Don’t blame counselors

Editor:

In the article "Chancellor poses Solomon dilemma to faculty" March 5, The Ranger quoted Faculty Senate Chair Jeff Hunt in a discussion about academic advising (at the March 3 senate meeting).

If correctly quoted, his statements require a response due to the inaccurate and incomplete picture they portray of advising services and issues at San Antonio College.

Especially disturbing is the accusatory tone.

The article states that there is a committee appointed by Dr. Jessica Howard, vice president of academic affairs, to give ideas on advising students.

While this is a commendable move toward improved services for students, Hunt's comment "counselors and Dr. Vela have never worked on a model" makes it appear as if this is the first time advising concerns have been brought up.

In fact, there is nothing further from the truth.

As I read the article, I wondered if the mapped process referred to was similar to the one we provided to Howard about a year ago.

Any time a change in the current model has been proposed, it has been dismissed. Perhaps the time has come where there would be more support for a new model.

If so, it would be welcome.

It is counselors who have repeatedly raised the concern that the only students who are required to receive advising are first-time-in-college students, and because of limited resources, we are forced to conduct it in a group format.

Unless there are increased resources made available to those limited groups, continuing to operate this way leaves a large number of students' needs unaddressed and negatively impacts their progress and success.

Ideally, advising is a collegewide responsibility that supports a student's entire academic career.

There should be advising about testing issues, FTIC advising, course placement advising, early alert advising, transfer advising, drop advising and more.

Vela has been working with Howard and (President Robert) Zeigler to create a committee with representation from all areas of the college who have a vested interest in this important issue.

However, recent developments with Vela's role have made it necessary to temporarily direct attention away from that effort.

Hunt's comment "I think the teaching faculty are tired of waiting for the counselors to improve their system" might be what he thinks, but I question whether he speaks for the entire teaching faculty.

I would hope that the action Hunt advocates we take could be done with everyone's participation in a collegial manner and in the interest of our students' success.

Emma L. Mendiola Chair,

Counseling and Student Development