" If good advising is to be considered in the faculty-reward process, clearly defined expectations must be in place. Ideally, such expectations need to be established and reviewed by the major participants in the process: faculty, the staff supporting advising, and students. They need to be included in the faculty handbook and available on the institutional web site. The most basic statement of expectation should be found in an institutional advising mission statement. "

Tomorrow's Professor Msg.#531 Establishing Clear Expectations for Advising

Folks:

The posting below looks at faculty advising of students and how to make it a successful, and rewarded, part of your academic duties. It is from CHAPTER 4: Expectations and Training of Faculty Advisors, by Faye Vowell and Phillip J. Farren in Faculty Advising Examined Enhancing the Potential of College Faculty as Advisors, Gary L. Kramer, editor, Brigham Young University. Copyright © 2003 by Anker Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Anker Publishing Company, Inc., 176 Ballville Road, P.O. Box 249, Bolton, MA 01740-0249 USA <www.ankerpub.com> Reprinted with permission.

Regards,

Rick Reis
reis@stanford.edu

UP NEXT: Standardized Testing

Tomorrow's Academic Careers

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ESTABLISHING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FOR ADVISING

If good advising is to be considered in the faculty-reward process, clearly defined expectations must be in place. Ideally, such expectations need to be established and reviewed by the major participants in the process: faculty, the staff supporting advising, and students. They need to be included in the faculty handbook and available on the institutional web site. The most basic statement of expectation should be found in an institutional advising mission statement. Mission statements vary by the kind, type, history, and culture of an institution. The following examples show the similarities and differences among mission statements for a number of different schools.

Aims Community College offers the following institutional philosophy statement and accompanying institutional goals for academic advising:

Academic advising exists to help students gain the maximum educational and personal benefits from Aims Community College. The advisor facilitates the development of these benefits by knowing the resources of the institution, by understanding the needs and goals of individuals, and by bringing these elements together in the development of meaningful educational plans.

Institutional Goals of Advising
1) To assist students in their consideration and clarification of educational goals.
2) To assist students in developing an educations plan, college program, and selection of courses consistent with the student's goals and objectives.
3) To provide accurate information about institutional policies, procedures, resources, and programs.
4) To assist students in evaluation or re-evaluation of progress toward established goals and educational plans.
5) To involve all faculty in student advising.
6) To make referrals to resources within and out of the college as appropriate.
7) To empower and encourage students to be self-directed learners. (Aims Community College, 2002)

Hamilton College, a liberal arts college, defines expectations for advising in the following language:

Academic advising is one of the many ways in which students engage with faculty on an individual basis. Advisors and advisees work together to craft a unique, individual academic plan based upon each student's strengths, weaknesses, and goals. The College views the advising relationship as an on-going conversation that transcends mere course selection and attempts to assist students as they explore the breadth of the liberal arts curriculum, experience college life, focus on a major concentration, and prepare for life after college. (Hamilton College, 2002).

Syracuse University, a research institution, has the following expectations in regard to advising:

Academic advising is an essential part of a Syracuse University education. The University is committed to providing the individual advice and assistance that students need at every step throughout their degree programs. A successful system of academic advising is highly dependent upon a shared commitment of students, faculty and staff to the process and the availability of timely, accurate information. (Syracuse University, 2002)

The final example is from Western New Mexico University, a four-year, public, comprehensive institution. A faculty committee crafted the mission statement and definition of advising which they then shared with the faculty as a whole to offer them a chance to comment and react.

Academic Advising Mission Statement

The mission of academic advising is to assist students in relating their needs, values, abilities, and goals to the educational programs of the University. In support of the University's mission statement, academic advising recognizes the need to address the diverse cultural and academic background of its students, while promoting academic excellence. Successful advising contributes to a significant goal of a college education-developing mature and self-directed students, capable of thinking, judging, and making appropriate decisions.

Definition of Successful Advising

Academic advising goes beyond the clerical functions of scheduling classes and preparing degree plans. Good academic advising assists students in clarifying personal and career goals, developing consistent educational goals, and evaluating their progress toward established goals. Academic advising utilizes the resources of the University and refers students to the appropriate academic support services. It is a decision-making process in which the sharing of information between student and advisor promotes responsible and appropriate choices and facilitates a successful academic experience. (Western New Mexico University, 2002c)

For advising to be considered a major factor in the promotion, tenure, and merit pay process, it should be accorded a weight equal to that given to teaching or research. Requirements for documenting advising success will vary according to the history and culture of the institution. But the expectations should be stated as clearly as possible so that advising administrators can construct training that will enable faculty advisors to meet them.

