Of course, they don't.
But, it's barely the second week of the semester, and I feel so bummed.
I didn't teach yesterday, but was on campus for a meeting (which I chaired) and to do a bunch of related paperwork afterwards. Then I needed to set up the grade books and enter the first grades. I'd almost finished that when a student appeared in my doorway, in that way some students have, expectant, like of course I'm just there waiting for them.
It was an advisee I've seen once before, whom I had to prompt to remind me of her name. (Hint: if I've met you once or twice over a month or two ago, introduce yourself again. If I remember, I'll graciously say so, and if I don't, I'll be very grateful for your courtesy. If you appear at my door, I assume you know who I am.)
And because I try not to be a jerk, I talked with her.
She wanted to talk about her schedule for next semester, so we did. At which point I noticed that she isn't taking the courses this semester that I recommended, but instead, has switched from an upper level course (suggested) to a lower level course. The problem is, a student can only take 2 lower level courses in the selected electives area, and she's already taken those, so this course won't count towards her major requirements.
You know that will be my fault, somehow. When she doesn't graduate in a timely manner, the advising folks are going to look at that course and blame me for bad advising. So, yep, I made a note in the file. (I hate that I've learned to think this way about advising, too.)
You know how it is when you put two and two together, and it comes up four? Well, yes. One of my friends over in [Mathematical Forestry] mentioned giving a talk in [another place] recently (in an email), so I asked what the talk was about. And heard nothing. Okay, so usually this friend is pretty excited about their work, and happy to talk about it.
And then I realized, this place/time doesn't seem likely for a conference.
And my friend is in a fairly small field. So, yeah, I looked at the job listings, and sure enough, there's a job there, and my friend would be superb at it, and geographically, it makes such good sense for them.
It's not like we're super duper close friends, and they've haven't told me they're on the market or anything, but it would totally make sense. But I can't just say, oh, if you're going to give a job talk there, I know [an administrator] and they're a really great administrator. (And I do know an administrator, and they're probably the best administrator I've ever worked with.) (Besides, I don't want my friend thinking I'm stalking them in a creepy way; and of course, if they don't get an offer, then it's best not to talk about it.)
I'm so bummed at the thought of this friend leaving (for me, totally selfishly), but also, I know it would be a much better situation for the friend personally and professionally. And given this university's devastating budget situation, everyone who can leave should.
Then there's the political situation. I can't even begin...
It's cold and grey out, and I'm so ready for some warmth and good news.
Showing posts with label advising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advising. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Friday, October 21, 2016
On-Line Catalog
I got an email from a colleague today, asking about one of the requirements for an interdisciplinary program (for which I chair a committee, so it made sense). I looked at my print out of the requirements, and then I looked at last year's catalog.
And then I answered with some confidence, both that this year's catalog and last year's catalog agreed about the requirement.
And then I got to thinking: we've gone from printed catalogs to printed and on-line catalogs, and now to only an on-line catalog. I have a partial shelf of old catalogs, which have been useful at times because here, at least, catalogs work as a sort of contract. Students enter under a "catalog year" and have to fulfill the requirements outlined in the catalog for their catalog year. If we changed the requirements, they don't have to do new requirements, even if they changed their major after a new catalog. (Students always had an option to move to a newer catalog year, which makes more sense lately because we've been reducing requirements in a lot of ways in an effort to raise our four and six year graduation rates.)
So, as an advisor, it was helpful to keep several years of printed catalogs on hand to be able to check requirement changes and such.
So how are we going to figure out if, say, a student comes in under the 2016-17 catalog, and then we change a major requirement in 2017 at some point. We won't have back catalogs to check (nor will students), and requirements can now change at any time during the year (rather than just once a year when the catalog went to print). That gives the university lots of flexibility, but seems like it has potential to cause advising nightmares.
The nightmares will probably be minimized if we keep going on our current trajectory or reducing requirements, of course, since it will always be "advantageous" for a student to move to a new catalog.
Has anyone out there been using only on-line catalogs for a while now? (It makes a lot of sense in many ways, of course.) How does your school track changes in programs so they're visible to students, faculty, and anyone else?
And then I answered with some confidence, both that this year's catalog and last year's catalog agreed about the requirement.
And then I got to thinking: we've gone from printed catalogs to printed and on-line catalogs, and now to only an on-line catalog. I have a partial shelf of old catalogs, which have been useful at times because here, at least, catalogs work as a sort of contract. Students enter under a "catalog year" and have to fulfill the requirements outlined in the catalog for their catalog year. If we changed the requirements, they don't have to do new requirements, even if they changed their major after a new catalog. (Students always had an option to move to a newer catalog year, which makes more sense lately because we've been reducing requirements in a lot of ways in an effort to raise our four and six year graduation rates.)
So, as an advisor, it was helpful to keep several years of printed catalogs on hand to be able to check requirement changes and such.
So how are we going to figure out if, say, a student comes in under the 2016-17 catalog, and then we change a major requirement in 2017 at some point. We won't have back catalogs to check (nor will students), and requirements can now change at any time during the year (rather than just once a year when the catalog went to print). That gives the university lots of flexibility, but seems like it has potential to cause advising nightmares.
The nightmares will probably be minimized if we keep going on our current trajectory or reducing requirements, of course, since it will always be "advantageous" for a student to move to a new catalog.
Has anyone out there been using only on-line catalogs for a while now? (It makes a lot of sense in many ways, of course.) How does your school track changes in programs so they're visible to students, faculty, and anyone else?
Tuesday, September 02, 2014
Advising Worries
I just met with an advisee who wants to do education, which in our program is slightly competitive and requires at least a 2.75 GPA to get started.
This advisee really needs to work on grades.
Zie is a transfer student, and spent part of our meeting complaining about some courses not transferring enough, and part telling me that zie couldn't remember what the courses zie's complaining about not transferring actually were.
