Bruce MacFarlane in The Academic Citizen (2007) states "the academic advisor is the most significant 'actor' in determining whether students persist."  Tinto (2007) states that good advising is one of the key conditions that promotes retention for it reflects an institution's commitment to the education of students. In this Kansas State University College of Education / NACADA-sponsored Webinar presentation, Susan Campbell and Charlie Nutt discussed the recent research that clearly demonstrates the connection between quality academic advising and student persistence and provided stategies for using this research to affect change in your institution's culture. The information they presented is essential for key administrators on college campuses concerned about student persistence and graduation rates or those whose goal is to convince key administrators of the value of academic advising.

Participants learned:

•  the key research that demonstrates the connection between academic advising and student persistence

•  strategies to affect change based on the research
•  strategies for utilizing the research to influence key administrators

Presentation Handouts

Outline  (Word format)

Outline  (PDF format)

Concept Statement  (Word format)

Concept Statement  (PDF format)

What will the purchase price of the CD be?  Click here to learn more about the Webinar CD fee structure.

Who are our Presenters?

Susan Campbell

Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs

University of Southern Maine

NACADA President

Since arriving at the University of Southern Maine in 1977, Susan Campbell has held a number of administrative positions including serving as the coordinator of an off-campus center, director of summer session, director of financial aid, and director of admission. She became the director of academic advising in 1993 and was promoted in 2001 to her current position as Executive Director of the Division of Advising and Academic Resources. In her role as Executive Director, Susan has responsibility for the functional areas of academic advising, support for students with disabilities, learning foundations (developmental studies, tutoring, first year seminars), and academic assessment. She also serves as the chair of the university's First Year Experience Committee. Susan's reputation as a change agent, or "utility in-fielder" (as her president refers to her), has led to the receipt of USM's Distinguished Professional Staff Award in 1998 and to her involvement in staff development activities both on and off campus on topics related to leadership and academic advising. Susan teaches an undergraduate peer leadership seminar and also coordinates the student affairs concentration in USM's masters in Adult Education Program where she is an adjunct associate professor.

Susan is the current President of NACADA and has a long record of involvement in regional and national NACADA activities. In addition to participating in regional and national conferences as a presenter, Susan has also served as site chair, evaluation chair, and conference chair for Northeast Region 1; Chair of the Advising Administration Commission; and has been a participant in the organization's Professional Development Task Force and the planning committee for the Advising Administrator's Institute. She has served as a faculty member at the NACADA Summer Institute and the Assessment of Advising Institute.   Susan has contributed to a variety of NACADA publications, including Academic Advising Today and the Guide to Assessment of Advising CD.

Susan earned her undergraduate degree in speech and theatre from Ball State University, her M.S. Adult Education from the University of Southern Maine, and her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Charlie Nutt

Assistant Professor

Kansas State University College of Education

NACADA Associate Director

A NACADA member since 1991, Charlie Nutt served in various leadership roles in the Assocation before coming to work full-time as Associate Director in the Executive Office in 2002. These roles included Region IV Representative, Two-Year College Commission Chair, 2000 National Conference Chair, Chair of Re-organization Implementation Committee, Chair of Task Force on Faculty Advising, and President-Elect. In addition, he has served on the faculty of the NACADA Summer Institute, Academic Advising Administrators' Institute, and Assessment of Advising Institute.

As Associate Director of NACADA, Charlie is responsible for coordinating the work of the Executive Office staff as well as working with the various NACADA units on professional development issues for the association. He also serves as an Assistant Professor in the Kansas State University College of Education, teaching courses in Foundations of Academic Advising and History and Philosophy of Higher Education.  Charlie is an originating faculty member in the NACADA-KSU Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising program.

Charlie has written extensively in the area of academic advising, including "Student Retention and Persistence" (2003, Academic Advising Today), "Academic Advising and Student Retention and Persistance" (2003, NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources), and "One-to-One Advising" (2000, Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook). He has presented at various state, regional, national, and international conferences and is a highly sought-after keynote speaker.  In addition, he serves as a consultant for NACADA to institutions in the areas of developing effective advising programs, advisor development, and student retention. 

Charlie earned his Associate Degree in English from Coastal Georgia Community College (formerly Brunswick College), Bachelors in English Education from the University of Georgia, Masters in Administration and Supervision from Georgia Southern University, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership in Higher Education from Georgia Southern University.