Introduction
Advising is more than just scheduling classes. Academic advising can profoundly affect how students experience college. The open and caring relationship that develops through good advising helps students identify educational plans that match their life goals, increases students' satisfaction, enhances the intellectual environment of the campus, and results in greater student retention. Conversely, poor academic advising can lead to student frustration, wasted money, increased time toward graduation and, unfortunately, student withdrawal. According to Don Cramer (2000), "Advising is a developmental function; it is teaching in out-of-class settings to promote student learning and personal development" (p. 20). As such, advising is central to the learning and teaching environment in higher education.
Unlike some institutions with centralized advising centers that employ faculty or professional advisors to fulfill the advising function, Shippensburg University recognizes the unique perspectives and special abilities that faculty bring to the advising process. Therefore, as noted in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Shippensburg University faculty carry the primary responsibility for advising students who are enrolled in majors within their academic departments. The individual departments develop procedures for making advisor/advisee assignments. Volunteer faculty, staff, and administrators who work in cooperation with the Division of Undeclared Majors advise students who enter the institution with an undeclared status.
At Shippensburg University, the Advisor Development and Resource Team supports academic advising. The Team is chaired by the Dean of the School of Academic Programs and Services and is composed of experienced faculty and administrators who are charged with the responsibility of promoting quality advising campus-wide and creating programs and services that assist faculty in their advising role. The Team, which meets once each semester, produces materials that help increase awareness of the importance of academic advising. In addition, it sponsors advisor development workshops and activities every semester to help faculty develop the skills and competencies they need to be effective advisors.
This Advisor Development Manual is a product of the Advisor Development and Resource Team's efforts. It describes the advising process and the role of the advisor, lists necessary advising skills, shares advising hints and techniques, summarizes resources, discusses current academic advising issues, and provides resources for further study. In short, it helps advisors at Shippensburg know what they need to know to be effective. The manual is selective rather than comprehensive and should be used in conjunction with the University catalog, the Swataney, the Guidebook for Advising Undergraduate Students, and the University's website.
The Advisor Development and Resource Team members hope that you find this manual a useful advising tool. To promote regular use and to prevent it from becoming obsolete too quickly, it is produced as a three-hole punch document. You may keep it in a binder and, periodically, you will receive new sections to be added or replacements for existing pages.
If you have any suggestions or comments that will improve this manual or the advising services at Shippensburg University, please feel free to contact me or any member of the Advisor Development and Resource Team.
Dr. Marian B. Schultz Dean, School of Academic Programs and Services
Chair, Advisor Development and Resource Team