So, zie complained, for example, that a specific English course didn't seem to transfer, but couldn't remember what the course was, what zie read in the course, or what the course was about. I'm unconvinced.
My advice for the semester: grades and demonstrating to the teachers who will fill out evals that zie is enthusiastic and going to be a great teacher. I hope it works!
This advisee really needs to work on grades.
Zie is a transfer student, and spent part of our meeting complaining about some courses not transferring enough, and part telling me that zie couldn't remember what the courses zie's complaining about not transferring actually were.
So, zie complained, for example, that a specific English course didn't seem to transfer, but couldn't remember what the course was, what zie read in the course, or what the course was about. I'm unconvinced.
My advice for the semester: grades and demonstrating to the teachers who will fill out evals that zie is enthusiastic and going to be a great teacher. I hope it works!
Monday, March 03, 2014
THAT Student
I got an email from one of my advisees today, one who's pretty much that student. By "that student," I mean the sort of student who isn't horrible, but who's an energy sap, who always wants some special thing done, but who, at the same time, does minimal work with minimal (apparent) effort, and doesn't seem to care much, that is, until zie needs that some special thing, and then it's all about hir.
We have this requirement, a sort of outcome based requirement where students are supposed to figure out the outcome they want, and then do something, and then demonstrate that they've achieved the outcome. Most of our students just do it. Some do it in extraordinary ways. Most do it, and they learn something, and it's done. But not my special student. Zie wants to designate something zie did a while back for the requirement, and then do the paperwork backwards, I think. I don't know if the office of the special requirement will allow that.
And then zie has another graduation requirement problem. That's mostly what zie emailed me about today. So I looked in hir folder, and lo and behold, in my advising notes, I have that specific issue at the top of the page as one of three things zie needed to take care of. But I think zie is going to try to blame me, or some other advising person, or graduation requirement person.
And yet, if zie weren't the sort of person who does the minimal for everything, there'd be no problem. This just isn't the sort of graduation requirement that most students ever even notice because they fill it without thinking about it, just by doing more than the minimum.
We have this requirement, a sort of outcome based requirement where students are supposed to figure out the outcome they want, and then do something, and then demonstrate that they've achieved the outcome. Most of our students just do it. Some do it in extraordinary ways. Most do it, and they learn something, and it's done. But not my special student. Zie wants to designate something zie did a while back for the requirement, and then do the paperwork backwards, I think. I don't know if the office of the special requirement will allow that.
And then zie has another graduation requirement problem. That's mostly what zie emailed me about today. So I looked in hir folder, and lo and behold, in my advising notes, I have that specific issue at the top of the page as one of three things zie needed to take care of. But I think zie is going to try to blame me, or some other advising person, or graduation requirement person.
And yet, if zie weren't the sort of person who does the minimal for everything, there'd be no problem. This just isn't the sort of graduation requirement that most students ever even notice because they fill it without thinking about it, just by doing more than the minimum.
Friday, November 08, 2013
Get it Out of the Way
You've probably heard this from students, where "it" is some requirement, a course, test, whatever.
I'm sure I said it myself at some point, and about some things (a certain requirement from my phud program comes to mind).
As an adviser, though, I find these statements frustrating.
I usually try to get the student to recognize that someone thought this requirement was useful and important, and maybe the student should think about why that might be and what they might gain from doing whatever it is the requirement requires.
Sometimes, I recognize, it's a hoop to jump through because someone had a political or turf stake in creating or maintaining that hoop.
But mostly, I think general education requirements have a real, useful purpose, even if they aren't worked out especially well or explained to students even minimally.
How about you folks?
General Education requirements? Useful or total BS?
And how do you communicate to students about them?
I'm sure I said it myself at some point, and about some things (a certain requirement from my phud program comes to mind).
As an adviser, though, I find these statements frustrating.
I usually try to get the student to recognize that someone thought this requirement was useful and important, and maybe the student should think about why that might be and what they might gain from doing whatever it is the requirement requires.
Sometimes, I recognize, it's a hoop to jump through because someone had a political or turf stake in creating or maintaining that hoop.
But mostly, I think general education requirements have a real, useful purpose, even if they aren't worked out especially well or explained to students even minimally.
How about you folks?
General Education requirements? Useful or total BS?
And how do you communicate to students about them?
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Scene from my Day
Scene: Bardiac, sitting at a computer in the office, trying to get work done before a meeting starts. The door is open.
Enter a student to the office door
Student: Do I need a registration code?
Bardiac: I don't know.
Student looks both befuddled and frustrated.
Bardiac: How would I know?
Student: (As if the thought has never occurred to him/her that s/he isn't the center of everyone's world.) Ummmm, I don't know.
Bardiac: Are you a first year student?
Student: No.
Bardiac: Are you a sophomore?
Student: Yes.
Bardiac: Then you probably need one.
Student: Can you give me my registration code?
Bardiac looks confused (as usual).
Student: (Making to walk into the office, before stopping at the withering stare.) You're my advisor.
Bardiac: Do you want to make an advising appointment?
Student: Oh. (Wait a beat or two.) I guess so.
Bardiac: My office hours are on the door, can you come then? (Pointing to a big, colored display on the door. Student looks confused.) The office hours are in that pinkish color. (Student points to each of the three hours separately, slow motion.)
Student: Not this week.
Bardiac: Monday?
Student: I have class on Monday at [time]. I could usually come on Friday, but I have work this week at [time].
Bardiac: How about 8 am. Do you have something scheduled then?
Student: No.
Bardiac: So, how about 8 am on Friday?
Student: Okay. (Starts to walk away.)
Bardiac: Wait, what's your name?
Student: [Name] (Gives name as if insulted, because how could anyone possibly not remember his/her wonderful special self.)
Exit Student, manet Bardiac.
