Playing Mommy against Daddy
Over the summer I had the unique pleasure of taking half of my advising caseload and handing it off to a new advisor. I can't tell you how nice it is to go from 800+ students to 400+ students. It allows me to be proactive and to take more time with individual students, especially those who might be struggling. Instead of being in triage mode I now operate under a preventative care model, which means less pain for everyone in the long run.
It was also very nice to have one of my former students apply for, compete, and ultimately earn the job as the new Communication Department advisor. Gae Robinson was a top-notch student and she brings the same focus and heart to advising (even if she thinks she asks too many questions). She is a sweetheart, she is smart as whip, and I am so glad we hired her.
But I have noticed something a little disturbing since Gae started a few months ago. I have had more than a few students that will have a meeting with Gae and she will lay out their remaining requirements and then afterwards they will send me an e-mail wanting to meet with me and go over things again.
I might be tempted to be a little flattered by this...after all I have always maintained a good relationship with those 800+ students, so I could see this as a sign that they really trust me. And I am sure for the vast majority that is the case. School is an expensive and time-consuming proposition and they just want to double check that everything is kosher. I don't mind taking the time to reassure a nervous senior staring down the barrel of their final semester.
But I also get the sense that some of these students (a small but vocal minority) are advisor shopping...looking for the person with the easiest answers. It is kind of like when you were a kid and you didn't like Mom's answer so you asked Dad.
For those students who might feel tempted to play Mommy against Daddy (and the day will soon be upon us when it goes the other way around I assure you) please know that Gae and I, unlike your parents perhaps, really like each other and we talk about you all the time. So when you try and pull a fast one we are going to catch it.
Again, I never mind checking things out for students no matter what their concentration is. But Gae and I read from the same bible...it is called the UVU catalog and we both have a fairly literal interpretation.
