Royal Purple

Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Seth Anderson

There are many schools of thought regarding the value and function of academic advising.
Philosophy aside, it's all but certain all continuing students at UW-Whitewater must see an adviser prior to registering for next semester's classes.

Declared students who have switched majors, however, often must adapt to more than just a significant shift in curriculum-more than likely, the adviser and advising process will be unfamiliar.

This raises the issue: what creates the differing advising processes across individual colleges and, more specifically, departments?

For example, according to a 2009 advising newsletter, students in the College of Business and Economics with more than 24 credits but less than 54 credits must choose a one-on-one, appointment-based meeting with an adviser or opt for a one-hour group advising session.

Once a College of Business and Economics major has 54 or more credits, they must choose either a group session or an online session. The online session is followed up with a quiz to ensure comprehension. Students may still see an adviser one on one, though this is only after completion of a group or online session.

The system is starkly different for communications majors. In order to register for classes, students with less than 60 credits can choose between a group session or what is often referred to as "marathon" advising, where a large group of students and a several advisers meet in a lecture hall, seemingly with the object of getting through advising as quickly as possible. Communications majors with more than 60 credits have no option other than marathon advising.

This all has the potential to confuse students, not to mention it calls into question the importance of advising itself.

The university, in placing a hold on next semester's class registration that can only be removed in a timely manner by attending an advising session of some sort, sends the signal that advising is critical.

However, marathon advising in the communications department seems to send a different message. If advising is so critical, why try to push students through as quickly as possible?

The advising center's homepage indicates advising "is the most effective when it is viewed as an on-going process in which students and advisers work as partners. Ultimately, students have the responsibility for their own educational plans and for monitoring all requirements for graduation."

Where does this partnership exist for College of Business and Economics students exercising the online option, or communications students compelled to attend marathon advising?

One Royal Purple editor noticed a glaring problem on her advising report that without action would have taken her off track for graduation. This was after a marathon advising session where the error should have been caught.

It could be reasoned individual colleges tailor advising programs specifically to their majors. However, this autonomy sets the stage for the kinds of problems from which a more thoughtful, uniform system might not suffer.

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