Want to bet someone's going to hear from this student about what a horrible person I am, and how I didn't help him/her get the registration code the instant s/he wanted it, and I was just sitting there at the computer?
Enter a student to the office door
Student: Do I need a registration code?
Bardiac: I don't know.
Student looks both befuddled and frustrated.
Bardiac: How would I know?
Student: (As if the thought has never occurred to him/her that s/he isn't the center of everyone's world.) Ummmm, I don't know.
Bardiac: Are you a first year student?
Student: No.
Bardiac: Are you a sophomore?
Student: Yes.
Bardiac: Then you probably need one.
Student: Can you give me my registration code?
Bardiac looks confused (as usual).
Student: (Making to walk into the office, before stopping at the withering stare.) You're my advisor.
Bardiac: Do you want to make an advising appointment?
Student: Oh. (Wait a beat or two.) I guess so.
Bardiac: My office hours are on the door, can you come then? (Pointing to a big, colored display on the door. Student looks confused.) The office hours are in that pinkish color. (Student points to each of the three hours separately, slow motion.)
Student: Not this week.
Bardiac: Monday?
Student: I have class on Monday at [time]. I could usually come on Friday, but I have work this week at [time].
Bardiac: How about 8 am. Do you have something scheduled then?
Student: No.
Bardiac: So, how about 8 am on Friday?
Student: Okay. (Starts to walk away.)
Bardiac: Wait, what's your name?
Student: [Name] (Gives name as if insulted, because how could anyone possibly not remember his/her wonderful special self.)
Exit Student, manet Bardiac.
Want to bet someone's going to hear from this student about what a horrible person I am, and how I didn't help him/her get the registration code the instant s/he wanted it, and I was just sitting there at the computer?
Sunday, September 08, 2013
Multiple Majors?
I talk to students and advisees, and a surprising number of them seem to think that they should have more than one major and minor.
I have one advisee who has an English major, a science major, and arts minor, and a second humanities minor. There's not much overlap, so that's 120 credits without any other requirements (and there are others beyond majors/minors).
Most of these students are worried about getting a job someday, and they're trying to do that something extra that will help them feel like they're going to succeed and it will all be okay. I'm sympathetic to that. It's terrifying to look at our economy and think about looking for work.
On the other hand, I'm just not at all sure that an extra major or minor convinces employers that this applicant is the one.
Has anyone seen evidence that having multiple majors/minors helps job seekers?
There are also those who do a major in something they don't really like, but think will land them a job, and another major in something they really like, but don't think will land them a job. I worry about these folks. First, if you don't like it, will you like your job enough to make it worth while getting up in the morning? And second, if you really like, say, creative writing, do you have to declare a major in it, or could you just take some classes and enjoy those?
The Fort folks are worried about the time to degree for our students (we have a very low 4 year graduation rate, and a reasonably respectable 6 year graduation rate). So would it make sense to limit students to one major and one minor? Or maybe one major and two minors? (They won't do that because it's much easier to beat up faculty about the graduation rates than to tell a student "no" to anything.)
What can public universities do to help their graduation rates? Legislatures care about the graduation rates, so we have to care, but should we try to convince them otherwise? Or are they right to care?
(Given that our students take out loans and often work a lot of hours, an extra year in school costs them a lot in the long run, even if it doesn't seem like a lot up front.)
I have one advisee who has an English major, a science major, and arts minor, and a second humanities minor. There's not much overlap, so that's 120 credits without any other requirements (and there are others beyond majors/minors).
Most of these students are worried about getting a job someday, and they're trying to do that something extra that will help them feel like they're going to succeed and it will all be okay. I'm sympathetic to that. It's terrifying to look at our economy and think about looking for work.
On the other hand, I'm just not at all sure that an extra major or minor convinces employers that this applicant is the one.
Has anyone seen evidence that having multiple majors/minors helps job seekers?
There are also those who do a major in something they don't really like, but think will land them a job, and another major in something they really like, but don't think will land them a job. I worry about these folks. First, if you don't like it, will you like your job enough to make it worth while getting up in the morning? And second, if you really like, say, creative writing, do you have to declare a major in it, or could you just take some classes and enjoy those?
The Fort folks are worried about the time to degree for our students (we have a very low 4 year graduation rate, and a reasonably respectable 6 year graduation rate). So would it make sense to limit students to one major and one minor? Or maybe one major and two minors? (They won't do that because it's much easier to beat up faculty about the graduation rates than to tell a student "no" to anything.)
What can public universities do to help their graduation rates? Legislatures care about the graduation rates, so we have to care, but should we try to convince them otherwise? Or are they right to care?
(Given that our students take out loans and often work a lot of hours, an extra year in school costs them a lot in the long run, even if it doesn't seem like a lot up front.)
Friday, July 26, 2013
The Bad Advisor
Me!
Not really, I hope.
I have this advisee who's trying to do a special programming thing, not unique, but not super common, either.
The thing is, there are complications.
So zie has been emailing me this summer, not tons, but fairly regularly, asking for help with this or that. These are the sorts of things I can advise on, but don't have power to change, and probably not the knowledge to make a decision to change. So I've been emailing back, answering and so on, even though I'm not on contract, and should have just emailed right away that I'm not on contract so zie needs to contact the chair.
For example, zie wants to count a thing there for a requirement here. The transfer office said no, it wasn't close enough to the same. So zie emailed me, and I said, it sounds like the transfer office said no, so no. Then zie emailed me again, couldn't I make it count anyway? And I emailed my chair and so forth, because I don't have that authority.
The mistake I made was that I didn't also email zie telling hir that I'd emailed the chair to ask for follow up. And that was a mistake because zie got impatient and emailed the chair and so forth. And the so forth answered, and said, no, because it wasn't close enough.
