NACADA Journal Volume 37: Issue 2

In “Critical Advising: A Freirian-Inspired Approach,” Andrew Puroway (2016) argues that advising is not a politically neutral activity. Although I agree that the “politics” of academic advising is an important (and hitherto unexplored) topic, I find the political vision embodied in Puroway's conception of critical advising unrealistic and the strategies for its realization inadequate.

In sympathy with the advising-as-teaching-and-learning position of Hemwall and Trachte (1999), Puroway argues that advisors should foster critical reflection in students with the goal of promoting social justice and the common good (p. 4). The benefit of reorienting advising around the goal

For decades, advising practitioners and scholars have worked toward developing an identity for advising as a unique field of scholarly inquiry and practice. To date, the identity crisis in advising remains. This study presents an examination and description of the function, purpose, and identity of a university advising system through comparisons of ideals espoused by advisors and administrators with practice. Based on systems theory as a framework, this study shows that the identity of academic advising can be misunderstood because of systemic issues. Addressing systemic flaws may help clarify the identity of academic advising within a specific system and possibly the field as a whole.

Universities in Hong Kong implemented a new 4-year undergraduate curriculum in 2012, and many initiated academic advising programs to help students from different academic backgrounds and with various levels of preparedness to review their options and manage challenges in college. For this study, we administered a questionnaire survey to discover students' views on and expectations for academic advising. The results show an overall positive evaluation of academic advising from students, who expected academic advisors to help them understand their study options and preferred a developmental over a prescriptive approach. Students reported that discussing career issues was their greatest need for academic advising.

In recent years, an increasing number of international students have enrolled in engineering programs in U.S. colleges and universities. These students often encounter challenges, and academic advisors play a significant role in international students' academic success. Using a model of intercultural communication competence, we explored attitudes toward and understanding of cultural differences among academic advisors in a college of engineering at a 4-year research university. We also investigated advisors' knowledge of and skills in conducting intercultural communication with international students. The findings shed light on advising international students in engineering programs, and we provide recommendations for academic advisors on conducting effective communication with students from diverse cultural backgrounds.

From the Co-Editors

In Memory Leigh S. Shaffer March 8, 1947 to August 5, 2017

Letter to the Editor: Is Advising a Political Activity?

Using Systems Theory to Understand the Identity of Academic Advising: A Case Study

Survey of Needs and Expectations for Academic Advising in a Hong Kong University

Advising International Students in Engineering Programs: Academic Advisors' Perceptions of Intercultural Communication Competence

Qualitative Analysis of Student Perceptions: “Some Advisors Care. Some Don't.”

Strengths-Based Advising Approaches: Benefits for First-Year Undergraduates

Assessment for Faculty Advising: Beyond the Service Component

Perceptions of Effectiveness and Job Satisfaction of Pre-law Advisors

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 . . .