This is the first project of the semester. It is a higher education critique, addressing the issue of poor advising at the University of Florida. The critique was presented in a website format made using Microsoft Publisher. To view the file as a website, after you click on it and it is downloaded, click on "Web Page Preview" from the Toolbar at the top.
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Here is the file in text format:
Undergraduate Advising at the University of Florida and what you should REALLY know.
College can be a rough time for students and very confusing. It can be even harder when
one encounters an advisor who is discouraging and apathetic, especially when they are in
much need of support and advice.
Unfortunately, this happens most often than not in advising offices all across the University
of Florida campus. Having changed my major four times, I have encountered many advisors,
some who were helpful, some who had incorrect advice and most others who were very
disheartening. That is why I have compiled some tips and information for you to better navigate
your way around the advising world.
Bureaucratic Nature of Undergraduate Advising
Advisors fall victim to the bureaucratic system that UF has established, which has turned
them into products of efficiency (gone wrong) and calculability.
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, when you want to see an advisor, you cannot
make appointments ahead of time. You must arrive to the advising office and sign in to a
computer, that is connected to a mixed bag of advisors who pop in and out of the office—some
are graduate students, some faculty and some are professional advisors. When it is the time
of year that schedule changes are happening, you will wait to see an advisor for at least 30
minutes and sometimes more. This system is “efficient” for the advisors, who see one student
after the other for a maximum of 15 minutes, but for students who have busy schedules, it is
uncertain when you will actually see the advisor.
Not all colleges have this same type of system. Some others, such as the College of Public
Health and Health Professions have appointments that can be made by phone, so that you
can show up at the appointment time and not have to wait. They also have first come first
serve walk-in-hours. But this does not mean that their advising is of higher quality. All of their
advisors are professional advisors and most of them are very discouraging and send you
through a system of red tape. One student said that she went in to talk to an advisor about
adding a minor. The advisor told her that with the course load of PHHP, she would not be able
to complete a Spanish minor. The student said, “She told me I couldn’t do it, so I completed
a Spanish minor just to spite that advisor from freshman year.” Now in her senior year, she has
a Spanish minor and is on her way to medical school. If you believe that you can do something,
don’t let an advisor tell you otherwise. Follow your plan.
Sometimes when switching majors, there is a lot of “red tape” involved. An advisor may send
you elsewhere, and then you may get sent back to that original advisor. You must get accepted
to the college and you must have the help of an advisor. Sometimes you have to speak to
multiple advisors to have certain papers signed and have holds removed. One advisor from one
college will not remove a hold from another college.
Tips to Avoid Bad Undergraduate Advising Situations
First and foremost, be adamant about what YOU want.
If you are unsure as to what you want, then give the advisor as many details
about yourself as you can.
If you are sure as to what you want, still give the advisor as many details about
yourself as you can. Advisors don’t know about your drive, goals and everything
else that would include on a resume. They just look at your grades thus far, which
is objective, so you need to help them out.Seek out graduate student advisors or
faculty advisors. They are usually the most knowledgeable about a particular field of
study and are the most relatable. My experience with professional advisors has shown
that they tend to be more bound to the rationalized nature of higher education and
are jaded by the system.
If you become intimidated by one advisor and don’t want to see anymore, try
another advisor in the same department first. All though a good advisor is rare,
they do exist. So ask around before you lose all faith, especially if you are a freshman
or sophomore.
Be sure to look at the critical tracking section of your degree audit on ISIS to
confirm what classes you need to take.
If you want to change your major and an advisor will not let you due to time
constraints, seek out the assistance of other advisors and fill out petitions.
Unfortunately, advisors feel the pressure from higher powers in the University system
to get undergraduate students out in 4 years.
Keep records of your advising appointments and take a business card from every
advisor. When visiting with multiple advisors, it is important to have information
and names to provide to other advisors incase you are given incorrect advice.
Directory of Related Links
Here are a few compiled links to direct you where you need to go when changing your major,
arranging your schedule or to make an appointment with an advisor.
UF Undergraduate Catalog
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog.html
The Undergraduate Catalog can tell you much of what you need to know
about certain majors and specific courses.
ISIS
www.isis.ufl.edu
Go on ISIS to add/drop classes and to view your degree audit, as well as
degree audits of all other available majors and minors.
List of UF Undergraduate Advisors
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/soc/advisers.html
If you have the choice, it is important to choose a quality advisor to meet with.
UF Advising Website
http://www.ufadvising.ufl.edu/
It is important to visit the website if you have any specific questions about UF advising.
*Website created for SYA4110 at the University of Florida
