Guide and Shape the construction of an effective mission statement for advising programs.

(a) “Developmental academic advising is . . . a systematic process based on a close

student-advisor relationship intended to aid students in achieving educational, career, and

personal goals through the utilization of the full range of institutional and community

resources. It both stimulates and supports students in their quest for an enriched quality of

life” (Winston, Miller, Ender, & Grites, & Associates, 1984, p. 538)

(b) “The formation of relationships that assure that at least one educator has close enough

contact with each student to assess and influence the quality of that student’s educational

experience is realistic only through a systematic process, such as an academic advising

program. It is unrealistic to expect each instructor, even with small classes, to form

personal relationships of sufficient duration and depth with each student in his or her

class to accomplish this” (Winston, Miller, Ender, & Grites, & Associates, 1984, p. 538).

(c) “Developmental academic advising is not primarily an administrative function, not

obtaining a signature to schedule classes, not a conference held once a term, not a paper

relationship, not supplementary to the educational process, [and] not synonymous with

faculty member” (Ender, 1983, p. 10).

(d) “Academic advising can be understood best and more easily reconceptualized if the

process of academic advising and the scheduling of classes and registration are separated.

Class scheduling should no be confused with educational planning. Developmental

academic advising becomes a more realistic goal when separated from class scheduling

because advising can then go on all during the academic year, not just during the few

weeks prior to registration each new term. Advising programs, however, that emphasize

registration and record keeping, while neglecting attention to students’ educational and

personal experiences in the institution, are missing an excellent opportunity to influence

directly and immediately the quality of students’ education and are also highly

inefficient, since they are most likely employing highly educated (expensive) personnel

who are performing essentially clerical tasks” (Winston, Miller, Ender, & Grites, &

Associates, 1984, p. 542).