So now my advisee has totally given up on me, and has emailed various deanlings, asking for help resolving this problem.
And dutifully, the chair and the deanlings have been copying me on their responses.
At one point in this process, the student apparently emailed several faculty members, asking if they'd do on-line independent studies this coming semester, so that zie could do specific requirements while at this special program. I don't know if zie got responses, but I'm guessing they either said no or didn't respond (because people are on vacation and out of town working on stuff, and so on). So zie emailed me asking for help setting up independent studies. And when I said, well, you can email faculty, but since we all feel pretty overworked, it's unlikely anyone will be able to take on the additional work of designing and organizing another class.
So then the student emailed the chair basically asking hir for help with the independent studies. And the chair responded pretty much as I had (and cc'd me in the response).
I'm sure from the student's point of view, we all look like obstructionist walls who don't want to help hir accomplish hir goals. From the tone of the emails, zie sounds increasingly frustrated.
But from our point of view, things look different. Zie is asking for special help with these requirements because zie hasn't previously completed the requirements. There are a lot of reasons for that level of incompletion, but it isn't that the requirements were insane or suddenly imposed without warning.
The upshot, though, is that I look like a crappy advisor (because, hey, it's all about me!). My advisee hasn't done some basic stuff we expect, stuff most students should have finished by this point in their careers here.
And while I know that the chair and deanlings know that advisors can't force their students to do anything, I think they will still tend to think that I'm a crappy advisor because my student is emailing them with problems zie shouldn't be having, and that I should be able to solve somehow without them having to be bothered.
Not really, I hope.
I have this advisee who's trying to do a special programming thing, not unique, but not super common, either.
The thing is, there are complications.
So zie has been emailing me this summer, not tons, but fairly regularly, asking for help with this or that. These are the sorts of things I can advise on, but don't have power to change, and probably not the knowledge to make a decision to change. So I've been emailing back, answering and so on, even though I'm not on contract, and should have just emailed right away that I'm not on contract so zie needs to contact the chair.
For example, zie wants to count a thing there for a requirement here. The transfer office said no, it wasn't close enough to the same. So zie emailed me, and I said, it sounds like the transfer office said no, so no. Then zie emailed me again, couldn't I make it count anyway? And I emailed my chair and so forth, because I don't have that authority.
The mistake I made was that I didn't also email zie telling hir that I'd emailed the chair to ask for follow up. And that was a mistake because zie got impatient and emailed the chair and so forth. And the so forth answered, and said, no, because it wasn't close enough.
So now my advisee has totally given up on me, and has emailed various deanlings, asking for help resolving this problem.
And dutifully, the chair and the deanlings have been copying me on their responses.
At one point in this process, the student apparently emailed several faculty members, asking if they'd do on-line independent studies this coming semester, so that zie could do specific requirements while at this special program. I don't know if zie got responses, but I'm guessing they either said no or didn't respond (because people are on vacation and out of town working on stuff, and so on). So zie emailed me asking for help setting up independent studies. And when I said, well, you can email faculty, but since we all feel pretty overworked, it's unlikely anyone will be able to take on the additional work of designing and organizing another class.
So then the student emailed the chair basically asking hir for help with the independent studies. And the chair responded pretty much as I had (and cc'd me in the response).
I'm sure from the student's point of view, we all look like obstructionist walls who don't want to help hir accomplish hir goals. From the tone of the emails, zie sounds increasingly frustrated.
But from our point of view, things look different. Zie is asking for special help with these requirements because zie hasn't previously completed the requirements. There are a lot of reasons for that level of incompletion, but it isn't that the requirements were insane or suddenly imposed without warning.
The upshot, though, is that I look like a crappy advisor (because, hey, it's all about me!). My advisee hasn't done some basic stuff we expect, stuff most students should have finished by this point in their careers here.
And while I know that the chair and deanlings know that advisors can't force their students to do anything, I think they will still tend to think that I'm a crappy advisor because my student is emailing them with problems zie shouldn't be having, and that I should be able to solve somehow without them having to be bothered.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
News from the Professing Front
I went to an awards thing yesterday because one of my students had one an award, and so I was sort of obligated to go. And I was feeling sort of resentful about it because it's two hours out of the day after an otherwise already full day.
And then I got there, and sat with a colleague and an advisee of mine who also won a prize, and best of all, the advisee's family, dad, grandfather, sibling, and partner. And it was just delightful how completely proud the dad was, and how the grandfather was close to tears when she accepted her award and spoke about how her project was inspired by her family. It didn't take long with these folks to change my mood much for the better.
I was proud of my own student, too, and I think I did an okay job explaining her project and the award. (It wasn't the easiest project from my end, but she really came through with it.)
***
Two of my other students got projects accepted to the student research day presentations. I'm happy for them, but secretly also thinking about my responsibility to go to another activity.
***
I got several bits of good news the other day, of import mostly to myself, I think. I had my eyes checked, and they are healthy. But, I also asked about whether I would be a candidate for Lasik, and the optometrist almost laughed in my face. She didn't, though, and kindly explained that Lasik is most effective when someone's eye prescription is no more than a minus five. Mine are around minus ten. So I guess that's a hard decision I won't have to make. (I've hesitated totally about the idea of eye surgery, but I was beginning to think that it would be really amazing to go camping and not worry about dealing with contact lenses and also be able to see the stars without then taking my contacts or glasses off.) Still, I'm stressy about my eyes, and having a positive report on eye health is really great news for me.
My bike is back from the shop where it got its spring tune up, but I haven't gotten out on a ride yet. It's cold, and there's this job thing, and the awards thing, and so on. But soon, I hope.
***
I can report that our department search(es) was/were successful, and that we'll have a/some fine new colleague(s) joining our department in the fall.
***
There's this person I know, not really well, but we have contact sometimes in various ways. The thing is, I keep hearing/reading X complaining about this one sort of problem, and then three months later, I hear/read X complaining about this same sort of problem in a different context, and on and on, for a while now. And I wonder, hmmm, could it be that X is somehow the source of this sort of problem?
And then I immediately wonder if I do the same thing myself, complain again and again about a problem and not see that I pretty much bring it on myself? (I know I've done it in the past, in a pretty serious way. But I hope I've grown in awareness.)
(Okay, true confession here: I still procrastinate about grading more than I should. I should have gotten over that by now, right? Yeah. Like that.)
And then I got there, and sat with a colleague and an advisee of mine who also won a prize, and best of all, the advisee's family, dad, grandfather, sibling, and partner. And it was just delightful how completely proud the dad was, and how the grandfather was close to tears when she accepted her award and spoke about how her project was inspired by her family. It didn't take long with these folks to change my mood much for the better.
I was proud of my own student, too, and I think I did an okay job explaining her project and the award. (It wasn't the easiest project from my end, but she really came through with it.)
***
Two of my other students got projects accepted to the student research day presentations. I'm happy for them, but secretly also thinking about my responsibility to go to another activity.
***
I got several bits of good news the other day, of import mostly to myself, I think. I had my eyes checked, and they are healthy. But, I also asked about whether I would be a candidate for Lasik, and the optometrist almost laughed in my face. She didn't, though, and kindly explained that Lasik is most effective when someone's eye prescription is no more than a minus five. Mine are around minus ten. So I guess that's a hard decision I won't have to make. (I've hesitated totally about the idea of eye surgery, but I was beginning to think that it would be really amazing to go camping and not worry about dealing with contact lenses and also be able to see the stars without then taking my contacts or glasses off.) Still, I'm stressy about my eyes, and having a positive report on eye health is really great news for me.
My bike is back from the shop where it got its spring tune up, but I haven't gotten out on a ride yet. It's cold, and there's this job thing, and the awards thing, and so on. But soon, I hope.
***
I can report that our department search(es) was/were successful, and that we'll have a/some fine new colleague(s) joining our department in the fall.
***
There's this person I know, not really well, but we have contact sometimes in various ways. The thing is, I keep hearing/reading X complaining about this one sort of problem, and then three months later, I hear/read X complaining about this same sort of problem in a different context, and on and on, for a while now. And I wonder, hmmm, could it be that X is somehow the source of this sort of problem?
And then I immediately wonder if I do the same thing myself, complain again and again about a problem and not see that I pretty much bring it on myself? (I know I've done it in the past, in a pretty serious way. But I hope I've grown in awareness.)
(Okay, true confession here: I still procrastinate about grading more than I should. I should have gotten over that by now, right? Yeah. Like that.)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
High Point
I met with a new advisee today; we had a good meeting. S/he's in a good position to take some good courses and do well, sounds interested in the courses s/he's taking now, and seems well on the way to getting a good education.
At the end of our meeting, though, something about the smile, the thanks for my help, and the changed body position made me think that s/he'd been really nervous about seeing me, and that got me thinking back.
S/he'd sent a sort of awkward email this morning asking for help, and I'd offered a meeting time, which s/he'd quickly accepted. And so when I came back after class to my office hours with a student already in tow, s/he'd been sitting on a hallway chair nearby. But I hadn't recognized him/her as my advisee. Then someone else came quickly in to talk about an essay, and I still hadn't made the connection between the student seemingly studiously reading on the hallway chair and the earlier email. It was only after that student had left and I'd turned my attention elsewhere that s/he came to the door, sort of shyly, and introduced him/herself.
We had a good session, and I think s/he'll be back less nervously next time. I hope so.
It's hard to think of myself as intimidating. I'm not physically intimidating, at least not when I look in the mirror. I'm not 6'8" or anything. I'm not drop dead gorgeous; "plain" would be a complement. And I don't think of myself as intellectually or academically intimidating, either. It sort of doesn't occur to me that I'm intimidating (though every so often a student will say that s/he was intimidated by me when s/he was a first year student).
But I remember how intimidated I was by every professor and TA I had in college. Other than my initial advising meetings in orientation and when I declared my major, I went to one office hour before my senior year, I think. I can remember going and asking the question I asked; that's how significant it was for me for my first several years of college.
I can imagine meeting with my new advisee over the next several years, seeing growing confidence and a sense of real achievement, and I'm looking forward to it.
In a way, being able to help my him/her is the high point of an otherwise overwhelming, frustrating, and irritating week.
At the end of our meeting, though, something about the smile, the thanks for my help, and the changed body position made me think that s/he'd been really nervous about seeing me, and that got me thinking back.
S/he'd sent a sort of awkward email this morning asking for help, and I'd offered a meeting time, which s/he'd quickly accepted. And so when I came back after class to my office hours with a student already in tow, s/he'd been sitting on a hallway chair nearby. But I hadn't recognized him/her as my advisee. Then someone else came quickly in to talk about an essay, and I still hadn't made the connection between the student seemingly studiously reading on the hallway chair and the earlier email. It was only after that student had left and I'd turned my attention elsewhere that s/he came to the door, sort of shyly, and introduced him/herself.
We had a good session, and I think s/he'll be back less nervously next time. I hope so.
It's hard to think of myself as intimidating. I'm not physically intimidating, at least not when I look in the mirror. I'm not 6'8" or anything. I'm not drop dead gorgeous; "plain" would be a complement. And I don't think of myself as intellectually or academically intimidating, either. It sort of doesn't occur to me that I'm intimidating (though every so often a student will say that s/he was intimidated by me when s/he was a first year student).
But I remember how intimidated I was by every professor and TA I had in college. Other than my initial advising meetings in orientation and when I declared my major, I went to one office hour before my senior year, I think. I can remember going and asking the question I asked; that's how significant it was for me for my first several years of college.
