rich
silence.
First,
advisors need to acknowledge what silence feels like
as a part of conversation. In presenting on this topic, I
have had folks describe silence in a number of ways – few
of them complimentary. Silence can feel like a punishment,
it can feel uncomfortable, it can be scary; silence can be
awkward, frustrating, even infuriating. In a classroom, silence
can be interpreted to mean that students are not prepared,
are not intelligent, or are not engaged.
But
silence is not necessarily absence, it is not docility or
withdrawal; it can speak with a fullness that words may lack.
When we note the absence of sound or chatter, silence can
be quite full. If we want to use silence in our work with
advisees, or in our personal or professional lives, we should
have an awareness of the possibilities of silence that requires
both reflection and attention.
There
are many challenges to silence in our work e.g.,
budget cuts, larger enrollments, full days, multi-tasking
(one of the real enemies of silence). We take pride, as we
should, in our efficiency and our busy-ness. More than 150
years ago, Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden about
the coolest technology of his day (trains) by saying, “We
do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.” I’m sure we
often feel the same about the various technologies to which
we often feel attached, sometimes in a burdensome way. And
so we approach silence with some trepidation, but with a sense
that it has a place in academic advising.
When
employing silence, keep the following things in mind:
Awareness
– Allow silence in advising conversations to tell things;
allow it to communicate. Silence in advising could be saying
what the advisee cannot: fear, exhaustion, stress, uncertainty.
As an advisor, be mindful of silence and its absence; the
moment to address, confront, console, or counsel may present
itself in a way that could not happen otherwise.
Listen
– Listening
does not necessarily translate into hearing. As professionals,
we appreciate how important listening is. Perhaps we take
it for granted that we listen well, but do not just listen
to the words: listen to the body language, the tone of voice,
and the moments without words. Listen.org
is the Web site of the International Listening Association.
HighGain.com has a 5-
or 10-minute listening assessment that can be a good exercise
for advisors.
Respect
– In advising,
respect is fundamental, and when advisors use silence in
advising we genuinely seek conversation or an answer and
are respectfully willing to wait for it. Respect in advising
relationships is important and valuable; so is silence.
Restraint
– Do not jump
in to fill the silence. Do NOT rescue. Try to allow for
what Marion Wrye (2000)
calls “abundant pauses.” This may be the hardest task
of all, but when an advisor has done it once or twice, we
find that silence can feel absolutely appropriate.
I
have found it helpful to go to certain works for encouragement
and support regarding silence. Parker Palmer (1998) examines
six paradoxes of pedagogy in The Courage to Teach.
Number 6 is this:
The
space should welcome both silence and speech.
Words are not the sole medium of exchange in teaching and
learning – we educate with silence as well. Silence gives
us a chance to reflect on what we have said and heard, and
silence itself can be a sort of speech, emerging from the
deepest parts of ourselves, of others, of the world.
Psychologists
say that a typical group can abide about fifteen seconds
of silence before someone feels the need to break the tension
by speaking. It is our old friend fear at work, interpreting
the silence as something gone wrong, certain that worthwhile
things will not happen if we are not making noise. But in
authentic education, silence is treated as a trustworthy
matrix for the inner work students must do, a medium for
learning of the deepest sort (p. 77).
In
Chaim Potok’s (1967) The Chosen, the devout rabbi
tells his son Danny and his friend Reuven that “the heart
speaks through silence” (p. 278). And David Macfarlane’s (1991)
unforgettable memoir of Newfoundland, The Danger Tree,
has a priceless passage (pages 16 to 18) about a 1962 Christmas
dinner and a reticent uncle.
In
advising, then, try not to run from silence. Embrace it. Silence
asks hard things from us – presence, patience – but the rewards
for us and our advisees can be plentiful indeed. The Quakers
have a practice in worship of silence or what can be described
as “centering down.” It requires time, thought, and an attitude
of acceptance; but, much can be communicated when nothing
is said. Think of it this way: talk less, say more.
Macfarlane,
David. (1991). The Danger Tree: Memory, War, and the Search
for a Family’s Past. New
York: Walker & Company.
Palmer,
Parker J. (1998). The Courage to Teach: Exploring the
Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life.
San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Potok,
Chaim. (1967). The Chose. New York: Ballantine Books.
Thoreau,
H.D. (1942). Walden. Roslyn, N : Walter J. Black.
Chapter 2.
Wrye,
Marion. (May, 2000). “The Silent Classroom.” English Journal
(89) 5. pp. 79-83.
Building
on Our Past, Strengthening Our Future
Susan
Campbell,
President,
NACADA
As
my year as President draws to a close, I continue to be honored
by the opportunity to serve in this capacity for our Association.
This year has been a highlight in my professional career.
I want to thank Nancy Walburn for her leadership
as Vice President during this year as well as each member
of the Board of Directors, Council, and the leaders within
our divisions. The true strength of our Association continues
to be our leaders, who each volunteer many hours of their
time to ensure that our Association continues to grow and
prosper.
I
must also take the opportunity to publicly thank our long-time
Executive Director, Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty,
for her dedication to our Association and her awesome leadership
for the past seventeen years. As Bobbie moves into her phased
retirement, it is essential that each of our nearly 10,000
members know that without Bobbie’s guidance, management, and
total commitment to NACADA, our Association would not today
be recognized as one of the largest and most influential associations
in higher education. As we look toward the future, it is impossible
for us not to express our gratitude to Bobbie for the foundation
she has provided us. THANK YOU, BOBBIE!
Much
has been accomplished during the past year to build on our
past and strengthen our future. First, a work group of members
of the Board of Directors, Council, and members at-large chaired
by incoming President Jennifer Bloom has
conducted a thorough review of the Association’s by-laws and
recommended several clarifications and revisions to ensure
that the by-laws clearly reflect our organizational structure.
This important task will provide a firm foundation for the
Association as we move forward. Next, Jane Jacobson,
immediate past Vice President, has chaired a work team focusing
on policies and procedures to better guide the work of the
leadership and Executive Office in meeting the framework of
our by-laws. These policies and procedures will ensure that
our work at all levels of the Association is consistent and
established for the future. And, last, Eric White,
past NACADA President, has chaired a work group that has explored
recommendations to ensure the sustainability of our Association
in our next thirty years. It is essential that NACADA plan
now for future expansion and stability. The work of these
three groups is invaluable to our Association’s future and
I thank Jenny, Jane, Eric and the members of these work groups
for their hard work this year.
The
Board of Directors and the Council have also been actively
involved in evaluating and expanding the Association’s strategic
plan for the future. At our mid-year meetings, Gary
Levy (University of Utah) facilitated our work with
the strategic plan which will continue at our Fall Board meeting.
Through this important work, the Board of Directors provides
leadership for all members involved in the work of the Association
now and in the future.
One
of the most exciting initiatives this year has been the implementation
of our Emerging Leader
program. Under the leadership of the Diversity Committee and
its Chair, Skip Crownhart, the first class
of Emerging Leaders and mentors has been selected; they will
begin their two-years of work together at our Annual Conference
in Baltimore. Twenty-eight NACADA members applied to be included
in this new program, which is focused on building leaders
for the future and strengthening the diversity of our leadership.
I am pleased to announce the first class of Emerging Leaders:
Melva Harbin (University of Texas-Austin),
Erica Byrnes (University of Florida),
Criselda Marquez (Purdue University), Tami
Clavin (University of Central Oklahoma),
Todd Taylor (The Ohio State University),
Carol Pollard (University of North Texas),
Cornelius Gilbert (University of Wisconsin-Madison),
Jose Rodriguez (Florida International University),
Darryl Frazier (Bethune-Cookman), and
Audrey Jackson (Florida Community College
of Jacksonville). The mentors who will be working with these
leaders include Jenny Bloom (University
of South of Carolina), Jayne Drake (Temple
University), Sandy Waters (Old Dominion
University), Charlie Nutt (Kansas State University),
Scott Amundsen (Eastern Kentucky University),
Jo Ann Huber (University of Texas-Austin),
Karen Sullivan-Vance (Western Oregon University),
Glenn Kepic (University of Florida), and
Terry Musser (Penn State University). I know
this will be an exciting and fruitful initiative that will
impact the future of our Association.
We
have strengthened our Association’s future this year through
our collaborations with fellow associations nationally and
internationally. These collaborations have included the publication
of a joint monograph with the National Resource Center on
the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition: Academic
Advising: New Insights for Teaching and Learning in the First
Year. We also have established a very strong
collaboration with the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) through the development and implementation of an online
course and three-day institute that focus on building successful
academic support systems for student athletes that meet Academic
Progress Report (APR) guidelines. We have also begun work
on a partnership with the National Collegiate Honors Council
and the NACADA Board of Directors is developing a plan for
collaborative efforts that sets priorities and strategies
for additional partnerships and collaborations with other
associations.
This
year has also seen important collaborations at an international
level. Again this year, NACADA connected with Counseling Arabia
in the United Arab Emirates, where Associate Director Charlie
Nutt served as a featured speaker at their annual
conference in Dubai. Over eighteen Middle Eastern countries
were represented at this year’s conference, where participants
gained valuable information on advising and our association.
Also, NACADA partnered with the Higher Education Academy in
the United Kingdom to sponsor the 1st International Conference
on Personal Tutoring and Academic Advising held in Edinburgh,
Scotland. Over twenty NACADA members from the United States
and Canada joined their UK colleagues at this conference to
learn from each other and network at an international level.
I had the distinct pleasure of serving as the keynote speaker
for this collaborative event. Past President Mike
McCauley’s article in this edition of Academic
Advising Today describes more about the conference.
Plans are already under way for the 2008 collaborative conference
to be held in the United States in partnership with our Region
2 conference in Pittsburgh.
As
you can see, this has been busy and productive year. As we
look toward the future, I know NACADA will continue to grow
and expand under the leadership of President Jenny
Bloom and Vice President Casey Self
as well as Interim Executive Director Charlie Nutt.
I know they will move NACADA forward and that each of you
will be actively involved in the work of the Association.
We’ve
Come a Long Way, Baby! It’s Been a Wonderful Journey!
Roberta
“Bobbie” Flaherty, NACADA
Executive Director
Life
has an interesting way of evolving! Little did I realize in
1978 (at the age of 31) while serving as Director of Conferences
at Kansas State University, that a phone call with three advisors
(Toni Trombley, Vermont; Frank Dyer,
Tennessee; and Billie Jacobini, Illinois)
might determine the rest of my life’s work. That call was
to discuss the possibility of the K-State Conference Office
coordinating the annual conference on academic advising and
in particular, the 1979 conference which would be the inaugural
meeting of the National Academic Advising Association. I secured
that “piece of business” and NACADA was formally a part of
my life. K-State coordinated all but one conference between
then and 1990. In 1989, NACADA had grown sufficiently to require
an Executive Office, and I believed that it provided an excellent
opportunity for K-State and me, so I worked with Dean
Michael Holen to prepare and submit a bid to host
the Executive Office at K-State. Due to Dean Holen’s generous
support for the office, we were successful and in July 1990,
I began in a half-time position as Executive Director with
one full-time assistant paid by NACADA and a grad assistant
provided by Dean Holen. The rest is history!
