1. Academic Advising
Team 5: Patrice Lombard, Kimberly Spaeder, Kenneth Farnsworth & Melissa Cooper Carmody The Pennsylvania State University
Hello everyone and thank you for joining us tonight. We are Team 5 – I am Patrice Lombard, also with me is [each person will say their name] Kimberly Spaeder, Kenneth Farnsworth, Melissa Cooper Carmody.
Tonight we will share some interesting details regarding academic advising with you.
First we will touch on the core values of academic advising and re-envision the core values model
We will then explore what qualifications and degrees a person who is interested in advising will need in order to be seen as a viable candidate, what competencies are important to being a successful advisor, and what a day in the life of an advisor looks like.
We will show you how the core advising values are put into practical use within our re-envisioned core values model
And lastly, we will provide you with employment data, such as average salary and employment trends.
[Click to bring up NACADA paragraph]
With that said, let’s get started [click to next slide]
“Academic advising, based in the teaching and learning mission of higher education, is a series of intentional interactions with a curriculum, a pedagogy, and a set of student learning outcomes. Academic advising synthesizes and contextualizes students’ educational experiences within the frameworks of their aspirations, abilities and lives to extend learning beyond campus boundaries and timeframes.”
– National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)

2. Academic Advising Core Values Model Re-Envisioned
Introduction
Declaration
Exposition
Current Model
Re-Envisioned Model
to individuals they advise
for involving others
to their institution
to higher education
to their educational community
for themselves and their professional practices
Advisors are Responsible
Our initial goal was to start by showing you future trends in advising approaches, but as we looked into the field it quickly became clear that there really are no new trends emerging.
So with the lack of new trends to explore, we decided to switch gears a little and focus on The Statement of Core Values of Academic Advising and the Core Values Model that is depicted in Figure 1. The heart of the statement and the model according the National Academic Advising Association, also referred to as NACADA, “provides a framework to guide professional practice and reminds advisors of their responsibilities to students, colleagues, institutions, society, and themselves” (NACADA, 2005).
The statement consists of the three independent parts shown at the top of the slide, which are:
The introduction which basically defines what value the statement has to the field,
the declaration - what advisors are responsible for in terms of the six areas within the model,
and the exposition which is the outline of how advisors fulfill each responsibility within the model.
It is important to note that although each of the three parts is sufficient in its own right NACADA believes, “the document’s richness and fullness of meaning lies in its totality” (NACADA, 2005).
Without losing the impact of the core values statement we took the current core values model and re-envisioned it as you see in Figure 2, [click to show model].
The current model creates an umbrella of support with each responsibility carrying equal weight and value.
Our model, embeds the advisor’s external responsibilities into the student-advisor relationship, which as illustrated shows how everything advisors do to better themselves professionally, to better the institutions they work at, to better their field, and to better higher education as a whole is directly related to how they satisfy the needs of the students they advise.
Later in the presentation we will take a look at how our re-envisioned core values model can be put into practical use, but now Ken will share with us the qualifications required of someone who is looking to start a career in academic advising.
Reference
NACADA. (2005). NACADA statement of core values of academic advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Web site:
Figure 1. Core Values Model. (“NACADA,” 2005)
Figure 2. Adapted from Core Values Model. (“NACADA,” 2005)

3. Qualifications Masters Degree Work Experience? Team fit?
Most Academic Advising jobs require an earned masters degree. Some of the more common areas of study for most Academic Advisors include, but certainly are not limited to: Higher Education, College Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration within Student Affairs, Counseling, Human Services as Psychology and Social Work, Secondary Education Counseling and Teaching. There are Academic Advising positions that are attainable with only a bachelors degree but they usually require a degree within the specific subject area of the advising assignment. The reason a Masters degree is so crucial, particularly a degree in Higher Education or College Student personnel, is because it teaches the “philosophical, economical and social foundation of higher education, as well as the structure of faculty governance and student affairs (nacada).” Furthermore, the content covered in these programs include a comprehensive study of student administration, theories and models of student personal, social, intellectual, vocational and moral development along with student learning outcomes and assessment (nacada). Counseling degrees include similar areas of study, such as theories of life development. A masters degree in one of these areas of study is the most logical fit if you are considering Academic Advising as a career path, however, at Penn State World Campus we have advising staff from many different backgrounds including business and the sciences.
Most all Academic Advising positions will require some related work experience. Many Advisers, including Steve Navarra, the one I interviewed for my project, have backgrounds in counseling and/or social work. After receiving his Masters Degree in Higher Education Administration Steve worked for an organization doing social work for people with disabilities. From there, he got a job at a company doing vocation counseling, career counseling and psychological assessments for individuals and local agencies. So, prior to taking his first Academic Advising position Steve had nearly 10 years of counseling and social work experience.
I also asked Steve about what he’s looking for when hiring an Academic Advisor at World Campus. Aside from the formal qualifications, and the important attributes such as the ability to work with a diverse group of students, emotional intelligence/awareness, attention to detail, and some of the other competencies that Kimberly will talk more about on later, he stressed the importance of team fit. Advising at World Campus, like most other large institutions is split up between different programs/department. When a positions opens up on a team they are hiring an Advisor that would be the best fit to that specific team. So, for example, when hiring someone to be an advisor on the business team one interview question may be: “How has your background or experience translate to students working towards a business degree?” Along with this also comes all the attributes that involve being a good team player: Being able to adapt, work well with groups and pitch in whenever and wherever help is needed.
Transition to Kimberly!
Figure 3. Boise State Advising

