Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) play a pivotal role in advancing educational opportunities for Latino students in the United States. While the primary function of HSIs is to enroll Latino students, their true essence lies in their commitment to "servingness"—an intentional and holistic approach to supporting students' academic, personal, and cultural growth. This article explores how HSIs leverage academic advising as a strategic tool to embody servingness and intentionality. By fostering familial connections, promoting student learning and growth, and enhancing students' sense of belonging, advising at HSIs is tailored to meet the unique needs of Latino students. The discussion underscores the importance of culturally responsive advising practices and highlights the need for ongoing innovation and professional development to ensure that HSIs continue to lead in serving Latino students effectively.
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During the COVID pandemic academic advisors were forced to re-create their roles with students in virtual spaces, relying on technology (Zoom, Meet, etc.) to do so. While the immediate concern at the time was to shift from in-person advising (IPA) to remote academic advising (RAA), it was hard to imagine remote advising as something that could rival in-person appointments. Many advisors might say this is still the case, however, there may be one tool in particular - the zoom whiteboard - that can aid advisors in revisioning the virtual space to better equalize the IPA vs RAA playing field.
Quality advising plays an important role in supporting retention and graduation initiatives, but turnover among academic advisors is higher than for other university staff positions (Brantley & Shomaker, 2021; Elliott, 2020). Given high advisor turnover and the central role academic advisors play in supporting student success, there is a need to explore why advisors leave the profession and what institutions might do to retain them. Fifty-six former academic advisors completed a survey regarding the reasons they left the profession. The top two reasons advisors left the profession were low pay and a desire for a better work environment. Based on the survey results, the authors make recommendations to institutions on how to retain advisors.
Academic advisors have the unique opportunity to assist new students as they transition to higher education. Thus, it is important for an academic advisor to be equipped with an abundance of resources in their toolbox pertaining to student success. This article shares some examples of topics and action items advisors can share with new students to help them on their road to success.
The “cafeteria model” of course selection and academic planning has long been a tradition in higher education and can complicate the advising experience. The cafeteria model is meant to offer students choice, but it can also lead to excess credit accumulation, longer time to completion, and negative outcomes for students. Harrisburg Area Community College has demonstrated positive outcomes by deconstructing the cafeteria model in favor of a more focused and intentional model of educational planning that builds relationships - student-to-advisor as well as colleague-to-colleague.
The goal of this paper is to learn about the professional competencies of academic advisors with doctorates. To gather information, an IRB-approved survey was distributed through the NACADA listserv and collected responses from 430 advisors, including 73 with doctorates. Responses illustrated that advisors with doctoral degrees surpass the standards for academic advising detailed in NACADA’s core competencies. And yet, survey results also revealed hesitancy and misconceptions around hiring advisors with doctorates.
Quality faculty advising is often noted as vital and critical to student success. However, most institutions are not assessing the quality of faculty advising. In fact, when faculty advising is assessed it is often limited, including only quantitative surveys of student satisfaction. Moreover, when assessment occurs it is not typically intended to improve faculty advising and it is not typically used in formal reviews of faculty performance (e.g., tenure). Meaningful and comprehensive assessment is key to quality advising that supports student success. This brief review of the research literature on assessment of faculty advising, identified areas for improvement in practice and policy. Institutions of higher education, professional associations, unions, and accrediting bodies all play a role in improving and/or maintaining quality faculty advising through setting expectations for advising and outlining best practice for assessment.
The NACADA Pillar Documents and the NACADA EAA 9 Conditions of Excellence are frameworks that set benchmarks for institutional academic advising practices. Together, these guidelines and standards contribute to the professionalization and improvement of academic advising in higher education. This article compares these frameworks and places them within the Educational Advisory Board’s (EAB) Student Needs Hierarchy to demonstrate the contribution of academic advising to students’ overall success and well-being.
This paper addresses the imperative role of academic advisors in advancing social justice within academia, focusing on the support of Indigenous students in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). The study examines the historical marginalization of Indigenous students at PWIs, uncovering stereotypes and cultural insensitivity impacting retention. Strategies to address biases, engage with Indigenous communities, and pursue self-education are presented. Despite anti-DEI laws, the authors advocate for an equity-minded approach, emphasizing advisors' pivotal position in fostering a sense of belonging for Indigenous students and contributing to transformative structural changes for a more inclusive academic environment.
There is a gap in the academic advising literature related to advising strategies for students in teacher preparation programs. The authors who serve as advising supervisors and academic advisors to future teachers offer recommendations designed to combat common challenges in these programs. In this discussion, advising strategies are offered to help advisors manage program complexities, recruit and retain BIPOC students, and help students overcome significant barriers to degree completion and licensure.