Now,
seventeen years after the establishment of the Executive Office,
I am stepping down as Executive Director to begin “phased
retirement.” In K-State terms, that means that I am reducing
my work time to 50% for up to 5 years. The NACADA Board of
Directors has concurred with a plan that will permit me to
maintain some program development responsibilities while transitioning
other responsibilities to staff members and training employees
to assume new responsibilities.
These
seventeen years have been very rewarding! Membership has grown
from 2452 in 1990 to almost 10,000 in 2007, the Annual Conference
has grown from 1072 participants in 1990 to a record of 3384
in 2005, and the annual operating budget has grown from $157,000
in 1990 to $2.8 million in 2007. Couple this with the growth
in Commissions, all ten Regions having annual conferences
that drew a total of 2820 participants in 2007, a vibrant
publications schedule, and a variety of professional development
opportunities delivered in an ever increasing number of formats,
and one can’t help but be proud! However, this pride belongs
to the many members who have supported the Association throughout
its years, shared their expertise with other members and provided
guidance to me. I cherish their support, but more importantly,
I cherish their friendship, for I have truly enjoyed most
the friendship you all have provided and which I hope to maintain
into retirement.
Oh,
yes, that “retirement.” My “extra” time to begin with will
be directed to completing the home remodeling we began in
1974, extend into some leisure travel, and begin the task
of disposing of three family estates currently stored in our
garage! Those travels will likely include some opportunities
to visit your part of the country – I’ll let you know when!
Thanks to all of you!
It
is with mixed emotions that I write an article commending
Bobbie Flaherty on her outstanding years
of service with NACADA and impending phased retirement. As
a long-time member of this Association and one who has held
office in many capacities over the years, I can hardly remember
not knowing Bobbie or relying on her expertise/guidance and
her historical perspective.
In
1990, when NACADA contracted with Kansas State University,
Dean Mike Holen wisely tapped Bobbie to provide conference
management and financial management expertise. Along with
a part-time employee and an association of 2452 members, she
embarked on the journey. In seventeen years, NACADA has steadily
grown to just under 10,000 members strong with an Executive
Office numbering fourteen full time employees. From merely
managing a national conference and financial matters, which
in itself is no small feat, to the numerous conferences/institutes
now held annually, Bobbie has been the driving force in implementing
the goals of the Board of Directors and other leaders. She
has wisely hired experts in many areas to embark on new waters
to accommodate the bulging growth while maintaining existing
programs. This has been a key factor in providing the services
our members have grown to expect.
While
what Bobbie has done for NACADA is too massive to ever completely
list, here is an A-Z of some of the accomplishments NACADA
has made under Bobbie’s leadership:
Annual
Conference attendance tops 3300
By-law
review
Continuous
growth of Summer Institutes
Development
of Assessment and Administrator Institutes
Emerging
Leaders program
Foundations
of Academic Advising CD series
Growing
Web site
Heavily
increased member involvement in Association leadership at
all levels
Increasing
international connections
Just
the right amount of “personal touch”
Kansas
State University ties continuously strengthened
Lasting
collaborations with NCAA, FYE, NCHA and other associations
Monthly
Member Highlights gets new format
NACADA
Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources
goes digital
Online
Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising Program and new
Master’s Degree
Publication
partnerships with Jossey-Bass
Quarterly
e-Publication, Academic Advising Today, evolved
from newsletter
Zealous
assurance the Association meets all legal requirements
If the
English alphabet had more letters, undoubtedly there would
be additional accomplishments to list that Bobbie either administered,
facilitated, or had the wise judgment to enlist the services
of those who could.
As
the chief financial officer, Bobbie has wisely invested NACADA’s
monies and provided detailed budgetary details to the Board
of Directors and Finance Committee. We are simply in such
excellent financial shape due to her oversight.
Undoubtedly, NACADA is a leader
in higher education circles, and this is her legacy. While her
shoes will never really be filled, I know that before her phased
retirement comes to an end, she will have left her mark in many
more ways and NACADA will continue to thrive because of her
work and dedication.
Congrats,
Bobbie!
Jo
Anne Huber
President,
NACADA 2005-06
Déjà
Vu in the United Kingdom
Mike
McCauley,
Ball State University
NACADA’s
first European conference created a dose of déjà vu for me.
While in Edinburgh, Scotland, for the NACADA conference conducted
in partnership with the United Kingdom’s Higher Education
Academy (HEA), I learned that Paula Hixenbaugh of the University
of Westminster in England had initiated the first conference
on “Personal Tutoring” (their term for academic advising)
in 2005 after thinking it would be exciting to have a meeting
for those across the United Kingdom involved in personal tutoring.
Paula approached the Higher Education Academy, and they agreed
to sponsor such a meeting. Expecting a small group, the organizers
were surprised when it sold out.
My
déjà vu feelings came from knowing that 30 short years ago,
Toni Trombley (pictured at left), then at
the University of Vermont, had initiated a similar meeting
for persons involved in academic advising in higher education
in the United States and, expecting a few colleagues, was
also surprised when registrations “sold out” at 275 when the
facility could accommodate no more.
The
Vermont conference led to a group of individuals forming NACADA,
whereas this year’s co-sponsored conference in Edinburgh is
leading to the globalization of NACADA! Leaders representing
NACADA and the HEA have agreed to continue the partnership,
which initially will lead to an annual conference to be held
alternately in the UK and North America to enhance the collaboration
and sharing of best practices in enhancing student success
through effective academic advising/personal tutoring.
In
Edinburgh, we learned that although our terminology differs,
our mission is the same, and we can benefit from an exchange
of information. Seventeen NACADA colleagues from California,
Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, New York, Oregon, Texas,
Utah, and Wisconsin, along with a member from British Columbia
and three members from Kuwait, attended the conference. NACADA
President Susan Campbell (University of
Southern Maine) gave the keynote address, Past-President Nancy
King (Kennesaw State University) presented a workshop,
Associate Director Charlie Nutt and I participated
on a panel with two colleagues from the UK, and Tom
Kenyon (Indiana University-Bloomington),
Mark Beecher (Brigham Young University),
Karen Sullivan-Vance (Western Oregon University),
Sarah Ann Hones (Southern Oregon University),
Lesley Leppert (CUNY-Borough of Manhattan
Community College), Erwin Wong (CUNY-Borough
of Manhattan Community College), and Darren
Francis (University College of the Fraser Valley)
presented concurrent sessions. Ninety-five professionals from
England, Scotland, and Wales were in attendance, making it
a very successful conference.
Our
UK colleagues appeared excited about collaborating with NACADA,
demonstrated great interest in NACADA resources, and expressed
considerable “ah” as Charlie awarded a complimentary NACADA
membership to one lucky individual at the end of the conference.
These colleagues will join 23 current members from Australia,
Bahamas, Bulgaria, Egypt, England, Grenada, India, Jamaica,
Kuwait, Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, and United
Arab Emirates in leading the global expansion of NACADA beyond
North America. It is evident that NACADA’s resources and expertise
are becoming widely known throughout the world as higher education
systems face similar issues in these evolving times.
Just
as NACADA has grown to almost 10,000 members, I expect this
partnership to further swell the ranks of NACADA’s international
members – further increasing the visibility of advising and
enhancing student success. Deja vu!
Mike
McCauley
Ball
State University
Office
of Academic Systems
Narrative
Theory and Academic Advising
Peter
L. Hagen,
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
O
body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How
can we know the dancer from the dance?
--Yeats, “Among School
Children” (1927)
Stories
have always been one of the primary ways we humans entertain,
admonish, educate, acculturate, inform, persuade, praise,
and punish. We use stories to create communities. As advisors,
we tell and listen to stories every day. An exaggeration?
Just think how often you use these words: “I have this student
who. . . .” That’s the way we academic
advisors say “Once upon a time. . . .” If this
is true, then narrative theory—found mainly in literature,
film studies, anthropology, and nursing—recommends itself
as an example of how theory from outside academic advising
may help us better explain academic advising and make us better
practitioners.
Fisher
(1987) argues that humans are essentially storytellers, that
all human communication is narrative. It’s of paramount importance
to us humans that our stories have narrative probability
(are coherently structured) and narrative fidelity
(resonate with other stories). Does it hang together
meaningfully? Does it square with other narratives? Then it’s
a valid story. And we advisors just love a good story; we
can’t spend a day without them. “I have this student,” says
one advisor to another, “who signed up for calculus but got
a D in precalculus.” It may be just one sentence, but it’s
a story plain and simple and it rings true to us as
a story because it sounds like other stories we have heard.
But the events in the story don’t cohere with each other.
It’s not headed for the “happily ever after” ending. Later,
with the student, the advisor will likely use another short
narrative to admonish: “I’ve seen dozens of students fail
calculus when they had anything less than a C in precalculus.
Drop the course!” Faithful and coherent narratives are vital
to good advising.
Chatman
(1978) makes a clear distinction between the real author of
a narrative and what he calls the “implied” author.
He
is “implied,” that is, reconstructed by the reader from
the narrative. He is not the narrator, but rather the principle
that invented the narrator, along with everything else in
the narrative, that stacked the cards in this particular
way, had these things happen to these characters, in these
words or images. He, or better, it has no voice,
no direct means of communicating. It instructs us silently,
through the design of the whole, with all the voices, by
all the means it has chosen to let us learn (p. 148).
We
can’t know the author of a text, we only know the author that
we infer from the words of the text. “Shakespeare” is in a
very real sense a character that you and I invent
when we read his works. Yes, there was a Shakespeare, but
it almost doesn’t matter. Even when authors are still alive
and we ask them what they really meant, all we have is another
implied author creating another text. In fact, it’s worse
than that, because if we combine this notion of the implied
author with Fisher’s (1987) notion that all human communication
is narrative in nature, then we’re left with the positively
dizzying notion that whenever we read a text, or just hold
a conversation with someone, we never really know that person
at all. We create that person out of the narratives. Just
as you are inferring me at this moment, so do we infer students
from the narratives that the flesh-and-blood “real” students
present to us.
And
they are doing the same thing to us! Chatman describes the
situation of the person on the receiving end of the narrative.
The
counterpart of the implied author is the implied reader
—not the flesh-and-bones you or I sitting in our living
rooms reading the book, but the audience presupposed by
the narrative itself. Like the implied author, the implied
reader is always present (pp. 149-150).
The
key thing to remember about applying Chatman’s work to advising
is that we and the students with whom we meet are both “implied
authors” and “implied readers” simultaneously.
If
we can learn anything from narrative theory, it is that we
need to pay attention to the stories we tell and receive,
especially in three situations:
Advisor
to Advisor. While
we all have our catalogs and our policy manuals, the main
modality by which we train one another is through narratives,
case studies. You can know the rules backwards and forwards,
but until you’ve seen how they pertain to some sample cases,
you don’t fully understand how to advise. We store our most
important advising principles—the unwritten ones—in stories.
Student
to Advisor.
They tell us their stories. We listen and use that most
vital faculty we possess as advisors—our imagination—to
imagine what it must be like to be that student. We only
have the implied author available to us as we try to understand
and influence the real author underneath. If their story
lacks narrative probability or narrative fidelity,
we question them. “Wait a minute,” we say, “Earlier you
said that you hated working with children as a summer camp
counselor and now you’re saying that you want to major in
education?” We question them because we know how that
story goes. We demand that the telling of the story take
another turn so that a more coherent and faithful narrative
can take place.
Advisor
to Student.
