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Our competencies as advisers are centered around concepts we must understand (Conceptual), skills we must demonstrate (Relational) and knowledge we must master (Informational). We build these competencies over time and with practice. While your unit may have additional goals for you to master, at WVU academic advisers are expected to continue to work toward the following competency tactics, as outlined by NACADA.
Here are all the tactics for advising competency, as defined by NACADA.
How did we decide which competencies to focus on? As mentioned previously, shared problem solving is important to advisers at WVU. So, we started by asking advisers across campus who were still in or had recently completed their first year in this role at WVU to participate in a work group and make these decisions based on their collective experiences. Here are the answers we all agreed on:
Basic knowledge of the academic programming your advisees must complete is an essential and obvious part of being able to do the work of academic advising. In fact, learning the flow of your curriculum is probably what you focused on the minute you started work. Here you will find how to determine if you are meeting this competency, what growth might look like as you progress from a new adviser to a more veteran adviser, and some strategies to help you increase your competency in this area.
New Adviser: Know (where to go) or be able to (find) explain course progression, plan of study, and college- and major-specific rules for obtaining a credential from that unit. Know the difference in university, college, and major requirements. Recognize whether a student is progressing effectively through the program. Know (where to go) or be able to (find) explain how a student could add a minor, major, or additional degree.
Veteran Adviser: Know the course progression, plan of study, and college- and major-specific rules for obtaining a degree from that unit. Recognize whether a student is progressing effectively through the program and know how to steer the student toward success if the student is not progressing effectively. Be familiar with the nuances of scheduling and how students could complete multiple curricula.
Actions toward building this competency:
As students progress through their curriculum, they will often need to identify and understand a wide variety of rules and regulations along the way. While the rules are easy to find, the interpretation of those rules may not always be! Some schools and colleges have an additional layer of policies and procedures students must follow. Here you will find how to determine if you are meeting this competency, what growth might look like as you progress from a new adviser to a more veteran adviser, and some strategies to help you increase your competency in this area.
New Adviser: Know (where to go) or be able to (find) explain basic policies, procedures, and rules at the university. Understand which of those are the most important or most used by students.
Veteran Adviser: Know the basic policies and procedures as well as the interpretations of those policies for granting exceptions and appeals. Know (where to find) less commonly needed policies and procedures related to the student major, college or university.
Actions toward building this competency:
As you may have noticed under the Logistics portion of the onboarding materials, we have a variety of technologies we are expected to use and master while advising students. Many of these tools we will use every time we interact with a student. Here you will find how to determine if you are meeting this competency, what growth might look like as you progress from a new adviser to a more veteran adviser, and some strategies to help you increase your competency in this area.
New Adviser: Know how to use software critical to advising success (Degreeworks, Navigate, Banner). Make effective notes in DegreeWorks. Create a plan in DegreeWorks for students who need a Financial Aid Appeal. Use Navigate to schedule advising campaigns. Become trained in using Banner for lifting advising holds.
Veteran Adviser: In addition to the skills above, understand how to interpret Banner information to problem solve student situations spot trends.
Actions toward building this competency:
This relational competency tactic is the foundation of building trust, active listening, and creating the conditions for success with your advisees. We all bring our own experiences and biases to every interaction, and developing our relational toolkit is important. Fortunately, there are many opportunities to hone these skills at WVU. Here you will find how to determine if you are meeting this competency, what growth might look like as you progress from a new adviser to a more veteran adviser, and some strategies to help you increase your competency in this area.
New Adviser: Actively seeks out opportunities to learn more about biases and how they may play a role in student interactions.
Veteran Adviser: Has attended a variety of major trainings on a range of topics to decrease bias and encourage respect and inclusivity. Stays up-to-date on newly offered trainings.
Actions toward building this competency:
Learning to use the technology tools, understanding policies and procedures, the academic curriculum and other advising strategies all leads to the most practical competency of them all – actually planning and conducting successful advising interactions. Because WVU is a decentralized administrative environment, schools, colleges and departments have developed a range of methods to teach this skill. Some advisers have a lengthy observation period while others are more pressed to begin right away. Remember to check with your immediate supervisor to determine what success looks like within your unit. Here you will find how to determine if you are meeting this competency, what growth might look like as you progress from a new adviser to a more veteran adviser, and some strategies to help you increase your competency in this area.
New Adviser: Learn to run an effective advising appointment. Address student questions while covering timely and needed topics. Stay within the appointment time parameters (unless there are unusual circumstances).
Veteran Adviser: Advising appointments are conducted as conversations rather than Q&A sessions; adviser can triage information appropriately for individual students based on developmental stage, needs, expressed concerns or situations.
Actions toward building this competency:
Case Study Examples: