Faculty Academic Advising:  Affirming the Role of Faculty Advisors

Faculty Academic Advising:  Affirming the Role of

Faculty AdvisorsDr. Wes Habley

Tom Brown

“If a boy has enough intelligence he should consider studying for the ministry, unless when he goes to the university he is given to carousing, drinking, and wenching, in which case he ought to consider law.”

J. Collyer 1761

Topics for Today’s Webinar• Key events in faculty advising• Factors that shape faculty role in advising• Potential of faculty advising• What do faculty say about advising?• What do students say about faculty

advising?• Importance of an advising mission

statement• Organizational models for advising

Key Events in Faculty Advising

1862 - Morrill Act establishes land grant colleges

1876 - Johns Hopkins establishes first formal system of faculty advisors

1888 - Harvard initiates program of faculty advisors for freshmen

1899 - Johns Hopkins University President appoints first "chief of faculty advisors”

(continued)

1901 - University of Illinois appoints first Dean of Men to handle disciplinary duties, extra-curricular activities, and to resolve academic problems

1920 - Harvard and Johns Hopkins report the use of counselors to supplement the work of faculty advisors

1950s - dramatic influx of students due to the GI Bill1960s – Civil rights movements brings increasing

numbers of historically under-represented minority, women, and low SES students to college

1979 – National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) chartered

Key Events in Faculty Advising

(cont.)

Factors Which Shaped Faculty Role in Advising

• Diversity of institutional types• Diversity of students• Evolution of the curriculum• Changing expectations for faculty

performance

Potential of Faculty Advising• Frequent faculty-student contact in and out of the

classroom is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement. (Chickering and Gamson)

• Frequent interaction with faculty related more strongly to satisfaction than any other type of involvement or characteristic of the student or the institution. (Astin)

• Students who leave college are less likely to have had quality interaction with faculty. (Flannelly and Sanford)

• Quality interaction with faculty the single strongest predictor of success for at-risk minority students (Levin & Levin)

(continued)

Potential of Faculty Advising (cont.)

• Academic advising is the only structured activity on the campus where every student has the opportunity to develop an on-going, one-to-one relationship with a concerned representative of the institution. (Habley)

• Academic advising involves intellectual matters, the most important area of concern raised by students. (Frost)

• The quality of academic advising is the single most powerful predictor of satisfaction with the campus environment. (Kuh)

Potential of Faculty Advising (cont.)

• Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience (Light)

• Advising, rather than an extension of the educator’s role is integral to it. It is teaching which stretches beyond instruction (Berdahl)

• For community college students, frequent interaction with faculty and advisers outside of class had a positive impact on preventing students from dropping out. (Regina Deil Amen)

Research has shown that advising improves student retention rates through the establishment of relationships with faculty or staff members who help students to clarify their academic and career goals.

Noel Levitz 2006

There is a relationship between advising and retention. (n=1594)

Agree/strongly agree 86%Disagree 4%

Brown Survey, 2001-2009

Faculty see a relationship between advising and retention

Why do students leave college?

Isolation

Inability to connect with significant members of the campus community….

The more interaction students have with faculty and staff, the more likely they are to learn effectively and persist toward achievement of their educational goals.

Community College Survey of Student Engagement http://www.ccsse.org/survey/bench_sfi.cfm

Why do students leave college?

Incongruence

What I experienced is not what I expected.

Academic advisors can mediate the gap between student experiences and their expectations.

Habley

Community college students frequently described occasions when they considered dropping out of college. Asked why they persisted they typically referred to a strong early connection to someone at the college. Very often they even offered that person’s name.

Kay McClenney, 2011

Most faculty report having had little or no training or other preparation prior to beginning their work in advising….

What do Faculty say about advising?

Faculty members are left to sink or swim when it comes to effective student advising—they are blamed for something they lack the professional training to do.

Dr. Yolanda Moses, President, AAHEFaculty Advising Examined, 2003

When I first began to advise, I had adequate preparation and training.

(n=1570)

Strongly agree/agree 30%

Disagree/strongly disagree 53%

Brown Survey, 2001-2009

The majority of institutions do not require advisor development programs.

Those that do, offer programs at the beginning of the Fall term for one day or less.

Sixth National Survey on Academic Advising

Some insights into faculty perceptions of advising

and their advisees

There is a relationship between advising and retention. (n=1594)

Agree/strongly agree 86%

Disagree 4%

Brown Survey, 2001-2009

Relationship between advising and retention?

More faculty members need to know this….

Brown Survey, 2001-2009

Even if there are no conventional rewards for conscientious performance, faculty members can be motivated if the issues are significant, and they can feel they are making a contribution.

Universities in the Marketplace, Derek Bok,

2003

Making the Most of College

Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience.

