We have laid out a vision for the advising coordination project to create a shared advising model at Pitt. However, the rollout is meant to be a collaborative process—we want the advising community’s continued input as we move forward with implementation.
Below are some important answers to questions you might have. Please feel free to share additional questions or ideas with us using our feedback form.
- What is the main objective of the advising coordination project?
The main objective of the advising coordination project is to streamline the student experience and boost student success measures, positioning the University of Pittsburgh as a national leader in advising. The five key goals of the plan outline how we will achieve our objective.
- What does it mean to shift to professional staff academic advising?
In the new shared advising model, each student will have a primary role, professional staff academic advisor who will provide standard interventions for University-wide and college/school-level processes such as:
- Encouraging and acting upon early progress reporting (EPR) and making referrals to campus resources
- Academic standing and satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
- Proactive outreach and support for continuing student registration in upcoming terms
- First-year intake and enrollment outreach
- Degree audit reviews (AAR, progress toward degree, co-curricular, graduation checks, GPA checks)
This may mean that the undergraduate colleges and schools will be adding dedicated staff support as the model is rolled out. The Office of the Provost will work with each unit’s leadership to understand their needs in the new model.
We also know (and expect that) advisors do so much more that these “Big 5” interventions and processes. These five are the minimum kernel of what advising is and should be at Pitt. What we will be providing is coordination and communication around the “Big 5” such that professional advisors can be free to build out the connective tissue that is so necessary to help students in navigating our University and thrive within their chosen academic pursuits.
- Will faculty advising be eliminated at Pitt?
No. Faculty will continue to support the student experience in much the same way. However, in the shared advising model, the role that current faculty advisors have played will be referred to as faculty mentorship.
This terminology aims to acknowledge the important disciplinary relationship between faculty and students and will empower faculty to spend their time providing crucial mentorship within their discipline as students prepare for opportunities such as internships or co-ops, research and scholarly activities, careers, or graduate school. Disciplinary-focused faculty mentors provide invaluable advice regarding curriculum and course-content choices for students to realize their professional and educational goals.
Importantly, this initiative is additive in nature, with the goal of supplementing and coordinating the advising support received by Pitt undergraduates in service of the goals noted above.
- Why is the advising coordination plan phased?
Much like the launch and integration of the Pathways student success platform, the phased rollout is meant to be a collaborative process which will allow us to partner with academic units across the University to design the process in a way that maximizes our ability to succeed.
No two colleges or schools have the same approach to advising. While we are looking to dramatically enhance communication and coordination of advising across the University and set minimum expectations, the shared model allows for some autonomy within each college and school for specific student populations.
With the complexities of the larger and upper division undergraduate colleges and schools, we have decided to phase in the plan to provide them with dedicated time they might need to prepare. However, we will also be working with schools throughout the process to ensure that they have support and resources along the way.
- Can a college/school move up in the timeline?
We welcome conversations from leadership in the colleges and schools about moving earlier in the timeline if desired.
- What does the new organizational model and supervisory structure look like for the new shared model of advising?
We have collaboratively developed a “Partnership Plan” where the roles and responsibilities between the the Office of the Provost and academic units are outlined and include the adherence to and responsibility for shared standards, consistent implementation of established interventions and communications, and advising caseload management.
- One component of the shared model mentions “exploratory advising.” What does that mean?
A shared model of advising has a central administrative unit that provides supervision, coordination, and support. At the University of Pittsburgh, that centralized unit is the Office of the Provost Student Success Hub. Through the Hub, we offer academic coaching by assisting students who are exploring different majors/minors/certificates/distinctions, changing colleges or schools, or in need of academic intervention.
Exploratory advising helps students find opportunities aligned with their interests, explore other pathways through the offerings at the University, and connect with interdisciplinary cohort-based programming. The Hub enables these experiences by being a space for students, staff, and faculty to ask questions and connect with University resources.
Exploratory advising brings together faculty mentors and staff advisors to help guide the student experience. Faculty mentors are experts at navigating their disciplinary neighborhoods, and can help students identify relevant credentials or co-curricular experiences that build upon their in-major experiences. This perspective is complemented by professional advisors, who are experts at navigating the University as a whole, and can connect students to a broad portfolio of resources and opportunities.
At the project's beginning, the opportunity to provide more resources toward interdisciplinary exploration of majors and academics was identified as a major strength, and we are excited to help our students, staff, and faculty in this space as we implement the plan.
- How will updates about the project be shared with the advising community?
We plan to share project updates on our website and in our advising messages. If you are not signed up, be sure to join our mailing list.
- What does growth look like for professional staff advisors at Pitt with the new shared model of advising?
First, it is important to note that professional staff academic advisor jobs are not being eliminated and salaries are not being reduced.
Additionally, academic advisors will remain focused on expertise in their specific programs in a major, college, or school and will maintain office locations proximate to existing academic units to ensure connectively. At this time, no changes are expected to Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) that each unit has filed with HR.
The shared advising model will also aim to improve professional staff academic advisor job satisfaction and retention. We will require advisors to engage in Pitt ACT, provide them with professional development resources, and establish opportunities for promotion through the advising career ladder.