1. Today’s Students: What Do They Want and Get in Academic Advising? 2011 NASPA Annual Conference March 14, 2011 Janine M. Allen Professor of Education Portland State University Cathleen L. Smith Professor Emerita of Psychology, Portland State University

2. Why Study Academic Advising? Quality academic advising is often touted as a key ingredient in student retention But students are often dissatisfied with the advising they receive Presumably student dissatisfaction with advising is related to students not getting what they want from advising encounters So what do students want in advising?

3. Developmental Advising Student-centered process that acknowledges the individuality of students Helps them integrate academic, career, and life goals Connects curricular and co-curricular aspects of their educational experience Provides scaffolding that gives them opportunities to practice decision-making and problem-solving skills in an atmosphere of shared responsibility

4. Prescriptive Advising Based on the authority and primary responsibility of the advisor Involves dispensing information and telling students what to do and what they need to know, rather than providing them with choices and opportunities for decision-making As such, focuses on meeting academic requirements

5. Prescriptive vs. Developmental Advising This distinction has been presented and measured as a dichotomy 25 years ago, research suggested that students preferred developmental advising But students have changed in attitudes and behaviors Today student bodies are more diverse

6. Today’s Students are More Heterogeneous than Previous Generations More ethnically diverse Older More likely to be low income Less likely to have parents with college educations

7. Multi-Institutional Study Six institutions in Oregon: Private liberal arts – Undergraduate HC 1,200 (Private 1) Private liberal arts – Undergraduate HC 3,100 (Private 2) Public multi-campus community college - HC 42,000 (Comm Coll) Public liberal arts – Undergraduate HC 4,600 (Public LA) Public research – Undergraduate HC 17,500 (Public Research) Public urban – Undergraduate HC 13,000 (Urban)

8. Multi-Institutional Study Research collaborative of student affairs professionals and faculty Online administration of the Inventory of Academic Advising Functions – Student Version Overall response rate: 27%

9. Multi-Institutional Study Only data from fully admitted and/or baccalaureate seeking students included in today’s analyses 15,952 students from the 6 institutions Private 1 (n=437) Private 2 ( n=1,599) Comm Coll (n=6,011) Public liberal arts (n=1,495) Public research (n=3,664) Urban (n=2,746)

10. Method: Measuring Advising Functions Academic advising that helps students: Integration (Holistic Advising) 1. Connect their academic, career, and life goals (overall connect) 2. Choose among courses in the major that connect their academic, career, and life goals (major connect) 3. Choose among various general education options that connect their academic, career, and life goals (gen ed connect)

11. Method: Measuring Advising Functions Academic advising that helps students: Integration (Holistic Advising) (contd.) 4. Decide what kind of degree to pursue (BA vs. BS) in order to connect their academic, career, and life goals (degree connect) 5. Choose out-of-class activities that connect their academic, career, and life goals (out-of-class connect)

12. Method: Measuring Advising Functions Advising that refers students, when they need it: Referral 6. To campus resources that address academic problems (referral academic) 7. To campus resources that address non-academic problems (referral non- academic)

13. Method: Measuring Advising Functions Academic advising that: Information 8. Assists students with understanding how things work at this university (how things work) 9. Gives students accurate information about degree requirements (accurate information)

14. Method: Measuring Advising Functions Academic advising that: Individuation 10. Takes into account students' skills, abilities, and interests in helping them choose courses (skills, abilities, interests) 11. Includes knowing the student as an individual (know as individual)

15. Method: Measuring Advising Functions Academic advising that: Shared Responsibility 12. Encourages students to assume responsibility for their education by helping them develop planning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills (shared responsibility)

16. Measures of Advising Functions How important is it for you to get this kind of advising? 1 = Not Important / 6 = Very Important How satisfied are you with the advising you receive on this function? 1 = Not Satisfied / 6 = Very Satisfied

17. Research Questions Which of the 12 advising functions are most important to students? How satisfied are students with the advising they receive on these functions? Are there differences across the six institutions in importance and satisfaction ratings? Do student characteristics and/or institutional context impact importance and satisfaction ratings?

18. Results: Within-Subjects ANOVAs of Importance Ratings N=14,331 1 = not important 6 = very important Advising FunctionMeanSD Accurate Information5.57 a.81 Major Connect5.11 b 1.07 Overall Connect4.99 c 1.14 Skills Abilities Interests4.96 cd 1.22 How Things Work4.95 d 1.25 Shared Responsibility4.84 e 1.31 Know as Individual4.82 e 1.34 Degree Connect4.76 f 1.40 Gen Ed Connect4.73 f 1.29 Referral Academic4.58 g 1.46 Out-of-Class Connect4.31 h 1.55 Referral Non-Academic4.30 h 1.62

