Innovative advising: Peer advising program could help students better plan their academic path

Peer advising at the University is long overdue — and it's a win-win for students and the University alike.

The program" proposed in 2007 and recently approved by University administrators" allows students to seek experiential advice from ""official"" peer advisers within their respective academic departments.

The goal of the program is to enhance the academic experience by facilitating something students do already — asking their friends for advice about classes and professors.

Official academic advising often doesn't offer the advice that students want — such as recommending professors" providing knowledge of departmental opportunities and so forth.

Peer advising picks up where academic advising leaves off by better addressing the more specific needs of students.

However it's important to remember these students are not academic advisers — they can't help with technical advising duties. Whereas academic advising focuses on requirements peer advising is more experiential based.

Nonetheless in order for this program to succeed peer advisers must be held accountable for their advice. The proposed mechanisms for oversight are departmental evaluations electronic meeting notes and student government oversight.

The pilot program slated to being next fall will give student government and participating academic departments the opportunity to work out kinks and ensure the program is effective.

Better yet this pilot program will not place any additional financial burdens on departments — it's volunteer-based.

Peer advising has the potential to dramatically change how students plan their academic path at no additional cost to the University.

If successfully implemented this program could greatly supplement the University's current advising services.