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 In the “Peanuts” comic strip, Lucy's advice was worth five cents. Now, I don't know if that price was per minute or per hour, but the girl did know the value of her wisdom.Attempting to quantify what we do as advisers will require that we all agree on a set standard of responsibilities and outcomes. Worse, it will require that we all agree to do the same thing. This is not difficult if you are a podiatrist or an oral surgeon, or if you are an attorney or a tax accountant. I do not expect my podiatrist to tell me I need a root canal nor do I expect my tax accountant to draw up my will. However, everyone expects an academic adviser to be all things to all students. An effective academic adviser meeting with a student will not only discuss the curriculum of the student's chosen major but will often be expected to help with exploring other majors; assist with financial aid questions; help with job placement; advise on roommate problems; diagnose emotional problems and refer the student for help; answer questions about registration, tutoring, class requirements, and even child care. Does the adviser say, “That'll be $50 for the curriculum advice, $25 for the financial aid help, and $70 for the career placement service. I'll throw in the emotional diagnosis for free if you'll just leave my office”? Not usually. Those who are pushing to quantify academia—especially a profession such as academic advising—have the mentality that everything has a price and that all people with the same job title do the same things. They see only black and white—no gray; they see no nuance in the world. They think producing a college graduate is identical to making a widget. Throw in the raw material, push the buttons, and a box of widgets rolls out the door. When they talk about “value-added” they assume everyone's value is the same, and I don't think many of us in the academic world are addle-minded enough to believe that. On days when students are lined up outside my door, people sometimes tell me I'd make more money if I set up an office across the street from campus and charge by the hour for my services. They mean it as a compliment, but if my services were quantified in such a way, I know I would short-change those who need the most help. The complications of individual situations dictate whether I need to spend ten minutes with one student and an hour and ten minutes with another. Hmmmmmmmmm. Maybe I'll just put a tip jar on my desk. ~ Phyllis Mendenhall, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, September 18, 2007 What is the value of academic advising . . . what an interesting question. Value to whom? To the institution? To students? To society? Each entity will find and interpret their own value to academic advising.To a competent adviser, value is found in the successful outcomes of the student's progression through their academic career. To the student, value is found from the guidance and knowledge given to them by an adviser. The student may not always know or appreciate the wisdom of the adviser. But, in a perfect world, that appreciation comes later in their academic career and upon the student's reflection of their university/college experience. To society, value may be found when a student pays forward the nurturing and guidance shown to them from an adviser as they prepare the “next” generation of students for college study. The value of academic advising cannot be measured in monetary terms nor quantified by numbers. It is impossible to place a numeric value on advising. The outcome of an advising experience, whether good or bad, can have a significant effect on the student's experience and satisfaction. Its true value will mean different things to different people. I see the value and impact of advising to be at the heart of an institution. I believe it directly correlates to the success, engagement, and most importantly satisfaction of the student. Without good, strong advising it is difficult for the institution to make a strong, personal connection to a student. A strong, personal connection to a student becomes vital in recruitment, retention, and alumni support. The value of advising is so great yet so misunderstood and often neglected. Advising is like parenting. A parent guides and nurtures a child and doesn't seek tangible rewards. A good adviser does the same thing with students. An adviser understands their guidance may not always be appreciated, just as a parent realizes that their wisdom may not always be understood by a child. When a child matures, he or she may reflect on the advice of the parent and recognize their best interests were always at heart. When a student graduates from college, they should be able to reflect on their adviser's guidance with the same likeness. ~ Trisha Nelson, Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota, September 19, 2007 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 | |
