The Advising Syllabus

SSS Advising Syllabus
TRIO SSS Program, Northeast Iowa Community College (Peosta, IA) For more information: Cindy Virta, virtac@nicc.edu
https://www.nicc.edu/trio/

Approved October 31, 2016 as an Administrative Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18

Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at edpractices@eoa.org

Abstract
An advising syllabus is a great two tool to use for two main purposes.  First, as a college advisor, it is important to have a strong understanding of one's personal philosophy in regards to advising your students.  By taking time to review the various models and methods of advising, one can hone in on a specific approach that caters not only to the needs of the students but also validates and solidifies one's own approach to helping students. This advising syllabus is used with community college students attaining their Associate in Arts Degree.

Developing Your Personal Advising Philosophy
The development and articulation of a personal advising philosophy represents a paradox in professional development and growth. While educators are usually confident in their knowledge and skills, which are highly routinized in daily practice, they are rarely challenged to reflectively engage in the context of their work. Creating an advising philosophy is a professional journey that requires personal introspection, an understanding of advising as a discipline, and the ability to clearly communicate how and why you do what you do. Furthermore, the philosophy is designed to give structure to your daily interactions with students and lends credibility to the often ambiguous statement “the way we do things around here.”
The following are questions you should begin asking yourself before formally drafting a personal advising philosophy.
· What is my program’s thematic goal – the single focus that is shared by everyone in the office?
· What is my purpose? How does my practice directly support the program’s thematic goal?
· What is my answer to the question: “What do you do?”
· What is my WHY?
· What are three primary strengths I possess?
· What excites me about my job?
· What topics and/or areas of research interest me about my field?
· How do I make a difference?

Keys to Developing an Academic Advising Syllabus
Advising is teaching. An advising syllabus is one way we can help students close the gap between curricular and co-curricular issues. For example, advisors model and teach life and professional skills that support student academic success. Additionally, advising is one of the few resources students find consistent from semester to semester; thus it is at the center of student education and engagement. When developing an advising syllabus it is important to take an honest look at your institution and department. Your advising syllabus should outline the advising relationship you wants t have with your advisees. We encourage you to consider eight elements when developing your syllabus:
· First and foremost, an advising syllabus must be relevant. It should meet the needs and customized for an individual advisor. It may also reflect institutional rules an an advising philosophy. Some situations may call for a short two-page overview while others may require a longer, more detailed review.
· The advising syllabus should adhere to the course syllabus guidelines used by campus faculty. It is important to use the tool in a recognizable and consistent format for students and campus stakeholders.
· The syllabus should include a three to five sentence definition of advising and/or the advising mission statement used on campus.
· Clear contact information is necessary so students can easily contact the correct advising office.
· An advising syllabus should include a set of student expectations and/or responsibilities; when these are clearly delineated we can legitimately hold students responsible for their part of the advising relationship.
· Likewise, an advising syllabus would include a corresponding list of responsibilities and/or expectations for the advisor; if we expect to hold students accountable then we must do the same ourselves.
· Advising syllabi should include expected outcomes of advising. Students must easily understand how advising impacts their success and why it is important. These outcomes may differ widely from office to office, but they are an important method for communicating and measuring our impact on students’ lives.
· The final element includes tools, resources, and/or recommendations for students. For example, a syllabus can include calendars of advising events and appointment times, readings or Web site recommendations, detailed location descriptions, or a blank line for advisors to personalize the syllabus with a recommendation.

Learner activities in this education practice
When students show up for their first advising appointment to register for classes the following semester, a copy of the advisor’s personalized advising syllabus is included in the folder of materials they are given.  The syllabus is reviewed before the session begins so that the student understands the advisor's responsibilities as well as what the student is responsible for.

Learning materials used
· Decide on your own advising philosophy.  There are many models of advising; which one speaks to your own style? Remember, what works for you may be a combination of a few types. Be clear in articulating this in your syllabus.  Your students are looking to you to be the authority; what type of authority would you like to be? Review the "Developing your personal advising philosophy" document for guidance as to how to get started.. Review the different advising models or by doing research with major professional associations representing advisor interests like the National Academic Adviser Association (NACADA) or the National Associaiton of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Talk to colleagues about how they approach advising. Decide the pros and cons of those models to pick the one that suits you best.
· Review the sample advising syllabus. This is a model that you can use to formulate your own personalized syllabus. Think about what makes the college you work at unique and what is most imperative for students to know.    

Work responsibilities of the staff involved with this activity
Work responsibilities are listed within the learning materials. This would be a great assignment for a new academic advisor.

Key skills or traits for selecting staff members for this activity
Anyone at the community college level who advises students.

Additional professional development and training was provided to the staff
Follow a timeline for creation of your syllabus. For example, summer may typically be slower, so an advisor could set out each Thursday morning from 8am to 10am for four weeks to generate a product to be used the following semester. Here is a sample schedule:
· Meeting 1: Review the materials listed. Conduct research on other advising models. To prepare for the next meeting, decide on an advising model.
· Meeting 2: Discuss models chosen and create a brief philosophical statement to be included in the advising syllabus. To prepare for the next meeting, gather upcoming dates important for students to know for the upcoming year.
· Meeting 3: Begin creating a syllabus template with information a student needs to know to be successful at the college.
· Meeting 4: Finalize the syllabus and make copies for distribution to students.

Process to collect evaluation data about this education practice
Make sure to give a copy to each advisee at the first registration appointment. One recommendation is to give a student the syllabus in a folder specifically labeled “Advising” or something that will make sure the student is gathering information in a specific place. Encourage the student to bring these materials each time s/he meets with the advisor. Feedback should be asked for at the second advising appointment. Sample questions could be:
· Did you find this information helpful? Why or why not?
· What else would you include?
· How could we make this better for you?

What are the annual financial and personnel resources needed
· Time to create the syllabus, approximately 8 hours.
· Materials and supplies: Cost to print out the syllabus for each advisee.

How do we know the education practice is making a difference?
Review the advising process to collect evaluation data.

The Advising Syllabus

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