How often have you illustrated a point you wish to make
by telling the student before you some anecdote from your
own life? Viewing the advising interaction from this direction,
the student becomes the implied reader, the one for whom
we “write.” Our hope is to influence the real reader, but
all they have to go on is the “implied author”
(us) in the narrative we are creating for them. We have
a conception of what that student is really like, so we
tailor our anecdote to connect with the reader that we imagine
is sitting before us.
So
what if this “narrative theory” approach to advising seems
coherent and faithful to your own lived stories? What should
you do if you want to become a “narratological advisor?” Three
basic things would make you a better teller of tales.
Constantly
increase your storehouse of stories.
Recognize
the primacy of stories in advising.
Take
to heart and keep ever before you the narratological quandary
posed by Yeats in the epigram that began this article. It
will keep you humble. How can we know the dancer from the
dance? We can’t. But we have to keep trying, because the
dance—the story—is all we have.
Editor's
Note: Peter Hagen
will be presented the Virginia N. Gordon
Excellence in Advising Award at the October
Annual Conference in Baltimore. If you see Peter
at the Conference, be sure to offer your congratulations!
Chatman,
Seymour (1978). Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure
in Fiction and Film. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Fisher,
Walter R. (1987). Human Communication as Narration: Toward
a Philosophy of Reason, Value, and Action . Columbia
: University of South Carolina Press.
GO
WEBINAR!
NACADA's
2007-2008 Webinar Series
2007
Webinar Topics:
Academic Advising's Integral Role in the Academic
Success and Persistence of Students
Legal Issues in Academic Advising
College Student Mental Health: Information
and Suggestions for Academic Advising
On the Horizon: The Future of Academic Advising
and Technology
NACADA
and The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHA)
are developing a partnership in order to provide the highest
quality information and resources to those advisors and faculty
who work directly with students enrolled in honors programs
and colleges.
NACADA
Advising High Achieving Students Interest Group Co-Chairs Iona
Black (Yale University) and Marion Schwartz
(Penn State University) tell us, “It is a delight
to introduce Academic Advising Today readers to Joan
Digby, director of The Honors Program and Merit Fellowship
at Long Island University's C. W. Post Campus, author of Honors
Programs and Colleges for Peterson's Guides, and former
president of the National Collegiate Honors Council. This
spirited article exemplifies her experience and enthusiasm
for working with honors students. What a wonderful way to
begin our partnership with NCHC!”
Advising
Honors Students
Joan
Digby,
Long Island University --C. W. Post Campus
Over
the last several years, honors directors have come to acknowledge
the critical role that advisors play in helping our students
stay the course in honors programs and colleges. As advisors
well know, these are the students who do everything: take
a double major, play sports, sing, act, dance, write for the
newspaper and—in their spare time—prepare for GREs, LSATs,
MCATs, Fulbrights and Rhodes scholarships! Whew! Did I mention
that they also have jobs?
As
an honors director for over twenty-five years and a past president
of The National Collegiate Honors Council, I have looked at
the profile of these students for a long time. That is why
I am extremely pleased that NACADA and NCHC will now be partnering
for the benefit of our students. Honors students need advisors
more than they know. I hope that my own perspective on the
current generation of honors students can be useful to your
important work.
High
achievers characteristically appear to know what they are
doing and where they are going. But this is often far from
the truth. Many honors students have been programmed and pushed
from so many different directions that they hardly know what
to study and what they really want to do with their lives.
Teachers
who noticed how bright they were in the lower grades directed
them to Gifted Programs and learning camps. Later in high
school, they were urged to take AP courses, honors sections
and college courses.
Parents
delighted with their achievement collaborated in the pushing,
getting them tutors and SAT prep courses, music and drama
lessons—everything necessary to cultivate talents and ensure
admission to a top college. Play was discouraged unless it
involved competitive sports, which looked great on a resume!
“You
can do it,” everyone said, not thinking so much about whether
they might want to do whatever it was that teachers and parents
thought they should be doing. Since these very high achievers
associate admiration and love with their achievement, they
were afraid to say no or disappoint.
Among
new wave immigrant families, parental pushing has taken a
slightly different form. Many of their children are the first
in the family to go to college. Without the means for tutors,
camps and coaching they crack the whip at home, enforcing
long study hours and searching for college opportunities that
will help their children become teachers, accountants, medical
technicians—practical degrees from affordable colleges.
From
my perspective, I see the work of advisors as helping these
students break away from parental influence so they can find
their own desires and professions. Advising high achievers
is something like training a thoroughbred. Here are some suggestions
I hope will be helpful.
Ease
up on the reins.
They need to feel their own strength and take charge. All
their lives they have been tightly reined in, and many of
them have also had blinders put on them by parents and teachers.
Thus they can’t see to the right or left of where they are
“supposed” to go. Let out the reins and take the blinders
off. Encourage them to take courses that really interest them
rather than just to complete a degree on time. Let them follow
their noses, run with the wind, taste the fresh grass and
savor the freedom that comes with enjoyment. Whether they
opt for Medieval Philosophy or Japanese Flower Arranging—students
should take some courses to create avocations or advance the
idea of learning for its own sake.
Encourage
them to play.
Virtually all the
academic decisions that high achieving students have made
(often not by themselves) are goal oriented. College should
expand their sense of personal choice. Instead of pushing
them through traditional sessions and on to summer school,
advisors might find out whether they would like to do an internship,
study or travel abroad and see what it’s like to live away
from home.
You
should see the look that parents give me when I make these
suggestions! Yet, precisely because these students have been
overprotected and over-structured, I believe the best we can
do for them is open the barn door and let them run.
If they want to act like a camel or a donkey for awhile, let
them do it! Play stretches the imagination.
Don’t
enter them into too many races.
These students have been urged to compete, and many have suffered
for it. They are often shy and unable to say no. Advisors
should try to sense the personality of the students they work
with and help them eliminate the tension that comes from being
pushed toward too much competition. Not every good horse is
a candidate for the Derby .
Lead
them to water but don’t make them drink it.
College advisors
can make suggestions about what courses to take, but they
should not let students simply take courses to fit a work
schedule, or complete requirements, to get the easy professor
or fill in an empty space in a program. Honors students tend
to be “different,” even quirky. Lead them to water but let
them drink pomegranate juice if that’s what they desire.
These
fine thoroughbreds of ours do need advisement and sometimes
a great deal of counseling. Many need to get beyond the idea
that they are only as good as their grades. The fear of disappointing
themselves and their parents plays an enormous role in their
self-image. What do they tell their parents when they get
a D in Spanish or decide not to go to medical school? Advisors
can play a critical role in teaching them to jump these life
hurdles.
Advisors
can also play an important role in NCHC. The National Collegiate
Honors Council is one of the few academic organizations that
encourage faculty, staff and students to participate on equal
terms at its annual meeting. It is my personal hope that NCHC
and NACADA can build a strong working relationship that will
encourage us to attend each other’s meetings and share our
experience advising honors students.
Joan
Digby
Director
of The Honors Program and Merit Fellowship
Network
with 3,000 of your advising colleagues at NACADA’s Annual
Conference in Baltimore. Over 350 workshops, individual
concurrent & panel sessions & poster presentations
on relevant advising
topics! Also, Best of Region presentations (see below).
We look forward to seeing you there!
Success
Strengthening Strategies for Students: Spotlight
on Persistence, Determination & Focus
Brian
Hurwitz, New Jersey City University
Region
2
Know
Your Audience: Using Technology to Help Students
on Probation
Jason
Gasper-Hulvat and Shannon O'Brien, Temple University
Region
3
Helping
Students Reach the Summit: Hosting a Discover
Your Major Day
Mary
Brignole, Patsy Krech, Stephanie Johnson,, Courtney
Fitzgerald and Tracy Robinson, The University
of Memphis
Region
4
Engaging
Undeclared Students at Orientation: Using Dating
Techniques to Find Your Perfect Major
Iceney
Ceasar, Meena Datta, & Rex Roberts, University
of Central Florida
Region
5
Innovations
in Technology that Enhance Academic Advising
Bruce
Bukowski, Matt Jurvelin, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Region
6
Student
Expectation: Matching the Dream with Reality
Danielle
Tisinger, Jennifer Endres, & John Mabey, University
of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Region
7
Advising
Students Who Have Experienced An Ecological Crisis
Theresa
Michelle Phillips, J. Shayne Washington,
Southern
University at New Orleans, University of Houston-Clear
Lake
Region
8
iHelp:
The University of Washington’s Advising Podcast
Kurt
Xyst & Clay Schwenn, University of Washington
Region
9
Student
Retention: The Advisors’ Role in Preventing “Wipe
Outs”
Kim
West, University of Southern California
Region
10
Every
Village Needs a Blacksmith: Forging Foundations
of Career Exploration
Aaron
Garriss & Andrea O’Neil, Arizona State University
Rough
seas ahead? The NACADA
Consultants Bureau can help navigate
your advising program back into safe waters. Whether
you just need a keynote speaker or a complete program
overhaul, the experts of the NACADA Consultants Bureau
have the experience to meet your needs. From stem to
stern we have what you need and are ready to lend a
helping hand.
The
NACADA Consultants Bureau is a cost
effective way for institutions to get assistance
on a myriad of topics. Experts in the field will put
together a package that will cater to your specific
needs. From a keynote speech to a consulting team, NACADA
has what you need.
The
“Who, What, When, How, and Why” of a Program Review
Cindy
Iten,
University of Kentucky, Advising Administration Commission
Chair
Adrienne
McMahan,
University of Kentucky
Is
it time for a ‘program review’ of your academic advising unit?
Would an evaluation by external reviewers be just what is
needed to jump-start significant changes in an advising program?
A
fresh perspective on the situations we see day-in and day-out
can help us assess practical matters such as routine processes,
forms, procedures, staffing, and physical arrangements. An
external review can help us more closely align our efforts
with institutional strategic plans and provide the evidence
needed for additional resource allocation.
Why
conduct a program review?
The
generally accepted purpose of any academic program review
is to ensure the continuous improvement of the unit as it
relates to the institution’s goals, mission, and strategic
indicators. More specifically, an advising center is charged
with meeting the needs of a diverse student population through
various forms and processes of advising and through numerous
administrative actions. How efficient and effective is our
unit? Are students receiving the assistance they need? How
high is their satisfaction? Can we measure our effectiveness
with students? Are advisors within the advising program professionally
trained at the level of expertise needed? Is there a plan
in place for continuous professional development? These are
but a few questions answerable in a program review.
How
is a program review conducted?
The
program review for the College of Arts and Sciences Advising
Center at the University of Kentucky began with gathering
historical data, an explanation of the organizational structure,
and a self-analysis of the unit’s strengths and weaknesses.
We assessed the work climate, consequences of current policies
and procedures, effects of the physical environment, impact
of leadership changes, and qualitative evaluations from students
and parents who attended the freshman orientation. This “self
study” was submitted to the Dean of the College and then ultimately
was distributed to the review committee as a starting point
for their evaluation.
The
Dean then appointed a review committee composed of one on-campus
faculty member, one advising administrator from another on-campus
unit, and two advising administrators from benchmark institutions;
one of the external reviewers served as chair. The composition
of a review committee may vary according to the needs of the
review and mission of the advising unit. Plans were then made
for the review committee to spend two full days on campus,
in the college, reviewing documents, conducting interviews,
touring facilities, and in private discussion. A conference
room was dedicated to their use with lunch delivered. Travel
and accommodation arrangements were made by the Dean’s administrative
staff.