4. Academic Advisor Competencies: Self
Self-Assessment/Evaluation skills
Technology: advising and data systems
Knowledge of majors/curriculum
Knowledge of and relationships with people in other departments
Knowledge of academic advising research and theories (NACADA)
If you aspire to become an academic advisor, you must have an elite set of skills that permits you to interact with and assist a diverse number of students from different academic and personal backgrounds.
The first skill that one needs to be successful in this field is the ability to assess and evaluate the self. A person can improve him/herself based on their knowledge of themselves and be more successful as an advisor.
A knowledge of technology is also important. There are certain programs that advisors must use specific to the institution at which they work. There are records of every meeting to be written, data to be analyzed, and technology to be mastered, such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, among others.
Other things that an advisor should know is the curriculum, majors, and minors of the institution. They must be prepared to answer any and all questions about these subjects.
Oftentimes, students don’t just have issues with their grades. They may have issues with their financial aid, or perhaps they want to late-drop a course and it might affect their reception of financial aid or visa status. Advisors have to know people in other departments of their institution and maintain relationships with them. They may not be able to answer an advisee’s questions directly, so the solution may be to send these students to another department to receive the best help according to their situation.
Academic advising is a multidimensional field and takes its root in many different theories from many different viewpoints. It is also dynamic and never stays the same. The populations and numbers of students are changing and advisors have to follow suit. They should keep up with research in the academic advising field to learn about the latest techniques to better serve students. A good way of keeping current in the field is to join the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). It’s extremely beneficial to read all journal entries produced by NACADA and attend conferences.

5. Academic Advisor Competencies: Student
Holistic student approach
Assess students’ needs
Situational and personal factors
Sympathetic/Empathetic
Tact
Active listening
Once academic advisors have themselves in check, it is time to meet with the students. The first thing to remember is to consider the whole student (a holistic approach).
We must take into account the :
 Culture  Gender  Sexuality  Spirituality  Mental Health  Family Life  Educational/Career Goals  Skills/Values/Interests
 Socioeconomic Status  Work
of the student. Knowing in which area(s) students need help must also be combined with the knowledge of all departments within an institution so the student can receive assistance and have a better educational experience. Once the student’s needs are assessed, either the academic advisor can provide help or can refer the student to another department where someone else can help the student.
Some students may come into the office upset or angry. This is where the next three competencies come in. A successful academic advisor must be sympathetic/empathetic, tactful, and an excellent active listener.
An advisor should be sympathetic and empathetic. Sure, they are not psychologists, but they can at least “hear” the student and get them to open up. Sympathy and empathy serve as a reminder that people do care. This also creates a smooth transition for when a student may have to go to a school psychologist/counselor.
In any social situation, tact is required. An advisor must be sensitive to everything an advisee says or does. The first part of tact is reading the tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, choice of words, and subject matter. Based off of what is sensed from the advisee, the advisor can take action to say the right things without bending the truth, hurting the advisee in any way, or making the situation worse. Tact is not easily mastered, but after much experience and practice, tact can be a very useful tool.
Last, but certainly not least, is the skill of active listening. Active listening is an activity in which the listener does not give any advice. An academic advisor is one who should actively listen to the advisee’s words and story. Upon hearing the full story, the advisor will repeat a summary of what the student said, confirming that he/she was listening and that they understood the advisee. This is a great skill because sometimes people just want to feel that there is someone out there willing to listen. Perhaps they just need to get something off of their mind. Active listening is a skill that is being used increasingly these days.
The competencies and skills that have been mentioned here are general do not include all that is required of an academic advisor. An advisor is obligated to practice these skills daily. This is to ensure that they do the best job they can. After these competencies are mastered, they can fully help students do well and feel comfortable with themselves and their progress in school. With that being said, let’s take a look at a day in the life of an academic advisor and how he/she uses these competencies and skills.