The following example of an attempt to clarify expectations for promotion and tenure comes from Western New Mexico University. At this institution, the annual faculty evaluation process included various elements. Every spring each academic department establishes goals and objectives for the next year within the context of the school's goals and objectives. Early each fall, faculty members establish goals and objectives in five areas: teaching, advising, scholarly and creative activity, professional contributions, and personal relationships. Then the chair meet twice that year with faculty to review progress toward meeting these goals. This evaluation process included a discussion of progress toward tenure and promotion for untenured faculty members.

A group of faculty met and brainstormed the following expectations for faculty in relation to tenure and promotion. This list, shared broadly with faculty through email and the institutional intranet, is discussed and refined annually. The guiding purpose of this activity was to help faculty see how expectations increase and roles change with different ranks and years of service and to establish a minimum expectation for attaining tenure. The expectations for tenure and for assistant professor should be viewed together since most faculty are hired as assistant professors. The expectations listed for assistant, associate, and full professors assume that earlier expectations continue, so only new expectations are given.

Expectations for Tenure

_ Know advisees both personally and in terms of institutional demographics,
_ Understand the kinds of challenges and problems faced by these students.
_ Keep good advising records.
_ Know how to use the student information system for advising.
_ Demonstrate basic knowledge of general-education and major requirements.
_ Demonstrate knowledge of all majors within the department.
_ Establish a track record of successful advising.
_ Demonstrate awareness of the professional qualities graduates need for success in a field.
_ Make progress toward mastery of advising as demonstrated in the annual evaluation process.

Expectations for Assistant Professor Rank

_ Demonstrate an interest in mentoring students.
_ Establish rapport with students.
_ Be active in retention efforts.
_ Attend advisor-training sessions.
_ Advise undergraduate students.
_ Direct students in majors appropriately.
_ Follow all university policies and procedures in regard to advising.
_ Understand the emerging needs of the field and communicate them to advisees .
_ Be knowledgeable about and use campus support services.

Expectations for Associate Professor Rank

_ Demonstrate more experience and maturity in mentoring.
_ Attend advisor-training sessions and help deliver training.
_ Advise students on issues after graduation-work or graduate school.
_ Effectively facilitate student decision making.
_ Create degree plans focusing on student needs.

Expectations for Professor Rank

_ Demonstrate mastery of mentoring process.
_ Work toward building collaboration among students in the major.
_ Conduct advisor-training session, help organizing training, attend training sessions.
_ Demonstrate competence in helping students reach their goals.
_ Exhibit few advising errors.
_ Share expertise with junior faculty.
_ Be actively involved in advising both students and faculty.
_ Identify improvement needed to departmental and institutional policies and procedures.
_ Direct graduate programs.
_ Demonstrate knowledge of degree plans across departments.
_ Answer colleagues' questions on advising issues.
_ Assist with difficult advising situations.
_ Know the major and work to shape it appropriately.
_ Look to the future and imagine.
(Western New Mexico University, 2002d)

Clearly delineating expectations for faculty at different stages in their tenure track will help faculty and administrators set benchmarks and goals for faculty advising.

-------------------------------- References

Aims Community College. (2002a). Aims Community College academic advising institutional philosophy statement. In Academic advising summer institute 2002 session guide (pp. 139-146). Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association.

Aims Community College. (2002b). Edu 206a: Introduction to the process and techniques of academic advising. In Academic advising summer institute 2002 session guide (pp. 139-146).

Hamilton College. (2002). Academic advising at Hamilton College. Handout at the American Association for Higher Education Conference on Faculty Roles and Rewards, Phoenix, AZ.

Syracuse University. (2002). Syracuse University statement on academic advising. Handout at the American Association for Higher Education Conference on Faculty Roles and Rewards, Phoenix, AZ.

Western New Mexico University. (2002c). Western New Mexico University academic advising mission statement. Handout at the American Association for Higher Education Conference on Faculty Roles and Rewards, Phoenix, AZ.

Western New Mexico University. (2002d). Western New Mexico University expectations for promotion and tenure. Handout at the American Association for Higher Education Conference on Faculty Roles and Rewards, Phoenix, AZ.

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