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 Absolutely NOT! While in theory, this idea sounds great, the real world does not operate like this. Students need to learn how to deal with others that are not like them. Hopefully, advisers have the necessary skills to work effectively with students of all backgrounds, so that it should not matter, if the student is willing to use the services available to them.I suppose also, my answer may vary, depending on the mission of each institution and how that mission is achieved. At my school, my above answer stands true, however, if I advised at a smaller school . . . perhaps I might think otherwise . . . for purposes of student success and well-being. With three advisers and 1450 students, there is NO WAY students could be matched on anything other than the alphabet! ~ Kara E. Lattimer, Virginia Tech, April 4, 2005 I don't even think it sounds great in theory. Didn't the counseling profession settle this matter years ago? If we and our preparation programs work toward the goal of multicultural competency, that's the best answer.I was going to ignore this item until Jason walked up to me in the hall yesterday. Except for both being male, we're as different as we could be. Me: European ancestry, Jewish, “old” in student eyes, upper middle class, openly gay, grown up “preppie” wardrobe. Jason: African ancestry, Protestant, traditional-aged undergraduate student, streetwise, heterosexual, “doo rag” always on his head. But Jason aspires to a career in law enforcement. His dream would be to work as an FBI agent. In doing his career research, he's discovered that he has to be “of good character,” and he chose me to ask what that means. When I asked why, he reminded me of a session in the Writing Center last semester when he felt like I leveled with him about my own opinions and spoke “the truth” about how race operates on campus. This is shared not to trumpet my qualities as an adviser but as an example of how the important thing is to connect with students in an authentic way rather than to do some kind of demographic matching. What happened to the ideas of “challenge” and “support”? We need to challenge our students to emerge from their comfort zones and reciprocate by being ready to support them with multiculturally competent responses. ~ Marc A. Kaplan, Marygrove College & Wayne State University, April 5, 2005 From an advising administrators point of view—this would be very difficult to manage. When students do not like their adviser they simply do not visit them or request a new adviser. I make changes regularly at student's request.~ Steven Stolar, Cumberland County College, April 5, 2005 I do not believe that a match based on “likeness” should be dictated/mandated. If a student is “comfortable” or chooses to work with an adviser over another should it matter as long as the student comes to an adviser and is receiving the best that we have to offer as professionals.~ Michelle Adams, Wilbur Wright College, April 8, 2005 However you measure “like them” you will end up basing matches on characteristics that are in most cases not central to the identities of the student. The best way is to match students up with someone who will best inform them and inspire them for their educational goals.~ Michael Cornelius, Scottsdale Community College, April 19, 2005 It depends on how we are defining “like them.” I think students (particularly those in the helping profession) should be able to work with all people. Speaking from experience, those advisers that seemed opposite of me were the most impressionable. We all have something constructive to learn from each other.~ Delila Owens, Wayne State University, May 2, 2005 The Mentor is published by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies Available online at www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved | |
