Mission/Goals
.good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience. ~ Richard J. Light, Harvard University
The American College Testing Program (ACT) defines academic advising as "... a developmental process which assists students in the clarification of their life/career goals and in the development of educational plans for the realization of these goals. It is a decision-making process by which students realize their maximum educational potential through communication and information exchanges with an advisor; it is ongoing, multifaceted, and the responsibility of both student and the advisor."
The advisor development program at Shippensburg University is modeled after the standards and guidelines established by the National ACademic ADvising Association's (NACADA) Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS). Research has repeatedly shown that a good academic advising program leads directly to increased student satisfaction and retention. To this end, the mission of the Academic Advising/Advisor Development Program is twofold:1) to educate students about the benefits of academic advising and their role in the process; and 2) to ensure that the faculty advisors at Shippensburg have the training they need to be effective advisors and to provide them with access to timely and accurate information that supports their advising function.
Advisors:
- Know the requirements of the General Education Program as well as the general requirements within each major;
- Enhance students' collegiate experience;
- Refer students to campus resources to help with problems; and
- Save students from wasting time, effort, and/or money.
Good academic advising involves more than just scheduling classes. Advisors are people who help students realize their full potential by helping them establish important career, personal, and life goals. Advising, therefore, is a developmental, not a prescriptive, process. Advisors ask questions and encourage reflection and self-exploration.
