The Importance of Faculty Adviser Training Programs

Holly Newell, Salve Regina University

Academic advisers have a unique opportunity to reach the students that they advise. Students often go to advisers for reasons other than just academic questions and concerns. As a first-year student, away from home for the first time, I viewed my academic adviser as a link between the university and myself. My adviser did not have the same view. Through his actions, he conveyed the message that he could not be bothered with first-year students. He saw his place in the university as a researcher. With the time left over, he concentrated on teaching. He did not want to spend the remaining time on advising. Thus, he could make time to meet with me only once during my first year of studies. During that meeting, he gave me a list of classes to take during the following semester. When I could not get into these classes, he simply stated that I would have to stay at the university for another year. It was clear to me at that moment that he did not want to be bothered with me.

What did he mean that I would have to stay another year? Why did he not want to help me? It seemed that all he wanted to do was to give me a list of classes and push me out the door. Seven years later, I now know that he was practicing under a prescriptive advising model. According to Gordon (1992), prescriptive advisers assume authority in the advising relationship. A prescriptive adviser is concerned mainly with students' course schedules, not their development. My adviser saw our relationship more in terms of a doctor and patient (Raushi, 1993). He, the doctor, would tell me what I needed to do, and I, the patient, would follow his direction (Raushi, 1993). Unfortunately, I needed more from the advising relationship. I was unable to find a connection to the university. Without this connection, I had not reached my full potential as a student. I left for the summer and never returned. I transferred to another university and found what I wanted: a caring environment.

Looking back on my experience, I realize that my first adviser had missed an opportunity to help me connect with the university. He could have been the link to the larger university, but he did not see that as his responsibility. Faculty members have many other responsibilities that take up much of their time. Yet it is important for them to take the role of adviser seriously and put effort into it.

Light (2001) stated in his book, Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds, that “good advising can have a profound impact” (p. 15). King (1993) added that advising can impact the whole institutional community. This interaction with faculty members can positively affect a student's “intellectual, academic, and personal development”  (Alexitch, 2002, p. 5). Terenzini and Pascarella (1991) reached similar findings in their research. Frost (1991) stated, “Individuals need the support of an informed and interested representative of the institution as they identify and work toward achieving their objectives for higher education” (p. 1). Davis and Cooper (2001) elaborated this point by stating that academic advising is the only structured service on campus that allows for such interactions with a university representative. For this reason, many scholars believe that time spent outside of the classroom with students is part of a faculty member's responsibilities (Milem, Berger, & Dey, 2000).

University representatives should help students to make a connection between their in-class learning and out-of-class experiences (Alexitch, 2002; Andrews, Andrews, Long, & Henton, 1987; Bianco-Mathis & Chalofsky, 1999; Davis & Cooper, 2001; Frost, 1991; King, 1993; Light, 2001). Light (2001) stated that students who are able to make this connection report a more satisfying college experience. The academic adviser has the opportunity to encourage students to participate in activities outside of class that will, in turn, help the student feel more connected to the university. Not only does this interaction help a student find his or her place within the university, but also the interaction itself can have a positive effect on him or her.

Alexitch (2002) found that the interactions that students have with faculty members can “increase the intrinsic value that students place on learning” (p. 5), an outcome that she believes is extremely important for students in the early stages of their college careers. She goes on to state that “this contact can help with adjustment to the university, with academic difficulties, and with decisions concerning academic programs and careers” (p. 5). Frost (1991) has also found that “students benefit from meaningful relationships with faculty members” (p. 1). According to Alexitch (2002) and Frost (1991), students who interact with faculty members have an easier time with adjustment to the university. These ideas tie into the Mattering Theory, which states that students will succeed if they know that someone at the university cares about them (Hamrick, Evans, & Schuh, 2002). This feeling of mattering allows students to feel safe within the environment. Likewise, academic advisers can help students to feel safe in discussing goals or personal issues that may be affecting their success (Kadar, 2001). In these cases, students often view advisers as friends and may seek the advice of the adviser on non-academic matters. Students may feel more comfortable telling their adviser/friend about problems with personal aspects of their lives such as relationships and family matters. Kadar (2001) states that “the advising process provides an opportunity to guide students in setting and achieving their goals” (p. 174).

