Redefining the Mid-Level: How Can We Retain Academic Advisors? Presenters: Gavin Farber Locksley Knibbs Chair, Advisor Training & Development Community Chair, Inclusion & Engagement Committee Academic Advisor II Lead Academic Advisor, Team Natural Science Temple University Florida Gulf Coast University

gavin.farber@temple.edu lknibbs@fgcu.edu Carrie Egnosak Shannan Schobinger Lisa Yamin Academic Advisor Ass’t Director, Biology Academic Success Center Director of Undergraduate Programs Penn State Behrend University of California Davis Virginia Commonwealth University

cae136@psu.edu shaschobinger@ucdavis.edu lmyamin@vcu.edu Overview In higher education, mid-level practitioners face challenges that affect them both personally and professionally. Some academic advisors seek advancement to the top, while others are happy in their roles as “helping professionals.” In 2016, a study by Marshall, Gardner, Hughes, & Lowery found the industry lost 41.7% of student affairs practitioners with between one to five years and 21.7% left after eight to ten years. When promotions are unavailable to this group, it can be difficult to find appreciation in their jobs. It’s the discovery of alternative pathways that might best afford mid-level academic advisors the best opportunities to aid in their professional development. Join us for a webinar, sponsored by NACADA’s Advisor Training and Development Community, that will (1) review research relevant to the topic, (2) discuss career pathways within the niche of academic advising, (3) explore new ways to explore and enrich your own #HorizontalBranding, and (4) begin planning your revised career pathway. NACADA Core Competencies of Academic Advising that will be addressed: Conceptual 1: The history and role of academic advising in higher education. Conceptual 4: Academic advising approaches and strategies Relational 6: Facilitate problem solving, decision-making, meaning-making, planning, and goal-setting. Post-Webinar Activity Suggestions Consider these questions:

• What’s been your career path in academic advising? • What opportunities are you curious about? • How can you build connections and skills in an area of interest?

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References Adventures in Advising podcast. https://nacada.ksu.edu/Programs/Adventures-in-Academic-Advising.aspx Benko, C. (2019, April 08). How the corporate ladder became the corporate lattice. https://hbr.org/2010/11/how-the-corporate-ladder-becam Denney, A., Dietz, S.S., Malone, A. and Mullen, P.R. (2018). Job stress, burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among student affairs professionals. College Student Affairs Journal, 36(1), 95-108. Freudenberger, H.J. (1974). Staff burn-out. Journal of Social Issues, 30(1), 159-165. Giannosa, J. (2019, September 30). Career Ladders vs. Career Lattices - Tools for employee development. https://www.edsisolutions.com/blog/career-ladders-vs-career-lattices-tools-for-employee-development Huebner, C. (2011). Caring for the caregivers: strategies to overcome the effects of job burnout. https://nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advisor-Burnout.aspx Johnsrud, L. K. (1996). Maintaining Morale: A Guide to Assessing the Morale of Midlevel Administrators and Faculty. Washington, DC: College and University Personnel Association. Johnsrud, L. K., & Rosser, V. K. (1999). College and university mid-level administrators: Explaining and improving their morale. The Review of Higher Education, 77(1), 34-59. Krumboltz, J. D., & Levin, A. S. (2004). Luck is no accident: Making the most of happenstance in your life and career. Atascadero, CA: Impact Marshall, S.M., Gardner, M.M., Hughes, C. & Lowery, U. (2016). Attrition from student affairs: perspectives from those who exited the profession. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 53(2), 146-159. Rhoades, G. (1995). Rising administrative costs in instructional units. Thoughts and Action, 11(1), 7-24 Rosser, V. J. (2004). A national study on midlevel leaders in higher education: The unsung professionals in the academy. Journal of Higher Education, 45(3), 317- 337. Rosser, V.J. (2000). Midlevel administrators: what we know. New Directions for Higher Education, 111(3), 5-13. Scott, R.A. (1975). Middle management on campus: Training ground or wasteland. Journal of the National Association for College Admissions Counselors, 20(1), 38-40. Sermersheim, K. L. (2002). Characteristics, perceived skill importance and need for continued professional development of mid-level student affairs professionals (Doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 2002). Dissertation Abstracts International, 63(09), 31-32.

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Redefining the Mid-Level:How Can We Retain Academic Advisors?

Gavin Farber, Temple UniversityLocksley Knibbs, Florida Gulf Coast University

Shannan Schobinger, University of California DavisLisa Yamin, Virginia Commonwealth University

Carrie Egnosak, Penn State Behrend

Outline

Research on Mid‐Level Advisors

• Why are we losing professionals? 

