Degree Date

6-2009

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Academic Discipline

Community College Leadership

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to identify how the role and responsibilities of academic advisors support the mission of community colleges; to explore how academic advising is viewed by community college administrators and academic advisors; and to explore how academic advisors play a vital role in retaining students until they have completed their program of choice.

There is a strong link between the community college mission and the job functions performed by academic advisors; however, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about how academic advisors can play a vital role in achieving the goals established by the community college mission and how academic advising can facilitate student success.

Due to the nature of the research problem, purpose of the study, questions guiding the study, and the desired end product, a qualitative research paradigm, designed within the interpretive case study methodology was selected. The three qualitative methods of data collection used in the study were interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. All of the participants in this study were from community colleges in Illinois. Participants of the study included eight professional academic advisors, and two community college administrators.

Two research questions were developed to guide the direction of the study: How do academic advisors perceive their role relative to the community college mission and how do community college administrators, who supervise academic advisors, perceive academic advising relative to the institution’s mission? The findings provide insight into how academic advising supports the mission of the college and how community college administrators and academic advisors perceive academic advising relative to the mission of community colleges.

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