19. Results: Within-Subjects ANOVAs of Satisfaction Ratings N=12,412 1 = not satisfied6 = very satisfied Advising FunctionMeanSD Accurate Information4.30 a 1.48 Major Connect4.18 b 1.41 Overall Connect4.16 bc 1.41 Referral Academic4.12 cd 1.42 Shared Responsibility4.09 de 1.41 Gen Ed Connect4.07 e 1.42 Degree Connect4.06 ef 1.47 Skills Abilities Interests4.03 fg 1.44 How Things Work4.00 g 1.48 Referral Non-Academic3.90 h 1.45 Know as Individual3.82 i 1.59 Out-of-Class Connect3.55 j 1.51

20. Results: Within-Subjects ANOVAs of Importance/Satisfaction Ratings N=14,331/ N=12,412 ImportanceSatisfaction Advising FunctionMean Advising FunctionMean Accurate Information5.57 a Accurate Information4.30 a Major Connect5.11 b Major Connect4.18 b Overall Connect4.99 c Overall Connect4.16 bc Skills Abilities Interests4.96 cd Referral Academic4.12 cd How Things Work4.95 d Shared Responsibility4.09 de Shared Responsibility4.84 e Gen Ed Connect4.07 e Know as Individual4.82 e Degree Connect4.06 ef Degree Connect4.76 f Skills Abilities Interests4.03 fg Gen Ed Connect4.73 f How Things Work4.00 g Referral Academic4.58 g Referral Non-Academic3.90 h Out-of-Class Connect4.31 h Know as Individual3.82 i Referral Non-Academic4.30 h Out-of-Class Connect3.55 j

21. Are there differences across the six institutions in importance and satisfaction ratings? Between-Subjects ANOVAs of Importance Ratings Generally, students at Private 1 and the community college rated the functions as more important than students at the other institutions Students at the research university rated the functions lower than those at the other institutions. Student ratings at the other three institutions (Private 2, Liberal Arts, and Urban) were generally somewhere in between.

22. Are there differences across the six institutions in importance and satisfaction ratings? Between-Subjects ANOVAs of Satisfaction Ratings Generally, students at Private 1, Private 2, and the community college rated their satisfaction with the advising they receive on the functions higher than students at the other institutions Students at the urban university rated their satisfaction lower than those at the other institutions. Student ratings at the other two institutions (Public Liberal Arts and Public Research) were generally somewhere in between

23. Are there differences across the six institutions in importance and satisfaction ratings? Although the Between-Subjects ANOVAs found differences among the six institutions, we cannot be sure that the differences are related to the nature of the institution itself or to the characteristics of the students who attend it.

24. Do student and/or institutional characteristics impact importance and satisfaction ratings? Regression analysis allows us to determine if a particular student characteristic is uniquely associated with (predicts) importance and satisfaction ratings independent of all other characteristics, including the institution the student attends Characteristics examined: gender, age/cohort, ethnicity, first generation college student status, enrollment status, financial need, and institutional context

25. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Gender as Predictor 0= female (n=10308)1=male (n=5545) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect-.085 (.000) Major Connect-.094 (.000) Gen Ed Connect-.083 (.000) Degree Connect-.073 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect-.052 (.000).027 (.001) Referral Academic-.086 (.000) Referral Non -Academic-.109 (.000) How Things Work-.100 (.000) Accurate Information-.101 (.000).036 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests-.080 (.000) Know as Individual-.088 (.000).044 (.000) Shared Responsibility-.062 (.000)

26. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Age/Cohort as Predictor Age/Cohort = Birth year Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect-.100 (.000)-.043 (.000) Major Connect-.090 (.000)-.043 (.000) Gen Ed Connect-.092 (.000)-.037 (.000) Degree Connect-.039 (.000)-.033 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect.079 (.000)-.030 (.002) Referral Academic-.059 (.000) Referral Non -Academic How Things Work-.073 (.000) Accurate Information-.090 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests Know as Individual-.053 (.000) Shared Responsibility

27. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Ethnicity (Asian American) as Predictor 0=White 1= Asian American (n=1470) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.053 (.000) Major Connect.055 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.040 (.000).055 (.000) Degree Connect.040 (.000).056 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect.055 (.000).058 (.000) Referral Academic.047 (.000).029 (.001) Referral Non -Academic.029 (.000) How Things Work.043 (.000) Accurate Information-.053 (.000).039 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests.027 (.000) Know as Individual.033 (.000) Shared Responsibility.037 (.000)

28. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Ethnicity (African American) as Predictor 0=White 1= African American (n=515) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.041 (.000).043 (.000) Major Connect.030 (.000).042 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.046 (.000).042 (.000) Degree Connect.040 (.000).035 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect.059 (.000).036 (.000) Referral Academic.053 (.000).030 (.001) Referral Non -Academic.049 (.000) How Things Work.042 (.000).036 (.000) Accurate Information.039 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests.043 (.000).033 (.000) Know as Individual.043 (.000) Shared Responsibility.051 (.000)

29. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Ethnicity (Hispanic) as Predictor 0=White 1= Hispanic (n=1070) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.040 (.000).035 (.000) Major Connect.039 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.059 (.000).036 (.000) Degree Connect.065 (.000).033 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect.058 (.000).044 (.000) Referral Academic.066 (.000).032 (.000) Referral Non -Academic.060 (.000).028 (.002) How Things Work.048 (.000).037 (.000) Accurate Information.035 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests.053 (.000).032 (.000) Know as Individual.060 (.000).035 (.000) Shared Responsibility.070 (.000).033 (.000)

30. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Ethnicity (Native American) as Predictor 0=White 1= Native American (181) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sigβ (Sig) Overall Connect.028 (.000) Major Connect Gen Ed Connect.025 (.002) Degree Connect Out-of-Class Connect Referral Academic Referral Non -Academic How Things Work Accurate Information Skills Abilities Interests Know as Individual Shared Responsibility.029 (.000)

31. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Ethnicity (Multi Ethnic) as Predictor 0=White 1= Multi Ethnic (n=278) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect Major Connect Gen Ed Connect Degree Connect Out-of-Class Connect Referral Academic Referral Non -Academic How Things Work Accurate Information Skills Abilities Interests.028 (.001) Know as Individual Shared Responsibility.028 (.001)

32. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: First Generation Status as Predictor 0=Not First Generation (n=7172) 1= First Generation (n=8341) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.028 (.001).044 (.000) Major Connect.037 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.031 (.000).039 (.000) Degree Connect.030 (.000).031 (.001) Out-of-Class Connect.035 (.000) Referral Academic.046 (.000) Referral Non -Academic.032 (.000) How Things Work.036 (.000).028 (.002) Accurate Information Skills Abilities Interests.026 (.002).032 (.000) Know as Individual.029 (.002) Shared Responsibility.043 (.000).036 (.000)

33. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Enrollment Status as Predictor 0=Continuing Student (n= 10471)1=New Student (n=5481) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.027 (.002) Major Connect Gen Ed Connect.041 (.000).047 (.000) Degree Connect.040 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect Referral Academic.038 (.000) Referral Non -Academic.031 (.000) How Things Work.046 (.000) Accurate Information-.028 (.001).040 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests.034 (.000) Know as Individual Shared Responsibility

34. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Financial Need as Predictor 0=No Pell Grant (n=10755)1=Pell Grant Recipient (n=5197) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.041 (.000) Major Connect.047 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.032 (.000) Degree Connect.036 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect.045 (.000) Referral Academic.052 (.000) Referral Non -Academic.119 (.000).032 (.000) How Things Work.061 (.000) Accurate Information.031 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests.034 (.000) Know as Individual Shared Responsibility.028 (.001)

35. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Institutional Context as Predictor 0=4-Year Public 1=Community College (n=6011) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.030 (.001).048 (.000) Major Connect.044 (.000).063 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.144 (.000).128 (.000) Degree Connect.166 (.000).104 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect-.034 (.000).093 (.000) Referral Academic.081 (.000).163 (.000) Referral Non -Academic.067 (.000).097 (.000) How Things Work.045 (.000).174 (.000) Accurate Information.028 (.001) Skills Abilities Interests.060 (.000).116 (.000) Know as Individual-.047 (.000).055 (.000) Shared Responsibility.069 (.000).106 (.000)

36. Simultaneous Multiple Regressions: Institutional Context as Predictor 0=4-Year Public1=4-Year Private (n=2036) Advising FunctionImportanceSatisfaction β (Sig) Overall Connect.047 (.000).058 (.000) Major Connect.049 (.000).078 (.000) Gen Ed Connect.042 (.000).093 (.000) Degree Connect.032 (.000).077 (.000) Out-of-Class Connect.035 (.000).040 (.000) Referral Academic.026 (.002).062 (.000) Referral Non -Academic.034 (.000).043 (.000) How Things Work.029 (.001).064 (.000) Accurate Information.037 (.000).078 (.000) Skills Abilities Interests.040 (.000).076 (.000) Know as Individual.102 (.000).132 (.000) Shared Responsibility.054 (.000).093 (.000)

37. Summary of Major Findings Advising is important to students Accurate information and help with choosing courses in the major are paramount Advising is more important to historically underrepresented students (women, older students, some ethnic minorities, first generation college students, financially needy students) than to other students

38. Summary of Major Findings Students at private institutions and at the community college rate most advising functions as more important than do students at 4-year public institutions

39. Summary of Major Findings Students’ satisfaction with the advising they receive is not commensurate with the importance they place on it Students from some groups that have been historically underrepresented (older students, some ethnic minorities, first generation college students) are more satisfied than other groups

40. Summary of Major Findings New students (i.e., students recently enrolled at the institution) are more satisfied with the advising they receive than continuing students Students at private institutions and at the community college are more satisfied than students at 4-year public institutions

41. Implications for Practice Both developmental and prescriptive advising functions are important All of the functions we identified—integration, referral, information, individuation, and shared responsibility—are important to students, and advisors should provide them

42. Implications for Practice “One size fits all” advising may need to be reexamined Institutions should provide intrusive advising to all students

43. Thank you! Questions? Comments?