6. A Day in the Life of a World Campus Advisor
Communicate with students (primarily at a distance) via telephone, , Skype or IM. Sometimes (not often) meet with local students face-to-face
Guide and assist the student with program questions, policies and procedures
Refer students to appropriate resources (e.g. other offices, outside resources, knowledge sources)
What it all comes down to: Building relationships – The Ripple Effect
Selected quotes (from interview):
“Everyday is different, you never know what you’re going to get”
“What I like most is building relationships with students and ultimately knowing that I am making an impact. So, when I’m helping a student, it’s not just that student; it’s their family, it’s their employer, it’s the community. It’s a ripple effect.”
“People skills are very important; being able to adapt; being able to work with a variety of individuals, whether everything is going well or if they are upset. How do you deal with a student who is upset and talk them to a place where they are okay?”
Navarra, S. (2016, March 4). Personal Interview.
As I mentioned earlier I interviewed Steve Navarra, who is an Academic Advisor at Penn State World Campus. Steve has nearly 20 years of Academic Advising experience. Prior to taking a position at World Campus he advised students for a number of years at the Shenango campus. I thought it would be a good idea for this project to sort of give ‘a day in the life’ sort look from a World Campus Advisor prospective.
My first question to Steve was: Can you describe a typical day as a World Campus advisor? He responded with the first quote you see at the bottom of the page there: “Everyday is different, you never know what you’re going to get.” I think that has a lot of truth to it, especially from an advisors prospective. Thinking back to my own college experience, I was constantly searching for direction, inside and outside of the classroom. And with this searching came many personal transformations. The student experience, especially at the undergraduate level, is an ever-changing one and the duty of an Academic Advisor is to be there for the student along the way. Not just to provide degree/career advice but to also provide counseling and emotional support.
One thing that makes Academic Advising at Penn State World Campus different than anything else is that it takes place at a distance. This means Advisors are communicating with students via telephone, , Skype or IM. Every once in a while Steve said he will have a walk-in appointment. But this happens at the most, 5 times a year.
Generally, the advisors day-to-day duties are to guide and assist the student with program questions, policies and procedures. This includes providing program/degree feedback and referring students to appropriate resources (e.g. other offices, outside resources and knowledge sources).
Some other quotable take-aways from my interview with Steve are: Discuss other two quotes.
Most rewarding part of job?: “Building relationships with students…”
“People skills are very important…” Discuss how steve’s background as a counselor translates to academic advising (briefly).

7. Advisors are Responsible
Appreciative Advising®
Advisors are Responsible
for involving others
for themselves and their professional practices
to their institution
to their educational community
to higher education
Thank you Ken. In this slide we will show the practical application of our newly envisioned core values model as we apply it to the Appreciative Advising approach.
Appreciative Advising is “the intentional collaborative practice of asking positive, open-ended questions that help students optimize their educational experiences and achieve their dreams, goals, and potentials” (Appreciative Advising, n.d.). It incorporates the six phases illustrated in Figure 4.
The first phase, disarm, begins with the advisor creating an environment where the student feels comfortable and relaxed. This fosters a trusting and open relationship, which the key element in effective advising (Appreciative Advising, n.d.).
The second phase is the discover phase in which the advisor engages the student in conversation in order to gain a better knowledge of the student’s background, “strengths, skills, and abilities” (Appreciative Advising, n.d.).
Next is the dream stage, which is meant to be literal. Here the student is encouraged to express his or her inner most desire for the future. Basically, where he or she would like to be in 5 years, 10 years (Appreciative Advising, n.d.).
In the design phase, the student, with guidance from the advisor will create a road map to success (Appreciative Advising, n.d.).
With support from the advisor the deliver phase allows the student to take control of the outcomes by successfully navigating the road map created in the design phase (Appreciative Advising, n.d.).
And lastly, in the don’t settle phase both the student and advisor need to be realistic, but they also must dare to have high expectations of themselves and each other (Appreciative Advising, n.d.).
In order to effectively navigate the student through each of these six phases [click to show center] the advisor will need to strategically apply the responsibilities of our re-envisioned core values model in a way that optimizes the student’s learning outcomes and advocates on the student’s behalf (NACADA, 2005), making advisors responsible [click to show heading]
To involve personnel from other departments in the advising process, if necessary [click to show yellow circle],
To be well-versed in institutional policies and procedures and the curriculum [click to show red circle].
To have the latest and most accurate information regarding best practices in advising to establish positive relationships [click to show purple circle].
To be aware of available co-curricular activities that help to promote a sense of community for their advisees [click to show burgundy circle],
And lastly, to be committed to continued professional development [click to show green circle].
By integrating these two models the advisor can incorporate the core academic advising values through the appreciative advising approach to aid the student in attaining his or her academic goals.
The last topics we would like to share with you is data regarding employment trends and average salary. For that I will turn the presentation over to Melissa.
Reference
Appreciative Advising (n.d.). What is Appreciative Advising. Retrieved from
Figure 4. The 6 Phases of Appreciative Advising. (“What is Appreciative Advising®,” n.d.)
Figure 5. Adapted from Core Values Model. (“NACADA,” 2005) and The 6 Phases of Appreciative Advising (“What is Appreciative Advising®,” n.d.)

