When visiting Bozeman, MT last summer, I sat down to interview Jennifer Clark, one of the best Student Services and Academic Advising professionals I know. And I know a lot of good ones. Jennifer is the Student Success Coordinator at the College of Engineering at Montana State University. She also happens to be my sister-in-law. Because Montana State has a firm commitment to recruiting under-represented students into STEM fields, Jennifer focuses on engineering students who she describes as “academically under-prepared in STEM” to build their academic self-efficacy. Her job is part life coach, part navigator of higher education. The student services professionals at the UCLA SON offer similar support to students. Nearly every student in the School of Nursing will benefit from advising from faculty and staff.
Students who don’t get the advising they want tell us about it. When we scan the satisfaction scores of recent graduates who complete the EBI/SkyFactor survey, both the MECN and APRN student data indicate need for improvement on our part. Of graduates in 2021, most completed the survey, and all four MECN questions about advising were rated below the 5.5 benchmark. Three of four APRN questions were rated below the 5.5 benchmark.
Figure 1. MECN Academic Advising Satisfaction of Recent Graduates (2021).
Figure 2. MSN-APRN Academic Advising Satisfaction of Recent Graduates (2021).
Since reviewing this data last year, Program Directors have engaged program faculty in devising action plans. They’ve developed new faculty advising models.
Where is the School of Nursing in terms of upgrading advising? We hope to see a change in the 2022 graduate surveys that reflect more consistent satisfaction with advising. Each of our five academic programs has a slightly different model of faculty advising. Pre-licensure students experience individual coaching in the lab, and are assigned to faculty advisors. MSN-APRN students experience quarterly group advising. PhD and DNP students are individually assigned to an advisor. None of these models work perfect for every student, all the time. We are in a state of assessment and process improvement, and look forward to involving lecturers, adjunct, and academic senate faculty as we refine faculty advising processes.
With the addition of Dr. Elizabeth Yzquierdo as Associate Dean of Student Services, as well as the strong team student services, financial aid, and recruitment, outreach, and admissions, we are ready to make more improvements. Our school-wide effort to provide excellent student services coincides with system-level initiatives. The University of California is working to improve student support services as well. Part of that work is to address basic needs of students.
Anti-racism and EDI through student services and faculty advising. As we learned at the EDI retreat this week, structural, institutional, and interpersonal racism shapes the life chances of students of color. Education is a key ingredient of opportunity. A mix of diverse students in the classroom is not enough to achieve excellence or equity in our profession. We need to create a culture of belonging and inclusion that supports diverse students’ best performance.
We are all advisors to students. It doesn’t take an assignment to be an advisor. All of us in the School of Nursing community serve as student advisors. And in fact, students need and seek out advisors who can relate to their life experience. For some students, advisors include staff throughout the campus. Mario Moore, an artist who completed a fellowship at Princeton, chose as his subjects African American staff who work in the non-academic spaces on campus. His paintings highlight the contributions of campus custodial, maintenance, security, and dining hall staff. “He views his artwork as more than just decoration. By showcasing the university's workers, he wants to pay tribute to them and ‘put them in positions of power.’” Many students have found a listening ear and support from staff across the campus, including those well beyond the boundaries of typical advising offices.
Figure 3. Clyde Huntley, subject of this painting by artist Mario Moore. Its title is "Clyde sky high."
What difference does it make? A pre-nursing student at the University of Oklahoma told her story of transformative academic advising. She was far from home, taking challenging classes, and dealing with family illness and caregiving responsibilities. Her advisor put her in touch with study resources, encouraged her to visit nursing programs to assess their suitability, and gave her tips on navigating college life so she can more efficiently study and balance her family obligations. That is one story. We want all of our students to tell a story of advising and support that steers them toward success in nursing education.
What can you do?
Everyone can play a part. Here are suggestions for staff and faculty who want to improve the advisement experience of students.
Student Services
Financial Aid
| Faculty Advisors
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Significant Contributors:
Elizabeth Yzquierdo
Associate Dean, Student Services
Shelli Shepherd
Director of Student Services
Lauren Clark
Professor and Shapiro Family Endowed Chair in Developmental Disability Studies
Associate Dean, Academic Programs
Mobile: (801) 503-4755
nursing.ucla.edu