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