Richard Light, 2001

Integration of Learning

Do Students recognize the value of general education requirements? (n=1555)

Strongly agree/agree 21%

Disagree/strongly disagree 52%

Brown Survey, 2001-2009

Making the Most of College

The faculty members students identify as having had a powerful influence on their thinking and on their lives are those who helped them make connections between the curriculum and their personal lives, values, and experiences. Richard Light, Making the Most of College, 2001

Students usually have a realistic understanding about the demands of academic work and what is required to be successful in their classes. (n = 1587)

Strongly agree/agree 13%

Disagree/strongly disagree 69%

Brown Survey,2001-2009

Students usually have a realistic understanding of careers and how to prepare for them. (n=1574)

Agree/strongly agree 58%

Disagree 17%

Brown Survey, 2001-2009

Advising is more meaningful when treated as a teaching process rather than a product.

Susan Frost, Academic Advising for Student Success: System of Shared Responsibility

Teaching and advising need to be part of a seamless process, sharing the same intellectual sphere, informed by a relatively consistent educational philosophy.

Robert M. Berdahl, Historian and President University of California, Berkeley

Teaching Through Academic Advising: A Faculty Perspective, 1995

What do students say about advising?

Next to the quality of instruction, academic advising is consistently the next most important area of the college experience to students.

National Student Satisfaction ReportNoel Levitz 2006

Career & Private Institutions2011 (Noel-Levitz)

Instructional effectiveness (6.29)Concern for the individual (6.25)

Academic advising (6.24)Admissions and financial aid (6.24)Student centeredness (6.23)Campus climate (6.21)Registration effectiveness (6.18)Service Excellence (6.12)Academic Services (6.05)Safety & Security (6.02)

Community College Student Priorities 2011 (Noel-Levitz)

Instructional effectiveness 6.21Registration effectiveness 6.19Academic Advising/Counseling 6.17Concern for the individual 6.11Academic services 6.08Admissions and financial aid 6.08Safety and security 6.05Student centeredness 6.01Campus climate 6.01Service excellence 5.99Campus Support Services 5.50

Four-year Private Institutions2011 (Noel-Levitz)

Instructional effectiveness (6.36)

Academic advising (6.33)Student centeredness (6.21)Recruitment and financial aid (6.21)Registration effectiveness (6.20)Safety and security (6.19)Concern for the individual (6.18)Campus climate (6.18)Campus support services (6.06)

Four-year Public Institutions2011 (Noel-Levitz)

Academic advising (6.38)Instructional effectiveness (6.37)Safety and security (6.32)Registration effectiveness (6.25)Recruitment and financial aid (6.21)Concern for the individual (6.17)Campus climate (6.16)Student centeredness (6.14)Campus support services (6.10)

What do students say about faculty advising?

1.Sample based on 44,867 students from 70 colleges in 32 states that administered the survey between August 1, 2005 andJuly 31, 2010 . User norms--not representative norms

3.1,769 records were deleted to guarantee that no single institution would be overrepresented

4.Surveys were administered in different ways, to different groups of students

5.Faculty advisors represented an N of 25,937

Advising Needs (18 items)

• Have not discussed, and do not need to• Have not discussed, but should have• Have discussed

• Satisfied with Advisor's Assistance– Very Satisfied (5)– Satisfied (4)– Neutral (3)– Dissatisfied (2)– Very Dissatisfied (1)

Part A:

Part B:(completed by those who checked "have discussed" in Part A)

Have not discussed, no need• Items where the highest percentage of students

selected this response were:– Withdrawing/Transferring (68.2%)– Dealing with personal problems (67.1%)– Obtaining employment on campus (63.1%)– Obtaining remedial/tutorial assistance (61.9%)

• And lowest percentage of students:– Scheduling/Registration procedures (8.8%)– Meeting graduation requirements (17.9%)– Dropping/Adding courses (30.5%)

Have not discussed, but should have:

Items where the highest percentage of students selected this response were:

• Finding a job after college/job placement (30.9%)• Continuing my education after graduation (25.1%)• Identifying career areas which fit my skills, abilities,

and interests (24.5%)• Matching my learning style to courses and instructors

(23.0%)• Obtaining course credit through non-traditional means

(20.6%)• Clarifying my life/career goals (19.5%)

Have discussed:Items where the lowest percentage of students

selected this response were:• Withdrawing/transferring from this institution (14.6%)• Obtaining employment on campus (15.0%)• Obtaining remedial/tutorial assistance (18.6%)• Dealing with personal problems (18.1%)• Finding a job after college/job placement (19.2%)

Have discussed:

Items where the highest percentage of students selected this response were:

• Scheduling/registration procedures (75.6%)• My academic progress (61.8%)• Meeting requirements for graduation, student

teaching, certification, etc. (56.3%)• Dropping/adding courses (53.8%)

Student Ratings on Topics Discussed with Faculty

Advisors• Mean ratings for all 18 needs were at or above

4.0 (satisfactory)• Mean for all 18 items was 4.18• Highest Levels of satisfaction:

– Dealing with personal problems (4.33)– Identifying career areas (4.26)– Matching learning style to courses (4.25)– Clarifying my life/career goals (4.23)

Impressions of Your Advisor(36 items)

• Advisors traits and characteristics• Rating scale:

– Strongly agree (5)– Agree (4)– Neutral (3)– Disagree (2)– Strongly disagree (1)

Items with the lowest mean agreement ratings were:

• Takes the initiative in arranging meetings with me (3.44)

• Encourages my involvement in extracurricular activities (3.52)

• Encourages me to talk about myself and my college experiences (3.58)

• Helps me explore careers in my field of interest (3.60)

• Anticipates my needs (3.68)

Items with the highest mean agreement ratings were:• Respects my right to make my own decisions (4.23)• Keeps personal information confidential (4.22)• Is a good listener (4.18)• Is approachable and easy to talk to (4.17)• Has a sense of humor (4.16)• Respects my opinions and feelings (4.15)• Provides a caring and open atmosphere (4.11)

Summary of Student Opinions of Faculty Advisors

1.Faculty advisors would do well in focusing on those advising needs with the highest percentages of students responding "have not discussed, but should have."

2.Faculty advisors are satisfactorily meeting student needs.

3.Students have favorable impressions of the traits and characteristics of their faculty advisors.

IF practices which support faculty advising are far from exemplary,

YET student satisfaction with and impressions of their faculty advisors are moderately favorable,

THEN what impact would faculty advising have on students and institutions if practices were enhanced?

Recommendations for Faculty Advisors

Develop strategies which:• Increase student contact with faculty advisors• Involve more faculty advisors in

comprehensive training• Assess the effectiveness of faculty advisors• Reward exemplary performance by faculty

advisors

(continued)

Encourage faculty advisors to:

Recommendations for Faculty Advisors

(cont.)

• Become more active in outreach to students• Become better at anticipating student issues

and concerns• Seek ways to personalize the advising

relationship with each advisee• Help students connect with all facets of the

campus community• Help students explore the external contexts

related to their college experiences

IMPORTANCE OF AMISSION

STATEMENT

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement describes….– Our reason for being– Who we serve– What we hope to achieve

Why do we need a mission statement?

A mission statement guides the

decisions we make about what we do and how we accomplish what we do

MISSION STATEMENT

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Advising Program Strategies and Criteria

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Advising Program Strategies and Criteria

Organization

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Advising Program Strategies and Criteria

Organization Delivery Roles/ Responsibilities

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Advising Program Strategies and Criteria

Organization Delivery Roles/ Responsibilities

Training and Tools

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Advising Program Strategies and Criteria

Organization Delivery Roles/ Responsibilities

Training and Tools

Program and Advisor Assessment

MISSION STATEMENT

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Advising Program Strategies and Criteria

Organization Delivery Roles/ Responsibilities

Training and Tools

Program and Advisor Assessment

Mission Considerations

The advising mission statement must be consistent with the institutional mission statement (vision, strategic plan).– What does the institutional mission statement

say about students?– How can our advising program contribute to

the realization of this mission?

Mission Considerations

Development of the advising mission statement must include a wide variety of constituents.– Those who deliver advising– Those who receive advising– The who support the delivery of advising

Mission Considerations

Assessment is critical to the realization of the mission

CAS Standards state that the mission statement– must include student learning – must be prominently displayed and promoted– must be regularly reviewed and, if necessary,

revised

ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS

FOR FACULTY ENGAGEMENT

Faculty Only Model

FacultyStudent

Supplementary Model

Faculty

Student AdvisingOffice

Split Model

AdvisingOffice

AcademicSub-unit

Student A

Student B

AcademicSub-unit

Dual Model

FacultyStudent

AdvisingOffice

Total Intake Model

AdvisingOffice

Student AcademicSub-unit

Satellite Model

Academic Sub-unitAdvising Office

Student A

Student B Academic Sub-unitAdvising Office

Self-contained Model

AdvisingOffice

Student A

Student B

The Big Three….Training, Evaluation, Reward• It is impossible to do a job well if…

– no one sets expectations or provides you with tools or resources to do the job– you receive no feedback on your

effectiveness– you receive no recognition or reward for

exemplary work

Many key competencies are developed after educators arrive on campus. Therefore, colleges must assume the responsibility for teaching and developing their own educators to enhance student learning inside and outside the classroom by providing professional development programs.

Brown and Ward, 2007

What’s needed is a different way of thinking about professional development—not as special occasions offered on a periodic basis but as an integral part of institutional work.

Carnegie Foundation, 2008

Topics for Today’s Webinar• Key events in faculty advising• Factors that shape faculty role in advising• Potential of faculty advising• What do faculty say about advising?• What do students say about faculty

advising?• Importance of an advising mission

statement• Organizational models for advising

Thank You!

Wes.Habley@act.org

Tom@tbrownassociates.com