1. the NACADA Core Competencies
Welcome, introduce myself, note that normally, I try to move around a lot, include some interaction and be less of a talking head, but that today, given the time constraint, this is going to be more direct to cover the material in our time slot.
Doug Easterly, Ed. D.
Dean of Academic Advising, UCSD John Muir College
Pronouns: He / Him / His
UAAC Meeting, November 2017

2. Some assumptions I am making
You have initiative and a desire to improve
You either currently kick butt at your job or you want to
You are a problem-solver and a relationship-builder
You can find colleagues, mentors, and advocates at UCSD who can help you grow and develop as a professional
Before I get started, I want to put some of my assumptions out on the table. The first is that you are a self-starter – that you have initiative, and a desire to improve, whatever your current level of skill. The second is that you currently are either good at your job or you really want to be. The third is that you have a positive attitude, and look at your job as solving problems and building relationships. The final assumption is that you are part of a community of people who care about the work, and will have your back when you need it. I say this as someone who has been part of the UC San Diego academic advising community for 17 years, and I really see in our group a group of dedicated professionals who have a lot to give the advisor who is new to the field or who wants to grow.

3. NACADA? What’s That?
NACADA is the National Academic Advising Association, a national professional organization for academic advisors. “NACADA promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students. NACADA provides a forum for discussion, debate, and the exchange of ideas pertaining to academic advising through numerous activities and publications. NACADA also serves as an advocate for effective academic advising by providing a Consulting and Speaker Service, an Awards Program, and funding for Research related to academic advising. “
What I am presenting to you is a product of the National Academic Advising Association, who is a national organization for academic advising, and a really great resource for the profession. I know some of you have gone to conferences and to workshops or institutes held by NACADA, and many of you are currently members. If you don’t know NACADA, I recommend spending some time learning about the organization and their regional and national conferences.

4. Advising Competencies
The NACADA professional development committee created the model of Academic Advising Core Competencies as a structure for understanding skills needed by advisors, how to structure professional development, how to evaluate advising programs, and to demonstrate our impact on students.
I’m going to give you an introduction to the competencies and how to use them as a guide for professional development.
You can find the competencies at Leadership/Administrative-Division/Professional-Development- Committee/PDC-Advisor-Competencies.aspx
Okay, so what is this advising competencies model, what am I going to cover, and why should you care?

5. Advising is Literally gOAL 1 at ucsd
Provide coordinated and comprehensive academic, professional, and career advising across all colleges, departments, and units.
Goal 1, Strategy 1 of the UC San Diego Strategic Plan
It is important for us to build our skills as advisors and the advising profession. Whether we feel like we are always appreciated, advisors still form a key element of the campus’ vision as a student-centered campus, and we play a key role in the trenches with students, helping them navigate the campus, make sense of the curriculum, and stay on track to their academic and personal goals.

6. Your Key Roles
How do advisors affect students’ lives? Through your relationships.
Your first job is to connect with students and help them feel seen, heard, and understood.
You can make students’ academic experiences make sense in terms of their life and career goals.
In a lot of ways, you have the potential to be heroes, to really impact students in a way that moves them from feeling invisible and isolated in a senseless system to being humans who are cared for and valued.

7. Effective Advising Requires Competencies from 3 Areas
Conceptual
Informational
Relational
The NACADA model of core competencies organizes our work into three categories that guide the development of each other

8. The Competencies are important though Your roles may differ
College Advisors
Department and Program Advisors
Are expected to have a holistic approach
Often working with undeclared, transitioning students and students on academic probation
May have more chance for long-term relationships
May have some autonomy and authority for exceptions
May have more infrastructure for training and support
May be one-person shops
May have conflicting demands
May not have co-curricular supports
May have very different types of relationships with students
May have lower levels of autonomy and authority
May not have infrastructure for training and support

9. Let’s Break down the three competencies

10. Conceptual (Understanding)
History and role of academic advising in higher education
NACADA’s Core Values of Academic Advising
Theory relevant to academic advising
Academic advising approaches and strategies
Expected outcomes of academic advising
How equitable and inclusive environments are created and maintained
The conceptual component provides the context for the delivery of academic advising. It covers the ideas and theories that advisors must understand to effectively advise their students.

11. Informational (Knowledge)
Institution specific history, mission, vision, values, and culture.
Curriculum, degree programs, and other academic requirements & options
Institution specific policies, procedures, rules, and regulations
Legal guidelines of advising practice, including privacy regulations and confidentiality
The characteristics, needs, and experiences of major and emerging student populations
Campus and community resources that support student success.
The informational component provides the substance of academic advising. It covers the knowledge advisors must gain to be able to guide the students at their institution.

