Abstract
Based on a national questionnaire sent to every U.S. speech-communication program, this study maps the landscape of undergraduate academic advising in the discipline. Results show advising remains overwhelmingly faculty-based: 73 percent of departments assign all tenure-track (or all faculty) to the task, yet advisee distribution is skewed, with a median load of 23 students and 56 percent of departments allocating advisees by faculty area specialty. Preparation and rewards are thin; one-third of advisors receive no training and only 9 percent gain any course-load reduction, while 86 percent report no formal compensation. Training, when provided, is usually a brief workshop or memo. Despite student recognition that advising influences retention, unclear goals, uneven workloads, and minimal institutional support undercut its effectiveness. The authors advocate explicit advising philosophies, systematic professional development, integration with campus resources, and inclusion of advising performance in promotion and tenure standards.
Recommended Citation
Waggenspack, Beth M. and Hemsley, Wayne E.
(1992)
"The State of Communication Undergraduate Academic Advising,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 82, Article 3.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol82/iss1/3
