New Advising Model Focuses on Student Success

By Jonathan Petty,
Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications –

KILLEEN — In its latest move to focus on student success, Texas A&M University–Central Texas centralized student advising to better accommodate student needs. The new advising model focuses on the student journey, connecting students with resources that help ensure success. The changes support the university’s goal to help students graduate on time with less debt.

The new model moves academic advising under student success. While advisors remain embedded in the academic colleges, they will work as a single unit, cross-training and providing support as needed. Acting Director of Advising and Retention Dra. Loida Gonzalez said the new model streamlines communication, providing consistency in customer service.

“The goal is for students to experience one university instead of a bunch of different offices as they plan on attending A&M–Central Texas,” Gonzalez said.

Creating Working Relationships

The initial change moves advising from a transactional model to a relational model. Students will have a dedicated advisor who will not only make sure they are enrolled in the right courses but also monitor their progress and inform them about internship opportunities, connections to career development, and other resources to help them succeed in the workforce.

Additional changes better accommodate scheduling and making sure students connect with advisors when needed. With the new model, advisors are available for prescheduled bookings as well as last-minute walk-in appointments. Additional monitoring and communication from advisors will also help to prevent scheduling and availability issues prior to enrollment deadlines each semester.

“We will provide flexibility for students to make sure everyone is taken care of as soon as possible,” Gonzalez said.

Future Plans for Improvement

Along with centralized advising, the university is working on improving its communication framework. The goal is to better connect advising with the registrar and course planning, providing students with a complete road map to degree completion once they enroll.

“We will be able to schedule students out and plan to their graduation,” Gonzalez said. “Then we can look at planning their internships, licensures, and moving on to graduate school.”

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