Budgetary reductions and constraints; Dealing with technological change; Understanding and implementing assessment strategies; Accommodating students with disabilities; Increased role of advising in retention; Changing student demographics; Institutional recognition for advising; Providing for professional development needs of staff; Encouraging and rewarding faculty participation in advising.
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As you can see, there are exciting things happening within our association. Many people all over the country are contributing to the development of new programs that will enhance your profession and your professional development opportunities. I thank them all. Their energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Come to Salt Lake City in late September and share in our excitement. We know that being there will 'light the fire within!'
This is always a busy time of the year for us, but with the arrival of Charlie Nutt as Associate Director, things are really hopping! We received 382 presentation proposals for the National Conference in Salt Lake City and 336 have been accepted for presentation! The topics are wide-ranging and will provide an excellent program in addition to the wonderful venue provided by Salt Lake City. Thanks to all the proposal readers and evaluators for their efforts in selecting the presentations. Las Vegas (Paris and Ballys Hotels) has been selected to host the 2005 NACADA National Conference. Sites in the Midwest and East are currently bidding to host the 2006 conference.
Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) is the third largest of the 16 colleges of the Wisconsin Technical College System and offers 70 technical diploma and associate degree programs. FVTC's advising program grew out of a 1992 Counselor Task Force report that described a developmental model for advising and counseling. Faculty advising was initiated in 1996 as a result of an administrative effort to improve student retention.
Academic advisors are often positioned to address the holistic needs of students. As such, their role in promoting student success is key. However, in order to be most effective, the role of the advisor must be purposeful and intrusive. Advisors at University College, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), work in collaboration with other campus partners to provide a comprehensive set of programmatic activities that provide on-going support and interventions through the first semester of enrollment. Additionally, intensive advisor interaction with students allows for the continuous development of an inclusive profile of each student that promotes on-going advising that meets each students individual needs.
Quality advising is so much more than knowing curriculum requirements or being able to recite institutional policies and procedures. It involves a personal touch, the ability to put a face on the institution for students. True quality advising requires the advisor to be human, not bureaucratic. I would like to think that my students view my office as a safe haven. It is a place where they can come for what we think of as typical advising services such as major exploration and course scheduling, but also to share accomplishments, concerns and frustrations, and to seek advice on things outside the confines of their academic lives.
A student walks into my class the first day of class and sits down. The class starts, and I begin reading names off my roster. I ask four questions of each student. I ask where they are from, what activity they are involved in on campus, if they are on a certain scholarship, and whom their advisor is. The last question usually answered by, 'I don't have an advisor.' This is where the relationship between teaching and advising comes together....
The election of NACADA leadership positions for terms beginning in October 2002 began in January when ballots were mailed to all NACADA members. The positions for which candidates were seeking election included Board of Directors members, Regional Chairs, and Commission Chairs. The election process for these positions concluded in mid-February after all valid votes were tallied.
When we think of adult learners and how to approach them as admissions counselors, program advisors and instructors, several aspects of their adult status usually come to mind. Among these are the fact that adults play multiple roles in their lives, that they often have anxiety about returning to school and that many times they are experiencing some sort of life transition at the time they decide to return to school. One characteristic of current and prospective adult students that is often overlooked, particularly by the administration, is the fact that they are consumers and are generally looking for the most out of their time and money.
As you consider where you are and what your professional development needs are, I hope you will share your ideas. If you have a need, I know that there are many others within NACADA that have that same need. Together we can make a difference. We are limited only by our ideas. I have lots of those, as I am sure you do as well... please let me know what they are.
