Many students have had to face adviser holds in their college lives and know the struggles that advising sometimes brings.
One issue is the ratio of students to advisers. During the 2013 fall semester alone, there were over 7,000 undergraduate students attending UTM, with 292 full-time faculty advisers.
Despite there only being 292 full-time advisers for approximately 7,000 students, advisers still play a critical role in students’ lives, helping students with degree planning, internship selection, career information and networking.
“The adviser can be the most important source of information for students while at UTM, and [they] may even be able to write letters of recommendation for students after graduation,” said Brandy Cartmell, director of Academic Records and Registrar and interim executive director for Student Engagement.
Each college or department determines what type of advising works best for their students. For example, the College of Business and Global Affairs uses a professional during the first few semesters before assigning students to a faculty adviser who can best suit the student’s academic and future occupational needs.
On the other hand, the Department of Communications uses a general adviser approach. Students can choose the adviser their advisers, which provides students with flexibility in deciding which adviser they are more comfortable with and will address their needs.
Cartmell said that the adviser helps steer the student in the right direction in his or her major.
“The faculty adviser can help guide the student in the chosen college or career path, giving information that can assist the student in making decisions that will most benefit him or her in college life and beyond,” Cartmell said.
“It is also very important to ensure that students are enrolling in the proper … courses in a timely fashion so that they can progress through the sequencing of course enrollments properly.”
Students are not discouraged from being independent in picking their own courses, however. Students who have an idea of what they want to do and arrive at their adviser’s office prepared have more time for true advising in other areas such as tailored career choices.
Throughout the past year, faculty and staff have developed an advising evaluation mechanism based on student and faculty feedback, an advising handbook and advising training programs to further the advising structure’s and the students’ success.
“These additions to the current advising structure will help to ensure that students’ needs are being met, and the faculty advisers have the opportunity to receive training so they can offer students the best possible advising and mentoring experiences,” Cartmell said.
Students are encouraged to look at their handbooks, university catalog or go to their respective departmental offices for more information or concerns.
Cartmell also encouraged students to view their education with broader goals and other interests in mind.
“Education is a vehicle that can change people’s lives, who in turn impact our communities … and our world, making it a better place to live for all of us. Academic advising, when done well, as it is at UT Martin, is the starting point for an exceptional college experience for all students,” Cartmell said.