I can imagine meeting with my new advisee over the next several years, seeing growing confidence and a sense of real achievement, and I'm looking forward to it.
In a way, being able to help my him/her is the high point of an otherwise overwhelming, frustrating, and irritating week.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Done Good?
If a prof goes into the university system, s/he can see who's signed up for a course ahead of time. This past semester, I looked, and saw that one of the really smart, really fun and challenging students had signed up for a course I was teaching. Then I looked just before classes actually started, and s/he wasn't signed up anymore. And I felt a little sorry, because this is a great student. But s/he didn't want to take my course, and I didn't know why. Was it because s/he'd found a better professor? Did s/he think my course is stupid sounding? These are the things that go through my mind.
The other day, the student stopped by my office, smiling, and said s/he'd wanted to come thank me for advising hir to aim hir studies in a different direction. Yes, s/he said, s/he'd started taking courses in this other area, and it was working out great, s/he was happier than ever before with hir education. S/he told me excitedly about some work s/he is doing with another prof. It sounds like really interesting, useful work.
I'm happy for the student, and glad I gave appropriate advice.
But still, I advised a student to basically go elsewhere academically, away from the field I love, away from my class, and I feel a little loss there, too.
I shouldn't feel sad about doing a good job, should I?
The other day, the student stopped by my office, smiling, and said s/he'd wanted to come thank me for advising hir to aim hir studies in a different direction. Yes, s/he said, s/he'd started taking courses in this other area, and it was working out great, s/he was happier than ever before with hir education. S/he told me excitedly about some work s/he is doing with another prof. It sounds like really interesting, useful work.
I'm happy for the student, and glad I gave appropriate advice.
But still, I advised a student to basically go elsewhere academically, away from the field I love, away from my class, and I feel a little loss there, too.
I shouldn't feel sad about doing a good job, should I?
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Rules and Advising
I saw a student today for informal advising. I'm not the student's advisor, but I was asked, and I'm around, so there we are. (Nope, the contract period hasn't started yet, so this was a freebie. You're welcome, State of Northwoods.)
We talked about this, and we talked about that. I tried to make some suggestions to help the student find hir way. Happily, the student was pleasant and the questions not troubling or really worrisome.
Except for one thing that really bothered me. The student's regular advisor gave hir some wrong information about a university rule, and it was something the advisor really should know (though it's weird enough that a student would have difficulty finding it out without guidance). But this is a rule that's common to every college or university whose catalog I've ever looked at, and it's always about the same thing and means the same thing. I would be willing to bet ten bucks that any four year college catalog you look at would have this rule, right in the first section of the catalog. It's that central.
Of course, I tried to tactfully explain that the issue is complex, and confuses lots of people, here's what the rule means. It means X and not Y. It's trying to make sure that students do Z before getting a degree from this school.
The good thing is that the real rule is very freeing for most students rather than restrictive, so this student gets to apply to do something really cool now.
Yes, I know advising isn't exactly a glamourous part of faculty life. (I'm still trying to find the glamourous part. Any ideas?) But still, you need to take it seriously, learn the major/minor advising information, learn the ins and outs of the school you work for, and learn the basic rules that govern academics.
And mostly, you have to put the student's interests forefront. That doesn't mean you sign off on everything, but that you try to figure out how to make the system work for the people who come for an education.
We talked about this, and we talked about that. I tried to make some suggestions to help the student find hir way. Happily, the student was pleasant and the questions not troubling or really worrisome.
Except for one thing that really bothered me. The student's regular advisor gave hir some wrong information about a university rule, and it was something the advisor really should know (though it's weird enough that a student would have difficulty finding it out without guidance). But this is a rule that's common to every college or university whose catalog I've ever looked at, and it's always about the same thing and means the same thing. I would be willing to bet ten bucks that any four year college catalog you look at would have this rule, right in the first section of the catalog. It's that central.
Of course, I tried to tactfully explain that the issue is complex, and confuses lots of people, here's what the rule means. It means X and not Y. It's trying to make sure that students do Z before getting a degree from this school.
The good thing is that the real rule is very freeing for most students rather than restrictive, so this student gets to apply to do something really cool now.
Yes, I know advising isn't exactly a glamourous part of faculty life. (I'm still trying to find the glamourous part. Any ideas?) But still, you need to take it seriously, learn the major/minor advising information, learn the ins and outs of the school you work for, and learn the basic rules that govern academics.
And mostly, you have to put the student's interests forefront. That doesn't mean you sign off on everything, but that you try to figure out how to make the system work for the people who come for an education.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Sap
That's me!
I went to the office the other day to take care of a few office things, and could overhear a colleague doing incoming student advising down the hall. It brought back a flood of memories of my own incoming advising. I remember meeting with an advisor, a professor I eventually took for numerous classes, and one of the profs I really appreciated, even then. We talked about what I had planned to take: chemistry, calculus, a foreign language, and something else? (What was the something else? I can't remember. A Geology class, maybe?)
I remember thinking I wasn't signing up for enough, yet having the sense that Professor R thought I was signing up pretty much for what I could do. And he was right. But also, I got the sense that he was sort of bored; I wonder how many of the same old, same old incoming student schedules he saw with chemistry, calculus, and something or other else? Probably just about every one, with maybe a pre-calculus for variation. Later, taking his classes, I never got sense that he was bored in the least, not when he lectured, not when I asked questions in office hours, and certainly never on our field trips.
I walked over to the English department to get some paperwork done so that I wouldn't have to take the composition class. I never saw the English department there again. Seriously. And that was just the first of many mistakes I made in college. Yes, I had passed whatever preliminary test let me "get out of" taking the writing class, but I would have benefited greatly from actually taking a writing class. (And it's fairly common, if you think about it, that the people who teach college writing never took the class they teach. I guess the same thing is true of folks who teach various lower level math sorts of courses in colleges? I did sit in on a semester writing class when I was doing a certificate in teaching college composition, which is a lot more than most folks, I suppose.)
