What are the Characteristics of a Good Adviser?

Few experiences in students’ postsecondary careers have as much potential for influencing their development as does academic advising. The development of effective advising skills, as well as the development of effective teaching skills, are essential roles of Berea College’s faculty. The College’s advising system has been designed as an extension of faculty teaching responsibility because good advising develops students’ abilities to make good choices, think critically, and set goals in their own best interest.

Some of the greatest indicators for success among students are:

• involvement in extracurricular activities and
• development of a meaningful relationship with a representative of the College.

In many instances, the adviser may be the College representative who makes the difference in the success of the student.

Recognizing faculty diversity in approaches to both teaching and advising, it is difficult to prescribe specific adviser behaviors or procedures. However, the National ACademic ADvising Association (NACADA) has developed a core list of best practices that have proven helpful to both new and experienced advisers. The following list  NACADA’s best practices has been adapted to meet the needs of Berea College advisers and advisees.

1. Keep regularly scheduled and posted office hours and encourage regular contact with your advisee.
2. Increase office hours just preceding and during registration periods. Notify your advisees in writing (e-mail is acceptable) of any special office hours and of your expectations for the advisee’s preparation prior to the advising session.
3. Have current information available during advising sessions (e.g., College Catalog, Adviser Guide, Schedule of Classes, Short Term Catalog, the student’s advising folder, and Student Handbook, when needed).
4. Develop a broad knowledge of the institution so you can refer students to the appropriate office or individual, if necessary. When you refer students to other campus offices, try to provide room/building and phone numbers. If in doubt about which office or person can help best, call ahead. This can prevent students from feeling they are getting the runaround. [See Adviser’s Referral Guide. Also, the Web site for Berea College’s Center for Learning, Teaching, Communication, and Research at http://www.berea.edu/cltcr provides valuable information for helping students succeed at college.]
5. Keep a file on each advisee. [See Record Keeping information.]
6. Use the new myBerea Web portal (which should be accessible for faculty by September) for advising. This will give you a list of current advisees’ contact information at the touch of a button, as well as other new features. It also will be the way you access the Berea Online Neighborhood (BONd) system, which can help you determine closed classes, find information on advisees and their schedules, help them explore “what-if” scenarios for degree exploration, and help you and your advisees track Satisfactory Academic Progress and to check the accuracy of College records using the Degree Evaluation tool. [See Appendix A-1 and A-2.]
7. Assist advisee in recognizing his or her own responsibilities for curricular planning and other academic choices. Any students experiencing academic difficulty may elect to enroll in GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success.
8. Communicate your desire to help the advisee succeed.
9. Recognize and adjust to special circumstances of the student, e.g., handicapping conditions; academic, convocation, social, or labor probation; social or financial needs; etc.
10. Take time to explain College policies and procedures when asked or as needed. Please refer to and encourage your advisees to refer to the Student Handbook, the College Catalog, and the “Students Guide to Academic Advising.”
11. Join the advisee in attending probation meetings that may be called by various administrative offices to deal with a variety of problems the student might be experiencing. During the term of probation, students who have not completed GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success previously must enroll in and successfully complete GST 101 (.25 credit). Failure to complete GST 101 successfully while on probation will negatively influence a future enrollment decision for a student who remains in academic difficulty. Students wishing to be excused from this requirement may submit the GST 101 Waiver form to the Director of Academic Services.
12. Work proactively with the advisee who is having academic difficulty, making certain that appropriate campus offices and instructors are contacted when necessary and that the advisee is aware of the free peer consulting services available to them in many disciplines on campus. You also should encourage students to make use of the Center for Learning, Teaching, Communication, and Research (106 Draper), which offers peer consulting, numerous tip sheets for students, workshops, and a very helpful Web site at www.berea.edu/clctr.
13. Meet with advisees at least twice during their first term. At 3-4 weeks, the Early Feedback reports will be available for you to review with your advisees. When midterm grades are available, you can meet again to discuss challenges and successes. This second meeting could be combined conveniently with preparation for Short Term and Spring Term registration.
14. Meet with groups of advisees, when appropriate.
15. Emphasize the concept of balance as students begin campus life in the Fall (or Spring, for transfer students).