Recommendations for the IUPUI Advising Process
After some research and local studies of IUPUI undergraduate students and advisors, we have come up with 4 recommendations that we believe will aid in the advising process here at IUPUI and improve the experience for both students and advisors.
Recommendation #1: Advocating the Importance of a Four-Year Plan
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Have advisors meet up with students and explain what a Four-Year Plan looks like.
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Have the advisors and the students create the plan together so the student can ask any questions.
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The advisors will explain how to use iGPS to look over what classes are required for a student’s college career.
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Having students do this at the beginning will help free up a lot of time during the school year. Figuring out what classes to take up a lot of advisor and student time.
Recommendation #2: Improving the Relationships Between Students and Their Advisors
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Make sure the advisors are well educated with their assigned student’s major so they can answer any questions. Students will be more trusting then.
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Have advisors reach out once a month just to check in with the students to see where they are at, academically and mentally.
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Make sure to express to students that advisors are there for them and what they can help them with upfront.
Recommendation #3: Increaesing the Availability of Walk-in Advising Meetings
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Hire more advisors that are more general than super specific; these same advisors can help with eAdvising as well.
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Dedicate a certain place for students to feel welcomed as they have important, last-minute questions.
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Do not require, or even give an option, for the creation of an appointment.
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Develop an efficient system to reduce the amount of time each student is there, in hopes to get more students in and out.
Recommendation #4: requiring Advisors to Participate in Annual Training Courses
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Have advisors participate in being re-educated about their scope of advising (STEM, business, etc.).
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Have workshops to help teach them how to talk to students during meetings to make the most of their time.
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Have the school ask advisors their concerns so they can address them as a group.
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Train them so they can easily explain the key websites on One.iu that students can use.
Recommendation #5: Using of eAdvising Tools
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Have a website that students can go to so they can ask simple questions instead of having to schedule a meeting with their advisor.
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Have a section for students to update how they are feeling about their academics so advisors can see how they are feeling.
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Have it organized so students can see what their advisor's availability is on the home screen.