The Importance of Advising
To accomplish its goal of improving the effectiveness of advising programs, the administration and advising community at the University of Tennessee (UT Knoxville) examined a number of indicators such as the ratio of students per advisor, information from student focus groups regarding their advising experiences, and a comprehensive program review by external consultants. They also examined student responses on NSSE items that align with the university’s advising program goals and learning outcomes, which include guiding students toward academic support services, programs in service-learning and undergraduate research: Use of academic support programs; Frequency of discussions about career plans with advisors or faculty; Perceptions of the academic experience; Participation in service-learning and undergraduate research; and Frequency of diverse interactions.
A comprehensive campus initiative, Ready for the World, is designed to enhance students’ understanding of intercultural diversity and global affairs. As a result of a two-year assessment process, UT Knoxville has increased the number of full-time academic advisors, restructured orientation advising for first-year students—which includes extended contact with college academic advisors and individual advising sessions—and implemented a new advising policy that targets at-risk students, such as new transfers, students on probation, and those without declared majors.