12. Relational (Skills)
Articulate a personal philosophy of academic advising
Create rapport and build academic advising relationships
Communicate in an inclusive and respectful manner
Plan and conduct successful advising interactions
Promote student understanding of the logic and purpose of the curriculum
Facilitate problem solving, decision-making, meaning-making, planning and goal setting
Engage in ongoing assessment and development
The relational component provides the skills that enable academic advisors to convey the concepts and information from the other two components to their advisees.

13. Using this model to develop as an advisor
Some quick tips on how to grow using the Core Competencies as a scaffold for your development.

14. Well, first of all, it’s a checklist
One of the great things about the Core Competencies Model is that it’s basically a 20-item checklist of things to master.
The challenge is moving from basic knowledge to integrating the knowledge into your practice, which takes reflection and discussion with peers, including more experienced peers, as well as practice in the field.

15. Development Resources
NACADA
Clearinghouse:
Journal:
Store:
Conferences and workshops
Consulting
On Campus Learning
UAAC Training and Development Committee
UC Learning Center
Limited e-courses, mostly around active listening
In-person courses, usually sponsored by UAAC Development Committee
Other Helpful Resources
Counseling and Psych Services
Faculty and Staff Assistance Program
Campus Partners (Study Abroad, International Students and Scholars, Campus Community Centers, students, etc.)
Other professional groups (e.g., NASPA for student affairs, NODA for orientation, NAFSA for international education, etc.)

16. That said, You Sometimes need to “manage up” to create opportunities
How to sell it…
Customize your pitch…
How will this benefit your unit?
How will this benefit your manager?
How will this improve your work?
Your manager envisions themselves as a mentor
Your manager cares, but doesn’t manage you closely
Your manager doesn’t give time or resources for training
You have a micromanager

17. Grassroots Training Development
Expertise
Space
Release Time
Funding

18. Articles and links for Developing your Core Competencies
I’m going to breeze through this and then make the slideshow available to you later!

19. Articles for Conceptual Competency Development
C1: History & role of academic advising in higher education:
C2: NACADA core values of academic advising:
C3: Theory relevant to academic advising:
C4: Academic advising approaches and strategies:
C5: Expected outcomes of academic advising:
C6: How equitable & inclusive environments are created & maintained:

20. Additional Theory For Working with Diverse Students
Validation:
Belonging: Strayhorn, T. (2012). College students’ sense of belonging: A key to educational success for all students. New York: Routledge.
Advisors as cultural navigators (Strayhorn):
Cultural humility:
Equity and Race: Dowd, A. & Bensimon, E. (2015) Engaging the “race question”: Accountability and equity in U.S. education. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.

21. Articles for Informational Competency Self-Development
I1: Institutional history, mission, vision, values, and culture:
I2: Curriculum, degree programs, requirements, options: Must be specific to your unit!
I3: Policies, procedures, rules, regulations (start with the catalog):
I4: Legal guidelines:
I5: Characteristics, needs, and experiences of major and emerging student populations:
I6: Campus and community resources that support student success:
I7: Information technology:

22. Articles for Relational Competency Self-Development
R1: Articulate a personal philosophy of academic advising:
R2: Create rapport & build academic advising relationships:
R3: Communicate in an inclusive and respectful manner:
R4: Plan and conduct successful advising sessions:
Ryan, R. and Woolston, D., (2007), Conducting effective advising sessions: Putting it all together, in Folsom, P. ed., The new advisor guidebook: Mastering the art of advising through the first year and beyond, NACADA, Manhattan, KS,
Wicks, J.R. (2017, June). Advising against the clock. Academic Advising Today, 40(2).
R5: Promote student understanding of logic & purpose of the curriculum:
R6: Facilitate problem-solving, decision-making, meaning-making, goal-setting:
R7: Engage in ongoing assessment and development:

23. Professional Development resources
Work/Life – Professional Development resources:
Staff Equal Opportunity Enrichment Program (SEOEP) funds for individuals, departments, and vice chancellor areas: requirements-and-sel
UCSD Staff Associations Scholarships:
Internship Initiative:
Staff Mentorship Program:

24. Professional organizations
NACADA (National Academic Advising Association):
NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education):
NODA (National Orientation Directors Association):
NAFSA Association of International Educators: