September 18, 2013
Gates foundation, NACADA to discuss academic advising
The National Academic Advising Association, or NACADA, was invited to join the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Momentum Challenge on Academic Advising.
The association is the global leader for academic advising and has been an official partner with Kansas State University's College of Education since 1990. The association has 12,000 members worldwide. Marsha Miller, the association's assistant director for resources and services, will attend a postsecondary convening hosted by the Gates Foundation today and Thursday in Seattle, Wash.
Charlie Nutt, association executive director, was contacted by the associate program director of the Gates Foundation. The director explained it was beginning a project looking into key issues within four areas in higher education: financial aid; time to graduation; funding; and academic advising. He asked if National Academic Advising Association wanted to be involved.
"Yes, NACADA wanted to be involved because the goal is to broaden the conversation," Nutt said. "This is an outstanding opportunity to elevate the conversation about academic advising and how this profession contributes to student success."
Nutt informed association members about the collaboration with the Gates Foundation and encouraged its 12,000 members worldwide to submit any academic advising activity, initiative or program on their campus they believed was successful and how they determined its success. Members were given a week to comment and rate the submissions, and Miller reviewed submissions. She was invited to the convening based on her value-added comments.
"The question is 'Now what can we do with this information,'" Nutt said.
He hopes to answer this question by building on the partnership with the Gates Foundation and co-convene a meeting with academic advisors.
For more information, please visit the Momentum Challenge on Academic Advising website.