Passing the Torch

by Deborah Mayhew

After serving two years as the chair of the UF Undergraduate Advising Council (UAC), it is time to pass the torch. New chair Robin Rossie from the College of Education has hit the ground running. Robin has lined up an impressive list of agenda items for our fall semester meetings. I know she’ll keep us on our toes with her enthusiasm, keen insights, and quick wit as she guides the UAC toward its goals.

Chairing the UAC has been a privilege.  The UF advising community is among the best in the nation. Our UAC members work hard to advance our profession, both by learning and teaching. More than 20 UF advisors attended the recent NACADA conference to learn new ways to improve advising. At least five UF advisors presented, teaching other advisors about innovations developed at our university. We have support for our profession from our administrators, as well.  Recognizing the importance of advising to the success of the institutional teaching mission, the UAC is housed in Academic Affairs and is overseen by the Associate Provost.

Over the past two years, we have adjusted to policy changes, budget cuts, and students with increasing needs. We have kept abreast of changes, found creative ways to “do more with less,” and continued to meet the needs of our students. In addition to staying up-to-date through our monthly agenda items, the UAC took on some additional tasks: 

• A UAC subcommittee found that HSAA students graduate successfully and on time and don’t need a lot of special attention beyond their special Preview session.
• For the first time, Santa Fe advisors were in attendance at our Annual Advising Workshop. 
• We reminded administration – often and loudly – that we must have a place in the conversation about the future of the student records system. 
• We submitted a report to Dr. Mair about gen-ed courses in different colleges, which he used to prepare for the Board of Governors meeting.

As a group, academic advisors contribute a great deal to the university. Over the summer, we updated the UAC Operating Code. The revisions increased the number of voting members from each area, with the intention of giving more advisors a voice. We also created a structure to provide support for the UAC Chair and a smooth transition as new leadership comes on board. Perhaps the most significant change is the development of a steering committee that includes the UAC Chair, the past-chair or the chair-elect, and the chair of each committee (campus affairs, professional development, and communication). The goal of the steering committee is to support the chair in the development of a strategic plan for the UAC.  Many thanks to Erica Byrnes, Maureen Cox, Dr. Bernard Mair, Dana Myers, Robin Rossie, Sallie Schattner, Kari Ward, and Andrew Wehle for sharing their time and talents in this process.

I would say that UF advisors are committed to advancing our profession, and they continually demonstrate the enthusiasm and intellect needed to do that.  At conferences, though, I frequently hear advisors say “we’re not there yet.”  It’s like a mantra. But maybe it should be more like our philosophy?  Do we really want to reach a point where we cannot improve?  I believe that people who choose to be academic advisors will never “be there,” because no matter how good we get, we will always strive to be better.  Isn’t that really the way it should be?  That’s the way it is at UF.

I want to thank everyone who participates in UAC.  In doing so, you strengthen our profession and our voice.  I want to offer special thanks to Dr. Bernard Mair, for his guidance, interest, and participation; to Erica Byrnes, past-chair, for her gracious support and mentoring; to Glenn Kepic, for keeping professional development in the forefront; to Maureen Cox, who chaired the best ever Annual Advisor Workshop and opened it up to our Santa Fe colleagues; to Jeff Citty, who helped define the role of the campus affairs committee; and finally, to my good friend and colleague, Kari Ward, whose talent for both writing and design have made the UF Advisor blog a publication that is highly anticipated every time.  I’m looking forward to what comes next!