Advising Workshop: Evaluating Advising at VCUarts
Abbie WernerDirector of Advising, VCUarts
Agenda
• Updates– Transfer credits for current students– UAC webinar series– Financial aid issues– Arts Honors advising– Pre-orientation advising
• Suggestions for evaluation of advisor performance
Advising Goals
• Provide comprehensive developmental advising
• Meet student expectations for advising supports and advisor performance
• Ensure advisor competence in both student development and academic tracking areas
• Fill advising gaps with central support
Strengths
• Human resources• Mentorship advising• Timing of leadership change• Potential for connection with VCU advising
resources (advisor development, technology integration)
Challenges• Disparate advising structure• No reward for good advising• No unifying mission for advising • No stated outcomes for advisors • Lack of accountability for advising delivery
Advising Evaluation – Immediate Goal
• Work with VCUarts advisors to develop advisor evaluation tool for use by all advisors at VCUarts
• Purpose is to provide a guide for on-going advisor training & development
• Use to identify areas for greater effort/ resources
• Not punitive• Not tied to formalized performance reviews
Advising ApproachPrescriptive Advising Developmental Advising
Ability Focus on limitations of student
Focus on potential of student
Motivation Students are passive recipients of information
Students are active seekers of knowledge & opportunity
Control Advisor is the authority and holds all control
Advisor and student have shared responsibility
Trust Low level of trust High level of trust
Goal Goal is graduation Goal is development of the student
Retention Studies
• Developmental advising impacts– Student satisfaction– Academic & career decision making– Utilization of campus resources– Student-faculty contact and communication– Student mentoring
Student Development
• First year – adjustment • Second year – commitment• Third year –responsibility• Fourth year – independence
Academic Tracking
• Bulletin year• Transcript review• Honors and Art Honors• Double majors/minors• Study abroad• Academic v. financial aid requirements
Evaluating Advising: Issues
• How are advisors currently evaluated?• Should we use established tools for advising
evaluation or develop new tools?• How is advising in the arts unique?• Should we focus on process or mentorship or
both?• How can we encourage participation by all
advisors and departments?
Suggested Evaluation Areas
• Awareness of student development issues• Interpretation of University policy• Understanding of field of study• Clarity of advising materials• Use of technology in advising • Alignment of shared advising responsibilities
Advisor Evaluation Resources
• Article:– Developing a New Evaluation Tool for Advisors: Fr
om Conception to Implementation • Academic Advising Inventory:– http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Portals/0/Clearingho
use/links/documents/AAI-Inventory-Master.pdf• ACT Survey of Academic Advising– https://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/
droptables/AllInstitutions.pdf• NACADA:– NACADA Clearninghouse Resources
Example of Evaluation Tool
• Students Grade Their Professors: An Evaluation of a College's Faculty Advising by its Graduating Seniors– Evaluation of faculty advising using student survey.– Suggestions for improvement come directly from
results. – See:http
://dus.psu.edu/mentor/old/articles/060901rl.htm
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