I remember being so excited, looking at the catalog, thinking of the things I could do. There was a full quarter class offered at a research area, and I dreamed of being able to do that, but never did. (I also never did SCUBA, which would have made sense there. I'd still like to, someday.) And a class on evolution and ecology, which I did end up taking, and loving, probably the single most exciting class in my undergraduate career.
I can't help thinking, when I think of our incoming students, that I hope they love college as much as I did. But I also hope they learn to study more quickly than I did!
I went to the office the other day to take care of a few office things, and could overhear a colleague doing incoming student advising down the hall. It brought back a flood of memories of my own incoming advising. I remember meeting with an advisor, a professor I eventually took for numerous classes, and one of the profs I really appreciated, even then. We talked about what I had planned to take: chemistry, calculus, a foreign language, and something else? (What was the something else? I can't remember. A Geology class, maybe?)
I remember thinking I wasn't signing up for enough, yet having the sense that Professor R thought I was signing up pretty much for what I could do. And he was right. But also, I got the sense that he was sort of bored; I wonder how many of the same old, same old incoming student schedules he saw with chemistry, calculus, and something or other else? Probably just about every one, with maybe a pre-calculus for variation. Later, taking his classes, I never got sense that he was bored in the least, not when he lectured, not when I asked questions in office hours, and certainly never on our field trips.
I walked over to the English department to get some paperwork done so that I wouldn't have to take the composition class. I never saw the English department there again. Seriously. And that was just the first of many mistakes I made in college. Yes, I had passed whatever preliminary test let me "get out of" taking the writing class, but I would have benefited greatly from actually taking a writing class. (And it's fairly common, if you think about it, that the people who teach college writing never took the class they teach. I guess the same thing is true of folks who teach various lower level math sorts of courses in colleges? I did sit in on a semester writing class when I was doing a certificate in teaching college composition, which is a lot more than most folks, I suppose.)
I remember being so excited, looking at the catalog, thinking of the things I could do. There was a full quarter class offered at a research area, and I dreamed of being able to do that, but never did. (I also never did SCUBA, which would have made sense there. I'd still like to, someday.) And a class on evolution and ecology, which I did end up taking, and loving, probably the single most exciting class in my undergraduate career.
I can't help thinking, when I think of our incoming students, that I hope they love college as much as I did. But I also hope they learn to study more quickly than I did!
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Trying to be a Better Advisor (Part IV)
A student stopped in to talk to me yesterday. At the end of our class earlier, as we were departing the room, she'd asked if I were available to talk, and since I have office hours, I was. I figured she wanted to talk to me about an assignment for the class, but no, she wanted to talk to me about advising. This student isn't my advisee, and isn't an English major, but what the heck, I'm in my office and I'd rather chat than grade any day.
She's not the best student, not because she's incapable, but because she doesn't seem terribly motivated in my class. Maybe she's brilliant and completely engaged in classes where she has better teachers?
She's thinking of leaving NWU for one or another educational venues.
Pretty much all colleges and universities care about retention and graduation rates. (Dean Dad has taken on the issue from the angle of course offerings, specifically on-line courses, and faculty availability for advising here, for example.) Retention means that students stay on long enough to get a degree. Graduation rates show how many students graduate within four, five, or six years.
These numbers are important for recruitment (no parent wants to send his/her beloved child to a school where 50% drop out or hate the place, and no reasonably smart student wants to go to a school that lots of people have hated), and also for accreditation, financial aid support, state support (for public schools), alumni support (alumni rarely donate to a school they hated or didn't graduate from), reputation, and so forth. On a smaller level, departments try to retain majors or student enrollments in classes.
NWU clearly cares about retention and graduation rates. Faculty and staff discuss it in meetings, and we have numerous administrators whose jobs are tied to retention in some way. At best, these folks provide resources, programs, and information which support and encourage student learning in a wide variety of ways. At worst, in some nightmare schools, these folks treat students as customers who are "always right" to the point where they discourage or prevent faculty from pursuing academic dishonesty (plagiarism, for example), try to manipulate what faculty teach in classes, or try to manipulate grades or standards.
Back to my student. She's thinking of leaving and wants me to advise her about what classes to take in spring (to help her prepare for the new schools) and how to go about applying to those schools.
If there's one rule I should have put in my very first post on the subject of advising, it's this:
It's the student's life.
That means my job in advising is to put the student first and foremost, to be honest with him/her about whatever we're talking about, to try to understand what s/he is after, and to try to help him/her achieve what s/he wants to achieve. NWU isn't the best place for everyone, and some people really are better off leaving. Me, I'm a lifer, but it isn't the best fit for everyone.
My student tells me she's interested in a business field which uses skill X, and is thinking of going to a school to study X specifically. Unfortunately, I know nothing about this career path. I'd have a better chance telling someone how to become an astronaut or Antarctic explorer.
She tells me that she has an appointment to see her advisor about classes for next semester, but asks if she could talk to me first. So we talk. She wants to know what classes should she take to prepare her to go to school for X? We looked at the websites of a couple schools to try to determine what pre-requisites if any the programs have. As we looked at the schools, my student started asking, "Are these schools okay?"
"I don't know," I replied, and showed her how to look for information about accreditation. The schools are accredited. I tell her that's good. I ask how much these schools cost, but she doesn't know, and we can't easily find tuition information on the website. She seems concerned about that, but neither of us pursues it.
The schools are very focused on teaching specific skill X, so, I ask her a bit more about what she wants to do long term. When she thinks ahead 20 years, does she imagine herself doing skill X? No, she tells me, in 20 years, she imagines herself starting her own company or doing something more managerial in the field.
