Describes Miami-Dade Community College's computer-based Advisement and Graduation Information System (AGIS), which provides students with accurate, up-to-date information on their progress toward meeting graduation requirements and on courses recommended for transfer. Describes AGIS's six-phase development. Reviews AGIS's management applications,…

A state survey of all two-year colleges in New York focused on the assessment of academic advising in order to facilitate recommendations for institutional policymaking. Questions were asked about preservice and inservice training of advisers, and the evaluation of advisers and the advising process. (Author/MLW)

The Potter Model, a general, functional overview of the advising process, is discussed. The advising needs of a particular college student, it is suggested, are unique and rest upon the programmatic, developmental, and intrapersonal needs of that individual at a particular moment. (MLW)

The development and implementation of a Peer Advising Program at the University of Wisconsin-Superior is discussed. The program's components and evaluation are described and observations and conclusions drawn from a working model are provided. An advisor evaluation form is appended. (MLW)

Surveyed non-traditional students to better understand the unique educational needs of the non-traditional women. Found three distinct market segments of non-traditional women: those seeking only academic support in the form of advising, those dependent on a variety of support services to enhance their ability to succeed, and those placing a high…

Effective retention for online students requires learner support services. Based on the principle of scaffolding, these services include intake and diagnosis during recruitment and admission, orientation to online learning, one-to-one advising, and access to a learning community. These supports can help overcome isolation, lack of self-direction…

Among theories of student departure from college, interactional theories--that attrition is a result of interaction between attributes of students and the institutional environment--are currently popular. Of particular interest to continuing educators is the direct effect of absenteeism and academic advising on dropout. (SK)

Ways in which campus security may affect the academic programs of subgroups of students, such as women, or individual students are offered, including usage patterns of some facilities and course selection or study group attendance based on time or location. Faculty and advisors are encouraged to consider security an academic issue. (MSE)

The effect of the perceived quality of academic advising on student attrition was studied for 1,033 first-time freshmen at a public urban university. High quality advising reduced attrition. Low-quality advising was less successful in reducing attrition, but was associated with less attrition than was no advising at all. (SLD)

A discussion of the value of a caring attitude in the advisor-advisee relationship is supported by a review of literature in the field. A list of 30 reminders for effective advising and an inventory for students to fill out concerning their perceptions of their advisor are appended. (MSE)

California Lutheran University's seven-week freshman seminar focuses on building relationships and helping students make decisions about their college and occupational careers. Issues arising in the course's evolution include the role of peer advisors, major vs. non-major advising, maintaining institution-wide support, and credit and academic…

Procedures for creating a guide to academic advising are outlined, including obtaining administrative commitment; clarifying responsibilities and chain of command; identifying general and specific objectives; developing content; organizing content; entering production; and revising. (MSE)

Key themes in the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach to management are noted, and CQI principles are applied to academic advising in higher education, focusing on measurement, empowerment, teamwork, and advisee focus (META). For each principle, brief scenarios are presented along with suggested courses of action and possible outcomes.…

Discussion of the development of an expert system that will serve as the primary advisor for individual course sequencing in a graduate program focuses on the characteristics and selection of an expert system shell (i.e., software that facilitates expert system development). Advantages, disadvantages, and prices of several commercial products are…

The dissertation has been the key vehicle for training future faculty in "discovery" scholarship. A national task force study on the dissertation suggests that there are multiple and varied interpretations, in different fields, of the important terms relating to dissertation quality: originality, significance, independence. Recommendations are…