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Help Wanted

Jeanne OConnor, a third-year student at SUNY New Paltz, came into college expecting
to receive help with her studies whenever she needed it, especially from her advisor.

I was accepted into the art program, and was given an art advisor. At first it was okay.
But then she stopped showing up to appointments, and would stop answering my emails,
said OConnor.

Advising is an important area of educational institutions. The role of an advisor is to
exchange information with students to help them reach their educational, and career
goals, as well as help students find opportunities around them. However, many students
are upset with the current system that often leaves them without proper guidance.

I emailed my advisor for history, and he was very rude to me. He made it seem like me
asking him questions was a waste of time. He made me feel stupid for asking them, said
Zack Alexander, a second-year student at SUNY New Paltz.

Many department chairs have become aware of student complaints. Pat Sullivan, the
head dean advisor for the Honors Program at SUNY New Paltz, said when students are
finished picking classes, and have had their advising appointments, she welcomes the
students to come in and have her check over their schedules.

This is a way for my students to have a second opinion, said Sullivan.

Advising is a part of an educational institution to help students create a plan for their
future. Advisors are there for students to ask questions about classes, and other
opportunities for themselves to make their four years of college the most educational, and
fun years of their life.

My advisor just did not give a shit about me, said Albert Calleo a third-year student at
SUNY New Paltz. I feel like she had so many other advisees and so much other stuff to
do that she felt me asking remedial questions in person was a waste of time to her, said
Calleo.

Janice Anderson, a professor and advisor for organizational communications majors at
SUNY New Paltz said that she has about 180 students that she needs to see and she
apologizes greatly to the other students that she hasn't seen because there are so many.



Advisors are professionals that are assigned many students to be mentors for. Aside from
being advisors, they are also teachers as well. Between grading papers, exams, and
homework on one hand, and helping guide many students in the direction they want, it
could be a lot to handle at once.

Calleo said whenever he tried to meet with his advisor to figure out specifically what he
wanted to do; she did not want to meet and insisted that it wasnt necessary. He thought
it was because he could not declare yet, and she had no interest in what he had to say.

If someone is entering the school undeclared, they are assigned an advisor that is not
specialized in any department of the school.

Although there are many students who have had negative experiences with an advisor,
some have had positive ones.

Maggie Zielinski, a third-year chemistry major at SUNY New Paltz said that her advisor
is an absolute darling, sweet and helpful.

I am very comfortable asking her questions about anything. If she doesn't know the
answer to a question, she will always point me in the direction of someone who does
know, said Zielinski.

I will never forget her because she is genuinely interested in me and my future, and said
that she is always happy to see me and talk with me, even if it is just in passing outside of
the academic setting, said Zielinski.

Natalie Skoblow, a third-year public relations major at SUNY New Paltz said that she
has had a fantastic experience with her advisor, Mrs. Anderson.

Skoblow said that a majority of the reason why she ahs had such a good experience with
her advisor is because she did not have the advisor do all the work. Instead, she would
find things she was interested, do the research on it she, and then bring it to her advisor
which made the advisors job a lot easier.

When asked what could be done to fix the advising system, Calleo said he believes there
should be advisor evaluations, Student Evalutaions of Instructorss for teachers.

Zielinski suggested more training for advisors. Well, I know my advisor is wonderful,
but I have also heard many others that were terrible. Maybe there can be some sort of
workshop for all the advisors to make them all a bit better at their jobs, said Zielinski.