Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series examining NIU’s advising system

Despite some NIU colleges seeing increases in enrollment for fall 2004, officials say the higher enrollment has not affected academic programs, such as advising.

The Office of the Ombudsman has received very few complaints, said University Ombudsman Tim Griffin. Less than 2 percent of complaints in any academic year that come into the office have to do with advising, Griffin said.

“[Advisers] seem to be well trained and care about giving correct information to students,” he said.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is “central to the university,” said Frederick Kitterle, dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The college serves about 7,000 undergraduates, making it the largest at NIU. However, adviser shortages have not been an issue, Kitterle said. In nine years, there have been only two or three formal complaints, he said.

“We don’t get the credit we deserve,” he said.

The issue of advising in the college is complex, said Sue Doederlein, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Each of the college’s 17 departments has its own advising system and each varies based on the department’s size and structure.

For this reason, “It’s impossible to create a single measure for our 17 departments that has any validity,” Doederlein said.

For example, some have faculty members as advisers, some rely on the undergraduate studies director and others employ supportive professional staff advisers.

There appears to be a shortage at peak demand times, such as orientation, Doederlein said.

During last summer’s orientation, the college saw about 2,000 students. The goal for the college at the end of the day was to get every student a schedule.

Students who change majors can complicate advising.

“Advising wouldn’t be nearly so complex if every student started out in a program that he/she finishes,” Doederlein said.

College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

In the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, all professors are involved in the advising process, said Mansour Tahernezhadi, acting associate dean for the CEET. The college’s 41 professors oversee about 1,400 undergraduates.

This system, Tahernezhadi said, is required by ABET, the accrediting body for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology, according to ABET’s Web site, www.abet.org.

“[It has been] smooth so far-no major hiccups,” Tahernezhadi said.

For 200-level courses, the student-adviser ratio is 35-to-1; for 300-level courses, the ratio is 55-to-1. However, there have been no major complaints from students, he said.

Chitwant Singh, a junior electrical engineering major, has found professors’ double duty as advisers helpful.

“Teachers being advisers are more helpful because they know about the classes and how tough they are,” he said.

To further meet the needs of students, the college plans to hire additional faculty, adjunct professors and increase summer course offerings.

Because of the budget cuts, this would be accomplished through the hiring of adjunct faculty.