NACADA Journal Volume 35: Issue 2

All college students must eventually choose and complete a major. Many switch majors, and some change it multiple times. Despite extensive literature addressing factors that influence students' initial choice of major, few scholars have examined students' experiences after enrollment in a selected major. In this study, we used a grounded theory study to investigate the experiences of 10 college students in their major with an emphasis on factors that influenced their (dis)satisfaction. An emergent theory explains the development of (dis)satisfaction with choice of college major by highlighting factors related to self and career awareness as well as personal reflection. Implications for college academic advisors are shared.

Extant research suggests that student loyalty, a strong bond between the student and university, positively affects important student outcomes, most notably retention. In this article, we advance the notion that academic advisors should become managers of the student–university relationship. We examine the correlation between respondents' perceived quality of academic advising and their loyalty to the university as measured by our recently developed Student University Loyalty Instrument, administered to 1,207 undergraduates at three comprehensive midwestern institutions. Results suggest that a positive relationship exists between the perceived quality of academic advising and student loyalty, other meaningful indicators of the student–university relationship, and specific student demographic characteristics. Recommendations for academic advising practice are shared.

Student satisfaction with advising is positively linked to first-year student retention and sophomore persistence to their senior year. However, inconsistencies in the advising literature confound conclusions about the most effective advising approach to elicit student satisfaction. Positive links between the servant leadership approach and advising behaviors have been shown, but student satisfaction remains unexamined. We investigate student satisfaction with servant leadership–based advising. Utilizing hierarchical multiple regression analysis, we found positive correlations between servant leadership and student satisfaction with advising. In particular, advisors' altruistic behaviors elicited the greatest impact on student satisfaction. Implications for practice include advancing advising pedagogy and improving advisor selection and professional development.

As the advising profession moves toward one of proactive and holistic support, advisors are increasingly expected to provide strategies to improve student learning and cognition. Advisors who work with students pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) majors will find this book particularly helpful. The authors delve into the educational experience related to teaching and learning as encountered by STEM students, and they present concrete strategies advisors can reference when working with students. Referencing research and literature within the field of learning and cognition, the authors present a collection of approaches that apply specifically to STEM educators and those who

From the Co-Editors

Satisfaction With College Major: A Grounded Theory Study

Strengthen the Bond: Relationships Between Academic Advising Quality and Undergraduate Student Loyalty

Advising as Servant Leadership: Investigating Student Satisfaction

International Student–Athlete Adjustment Issues: Advising Recommendations for Effective Transitions

Intercultural Communication Competence: Advising International Students in a Texas Community College

A Preliminary Report of Advisor Perceptions of Advising and of a Profession

Feature Book Review & Citations

From the Co-Editors

Understanding Athletics Academic Advisors’ Experience with Job Burnout

Rural College Students’ Academic, Financial, and Health-Related Obstacles During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Academic Advisors

Career Advising in a VUCA Environment

From the Co-Editors

THE URSINUS COLLEGE FRESHMAN ADVISING PROGRAM

CAMPUS LEAVING BEHAVIOR

APPROACHING A DEFINITIVE POSITION ON ACADEMIC ADVISING

THE ADVISOR UNDER STRESS—FIRED UP OR BURNED OUT?

WHAT YOU'D REALLY LIKE TO SAY . . .