In
his initial meeting with the review team, the Dean charged
this committee with evaluating unit effectiveness, purpose
and goals, and strengths and weaknesses, as well as identifying
areas of concern. To do this, they conducted extensive interviews
and focus groups composed of internal staff, students, faculty
advisors, alumni, and campus-wide student service professionals
outside the A&S Advising Center. They reviewed various
surveys and institutional reports such as enrollment trends
and degrees awarded. The committee again met with the Dean
at the end of their two day stay in the college.
From
the interviews and the ‘self study’, the review team evaluated
the Advising Center’s performance as it related to its purpose
and goals, identified obstacles impeding performance, appraised
budget effectiveness, and described the relationship between
the Dean’s office, his staff, and the Advising Center. A final
report was written by the committee chair, approved by other
committee members, and presented to the Dean.
How
to use the results?
Advising
Center staff members were offered the opportunity to identify
errors and submit clarifications as needed within the report.
The staff and the Dean discussed the recommendations of the
review committee and then the staff submitted a detailed response
to the Dean, who provided a timeframe for initiating and implementing
chosen recommendations. An annual review of the recommendations
and their effect on the continuous improvement of the Advising
Center will become a standard component in the unit’s annual
“Goals and Accomplishments” as required by the Dean.
With
confirmation from the most recent program review, the Dean
initiated discussions with the staff of the Advising Center
and the University administration to totally redesign the
advising model in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Provost and the Dean funded ten new advisors
to join the eight already in place; four advisors were assigned
to work solely with the first year students and fourteen were
assigned to specific academic programs. Having enough
professional advisors to adequately cover all students in
the College of Arts and Sciences was always seen as the ideal
situation, but it took a program review to move the process
forward.
While
not all program reviews result in such dramatic changes, a
program review report can help identify areas for improvement,
areas for celebration, and new initiatives which will enhance
academic advising service to students. A program review can
assist in aligning advising program goals with the institution’s
strategic plan and ultimately to the resources invested in
that plan. A program review helps everyone in the unit establish
a foundation for developing new plans and practices, for developing
a timetable of needed resources and for supporting current
practice. It is a team endeavor that can assist in developing
more open lines of communication or enhance those already
established.
Banta,
T.R., Jansen, Michele J., Black, Karen E. & Jackson, Julia
E. (2002). Assessing Advising Outcomes. NACADA
Journal, 22 (1), 5-14.
Creamer,
E.G., & Scott, D.W. (2000). Assessing individual
advisor effectiveness.
In V.N. Gordon & W.R.
Habley (Eds.), Academic Advising: A
comprehensive handbook. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Fielstein,
L.L. & Lammers, W.J. (1992). The relationship
of student satisfaction with advising to administrative support
for advising services.
NACADA Journal, 12 (1),
15-21.
Frost,
S.H. (1991). Academic
advising for student success: A system of shared responsiblity.
ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No.3
. The George Washington School of Education and
Human Development, Washington, DC.
Lynch,
M. (2000). Assessing the effectiveness of the advising
program. In V.N.
Gordon & W.R. Habley (Eds.), Academic
Advising: A comprehensive handbook. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
White,
E.R. (2000). Developing Mission, Goals and Objectives
for the Advising Program.
In V.N.
Gordon & W.R. Habley (Eds.), Academic
Advising: A comprehensive handbook. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Providing
Support to Service Members and Veterans through Advising Services
Nicole
Lovald,
Capella University
As
more and more Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines return
home from war, there is a greater need than ever for educational
institutions to provide these students with resources and
support. Academic advisors are in an ideal position to both
advocate for this student group and to provide the support
services these students need to transition to academia, persist
through their programs, and reach their graduation goals.
Mireles
(2007), in a recent Newsweek article, addressed
the difficulties combat veterans face when they return to
their campuses following a deployment. Mireles interviewed
service members who expressed feelings of isolation, being
overwhelmed by administrative processes, and having a difficult
time readjusting to what life was like pre-deployment and
pre-war. Advisors can help create needed campus support services
for these students as they attempt to continue their education
in the face of deployments and as they transition home.
Additionally,
advisors can provide needed support for students who want
to continue their educations while deployed. Online institutions
and traditional “brick and mortar” institutions are starting
to address the challenge of providing educational opportunities
to deployed soldiers through online course options. Providing
advising assistance to students regardless of physical location
is a new challenge for many institutions. As discussed at
the 2007 Region 6 NACADA Conference, many campuses are engaging
in a dialogue about the programs and services that must be
implemented if we are to meet the needs of students in the
military.
What
can advisors do to assist service members with their needs?
Advisors
understand the importance of cultural competency and recognizing
the unique needs of students. As we begin working with our
service members and veterans, we find that the military has
a unique culture which is very different than the civilian
sector. Recognizing these differences helps advisors connect
with their military advisees and shows that we are invested
in these individuals as students. Something as simple as understanding
military acronyms e.g., E2 (private), may help break
down barriers and show the student that we are attempting
to understand their unique differences and needs.
Understanding
military culture is just the beginning; it is important that
we delve further and look at the specific challenges service
members may face due to their commitment to the military.
Some of the more apparent challenges could be due to deployments,
temporary missions (TDY), and frequent moves (PCS). But it
also is important that we look at the impact missions have
on them emotionally, physically, and psychologically as they
return to institutions and reintegrate into academic programs.
When
working with deployed students, we should understand that
they may be faced with technological difficulties, among other
hindrances, that may necessitate greater flexibility from
faculty and the institution. It is important that we work
closely with these students to understand their distinct needs
so that we can provide the assistance needed so they can focus
on their studies and be successful in their courses.
Serve
as an advocate
When
advisors understand the unique needs of their military students,
they can serve as advocates and institutional change agents
to help ensure that these students receive the needed services,
resources and accommodations. Advisors should review institutional
policies and procedures to determine if these policies must
be revisited or revised. Administrators may not be aware of
the 2003 Higher Education Relief Opportunities Act (HEROES
ACT) that protects service members from financial and academic
hardships when they are activated in support of a war, national
disaster, or emergency. Advisors can serve as advocates to
affect policy and procedural changes to benefit students when
institutions lack accommodation policies that support this
legislation.
Advisors
should become aware of the resources available to assist students
with Veterans and other military benefits. Service members
may rely on military benefits to fund their education; advisors
can help these students know which benefits they may qualify
for, how they can access the benefits, and what institutional
policies are in place regarding these benefits. Service members
may also qualify for state and local veterans assistance benefits.
Accessing these programs can be difficult and frustrate service
members who may already feel overwhelmed by their readjustment
to college. Iinstitutions that ease administrative burdens
and provide financial counseling can be both encouraging to
students and beneficial for the college in terms of re-enrollment
and persistence.
Conclusion
Academic
advisors interested in implementing additional advising and
support services at their institutions have a variety of resources
available to assist them. The Web sites listed below provide
information on military education, benefits, and legislation
that can help advisors identify services military students
need. Advisors can help students who are trying to balance
their military commitments or separations from the military
with their desire to pursue higher education. It is imperative
that we support these students and their aspirations so that
they can achieve their potential and reach their ultimate
graduation goals.
Saving
Face(book): Engage Through Facebook and Retain Relevance
Art
Esposito,
Virginia Commonwealth University
Our
relevance assures student engagement, and engagement assures
student success. Therefore, our relevancy will ensure successful
students (Prentiss, 2007). Are we, as advisors, acting irresponsibly
by avoiding Facebook? Building on Julie Traxler’s
(2007) article, “Advising Without
Walls: An Introduction to Facebook as an Advising
Tool,” which focuses on the benefits of using this social
networking Web site, I hope to show that, with proper care
and an eye toward maintaining relevance, Facebook
could be one of our most valuable tools for student engagement.
Generational
Expectations
Many
authors have published survey results indicating generalized
characteristics of the Millennial Generation (Jonas-Dwyer
and Pospisil, 2004). These characteristics help us understand
the expectations of students who, in many cases, comprise
the majority of our advising population; likewise, this understanding
better enables us to engage them. In short, they are an on-line
generation and highly “connected” to Web-based applications.
An estimated 93% of college students
are using social networking sites with over 60% logging in
daily (Krieglstein 2007).
This connectedness has always been a part of their reality—many
typed their name into emails before they signed it on sheets
of paper. The “always on” aspect of their lives leads to a
self-evident expectation that their educational experience
should also be “connected” (Jonas-Dwyer and Pospisil, 2004).
Benefits
for the Institution
Research
suggests a relationship between student engagement and achievement.
Astin (1985) emphasized that students learn and develop when
they become active in the collegiate experience. Upcraft (1995)
expanded on this, stating that “the greater the quantity and
quality of involvement, the more likely…student(s) will succeed”
(p.18). In a more recent discussion on the topic, Kevin Prentiss
identified the importance of the institution’s relevance to
student engagement. The argument is that students have become
“spam filters” and automatically discard institution generated
emails, given their perception that “most of it is junk.”
This disengagement results in lost opportunities for the institution.
Alternatively, if we reach students on their terms, we can
engage them with a greater perceived relevancy (Prentiss,
2007).
Benefits
for the Students
Facebook
is a tool for student
self-discovery and social development—two important aspects
of students’ college years. As readily as a student can change
her/his profile picture, a new “personality” is defined. The
site allows students to befriend each other and organize into
groups of like-minded individuals—“virtual socialization.”
Finally, offering a population as diverse as the world around
them, unlimited browsing potential affords students exposure
to new ideas and encourages critical assessment of who they
are and how they relate to the world around them (Educause,
2006).
The
nearly limitless “browse-ability” of Facebook allows
students to acquire or sharpen informational literacy skills.
Consider the amount of critical thinking that takes place
when students assess the many interest groups and organizations
they are invited to join. Students develop a heightened sense
of the information’s meaning and value, both to themselves
and to the world community. Isn’t this similar to how we encourage
students to assess sources used for research purposes? With
an ever-expanding network of friends, an equally intensifying
level of creativity is required to collect and share information
(Educause, 2006). A handful of my students have become active
in groups with philanthropic and socially conscious goals—Students
Against Self Harm, for example, and an organization connecting
International Students with American Students to better facilitate
intercultural exchange. Students are becoming more aware and
more mature. They have read articles citing the dangers of
sharing sensitive information and have already begun using
security features in a self-educated and protective manner—accepting
the importance of responsible computing.
Practical
Observations and Results
As
an advisor, I maintain a Facebook profile and an
Advising Group with over 300 friends and 262 advisees in my
Group. I engage them in conversation about responsible computing
and help them understand reasonable behavior—primarily by
modeling it for them. I use Facebook to deliver
informational advising, appointment reminders, and programming
invitations and publicity. With 75% of my caseload on Facebook,
I would be foolish to ignore this opportunity. But there is
more to student engagement than this.
At
VCU, we believe that advisors’ three main responsibilities
are informing students, relating to them, and enriching their
undergraduate experiences. It’s the middle component—relating
to students—that is most important to engagement and where
Facebook can be most beneficial in advising. I engage
my students on personal and “friendly” levels that secure
my role as an advisor/friend; this strengthens the trust-based
relationship we share, assures my relevance, and increases
their level of engagement (see Rawlins and Rawlins, 2005 for
an understanding of “advising as friendship”).
