Rafael Zingle
interview or advising graphic
Students have expressed frustration with the current advising system at NC State, saying the lack of communication between advisers and advisees throughout the school year has impacted students’ advising experiences.
Kihana Turner, a first-year transfer studying criminology, said she has experienced frustration with her academic adviser.
“I met with my adviser less than 24 hours before my enrollment time,” Turner said. “I reached out to them first because I was getting concerned about my advising and the hold on my account. They told me they would reach out when it was closer to my advising time. NC State’s automated system reached out to me first, which is why I became concerned.”
Most advisers on campus are also professors who advise in their respective fields, according the advising website. When advising time approaches, the advisers have to make time to advise and teach their classes.
Turner said alternative forms of creating advising appointments such as Google Forms would aid in making appointments with advisers when students need help.
“I think a Google Form would allow students to make appointments when needed and not just when it’s time to advise,” Turner said. “The form should be open year-round.”
Samantha Potter, a first-year transfer studying animal science, said her relationship with her adviser affected her ability to openly talk about her career goals at NC State.
“It was literally days before registration, and I had to reach out to the adviser instead of them reaching out to me,” Potter said. “Therefore, I wasn’t really comfortable with speaking to them about life goals.”
Potter said she would like the university to create a structure which would allow advisers to spend more time with their advisees.
Carrie McLean, who has worked at NC State for over three decades and now serves as the assistant dean of university college and director of advising, said she understands why students feel a disconnect with their advisers, saying students need face-to-face meetings, and the university needs to serve those needs.
McLean also said across the board, advisers do use various guidance tools to advise, which creates an inconsistency.
McLean said if students want to have earlier advising appointments, they should reach out to their advisers as early as possible. She said she is pushing proactive outreach in advising, and advisers should always be reaching out to their students.
NC State’s GPS Mobile app allows students to schedule advising appointments and provides tools for student self-service. The app is available to all students on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
“The GPS Mobile app is available and ready to be used by all students,” McLean said. “We are also introducing the idea of a required advising class for every first-year student at NC State, and this class would count as a general elective course.”
McLean said there are many resources for advisers, such as workshops that show how to run campaigns to meet with more students, since it is recommended that advisers meet with their advisees at least twice per semester.
McLean said she is trying to make a change for the betterment of all students on campus. She also said students can request a new adviser if there is a disconnect they can’t seem to fix.
“Every college has a coordinator of advising,” McLean said. “Go to them and tell them your adviser is not working and request a new one. Whether they do it or not is up to their discretion.”
All advising information can be found on NC State’s Academic Advising Programs and Services website.