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September 25, 2000
Q&A:
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Eileen Bruck
director, Academic Advising
Eileen Bruck would like people to abandon the notion that academic advisers
merely help students pick classes. "We're here to help students become academically
successful to ensure that they graduate from Montclair State," she said. This
year's freshman class boasts a 22-percent increase in enrollment from 1998,
but the next step is ensuring that they leave with degrees. The focus in Morehead
Hall, which houses the Academic Success Center, is student retention, according
to Bruck, who came to Montclair State in 1977 as a part-time career counselor.
Here, she discusses what's new in Academic Advising and how she is part of a
team effort to improve student retention.
INSIGHT: What is
the role of an academic adviser?
Bruck: We help students set educational goals and work together to formulate
plans to achieve them. When an academic adviser is successful, students open
up and reveal things about their lives so the adviser can factor them into the
plan. For instance, when a student says, "I'm the wage earner in my family,"
we need to talk about how many credits that person can take to succeed in the
classroom and meet his or her family's needs. Academic advisers also direct
students to the support available to them on campus. For instance, students
who are having trouble with their course work would be referred to tutorial
services, while a student who's experienced a life trauma might be sent to Counseling
and Psychological Services.
INSIGHT: What is
the difference between an academic adviser and a faculty adviser?
Bruck: Faculty advise students who have chosen a major. Undeclared students
or students who want to change their major come to Academic Advising. We have
a dual role in this office. We advise students, but we also help faculty understand
the general education requirements and University policies. In addition, academic
advisers serve as liaisons to the Colleges and Schools to assist faculty advisers.
INSIGHT: How do
you work with faculty?
Bruck: We conduct training sessions in the computer room, publish a faculty
handbook and e-mail advising tips to faculty advising coordinators. We're also
creating a Web site. It's necessary to share our expertise with students and
faculty because when an adviser is ineffective, students end up taking courses
they don't need or want, and they spend unnecessary time here as well as money.
That's discouraging for students, and it's a major retention issue.
INSIGHT: What is
your strategy to student retention?
Bruck: The 2,500 undeclared students on campus need to know about the programs
this university offers. To help them understand those programs we publish the
Academic Advising newsletter each semester. It contains information about general
education requirements, new academic programs and how to go about choosing a
major. Academic advisers speak to freshmen at orientation and in the classroom
to explain that they can't make good decisions if they don't know all the choices.
We also coordinate a "Discover Your Major" fair. (See What' Happening on page
4.) Each semester we offer two weeks of walk-in advisingÑthe week before the
term begins and the week of add-dropÑbecause students are in a total panic during
those times. Approximately 350 students walked in before classes started this
month. We also pursue students who have not done well academically because we
want them to return to satisfactory academic progress.
INSIGHT: What is
the process you use in helping students choose a major?
Bruck: Sometimes, when students don't call us, it becomes necessary to call
them. We invite undeclared students with 45 credits to discuss how they are
reaching their educational goals, because at 58 credits they are encouraged
to declare a major. At that point they are coming close to completing all the
general education requirements and time is running out. We help students understand
themselves by looking at SAT scores, asking about favorite subjects, what they
do in their spare time and what they liked in high school. We want students
to understand that a decision comes from the inside out. Then, after making
a choice, that's when they can set effective goals.