Four ways to make advising more productive are identified: preparing for the first meeting, integrating course selections and career plans, promoting collegial support, and serving as surrogate parent. (MLW)

A survey was sent to academic advising colleagues to test the premise that academic advisors can become environmental change agents on their campuses. All respondents provided examples of ways they have affected their campus environments. The area of change most often cited was policy/procedure. (MLW)

Residence halls are appropriate environments for developmentally-oriented advising programs. Ways for advising personnel to tap into this residence hall resource are suggested. A description of how residence halls are structured, an annotated access scheme, and models of three universities are presented. (MLW)

Recent academic advising literature, what it covers, and how advisors can keep up with current issues are discussed. Reasons for keeping up, how to keep up, and current issues are described, and guides to ERIC Clearinghouse and searching in ERIC are provided. (MLW)

Examines the effects of an intrusive advising program on the attrition rate of college freshmen and sophomores. Identifies reasons students drop out and outlines an advising program used at Western New Mexico University. Results showed the intrusive advising program to be effective in reducing attrition rates. (BH)

In 1981 students in the School of Business at Ithaca College initiated the concept of peer advising to supplement faculty efforts. The selection process, questions for peer advising interviews, interviewing ratings, training, and role-playing situations for peer advising are discussed. (MLW)

The use of computer technology to assign preselected faculty advisors to students, enhancing faculty-student contact with incoming students is discussed. A computer program that has created an advisor file and links advisor information with student records is described. (MLW)

In order to help assess the effectiveness of the academic advising system at Houston Baptist University, an "Advisor Perception Inventory" was used to add information to the computer data bank. The two summary reports generated are discussed. (MLW)

Reports on an examination of the transfer function a sample of 10 private/independent junior colleges. Reviews data obtained through analyses of college catalogs and available descriptive information and through survey research focusing on college goals. Reveals evidence of the private/independent junior college's commitment to the transfer…

Describes a separate engineering administrative unit established to meet the needs of lower-division students. Need for the unit, courses that make up the basic program of instruction, advising, academic assistance, and advantages and disadvantages to the engineering college are discussed along with concerns and problems that have arisen. (BC)

Suggests that assistance to college students who are making career decisions should not be left to Placement Offices or Counseling Centers. Students would be better served if faculty, in concert with Placement and Counseling Offices, advised about graduate schools, employment opportunities, and the need for continuing education. (JAC)

Using Mellon Foundation's College and Beyond survey of alumni from 34 colleges and universities spanning 40 years, Clotfelter found that those who reported that someone "... besides students [took] a special interest in you or your work" also reported greater general satisfaction with their college and, concretely, made larger alumni gifts. This…

Effective academic advising is recognized as key to college student success and academic retention (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Mastrodicasa, 2001). There are at least seven different structural models for academic advising; each depends to a greater or lesser degree on a level of "engagement" by faculty in the process (Kramer,…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 3-year program, the Queens College (New York) Freshman Year Initiative (FYI), which emphasizes the importance of the academic community and the role of faculty in integrating freshmen into the college community. The program has become institutionalized and currently involves 600…

This keynote address discusses ways undergraduate education is changing in terms of the diversity of students, financing education, and time required for graduation. How these changes affect academic advisers is the focus of the piece. The article is a response to a college administrator's charge to advisers to adapt to the new face of…