The
most important thing to observe concerning Facebook
is that it does not represent “college” to our students—this
is where they socialize. We are the outsiders—the visitors—and
must appreciate that when we try to encourage reasonable and
responsible behavior. We will gain nothing by policing these
sites with an aim toward listing prohibited behavior. If we
engage students on their terms, we can better affect the change
in behavior we desire and strengthen their engagement. In
the two years I have used Facebook, I have seen
students change their behavior simply because they know I
can access their profile. I have commented to some, confidentially,
encouraging more reasonable and responsible choices in things
they have posted. Response to these “interventions” has always
been positive and followed by voluntary behavioral modification.
I have over 300 student "friends" on Facebook
and very few have blocked me from viewing their content.
A
recent survey of my Facebook students revealed that
88% of them appreciate access to me on the network with only
18% feeling uncomfortable with my presence. Furthermore, when
comparing my caseload on Facebook to VCU’s First-year
population, my students showed a higher level of academic
success with 86% achieving good academic standing at the end
of their first term, versus the 81% overall average for the
VCU class of 2010. By embracing Facebook appropriately
and appreciating the possibilities, academic advisors can
maintain relevance, increase student engagement and success,
while affecting change through trust-based dialogue to better
results than afforded by a punitive approach.
Art
Esposito
Academic Advisor, Discovery Program
The University College
Virginia Commonwealth University ajesposito@vcu.edu
References
Astin,
A..W. (1985). Achieving educational excellence:
A critical assessment of priorities and practice in higher
education. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.
Krieglstein,
T (2007, April 6). [Weblog] A Guide to Facebook for School
Faculty, Administration and Staff. Swift Kick Technology:
Increasing Engagement in Education Through Technology, Community,
Leadership and Training . Retrieved April 7, 200 , from
http://swiftkick.typepad.com/activities_technology/2007/04/facebook_guide_.html
Prentiss,
K (2007, April 5). [Weblog] When the Content is Crappy, the
Pipe Doesn't Matter: Colleges and Facebook. Swift Kick
Technology: Increasing Engagement in Education Through Technology,
Community, Leadership and Training. Retrieved April 7,
2007, from http://swiftkick.typepad.com/activities_technology/2007/04/when_the_conten.html
Rawlins,
W. K., & Rawlins, S. (2005). Academic Advising as Friendship.
NACADA Journal. 25(2) , 10-19.
Traxler
, J (2007, March). An Introduction to Facebook as an Advising
Tool. Academic Advising Today, 30 (1), Retrieved
March 8, 2007 from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/NW30_1.htm#10
Upcraft,
M. Lee. (1995). Insights From Theory: Understanding First-Year
Student Development. First-Year Academic Advising: Patterns
in the Present, Pathways to the Future, (15-24). (Monograph
# 18). Columbia
, SC :
University of South Carolina, The National Resource Center
for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.
NACADA
Member Expertise Database
NACADA
members are encouraged to share their expertise by registering
with the NACADA Expertise
Database.
This
database is used to identify members' areas of expertise for
media requests, authorships, presenters at NACADA events,
etc.
So, make your expertise known by registering or updating your
information today!
Teaching
Students to Become Responsible Advisees
Stephen
O. Wallace, Shippensburg
University
In
one Peanuts cartoon strip, Charlie Brown stands perplexed
before Lucy’s psychiatric help stand and pleads, “Tell
me a secret. Tell me something that will make a difference
in my life! ” Lucy responds with a question. “Do
you ever get up in the middle of the night to get a drink
of water? ” “Sure,” replies Charlie Brown. Then
Lucy smugly advises, “Before you drink be sure to rinse
out the glass. There might be a bug in it.” Many
academic advisors share Charlie Brown’s sentiments. Facing
increasing institutional demands to manage unrealistic advising
caseloads, to keep students and parents happy, and to keep
the pipeline from enrollment to graduation flowing, a common
plea from advisors is for a secret that will make a difference
in their advising experiences. If I could suggest a bit of
wisdom that would benefit your students and increase your
professional and personal satisfaction, would you be interested?
A
common concern among academic advisors is the lack of opportunity
to engage in meaningful developmental advising with their
advisees. There appear to be two common contributors to this
problem—each pilfering precious time: daily schedules packed
with back-to-back fifteen minute appointments and students
who come to appointments unprepared to maximize the precious
time. Rather than a time to develop a close student-advisor
relationship, advising sessions often become a mechanistic
process of answering questions, creating schedules, explaining
institutional policy, and keeping students on track. Frequently,
the same students with the same issues show up over and over
again. Advisors often enable this behavior and create a relationship
of dependency when they fail to empower students to maintain
ownership of their decisions and experiences. Admittedly,
there is a sense of satisfaction in being able to fix a student’s
problem and a sense of pride in being known as the go-to person
for quick answers. This may feed the advisor’s ego, but it
does not make a difference in the student.
Here
is my bit of wisdom. Actually, it is no deep, hidden secret,
and unlike Lucy I will not charge a nickel for it. One of
the most important learning objectives an advisor can have
for students is to teach students to become responsible advisees.
While advisor development programs seek to ensure that advisors
fulfill their responsibilities, often a vital link is overlooked.
Students do not instinctively know how to be responsible advisees.
We must teach students the value and process of advising and
how to fulfill their advisee responsibilities.
As
an integral part of the teaching/learning process, advising
involves a partnership and includes a curriculum (what we
teach), pedagogy (how we teach it), and learning outcomes
(what we want a student to know, to be able to do, and to
value as a result of advising) (King, 2006). Lowenstein (2005)
posed the question: If advising is teaching, what do advisors
teach? Answers to this question often target basic survival
skills, such as how to read the catalog, understand institutional
policies, use the student information system, read a degree
audit, and schedule classes. Indeed, these are valuable learning
outcomes for the advising process; however, if we are to teach
students to become responsible advisees we must help them
move up the taxonomy of educational objectives (Bloom, 1956).
To
become responsible advisees, students need to be able to:
realistically
assess their academic, professional, and life goals. Students
must be taught how to examine the beliefs and presuppositions
that constitute their views of self, their world, and their
place in their world.
employ
critical reasoning skills. Students
must be taught to accept ownership of the decision-making
process and to become creators of their experiences.
understand
that advising is a collaborative partnership .
Students must be taught their responsibilities in the advising
process and how to fulfill them.
How
do we teach students to become responsible advisees? Lowenstein
(1999) envisions the exemplary advisor as someone who:
talks with students about
courses that will initiate them into the world of ideas,
help them understand their interrelationships, and to appreciate
the thinkers who have gone before.
helps students discover for
themselves how courses and ideas from a variety of disciplines
complement each other and guide them to develop an overall
world view.
Socratically challenges students
to examine their intellectual presuppositions about learning,
work, and the nature of adult life so they can continue
to refine their ideas.
makes sure students develop
and understand the importance of tools for lifelong learning.
Advising
sessions should be viewed as instructional moments that are
purposely designed. During the initial advising session, two
important understandings should be established. First, the
respective responsibilities of both the advisee and the advisor
should be thoroughly explained. An advising syllabus (see
Trabant, 2006), Web sites, handouts and posters can effectively
delineate the advisor’s expectations of the student and what
the advisee can expect from the advisor. Second, from the
beginning of the advising process, the advisee must fully
understand that success is his or her responsibility and that
the advisor is a partner in that success. This lesson often
has to be reinforced.
During
succeeding meetings with a student, time should be allowed
to teach the student how to achieve the learning outcomes
that characterize a responsible advisee. The CAS Standards
for Academic Advising (2005) provides examples of student
learning and development outcomes. Each
meeting should focus on particular learning outcomes and incorporate
appropriate teaching strategies. One way to teach students
to be responsible advisees is to give assignments rather than
answers. If a student does not understand issues, such as
graduation requirements or institutional policies, teach the
student how to access the relevant information. Then observe
as the student discovers the answer. It is the old question
of whether we should give a hungry person a fish or teach
the individual how to fish. The best way advisors can teach
students to be responsible advisees is to model accountability
in fulfilling the responsibilities of a good advisor.
When
we teach students to become responsible advisees, we empower
them to take ownership of their educational experiences and
develop skills that are transferable to other dimensions of
their lives. When we develop responsible advisees, we reduce
the number of students
who become dependent upon their advisors and the advisor’s
office ceases to be an information booth with a revolving
door. In addition, advisors have more time to invest in effectively
advising students and in professional development activities.
Teaching a student to be a responsible advisee is a win-win
situation for both student and advisor.
Stephen
O. Wallace
Coordinator
Developmental Education and Advising Development
Bloom,
B.S., (Ed.) (1956). Taxonomy of
educational objectives: The classification of educational
goals: Handbook I, cognitive domain. New York:
Longmans.
King,
N. (2006). Advising as Teaching. Manhattan, KS: National Academic
Advising Association.
Lowenstein,
M. (2005). If Advising is Teaching, What Do Advisors Teach?
NACADA Journal, 25 (2), 65-73.
Lowenstein,
M. (1999). An Alternative to the Developmental Theory of Advising.
The Mentor An Academic Advising Journal, 1
(4). Retrieved September 14, 2006 http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/991122ml.htm.
The NA CADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources
promotes the advancement of academic advising through
the greater dissemination of pertinent resources and research.
Intrusive
Advising
Jennifer
Varney,
Hesser College
It’s
an all-too-familiar situation: a student begins a college
program full of excitement and nervous anticipation of the
classroom experience. She wants to purchase her books weeks
before they are available and arrives the first day of class
with several notebooks and a fist full of newly sharpened
pencils. Weeks go by and all seems fine until one day she
doesn’t come to class. She attends the next day, but not the
following two…before anyone realizes it, the student has stopped
attending altogether and it’s too late to try and get her
back. Sound familiar? This is an example of an at-risk student.
All schools have at-risk students. Some are on academic probation,
some are first generation college students, and some just
are unsure of what they are doing. In any case, one of the
best ways to reach at-risk students is through the use of
Intrusive Advising (Heisserer & Parette, 2002).
Earl
(1987) observed that Intrusive Advising is about getting to
the heart of what is causing difficulty for a student and
recommending the appropriate intervention. Earl (1987) describes
the intrusive model of advising as an action-oriented approach
to involving and motivating students to seek help when needed.
The big question is how to get students to seek help when
they need it, and before it’s too late. Intrusive Advising
involves proactive interactions with students, with the intention
of connecting with them before a situation occurs that cannot
be fixed. Intrusive Advising is not “hand-holding” or parenting,
but rather active concern for students’ academic preparation;
it is a willingness to assist students in exploring services
and programs to improve skills and increase academic motivation
(Upcraft & Kramer, 1995).
Why
Intrusive Advising?
Intrusive
Advising involves intentional contact with students with the
goal of developing a caring and beneficial relationship that
leads to increased academic motivation and persistence. Research
literature on student retention suggests that contact with
a significant person within an institution of higher education
is a crucial factor in a student’s decision to remain in college
(Heisserer & Parette, 2002). Habley (1994) tells us that
academic advising is the only structured
activity on the campus in which all students
have the opportunity for on-going, one-to-one
interaction with a concerned representative of the institution
(p. 10). Therefore, advisors often are the people best suited
to make important student connections. When advisors make
connections and show interest in students, they can become
the reason a student decides to stay in school. In addition,
contacting students in a preventative mode may help them anticipate
problems and learn problem-solving skills and strategies (Upcraft
& Kramer, 1995).
