A Factor and Cluster Analysis of the Perceived Institutional Context of Academic Advising
Data from the 1992 membership survey were analyzed based on two ideas: advisors can report their perceptions of their work environments, and these perceptions vary across the NACADA membership. First, a perceptual “space” was defined. Second, in the context of this perceptual space, respondents to the 1992 membership survey were empirically grouped based upon their reported perceptions. We described the “perceptual space” of advisors and profiled the “types” of groups statistically identified. The relevance of these groupings toward the programming and delivery of advising services was considered and is presented below.
Contributor Notes
Dr. Lawrence J. Severy (Larry) is Director of Advising at the University of Florida; Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the R. David Thomas Professor of Psychology. He is a social psychologist interested in population issues, reproductive health and programs, and consumers issues. Please address correspondence concerning this article to; L J. Severy, CLAS, P.O. Box 112015, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-2015.
Dr. Naomi Lee is Director of Student Program Services in the College of Technology at Bowling Green State University. Her current research interest is in the area of distance education.
Dr. Cheryl J. Poison, former vice-president of NACADA and creator of the Commissions on Advising Graduate Students and Adult Learners, is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Foundations and Adult Education at Kansas State University. She writes extensively on advising adult learners in higher education.
