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The role of the academic adviser in a public university
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the role of academic advisers at a large, public, research university from the point of view of academic advisers. The research questions were focused on academic advisers, what they did and how they spent their time. The study was a qualitative, descriptive design using ethnographic interviewing techniques. The informants were 16 professional and faculty advisers purposefully selected at a single, large research university. The interviews were conducted between July, 1996 and April, 1997, in the informants' offices. Interview notes were made and transcribed. Descriptive notes of their offices were also made and advising handouts used by the advisers were collected. The data analysis began after the first interview and continued throughout the process of writing. Steps were taken within the study to strengthen the internal accuracy, its applicability to another setting, and its replicability. In the literature review, the following topics were identified: advising theory, advising delivery systems and programs, types of advisers, advising different types of students, evaluation and perceptions of advising, and the role of advisers. The conclusions from this study both supported and did not support the conclusions found in other research. The findings supported developmental academic advising theory and theory describing different types of advising. In addition, consistent with the research, this study found that academic advisers helped students plan their programs of study, provided information, solved problems and personalized the university for students. They mainly helped students in academic and career areas, but also helped them with personal problems. They enjoyed being academic advisers but thought that their work was unrecognized and under appreciated. Not found in the literature, the advisers in this study reported that they acted as advocates for students. The study resulted in recommendations to improve academic advising, to benefit universities, to continue research, and to benefit the profession.
Subject Area
Higher education|Academic guidance counseling
Recommended Citation
Kopera, Anne Therese, "The role of the academic adviser in a public university" (1998). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9826089.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9826089