Intrusive
Advising differs from the more traditional prescriptive and
developmental models of advising because advisors are not
only helpful and encouraging of students, but they proactively
make the initial contact with students…a pre-emptive strike,
of sorts. Most students know they have an advisor but may
be unaware of how and when they are able to contact the advisor
or what the advisor can help them accomplish. Heisserer and
Parette (2002) observe that “the only variable that has a
direct effect on student persistence is the quality of a relationship
with a significant member of the college community” (p. 72).
Thus the advisor is often the person best suited to form a
significant relationship with the student. At-risk students,
in particular, may benefit greatly from the intrusive approach
as they may not be aware of how to move forward when unexpected
situations arise.
How
To Be Intrusive
Intrusive
Advising sounds great, but how can an advisor become more
intrusive? The most important thing is to remember the goal
is to help students feel cared for by the institution. Students
who perceive that someone cares about them and that they belong
to the school community are more likely to be academically
successful than those who do not feel any sense of care by
the institution (Heisserer & Parette, 2002). An excellent
way to be intrusive with students is to begin at orientation:
have a formal orientation and make it mandatory that students
attend. Learn who the new students are and what their concerns
may be. Take photographs of students and post the pictures
on an institutional Intranet or place in student advising
folders; this is an excellent way to keep students’ faces
with names. The photos are a great visual aid in remembering
the student when a call or email is received. Orientation
should include an interactive discussion of who the advisors
are, their roles in the academic experience and how advisors
may be contacted (phone, email, or IM). A day planner or similar
inexpensive gift with advisor contact information printed
on it may encourage students to contact advisors sooner rather
than later. Giving students the opportunity to include family
members in the orientation process may prove beneficial as
family members will know who to encourage the student to contact
if questions or concerns arise.
Another
way to be intrusive with students is to proactively monitor
grades: both mid-semester and final. Advisors should contact
students whose grades are marginal and encourage them to schedule
an appointment to discuss strategies for working with faculty,
improving study skills, and increasing the probability of
academic success. When meeting with students, include questions
about their grade expectations and how the outcome could have
been different. Advisors should consider implementing an early
warning system for students that includes grades, attendance,
classroom behavior and any other information faculty can provide
that may identify a student as being at-risk (Upcraft &
Kramer, 1995). Determine the institutional definition of “at-risk
student” and find ways to connect with these students.
be available to be reached
by students whenever or wherever is reasonably possible.
be trained in all relevant
areas (academic and non-academic) that have a direct impact
on students’ well-being and success.
monitor advisee progress with
or without student presence.
maintain clear boundaries
with students: show genuine care, including a positive attitude,
openness and honestly, but maintain professionalism at all
times (Thomas & Minton, 2004).
do not be afraid to contact
students before they contact you e.g., email,
IM, telephone, and personalized mail. College students today
have many distractions from academics: compete with those
distractions!
Give
It A Try!
Intrusive
Advising is all about making strong bonds and connections
with students. The time to make these connections is when
students first walk into the advising office…not when they
are in trouble. Start slow…it gets easier with each student!
Earl,
W.R. (1988). Intrusive advising of freshmen in academic difficulty.
NACADA Journal, 8, 27-33.
Heisserer,
D.L. & Parette, P. (2002, March). Advising at-risk students
in college and university settings. College student journal,
36(1), 69-84. Retrieved April 1, 2007 from EBSCOhost
database.
Habley,
Wes. (1994). Key Concepts in Academic
Advising. In Summer Institute on Academic Advising Session
Guide (p.10). Available from the National Academic Advising
Association, Kansas State
University,
Manhattan,
KS.
Thomas,
C. & Minton, J. (2004, spring). Intrusive advisement:
a model for success at John A. Logan College. Office of
Community College Research and Leadership, 15(2), 1-16.
Upcraft,
M.L. & Kramer, G. (1995). Intrusive advising as discussed
in the first-year academic advising: patterns in the present,
pathways to the future. Academic Advising and Barton College,
1-2.
Kansas State University
offers a Graduate Certificate
in Academic Advising in Higher Education and
expects to soon offer a Master
of Science in Academic Advising Degree in
partnership with NACADA.
Both
Academic Advising Graduate programs provide opportunities
for faculty, full-time academic advisors, and administrators
to gain understanding of myriad issues and skills needed to
deliver effective academic advising at the post-secondary
level of education.
These
programs are designed for:
practicing
advisors and administrators who desire more formal education
relating to academic advising
faculty
seeking advising knowledge beyond their discipline
graduate
students anticipating academic advising roles in higher
education
persons
interested in working directly with student athletes
Practical
Ways We Can Assist First Generation Students
Lorneth
Peters, Austin Peay State University
Students
who enroll in college will be faced with many challenges,
but for some, being a first-generation student will be a challenge
within itself. Billson and Terry (1982) define first generation
students as students whose parents have had no college or
university experience. Most of these students enter college
without as much preparation as their counterparts. Chen (2005),
in a study done for the National Center for Education Statistics,
confirms that first generation students receive lower grades
and have a higher drop out rate. Advising first generation
students leads me to suggest six practical things we, as academic
advisors, can say and do to increase the success rate of our
first generation advisees.
Develop
positive friendships. Academic
advisors should encourage students to seek out others who
are passionate about completing college. First generation
students are already at a disadvantage, so positive friendships
are a must to survive college. As an Academic Counselor
for TRIO Student Support Services, I encourage students
to complete a simple exercise. They are encouraged to make
a list of “so-called friends,” each friendship’s length
of time, and how it contributes to their college success.
After completing the exercise, most of the students realize
that the company they keep is more of a hindrance than help
to their college success. The students are advised to nurture
positive friendships by joining professional groups within
their particular major and seek out faculty within their
field of interest as possible mentors.
List
important dates. Students who forget important
dates can be in trouble before they even begin classes.
Missing admissions, financial aid, and registration deadlines
can get students off to a bad start. To lessen the frustration
advisors may experience when students repeatedly ask the
same deadline questions, advisors should develop an important
deadline list and hand it to every student. In my experience,
first generation students function better on a one-on-one
basis. Even though our program hands out the important deadline
list to a number of students, we take the time to explain
the importance of deadlines and highlight the dates most
applicable to each student’s situation. We feel that this
helps increase our retention of first generation students.
Develop
a contact list. Sometimes
students feel like they do not receive the right information
from departments. After going from person to person and
hearing different answers to the same question, students,
and specifically first generation students, can become discouraged.
Discouragement fosters the blame game: “this person did
not provide me with the right information.” Advisors can
help prevent this discouragement when we know at least one
person in each department and refer students with questions
to that individual. Advisors should tell students to keep
a list of individuals with whom they spoke.
Use
technology to help students. The
increase of on-line education has drastically changed traditional
advising. Today advisors are not always able to sit across
from students and read their expressions. Still, advisors
can use the Internet to our advantage. Ask on-line advisees
to set up an uninterrupted time to e-mail or phone questions
to advisors. Additionally, provide distance students with
a list of important deadlines and contact information for
each department.
Our
experience has been that many first generation students
are not computer literate. Academic counselors within our
TRIO program strongly encourage first generation students
to take on-campus courses for a year before signing up for
on-line courses. We strongly believe that on-campus courses
help students connect with the institution. Still, single
parents and students who work numerous jobs may opt for
on-line classes. Using technology to contact these students
is vital.
Technology
can also be used to contact all students throughout the
semester. Counselors within our department contact each
student via email every month. This helps us develop a more
personal approach to our advisees. We ask students about
their classes and if they have questions or concerns. Even
when no questions exist, students indicate that they are
happy that someone took the time to check on their academic
and personal progress.
Utilize
the Assistance of Federally Funded Programs. Several
federally funded programs are dedicated to the success
of first generation students. While each institution may
have different programs, those such as TRIO Student Support
Services and the McNair program can help students. Advisors
should encourage qualifying students to join these programs
and take advantage of each program’s services, e.g.,
free tutoring.
Help
Students Persist. Students
who are not prepared
for college can feel overwhelmed and quit school. Advisors
who share their personal struggles as college students can
help motivate stressed students. When students realize that
even advisors face late nights and shed tears, they can
feel encouraged not to quit. We give each student a copy
of “Don’t Quit,” a poem by an anonymous author. The last
part of the poem is especially helpful for our students:
Success
is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit.......
It's when things go wrong that
You
mustn't quit.
Conclusion
First
generation students often require more attention than other
students. Academic advisors can help ensure the success of
these students when they are prepared. Advisors who apply
the six practical suggestions listed in this article can guide
first generation students through their toughest and most
rewarding years and in turn help them graduate.
The
NACADA First Generation College Student Advising Interest
Group is a good resource for advisors who work with first
generation students. To find out more information about the
group visit: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/InterestGroups/C31/index.htm.
Billson,
J.M., & Terry, M.B. (1982). In search of the silken purse:
Factors in attrition among first-generation students. College
and University, 58 , 57–75.
NACADA
members can view their Region’s news and information on the
individual Region home pages. The Region leadership
will list announcements, post news articles & pictures,
as well as contact information for all Regional programs,
other items of interest, and important links.
Visit http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Regional_Divisions/regions.htm
to see what is happening in your Region and how you may become
more involved by participating in events and activities!
Bookmark your favorite Region and check back often for new developments!
ADVISING
ISSUES
Advising
Probation and Reinstated Students with Financial Aid Issues:
A Public and Private University Perspective
Chris
Maroldo,
Indiana University-Purdue
University Indianapolis, Probation/Dismissal/Reinstatement
Issues Interest Group Chair
Andrea
Harris,
Pepperdine University
At
many higher education conferences, people refer to the “silo
effect,” a phenomenon requiring students to travel from office
to office to find the information they need. “Fred” visits
the Registrar’s Office to find out why he can’t register.
It’s due to a Bursar bill. Then a catch-22 occurs. Off to
the Bursar to find that he can’t pay without additional loans.
See Fred run to Financial Aid where he learns that he lost
his aid due to previous unsatisfactory academic progress.
On to the Advising Center to meet with his advisor for help.
“Integration,”
the silo’s antidote, is not always feasible given institutional
resources. However, any school can theoretically integrate
by sharing knowledge. Given that so many probationary or dismissed
students lose their aid, schools should consider training
advisors who work with that population to provide comprehensive
information.
Two
examples of an intersection of advising and financial aid
as it relates to both public and private institutions:
Indiana
University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Fred
comes to your office with a pained expression. After successfully
completing the reinstatement process, the financial aid office
just informed him he must file an appeal to receive aid for
the upcoming school year. What do you do?
Fred
has been flagged for low grade point average and not successfully
completing 75% or higher of previous coursework attempted.
Students like Fred, after paying their academic “debt” to
the institution and successfully completing the petition process,
are overwhelmed to learn that a Satisfactory Academic Progress
(SAP) appeal is necessary. Can advisors assist students who
must file an appeal? Or should advisors defer to the experts
and refer students to the financial aid office? The answer
to both questions is a definite but qualified “yes.”
Many
students like Fred, who counted on financial aid but now have
to deal with the added stress of waiting to learn if he can
afford to come back to school, may be headed toward very serious
financial consequences, such as taking out a high interest
personal loan or giving up his dream of attending college.
