There are a number of reasons why a university would want to change its advising culture. With advising practices linked to retention, student engagement, and first destinations, robust advising is increasingly being viewed as a panacea to many student support issues.
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Procrastination, a challenge faced by many students (and perhaps a few advisors), demands a nuanced approach. Students’ lifelong journeys as empowered learners can benefit from grappling realistically with procrastination in college.
It is no secret that parental involvement in higher education has increased in recent years. College administrators working in the 21st century note the shift of working with parents from being a sporadic event to a daily occurrence. Although much has been reported on the rise of parental involvement in higher education within the past fifteen years, little has been written on articulating the educational system’s role in this evolution. In this article, the authors examine some key factors that have created the emergence of the helicopter parent and how post-secondary educators need to better strategize to improve and utilize their relationships with highly involved families.
Developing a roadmap for the first year of college is a tool many universities have created as a visual representation of the important transitions, milestones, experiences, knowledge, and skills that students are expected to gain during year one. The hope is that this roadmap will guide students throughout their college careers so they are prepared when they move on to the next transition.
Two advisors discuss the quest to bridge the way students and their information are handed off between departments and advisors.
The number of veteran students and veteran dependents has become more apparent within advisee caseloads. These students come to our universities with rich life experiences, some being unique to the military. They often bring great leadership skills that can benefit any campus community. The author shares some lessons he has learned from working with this uniquely resilient population.
Research has shown that when there is a lack of connection between students and their professors, the students often feels disengaged, disconnected, and unmotivated. The authors examine some of the issues that hinder faculty mentoring and provide some suggestions for how advisors can promote the faculty/student relationship.
Graduate program faculty and staff advisors are an integral part of student success at the master’s and doctoral levels. The purpose of this article is to provide graduate student advisors with three specific strategies for positively influencing graduate students’ progress towards graduation: setting clear expectations, having periodic progress meetings with students, and serving as advocates for students.
Working in advising can be tough. Sometimes it’s good to hit the “refresh” button to motivate continued progress in one’s own professional career. At the NACADA Summer Institute, the author found inspiration as well as opportunities for learning and networking. The weeklong experience is something she will never forget.
