Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 02180093
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED210989 AUTHOR: Barger, Robert N.; Barger, Josephine C.
TITLE: The Two Edges of Advisement: Report of a National
Survey.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1981
NOTE: 44 p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the
National Academic Advising Association (5th, Indianapolis,
IN, October 11-14, 1981).
ABSTRACT: The state of academic advisement in postsecondary
education was studied through a survey of representatives of
58 colleges and universities and students who were pursuing
undergraduate degrees in four-year institutions during the
1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. About 59 percent of the
institutions were public, 41 percent were private, and 22
percent had a central advisement program. Only 45 percent of
the public students rated their advisement as excellent-to
good, compared to almost 59 percent of the private students.
For the three time periods, there was a marked decrease in
public student satisfaction with their advisement and a
corresponding increase in private student satisfaction.
Students in large public universities were considerably less
happy with their advisement than were students in small
schools. Students viewed themselves as the most helpful
resource in making decisions about majors, teachers as the
most helpful external resource, and advisors tied with
friends as being least helpful. Some of the data indicate
that 34 percent of the freshmen were not obliged to consult
an advisor. In addition to the survey findings, 20 issues
that have affected postsecondary education over the last two
decades are briefly considered. These include an emphasis on
science, civil rights, affirmative action, women's rights, a
movement that emphasized ethnic identity, community
colleges, student power, financial aid from governmental
sources, adult and continuing education, and Public Law 94
142. A bibliography, sample questionnaires, and sample
student descriptions of an ideal student advisement program
are appended. (SW)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: College-Students; Comparative-Analysis;
Decision-Making; Faculty-Advisers; Higher-Education; Majors
Students; National-Surveys; Private-Colleges; School-Size;
State-Colleges; Trend-Analysis
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Academic-Advising; *Participant
Satisfaction; *Student-Attitudes; *Undergraduate-Students
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