8. Employment Trends School and Career Counselors
Postsecondary Education Administrators
Thanks, Patrice. Per the US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, depending on the type of institution, Academic Advisors can fall into the following two categories: School and Career Counselors as well as Postsecondary Education Administrators. Let’s take a look at each group, starting with School and Career Counselors.
School and Career Counselors held about 273,400 jobs in The median annual wage for school and career counselors was approximately $53,000 in May Employment of school and career counselors is projected to grow 8 percent now to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Increasing school enrollments should lead to employment growth in this area.
Advisors also fall into the category of Postsecondary Education Administrators usually under the umbrella of student affairs. Because postsecondary education administrators tend to oversee and manage diverse areas within colleges and universities, their median salary is higher at approximately $88,000 in May Employment of postsecondary education administrators is projected to grow 9 percent now to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Expected growth is due to increases in enrollments.
Figure 6. Employment Trends. (US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Figure 7. Employment Trends. (US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics)

9. Academic Advising: Average Salary
The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI ( ) Number of people with the title of Academic Advisor / Counselor: 77
Maximum Salary $91, Average Salary $52, Minimum Salary $40,310.40
Per HigherEdJobs.com, Indeed.com, and Salary.com, the median salary for an Academic Advisor nationwide was in the low $40s. Salaries can vary depending on certain criteria: such as the area of the country – for example Figure 8 notes that Academic Advisors earn more in San Francisco, Boston, and LA, for example (one may make more in those areas, but logically one should also be cognizant of the cost of living in different areas as well); years of experience as an advisor – as illustrated in Figure 9 – as would be expected, salary went up incrementally with experience; as well as the caliber of institution one is working for – such as my alma mater, The University of Michigan. Per figure 10, during the school year at UM, 77 people had the title of Academic Advisor/Counselor and on average they earned approximately $53,000 with a minimum salary in the $40s and maximum salary in the low $90s. As an aside, the Advisors at UM making the largest salaries were late-career advisors, particularly those working in engineering or athletics, respectively.
[move to next Thank you!” slide]
Figure 9. Experience Affects Academic Advisor Salaries. (PayScale, 2016)
Figure 10. UM Salary Data ( )
Figure 8. Academic Advisor Salary. (PayScale, 2016)

10. Thank you for your time. Any questions?

11. References
Appreciative Advising (n.d.). What is Appreciative Advising. Retrieved from
Academic advisor competencies. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Become an Advisor. (n.d.). Retrieved from
HigherEdJobs.com (2016). Retrieved from
Indeed.com (2016). Retrieved from
Murthy, N., White, C. D., & R. (September 27). Holistic Academic Advising and Its Impact on Student Retention [Web log post]. Retrieved April 13, 2016, from
NACADA. (2005). NACADA statement of core values of academic advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Web site:
NACADA. (2016). NACADA concept of academic advising. Retrieved from
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). (2013). Professional Competencies for College and University Career Services Practitioners.

12. References
Payscale.com (2016). Retrieved from
Salary.com (2016). Retrieved from
Smith, J., Ph.D. (n.d.). Top Traits of an Academic Advisor. Retrieved from
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Quality Academic Advising. (n.d.). Retrieved from
[Untitled photograph of academic advisor and student]. Retrieved April 3, 2016 from
[Untitled photograph of student]. Retrieved April 3, 2016 from
University of Michigan Salary Search (2016). Retrieved from
US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016). Retrieved from
US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016). Retrieved from