Early Bird

Calling all faculty members who advise students

Advising Systems has launched a survey focused on the faculty advising experience.

By Brandy Swanson

April 19, 2021

In collaboration with faculty and advising partners, the Advising Systems training-and-development team has launched a survey focused on the faculty advising experience. All faculty members who advise students are encouraged to participate. The survey is live now at msudenver.edu/advising/faculty and will remain open through Friday.

The Advising Systems team has worked hard to stabilize and advance the training and development of full-time professional academic advisors. The team also has a goal to increase support provided to faculty members in their role in advising students but needs faculty input to determine the most pressing support needs.

“At MSU Denver, faculty (members) are deeply engaged in student advising. We provide one-on-one mentoring to students and help guide decisions related to academics, careers and professional and personal development,” said Gabrielle Katz, Ph.D., chair of the Faculty Senate Faculty Welfare Committee. “The Faculty Welfare Committee is happy to be partnering with Advising Systems on this survey and in our overall efforts to provide the best wraparound services possible for our students.”

The survey includes a range of questions related to demographics, faculty-member perceptions of advising, training and development needs and more. Faculty members also have opportunities to discuss if or how they partner with other advisors and advising resources in their departments.

Survey feedback can provide insight into how advising partnerships support students, said Lori Darnel, J.D., MSW, assistant professor, and Claire Alfus, M.A., graduate advising-services coordinator, both of the Social Work Department. Partnerships, Darnel said, “create layers of response to address immediate concerns, short-term planning for the academic program and long-term planning for professional goals.” 

“We’re excited about Advising Systems providing training and improving systems, as it could make our partnership and individual advising stronger,” added Alfus. “It creates an intentional effort to lean into the knowledge and skill sets of both advisors and faculty, which in turn enriches the support a student can receive.”