Andrews, Andrews, Long, and Henton (1987) believe that the advising relationship is crucial to student retention and morale—an idea that again ties into the Mattering Theory. If students believe that they have a support system within the university, they will be willing to go to that person or group of people when they are having a difficult time—a response that will ensure that these students receive the resources that they need while at the university (Hamrick, Evans, & Schuh, 2002). As a result, these students will be more likely to persist through graduation (Hamrick, Evans, & Schuh, 2002). After understanding just how much academic advisers impact the students that they advise, one can see just how important a training program for advisers would be to any institution.

My adviser should have had a better understanding of his role and the impact he had on the lives of his advisees. Every day, advisers are sending similar messages to students. Each institution should do everything in its power to ensure that the message given is a positive one. One way in which faculty members can improve their advising skills—and therefore positively impact the students with whom they work—is to take part in an ongoing training program.

More and more research has acknowledged the need for training programs in order to help advisers. Petress (1996) stated that advisers “need training and guidance to do a competent job” (p. 91). Borns (2002) stated that “developing effective training opportunities for academic advisers is important for student satisfaction and persistence” (p. 1). Gordon (1992) added that advising requires training and development in order to be effective. She stated that advisers must have an understanding of student development, knowledge of the institution, and interpersonal skills. King (1993) sees a training program as benefiting the entire institution: “not only does it contribute to more effective advising services for students, which enhance student growth, satisfaction, and persistence, but it also contributes to enhanced communication among faculty and staff” (p. 55).

More time needs to be spent on academic advising within higher education. Colleges and universities need to allocate time and resources to training faculty members on the art of advising. By doing this, institutions can let students know that they, the students, are important and do matter.

References

Alexitch, L. R. (2002). The role of help-seeking attitudes and tendencies in students' preferences for academic advising.
Journal of College Student Development, 43(1), 5–14.

Andrews, M., Andrews, D., Long, E., & Henton, J. (1987). Student characteristics as predictors of perceived academic advising needs. Journal of College Student Personnel, 28, 60–65.

Bianco-Mathis, V., & Chalofsky, N. (Eds.). (1999). Full-time faculty handbook. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Borns, R. F. (2002, May 6). Creating an academic advising training program on your campus. The Mentor: An
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Davis, J. S., & Cooper, D. L. (2001). Assessing advising style: Student perceptions of academic advisors. College
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Frost, S. H. (1991). Academic advising for student success: A system of shared responsibility. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education.

Gordon, V. N. (1992). Handbook of academic advising. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Hamrick, F. A., Evans, N. J., & Schuh, J. H. (2002). Foundations of student affairs practice: How philosophy,
theory, and research strengthen educational outcomes. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Kadar, R. S. (2001). A counseling liaison model of academic advising. Journal of College Counseling, 4(2), 174–178.

King, M. C. (1993). Advising models and delivery systems. In M. C. King (Ed.), Academic advising: Organizing and
delivering services for student success (pp. 47–54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Light, R. J. (2001). Making the most of college: Students speak their minds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Milem, J. F., Berger, J. B., & Dey, E. L. (2000). Faculty time allocation. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(4), 454–475.

Petress, K. C. (1996). The multiple roles of an undergraduate academic advisor. Education, 117, 91–92.

Raushi, T. M. (1993). Developmental academic advising. In M. C. King (Ed.), Academic advising: Organizing and
delivering services for student success (pp. 5–19). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Pascarella, E. T. & Terenzini, P. T. (1991). How college affects students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

About the Author

Holly Newell is assistant director of student activities at Salve Regina University (effective June 9). She can be
reached at holly.newell@salve.edu.