Student Success and Academic Advising: Does Requiring Faculty Advising Improve Student Outcomes?

Academic Advising at Minnesota State University, Mankato is characterized by a decentralized model where colleges and departments decide how students receive advising services once they declare a major. Currently, no standard practice exists across the university. The purpose of this study was to explore whether students who major in departments characterized by faculty advising tend to demonstrate greater academic success. In order to test this hypothesis, student success data were compared across departments in the College of Arts and Humanities. With appropriate use, these data will support the proposed changes to the university advising structure made in the Academic Master Plan