Advisors must offer related guidance to help students get
back on track and can assist students with the appeal process
by first becoming more familiar with the SAP guidelines at
their institution. For example, the SAP guidelines for IUPUI
can be found at http://www.iupui.edu/~finaid/undergraduate/sap.html.
Granted, there is a lot of information and the language is
in “financial aid-ese.” It is unreasonable to expect that
advisors understand all the details. Yet, imagine how students
feel reading the guidelines for the first time. That’s why
they are in your office.
To
help lower the stress levels of student AND advisor, advisors
should work to establish a good relationship with a knowledgeable
staff member of their school’s financial aid office. At IUPUI,
advisors can seek clarification via email to a special “staff
only” email address that is managed by financial aid professionals
who provide excellent, easy-to-understand answers. While this
information allows advisors to share specific information
with the student, advisors must be clear with the student
that helping them navigate this process does not mean that
the appeal will be accepted. It is the student’s responsibility
to articulate why the appeal should be approved.
Pepperdine
University
Usually,
a private higher educational experience comes with a hefty
price tag. A majority of students at an institution such as
this may rely on their financial assistance to pay for their
education. Because students who have been on probation for
two terms (or have an abysmal single term) will lose their
aid, it is vital that our staff be knowledgeable about the
related financial aid issues.
While
it is certainly helpful to phone a friend in Financial Assistance,
academic advisors are the ones who will meet with the student
who has received a policy-laden letter about (possible) cancellation
of aid due to poor performance. For some, the prospect of
losing aid is the greatest deterrent, and for those who have
actually lost their aid, the question of whether to pursue
a private loan that can help them remain enrolled is a very
real issue, sometimes more important than degree progress.
Pepperdine
advisors do not pretend to know about amortization and interest,
but we know what it will take to get back to good standing.
Assuming that the majority of our dismissed students must
earn at minimum 20 units of “B” work to get back to a 2.0,
and that some have never earned even a single “B-,” we would
be remiss if we did not tell students that they might be looking
at a private loan for more than one semester. In fact, compounding
probation/dismissal stress with additional financial worry
may likely exacerbate an already difficult situation. As a
result a conservative, realistic estimate is warranted.
Although
we may not have a SAP appeal form, we have a petition process
for just about anything. To ensure a more integrated approach,
an “exception” committee (which ignores financial issues)
reviews readmission petitions and a Financial Aid Appeals
Committee (whose membership includes this advising administrator)
reviews requests for reinstatement of institutional aid. What
if a student petitions both groups and is welcomed back sans
aid?
It
is challenging to reconcile support for the institution with
genuine service to the student. The institution benefits from
the tuition, but the student who takes out a private loan
at an exorbitant interest rate and defaults will still owe
money to the university, damage his/her credit, and never
be able to get a transcript to apply to a less-expensive school
and rebuild.
What
the authors think:
It
is not realistic to expect every academic advisor to know
the particulars about the financial aid world. However, when
it comes to dealing with students whose aid is jeopardized
or lost because of previous academic performance, advisors
at both public and private institutions should be able to
discuss all of the ramifications so that students are able
to make informed decisions about these potentially life-altering
matters.
Achieving
in college is the proverbial mountain that so many students
face. For some students, specifically those coming from disadvantaged
backgrounds, the mountain presents a daunting task and they
are unsure about whether they have the tools or ability to
reach the top. These students can be called our “at risk”
students or students who are on the edge of academic failure.
As a new advisor in the College of Education, I was responsible
for creating a success plan that would address the needs of
students having academic difficulty. So here I was, standing
at the top of the mountain and attempting to map out a plan
that would support the students in their climb to success.
The
College of Education is considered a competitive college in
its admission standards and has one of the highest cumulative
and graduation GPA averages at the University. However, students
entering the College as undecided tend to have the lowest
cumulative GPAs at the end of the first year. With the formation
of a centralized advising model, I had the responsibility
of developing a plan that would address the academic needs
of EDU (Education-Undecided) students having academic difficulty
and eventually become a component of an Academic Advising
and Connections Center. The following reflects an outline
of the plan and its role in improving student success.
What
is a Student Success Plan?
The
first step in developing the plan was to understand the components
of the College’s advising philosophy. Due to the size of our
student population and our commitment to student development,
the College takes an Intrusive Advising approach. Earl (1988)
defined Iintrusive Advising as an action-oriented model that
involves and motivates students to seek help when needed.
Intrusive Advising incorporates both prescriptive and developmental
advising strategies by providing a specific program of action
to students having academic difficulty. In a success plan,
an academic advisor identifies specific strategies that can
provide the student with the means to improve their academic
progress. Many of these strategies include: additional advising,
tutoring, workshops, and completing a contract with specified
guidelines.
Our
Student Success Plan
The
remaining summer months were spent reviewing and revising
the plan for implementation in the 2006 – 2007 academic year.
After revisions and reviews, the plan included:
Student
Letter: The
letter took an advocacy approach to students and discussed
the importance of choices and support. The letter also explained
the Student Success Plan and responsibility of the student
to meet with the advisor.
Student
Information & Expectation Sheet: The
sheet requires students to provide updated contact information,
review and check off student expectations for the plan,
list advising appointments (a minimum of three required
visits on a bi-weekly basis), review recommendations made
by the advisor, and then provide signatures from both student
and advisor.
Academic
Obstacles & Solutions Worksheet: The
worksheet required students to list three obstacles, provide
possible solutions, and detail how the proposed solutions
would assist the student in overcoming the specified obstacles.
Students were also required to develop a goal and list some
possible steps to achieving this goal.
Academic
& Personal Goals Worksheet: The
worksheet was a component of the initial advising session
with the student where the student and the advisor would
discuss reasons why the student was at the University, short-
and long-term goals, and steps needed to achieve goals.
Resource
Referral Form: The
completed form was provided to the department/center that
the advisor recommended as a resource (Counseling and Undergraduate
Tutorial Centers, Career Services, etc.) for students. The
form helped personnel within these service areas determine
if the student attended sessions and whether their primary
concerns were addressed.
Using
university grade reports at the end of each semester, I identified
students and sent letters and copies of the plan to EDU students
with GPAs less than 2.2. Although the University has a 2.0
requirement to maintain good academic standing, students with
a 2.2 GPA in the College do not meet the requirement to transfer
into a teacher education program. These students are also
less likely to meet the GPA intra-campus transfer requirements
for any other majors at the University; therefore, they become
“stuck” as EDU students.
Climbing
the Mountain
The
academic year was filled with many challenges for the students,
but somehow they still began the journey up the mountain.
From the plan’s evaluation, it was evident that the students
believed that the advisor identified relevant strategies and
campus resources to assist them in improving their academic
outcomes. Additionally, the students believed the Student
Success Plan was helpful to students having academic difficulty.
One student, who served as the inspiration for this article,
commented:
It’s
important to have an end goal and end results in mind, while
trying to climb these academic hills/mountains…These success
plans help us to look past these little hurdles and continue
on with our end result in mind. Keeps you focused and on
track!
There
are numerous factors that can impact academic performance,
e.g., student-institution fit, academic preparation,
and instruction. However, this model demonstrates the role
of academic advising in serving as a conduit for student success
by connecting them to campus resources and serving as an advocate
for their academic journey.
We
are slowly approaching the half-way mark to the top of the
mountain; many of these students had significant improvements
in their cumulative GPAs from the fall to spring semester.
For the College, the Student Success Plan provides a step-by-step
model that incorporates Intrusive Advising and proactive communication
between the advisor and student. In this model, the advisor
provided the support needed for students to reach their goals.
Likewise students displayed a commitment to use recommended
strategies and showed their motivation to achieve specified
goals.
Earl,
W. R. (1988). Intrusive Advising of Freshmen. NACADA Journal,
8 (2), 27 – 33.
Habley,
W. R., Crockett, D. S. (1988). The third ACT national survey
of academic advising. In W. R. Habley (ed.), The Status
and Future of Academic Advising (pp. 11 – 76). Iowa
City, IA: American College Testing Program.
I
have an interview for a new job on campus coming up soon.
I have also just been diagnosed with an “invisible” disability.
Should I reveal that I have a disability during the interview?
Worried
Wendy
*****
Dear
Wendy:
Your
question raises, perhaps, the most concern for people with
disabilities seeking a job. Federal law does not require you
to disclose your disability to a prospective employer unless
your disability will impact your ability to complete essential
duties.
Use
your judgment to decide what you want to do based on the interviewer’s
attitude, how the interview is going, and your prior contact
with the department. On one hand, if you openly reveal your
disability during the interview, you may be seen as cooperative
and desirous of a positive working relationship. However,
if you are not comfortable revealing your particular disability,
there is no obligation to do so. This is an ethical decision
that only you can make.
It
is a good idea to have documentation of your disability already
prepared should you discover that you will require some accommodation.
The documentation should contain, at a minimum, the following
information:
Verification
of the disability by a licensed physician or other health
care provider who is qualified to diagnose the disability
A
specific description of how a major life activity is limited
A
request for accommodation that includes what you need in
order to perform your job; for example, if you are hypoglycemic
and need to take short breaks to eat, providing times during
the day for a break will help your supervisor understand
how to meet your needs.
Check
with your Human Resources office to learn what the specific
requirements are at your institution. For information about
the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), please log on to
the official website at: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm
Advising
by Design: Planning the Future of Academic
Advising on Your Campus Seminar
February 14-15, 2008
Why
you should attend:
Develop
a vision for advising on your campus
Understand
national resources that offer student feedback and information
about advising
Learn to
connect your plan to the institutional strategic planning
process
Learn how
to identify resources and allies in the areas of Institutional
Research and Institutional Planning
Learn how
to communicate this information to campus colleagues to
generate collaboration and understanding
Use benchmarking
to document the success of your plan
Academic
Advising Administrators’ Institute
February 17-19, 2008
Why
you should attend:
Develop
a clear sense of your academic advising programs, how
to effectively administer them, and how your programs
should fit within your own institution
Address
issues within your academic advising programs
Utilize
the resources and expertise available to you at the Institute
Network
and learn from administrators from a variety of institutional
types and sizes
Learn to
develop an implementation plan for improvement or change
on your campus
Academic
Advising Assessment Institute
February 20-22, 2008
Why
you should attend:
Learn about
assessment’s critical elements, purposes, and processes
Explore
strategies for the assessment of academic advising programs
Establish
clear goals and outcomes for assessment of advising &
develop assessment measures for them
Develop
an understanding of the cyclical and ongoing nature of
assessment
Network
with colleagues from similar institutional types and with
other professionals and experts in the fields of advising
and assessment
Develop
a comprehensive assessment plan for your campus
It
takes but one SPARK to ignite the
flame for an idea. Does your campus have
an unusual or exceptional process or program that could spark
an idea on another campus? If so, tell us about
it in 350 words or less. Send
your 'SPARKLER' to
Leigh@ksu.edu.
In
this edition, we share three SPARKLERS
from the University of Houston, Florida State University,
and Auburn University.
