Spring Break
Dean Jaffe impanels committee to evaluate campus advising services
by Anya Bergman
News | 5/1/07
Posted online at 10:24 PM EST on 4/30/07
/ Last updated at 8:28 PM EST on 4/30/07
Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe has created a committee that will examine academic and career advising services on campus and determine whether changes need to be made to improve them, an administrator said.
The committee has yet to meet but will consist of professors and representatives from both the Hiatt Career Center and the Office of Academic Services, a newly created office that is the result of a recent merger between the Offices of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and Student Enrichment Services. Academic Services offers undergraduates academic advising, tutoring help and study groups, while Hiatt's counselors assist students with resumés and cover letters and provide guidance on graduate schools and career opportunities.
"The hope is that we can examine … how to make just a better [academic and career] advising system on campus for students," said Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe.
Students have complained about the way they are assigned academic advisors upon entering Brandeis. In the past, first-years had to fill out a paper form, checking boxes about their academic interests. An academic advisor was then selected based on these answers. But students often forgot to fill out the form, Godsoe wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.
First-years now complete an online advising form, still checking boxes to indicate their subjects of interest and to specify their top three academic choices. Students also now "answer questions about themselves that would be helpful to their academic advisor," Godsoe said.
The questions address students' high school classes and activities and what degrees they wish to obtain. Based on these answers, Godsoe said, an appropriate advisor is assigned to the student.
But some students complained that they were not assigned an advisor who had any relation to their field of study or interests. Liz Shteyn '10 said she is interested in majoring in a science-related field but was assigned an advisor from the Department of Residence Life. Because of this, she said, it was challenging to find answers to questions she had about classes and scheduling.
"They should probably assign you someone that you're interested in," she said. "Maybe they should make it a little easier to switch advisors."
Godsoe said her office is making small changes to benefit students, including increasing drop-in hours. She said that some of these changes are being made in response to online surveys that have been conducted and concerns students have expressed to administrators.
The committee has yet to meet but will consist of professors and representatives from both the Hiatt Career Center and the Office of Academic Services, a newly created office that is the result of a recent merger between the Offices of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and Student Enrichment Services. Academic Services offers undergraduates academic advising, tutoring help and study groups, while Hiatt's counselors assist students with resumés and cover letters and provide guidance on graduate schools and career opportunities.
"The hope is that we can examine … how to make just a better [academic and career] advising system on campus for students," said Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe.
Students have complained about the way they are assigned academic advisors upon entering Brandeis. In the past, first-years had to fill out a paper form, checking boxes about their academic interests. An academic advisor was then selected based on these answers. But students often forgot to fill out the form, Godsoe wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.
First-years now complete an online advising form, still checking boxes to indicate their subjects of interest and to specify their top three academic choices. Students also now "answer questions about themselves that would be helpful to their academic advisor," Godsoe said.
The questions address students' high school classes and activities and what degrees they wish to obtain. Based on these answers, Godsoe said, an appropriate advisor is assigned to the student.
But some students complained that they were not assigned an advisor who had any relation to their field of study or interests. Liz Shteyn '10 said she is interested in majoring in a science-related field but was assigned an advisor from the Department of Residence Life. Because of this, she said, it was challenging to find answers to questions she had about classes and scheduling.
"They should probably assign you someone that you're interested in," she said. "Maybe they should make it a little easier to switch advisors."
Godsoe said her office is making small changes to benefit students, including increasing drop-in hours. She said that some of these changes are being made in response to online surveys that have been conducted and concerns students have expressed to administrators.
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