Challenges of Mid‐Level Advisors 

• Morale and satisfaction issues

Career Trajectory for Mid‐Level Advisors

• Career Ladders

Benefits for Mid‐Level Advisors 

• #HorizontalBranding

Engagement Opportunities for Mid‐Level Advisors

• Getting Involved in NACADA 

Questions/Answers  

Who Are Mid-Level Advisors?

“Unsung Heroes of the Academy”(Rosser, 2000, p. 5)

Photo, by Unknown Author, is licensed under CC BY‐SA

A Balancing Act … 

• Rosser (2000) said of mid‐level higher educators, “maintains a balance between their supervisors’ direction and delegations and the needs and constraints of faculty, students and public who require their support and services” (p. 7). 

Attrition of Mid‐Level Professionals

Marshall, Gardner, Hughes & Lowery (2016) study: 

41.7% spent one to five years in field before leaving 

(p.152) 

Burnout and Mid‐Level Advisors  Denney, Dietz, Malone, 

and Mullen (2018) examined burnout among student affairs professionals. They interviewed 789 practitioners including:

• 453 Academic Advisors (57.4%)

• 53 Academic Coordinators (6.7%)

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Challenges•Mid‐Level Nature of Roles

• Lack of Recognition• Limited Opportunity for Career Growth or Advancement

(Johnsrud, 1996)

Midlevel Nature of Roles

• Frustration• Rarely involved in decision making policies

• Possesses great wealth of knowledge

Lack of Recognition

• Not feeling appreciated (Rhoades, 1995)

• Well educated group, working hard in demanding roles but efforts go unrecognized (Johnsrud & Rosser, 1999)

• Lack of knowledge on the skills, background and expertise needed by professionals

(Rosser, 2004)

• Lack of trust and autonomy

(Johnsrud 1996)

Limited Opportunity

• Lack of career growth

• Upward mobility is complex in higher education

• Necessity to gain skills for more challenging roles (Shermeshiem, 2002)

• Equity in professional development opportunities (Shermeshiem, 2002)

• Frustration leads to separation

Recognition

• Physiological – food, water and shelter

• Safety – health, financial stability, and personal security

• Belonging – friends, family, social group

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Provide RecognitionCareer Pathways

• Ladder

• Lattice• Career Customization

• Opportunities• Challenges

Photo from thetimchannel

Benko, C., 2019Giannosa, J., 2019

Career Pathways

Career Pathways

• Curiosity• Flexibility• Persistence• Optimism• Risk‐taking

Krumboltz, 2004

Career Pathways

Krumboltz, 2004

What’s been your career path in academic advising? 

What opportunities are you curious about?

How can you build connections and skills in an area of interest?

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Default OR

Design?

"Ladder to heaven” by fdecomite is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Benefits of Mid‐Level Professionals

•More experience within role

• Assist in training or professional development opportunities

• Take on leadership roles

"Edgethreesixty branding" by EdgeThreeSixty is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Getting Involved in the #NACADAfamily

• Local • Regional• Global•What’s Your Passion?

Photo retrieved from https://nacada.ksu.edu/Community/Regions.aspx

Go Local

• Connect on Social Media

• twitter.com/nacada

• facebook.com/NACADA

Go Local

• Contact Your State/District/ Commonwealth Liaison

• Host a Drive‐In• Create a Networking Event

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Regions Rock Awards

Regional Conferences 

Mentoring

Steering Committees

Subcommittees

Photo from facebook.com/groups/NACADAregion2/

Global Growth

• Awards• Conferences• Emerging Leaders

• Institutes• Scholarship• Advising Communities

Photo nacada.ksu.edu/Community/Global‐Community.aspx

What’s Your Passion?

Photo nacada.ksu.edu/Programs/Adventures‐in‐Academic‐Advising.aspx

© 2020 NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising

The contents of all material in this presentation are copyrighted by NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, unless otherwise indicated. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of an original work prepared by a U.S. or state government officer or employee as part of that person's official duties. All rights are reserved by NACADA, and content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of NACADA, or as indicated below. Members of NACADA may download pages or other content for their own use, consistent with the mission and purpose of NACADA. However, no part of such content may be otherwise or subsequently be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred, in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of, and with express attribution to NACADA. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law and is subject to criminal and civil penalties. NACADA and NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising are service marks of the NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising

Redefining the Mid-Level: How Can We Retain Academic Advisors?

Presenters:Gavin Farber, Temple UniversityCarrie Egnosak, Penn State BehrendLocksley Knibbs, Florida Gulf Coast UniversityShannan Schobinger, University of California DavisLisa Yamin, Virginia Commonwealth University

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