Academic Advising Websites as Indicators of Support for Diverse Student Populations at Highly Selective Institutions

Abstract

Academic advising can teach students how to engage with postsecondary curricula and connect curricular engagement to career exploration and lifelong learning. However, academic advising is both a one-on-one activity and a systemic enterprise, and institutions should thoroughly communicate the benefits and functions of advising on official platforms such as institutional websites. This study analyzes institutional websites and creates a thematic inventory of their content containing the purpose, strategies, and desired outcomes of undergraduate academic advising at 20 highly selective, four-year liberal arts colleges and universities that are members of the Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE). Additionally, this study explores website content about specific methods and resources for how academic advising supports institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. The major themes emerging from this study include the promise of the continuity of advising, the possibility of advising relationships akin to mentoring experiences with faculty and peers, and holistic advising support provided by several people and aspects of the school’s advising system. However, the promise of advising relationships also hinges on students’ willingness and ability to be self-directed, self-reflective, and advocates for themselves. On these websites, advising was aligned with academic “success” and the journey of liberal learning. The author posits that equitable access to liberal learning for flourishing in college requires aligning academic advising pedagogies and practices with learning processes, equity-minded qualitative assessments, and iterative design practices.