It seems likely that knowing skill X would be useful to managers in the field, and might help her get an initial job, but if she studies skill X, we wonder, is she likely to be "stuck" doing skill X? Could she learn the business skills informally (and be taken seriously in the field as she progresses)? Or would she be better off learning the business end formally, and learning skill X informally (and be taken seriously)? (Neither business nor skill X, by the way, is neurosurgery. No one will die if she slips up in learning.)
Fortunately, while I know nothing about skill X or the broader business field, I know a lot of people around that do. Okay, I don't know them (certainly not biblically), but I know where they live, or to be more precise, where they probably work.
So I sent her off with some class ideas, first for a couple general ed courses she should think about to help her learn skill X, and then for a couple of courses that will help her more broadly in the field. Then I gave her some homework: contact some people who do X (remember, we know where they work), and see where they learned X, and also find who does X on campus, and start learning the skills.
She's also going to talk to the people about learning the business end, and find out what they can tell her about managers in the field, and how much they need to know about skill X. Finally, she's going to ask about internships at several places, internships which might give her a chance to learn skill X and give her a start learning the business end.
I don't know what she'll find, but if she does what we talked about, she'll make a much better decision than she otherwise would. I hope I find out what decision she makes, but since she's only in my class this one semester, it seems unlikely that she'll come hang out in my office in the future. I'm curious, though, because I think she has untapped potential, at least potential that I haven't been able to tap, and I wonder what she's going to be like when/if she gets that light in her eye.
She's not the best student, not because she's incapable, but because she doesn't seem terribly motivated in my class. Maybe she's brilliant and completely engaged in classes where she has better teachers?
She's thinking of leaving NWU for one or another educational venues.
Pretty much all colleges and universities care about retention and graduation rates. (Dean Dad has taken on the issue from the angle of course offerings, specifically on-line courses, and faculty availability for advising here, for example.) Retention means that students stay on long enough to get a degree. Graduation rates show how many students graduate within four, five, or six years.
These numbers are important for recruitment (no parent wants to send his/her beloved child to a school where 50% drop out or hate the place, and no reasonably smart student wants to go to a school that lots of people have hated), and also for accreditation, financial aid support, state support (for public schools), alumni support (alumni rarely donate to a school they hated or didn't graduate from), reputation, and so forth. On a smaller level, departments try to retain majors or student enrollments in classes.
NWU clearly cares about retention and graduation rates. Faculty and staff discuss it in meetings, and we have numerous administrators whose jobs are tied to retention in some way. At best, these folks provide resources, programs, and information which support and encourage student learning in a wide variety of ways. At worst, in some nightmare schools, these folks treat students as customers who are "always right" to the point where they discourage or prevent faculty from pursuing academic dishonesty (plagiarism, for example), try to manipulate what faculty teach in classes, or try to manipulate grades or standards.
Back to my student. She's thinking of leaving and wants me to advise her about what classes to take in spring (to help her prepare for the new schools) and how to go about applying to those schools.
If there's one rule I should have put in my very first post on the subject of advising, it's this:
It's the student's life.
That means my job in advising is to put the student first and foremost, to be honest with him/her about whatever we're talking about, to try to understand what s/he is after, and to try to help him/her achieve what s/he wants to achieve. NWU isn't the best place for everyone, and some people really are better off leaving. Me, I'm a lifer, but it isn't the best fit for everyone.
My student tells me she's interested in a business field which uses skill X, and is thinking of going to a school to study X specifically. Unfortunately, I know nothing about this career path. I'd have a better chance telling someone how to become an astronaut or Antarctic explorer.
She tells me that she has an appointment to see her advisor about classes for next semester, but asks if she could talk to me first. So we talk. She wants to know what classes should she take to prepare her to go to school for X? We looked at the websites of a couple schools to try to determine what pre-requisites if any the programs have. As we looked at the schools, my student started asking, "Are these schools okay?"
"I don't know," I replied, and showed her how to look for information about accreditation. The schools are accredited. I tell her that's good. I ask how much these schools cost, but she doesn't know, and we can't easily find tuition information on the website. She seems concerned about that, but neither of us pursues it.
The schools are very focused on teaching specific skill X, so, I ask her a bit more about what she wants to do long term. When she thinks ahead 20 years, does she imagine herself doing skill X? No, she tells me, in 20 years, she imagines herself starting her own company or doing something more managerial in the field.
It seems likely that knowing skill X would be useful to managers in the field, and might help her get an initial job, but if she studies skill X, we wonder, is she likely to be "stuck" doing skill X? Could she learn the business skills informally (and be taken seriously in the field as she progresses)? Or would she be better off learning the business end formally, and learning skill X informally (and be taken seriously)? (Neither business nor skill X, by the way, is neurosurgery. No one will die if she slips up in learning.)
Fortunately, while I know nothing about skill X or the broader business field, I know a lot of people around that do. Okay, I don't know them (certainly not biblically), but I know where they live, or to be more precise, where they probably work.
So I sent her off with some class ideas, first for a couple general ed courses she should think about to help her learn skill X, and then for a couple of courses that will help her more broadly in the field. Then I gave her some homework: contact some people who do X (remember, we know where they work), and see where they learned X, and also find who does X on campus, and start learning the skills.
She's also going to talk to the people about learning the business end, and find out what they can tell her about managers in the field, and how much they need to know about skill X. Finally, she's going to ask about internships at several places, internships which might give her a chance to learn skill X and give her a start learning the business end.
I don't know what she'll find, but if she does what we talked about, she'll make a much better decision than she otherwise would. I hope I find out what decision she makes, but since she's only in my class this one semester, it seems unlikely that she'll come hang out in my office in the future. I'm curious, though, because I think she has untapped potential, at least potential that I haven't been able to tap, and I wonder what she's going to be like when/if she gets that light in her eye.
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