Leslie
Thornhill tells us that at the University of Houston’s
Bauer College of Business, the Business Honors program (www.bauer.uh.edu/bauerhonors)
has developed an effective way of increasing student participation
in advising and retention by implementing an “Early Bird Advising”
concept. For the past two years, “Bauer Honors” has
offered small but attractive raffles to get students to come
in earlier for advising during “non-peak” times, before the
“rush” period prior to registration. Raffles include
small prizes (costing $12 or less) such as professional sports
tickets and UH gear, as well as community-donated items such
as a free massage. Raffle winners are announced via
email to the entire program at the end of Early Bird Advising
season (months of September and February). Leslie says
that “Bauer Honors has consistently received a great response
from this campaign, filling advising appointments well before
the registration rush and increasing advising for program
students by 25%! Early Bird Advising is now being adopted
by other offices within the college.” For further
information, contact Leslie at lathornhill@uh.edu.
Kathleen
Shea Smith tells us that at Florida State University,
exploratory/undecided students are required to select a departmental
major by the end of the freshman year (at approximately 30
credit hours). Kathleen explains that “Like so many advising
offices serving the undecided population, the Advising First
Center for Exploratory Students needed better ways to effectively
guide students’ major selection.” In 2006, Advising First
launched the STEPS (Students Taking Exploratory Paths to Success)
program, a systematic method for helping
exploratory students progress. In this program, “the major/career
selection process is described as a continuum made up of three
distinct phases; Self Exploration, Major Exploration, and
Career Exploration. Steps are specific activities assigned
within each phase designed to help the student move along
the continuum. It is expected that the student will meet regularly
with their academic advisor, complete assigned tasks, and
collaboratively process findings until a departmental major
is selected. The continuum starts at the Self Exploration
phase. Steps within this phase include assessments and resource
sheets where students identify their values, interests and
skills. The next phase, Major Exploration, takes the insight
gained from Self Exploration phase and the advisor translates
the information into a list of 5-10 potential majors. The
students are responsible for gathering facts and completing
assignments such as researching majors on-line or meeting
with departmental advisors. The goal for this phase is to
narrow the final list and make a final selection. The importance
of establishing a post-graduation plan is addressed in the
final Career Exploration phase, and students are encouraged
to begin identifying potential careers. Steps within this
phase highlight internships and other opportunities for experiential
learning. Based on the number of students who have participated
in this program and declared their majors with confidence,
we know the STEPS program is a win-win! Students are taking
responsibility for their progress, completing their assignments,
and returning for their follow-up visits. Advisors are enjoying
the ongoing contact and value their students’ progression.
The Advising First STEPS program is systematic, making major
selection a more manageable and removing the ambiguity for
both the student and the advisor. ” To learn about this
program, contact Kathleen at kssmith@admin.fsu.edu.
Katie
Lackey tells us
that the College of Human Sciences at Auburn University takes
pride in creating a friendly, approachable atmosphere for
all incoming students. Katie explains that “advisors begin
their year long outreach program for freshmen prior to their
arrival on campus. Since students usually relate better to
their peers than to faculty or staff, the outreach program
is carried out by the college’s student ambassadors. The ambassador
group is advised through the academic advising office and
the outreach program only includes freshmen majoring in our
college. The academic advising office in our college hosts
the first step of the program which is a phone-a-thon designed
to connect with prospective students of the incoming freshman
class. The process begins by writing each student a postcard
informing them about the phone-a-thon as well as who will
be calling and what time to expect the call. Ambassadors also
make contact by emailing the prospective students. Email provides
another avenue to connect with the students through the decision
making process. In order to accurately advise, the ambassadors
are equipped with a book containing information on all the
departments within the college. General information pertaining
to financial aid, housing, and student life is included in
a FAQ booklet. The most valuable component to this program
is that our students continue the mentoring and advising relationship
with the ambassador throughout their entire freshman year
experience. Ambassadors invite the freshmen to a welcome reception
where they are given a chance to meet in a safe environment.
Ambassadors frequently email the freshmen about upcoming events,
including academic advising sessions and other important academic
and social opportunities. Many students feel a strong sense
of connection with their mentor and continue the mentoring
relationship throughout their college career. The phone-a-thon
is a vital first step in creating a lasting mentor/mentee
relationship. The personal interaction allows the incoming
freshmen to feel a sense of belonging before they even step
foot on campus. We believe this outreach program is essential
in generating the desired atmosphere in order to provide a
supportive environment during this transitional period of
their collegiate career.” To learn more, contact Katie
at lackekm@auburn.edu.
Commission
and Interest Group News and Updates
History
of Academic Advising Potential Interest Group
Eric
White,
Proposed Interim Chair
Sufficient
time has passed that academic advising indeed does have a
history and it needs to be recorded in some depth. Attempts
at recording aspects of the history of academic advising have
already taken place. The NACADA Journal
has published one article on the history of NACADA
and is contemplating a second one. Virginia Gordon has published
a history of academic advising at Ohio State University in
the NACADA Journal. The
Mentor has published an historical time line for
advising along with an article on the start of advising at
Johns Hopkins University.
This
Potential Interest Group would stimulate writing more articles
for publication and would encourage a discussion of the role
of academic advising and NACADA in higher education and at
specific colleges and universities, both nationally and internationally.
Oral histories would also be appropriate. The direction of
this potential Interest Group would no doubt reflect the interests
of the group members.
Given
the status of academic advising in higher education and the
tremendous growth of NACADA, it seems appropriate to begin
recording the history of advising more systematically. It
is important to know where we have been, where we are now,
and where we might be going. We can have a clearer focus on
this if we examine the significant events, persons, and programs
that make up the world of academic advising.
What
should we write about? Institutional histories (at
the collegiate and departmental level or with special populations),
development of specific models, significant persons influencing
advising.
Where
should we publish?
In journals, monographs, oral histories.
How
should we publish?
Respond to specific needs of NACADA, contract with institutions
to document their histories of advising, take on a group writing
project, and seek research grants.
A
meeting is planned for the Annual Conference in Baltimore.
Please check the Conference agenda (when available) for time
and place. I am willing to facilitate the first meeting, to
assess the level of interest, and discuss how to proceed.
I envision us operating very informally; specifically, I would
hope that we might encourage those with a specific interest
to begin their work in earnest and to stimulate further those
who have only begun to think about this topic.
I
hope to see you in Baltimore. In the meantime, should you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Eric
R. White
The Pennsylvania State University erw2@psu.edu
2007
Service to Commission Awards
Congratulations
to the 2007 NACADA Service to Commission Award
recipients. These award recipients will be formally honored
during the respective annual commission meetings held during
the NACADA Annual Conference in Baltimore this fall. The recipients
this year include:
Technology
in Advising Commission— Anita Carter, Wayne
State University, Detroit, MI
Advising
Administration Commission—Jayne
Drake, Temple
University, Philadelphia, PA
Two-Year
Colleges Commission— Rusty Fox, Tarrant
County Community College, Arlington, TX
Advising
Graduate & Professional Students Commission— Judith
Goetz, Pennsylvania State University, University
Park, PA
Advising
Transfer Students Commission— Troy Holaday,
Ball State University, Muncie, IN
Advising
Students with Disabilities Commission— Les Hemphill,
Cloud County Community College, Concordia, KS
Small
Colleges & Universities Commission— Maura Reynolds,
Hope College, Holland, MI
The
Service to Commission Award is presented to an individual
who has provided outstanding service, leadership, and commitment
to a particular commission. For more information on the guidelines
for the Service to Commission Awards, visit www.nacada.ksu.edu/Awards/CService.htm.
NACADA
members can view additional updates and related information
on the individual Commission or Interest
Group homepages. Announcements, resources, meetings
and other conference events, leadership contact information,
list serve subscription instructions, and other items of interest
are posted on these Web pages.
You
are encouraged to become more involved with the Commissions
and Interest Groups by participating in events and activities,
or volunteering to serve on a committee. Visit the links below
for more information on specific units. Bookmark your preferred
Commissions and/or Interest Groups and check back throughout
the year for updates and new developments!
The
2008 Call for Nominations for the NACADA
Annual Awards Program will be available in November 2007.
Until then, the criteria and
nomination guidelines used for the 2007 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 2008 Awards Program
depending on discussions held by the Awards Committee at the
Annual Conference in October. Therefore, please be sure to
check all guidelines closely once the 2008 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 3, 2008.
Retiree recognition notifications will be due June
2, 2008. Information on the awards program
is available at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Awards/index.htm.
Start
now in planning for the advising awards nominations to be
submitted in 2008 from your institution!
2008
NACADA Leadership Election Information
The
next NACADA Leadership elections will be held in February
2008. For a complete list of NACADA leadership opportunities
available in these elections, visit the NACADA Web site at
www.nacada.ksu.edu/Election/index.htm.
A direct link to this election information is also available
on the NACADA home page.
Nominations
for the various positions can be submitted electronically
using the online form available at the Web site above. A Word
version of this document is also available that can be faxed
or mailed to the NACADA Executive Office. In addition, nomination
forms will be available in the NACADA display booth in the
Exhibits area at the Annual Conference in Baltimore this fall
as well as in the back of the Conference program. These printed
forms can be submitted while at the Conference or faxed/mailed
afterwards. The deadline for submitting nominations to the
Executive Office for the 2008 elections is Friday,
November 2, 2007.
If
you are interested in becoming more involved in the governance
of the Association, we encourage you to submit a nomination
to be considered for a position. If you know someone whom
you believe would be a good candidate, please submit his or
her name via the nomination
recommendation form, and the NACADA Executive Office will
follow up to determine if he or she is interested and meets
the eligibility criteria. Leadership position overviews, including
eligibility requirements, and general election information
are provided on the NACADA Web site at the URL above. If you
would like to inquire about your eligibility or that of a
colleague for a particular position prior to submitting a
nomination, please contact the Executive Office.
All
candidates accepting their nominations will be required to
complete a short personal biography form detailing past NACADA
involvement and specific accomplishments, and other relevant
support of advising as well as respond to specific questions
as part of a platform statement. Based on nomination acceptances
received, the NACADA Board of Directors and Executive Office
may solicit additional nominees to ensure at least two candidates
for each position. The final slate of candidates will be available
in late fall 2007 and will be posted to the election Web page
noted above. The elections will be conducted online in February
2008 and newly elected leaders will take office in October
2008 after the Annual Conference in Chicago.
Watch
the monthly Member Highlights for
more information about the 2008 elections. If you have questions,
contact the NACADA Executive Office at nacada@ksu.edu
or (785) 532-5717.
Academic
Advising Today
Published
four times annually by the National Academic Advising Association,
located at the address below:
This
publication is a NACADA member benefit. Membership information
is available through the Executive Office or at www.nacada.ksu.edu.
NACADA
holds exclusive copyright for all Academic Advising
Today articles and features. For a complete
copyright statement, including terms for reproducing material
and permissions requests, see http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/fair-use.htm.
Guidelines
for Submission: Articles
are generally short and informal. Original articles and opinion
pieces directed to practicing advisors and advising administrators
that have not been printed elsewhere will be considered for
this juried publication. Edited articles are printed on a
space-available basis and should not exceed 1000 words.
Guidelines and deadlines for submission are located on the
Web at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/guidelines.htm.
My
déjà vu feelings came from knowing that 30 short years ago,
Toni Trombley (pictured at left), then at
the University of Vermont, had initiated a similar meeting
for persons involved in academic advising in higher education
in the United States and, expecting a few colleagues, was
also surprised when registrations “sold out” at 275 when the
facility could accommodate no more. 
It
takes but one SPARK to ignite the
flame for an idea. Does your campus have
an unusual or exceptional process or program that could spark
an idea on another campus? If so, tell us about
it in 350 words or less. Send
your 'SPARKLER' to