Academic Advising at PolyU

Academic advising is considered as a developmental process through which students are assisted, guided, supported and empowered to identify their academic and personal goals, develop plans and strategies to achieve them, and evaluate the outcomes of their own planning. It helps students connect to the university community and utilize the expertise and resources available for academic, professional and personal success.

Let’s see how our Academic Advisors enjoy their role in academic advising.

Checking Student Advisees’ Information
 
Academic Advisors are encouraged to check their student advisees’ background before the advising meeting via eAcademic and/or Student Lifecycle Management Platform (SLMAP) so as to give appropriate advice. In particular, the SLMAP provides comprehensive information which can facilitate the advising process.
 
Academic Advising Record Keeping
 
Documentation is required for all advising meetings in which important and/or relevant information is discussed or delivered. Advising meetings including those conducted face-to-face, online, via phone, email, other electronic media. Documentation is a crucial element of quality advising. Keeping proper and timely records of interactions with students is essential for the following reasons:
 
• Provide an overview of the student’s progress and assistance provided
• Refresh Advisor’s memory prior to return visit and help when planning next steps
• Increases Advisor’s efficiency by focusing on key issues rather than revisiting the all the information
• Communicate information to other University personnel if necessary
 
 
Currently, Academic Advisors can keep the advising record via eAcademic or use the advising record templates designed by OUS. Academic Advisors can also use the format(s) adopted by their home departments if necessary.
 
General guide for documentation
 
Documentation should include appropriate details and the date of the interaction, as below:
 
• Issues raised
• Goals and outcomes of the meeting
• Advice/Recommendations made
• Agreed follow­ up actions
 
Academic Advisors should also pay attention to the following:
 
• Use general and objective language based on facts
• Be as clear, concise, complete, and professional as far as possible
• Avoid using acronyms, abbreviations, and jargon as far as possible
• Do not evaluate, judge or include your personal opinion or assumption
• Consult a supervisor or colleague(s) when you are not sure about what information to include in advising record
 

• There will be regular training workshops/briefing sessions for Academic Advisors to facilitate the implementation of academic advising at PolyU.
• The e-learning course, “Theory and Practice of Academic Advising”, contains informative contents including the concepts, values, goals and importance of academic advising and the necessary knowledge and skills for conducting academic advising for students. Academic Advisors can access the course on Blackboard.

Under LTC42/A4, all new Academic Advisors should attend the “Introduction of Academic Advising Training Workshop” and at least 50% of Academic Advisors within each School/ Department should complete the e-learning course “Theory and Practice of Academic Advising” on Blackboard in an academic year

Official figures from Education Bureau of Hong Kong showed that, in 2023, there was a 140% increase in the number of students with mental health in the past four years, with tertiary institution having the hardest hit (Yiu 2023). A study also showed a prevalence of mental health concerns of students in a university in Hong Kong with 22.2, 50.7 and 40.0 percent of them showing at least moderate level of stress, anxiety and depression, respectively (Shek, Dou and Zhu 2022). It is not uncommon for students to show emotional distress in an advising meeting. Further, mental wellness and academic performance are positively related. While advising students on academic-related issues, Academic Advisors might also encounter mental health issues of their advisees.

The Academic Advisors could be the first person to identify mental health concerns of their advisees, or the first person the student presents his/her mental health concerns with. Many Academic Advisors voice out that they are never trained to handle students’ mental health issues, and they may not know what to do if they encounter advising situations in which students show mental health concerns. Nonetheless, with the common occurrence of mental health issues in the higher education context, the likelihood that Academic Advisors have to handle students with mental health concerns will inevitably increase.

Common Question Raised by Academic Advisors: “I am not a professional Counsellor. What could I do?”

It is true that Academic Advisors may not have the professional skills to “counsel” a student with mental health issues. Yet, Academic Advisors do possess basic skills based that are useful in such situations. These include observation skills and communication skills, which could be very useful in advising situations where the student exhibits mental health concerns.

Academic Advisors can observe

When an Academic Advisor teaches in class, s/he uses observation skills to notice changes in the lecture environment, attend to students’ behavior and gauge learning in the classroom. Similarly, such skill to observe students is useful in the advising process, particularly on students’ mental health status through verbal and non-verbal messages

• Examples of non-verbal messages showing mental health concerns:

• Verbal expression such as “I wanted to study but couldn’t focus”, “I didn’t go to classes” or “I couldn’t sleep” tell us there could be unspoken messages that students are struggling with concentration, sleep or even keeping up with their normal routine.

By observing students’ nonverbal messages and verbal messages, the Academic Advisors could know about the student’s general well-being and the possible needs for mental health support.

Students with depression or anxiety disorder may have the following symptoms

Academic Advisors can communicate

Academic Advisors can also make use of their communication skills in advising settings, particularly, communication skills involving active listening and information sharing are useful in situations which the advisee shows a need for mental health support.

The Academic Advisor could listen non-judgmentally to students’ concerns and attend to students’ non-verbal messages so that students can express their thoughts comfortably, and feel they are heard, understood and empathized. Through active listening, Academic Advisors understand the students’ concerns that may hinder their academic performance, and provide relevant information on appropriate support service.

Academic Advisors are not expected to help students solve their mental health problems. Other professionals on campus, (e.g., SAO counsellor, UHS doctors) would do. To help the student’s situation, Academic Advisor can introduce the appropriate resources so that the students could get the necessary support and care. To do this, Academic Advisors could well-prepare themselves by familiarizing themselves with different campus resources. Upon learning the student’s situation, Academic Advisors could communicate such information in a clear way to students, or in necessary situation, refer/escort a student to the appropriate unit for further support. Presenting information and guiding students to the suitable resources are key in assisting students with mental health concerns. In some serious cases, it would be helpful if the Academic Advisor can accompany the student to SAO or UHS.

Final thoughts: Academic Advisors can CARE

• Academic Advisors are not professional counsellors, but they could notice that a students may be experiencing mental health issues through observing students’ verbal and non-verbal messages.
• Academic Advisors do not need to provide therapy to students, but could listen to students’ concern and share relevant information or refer to appropriate students’ support service.
• Academic advisors can show care and concern to their students such as sending them encouragement messages.
• Academic Advisors could prepare themselves by learning about the campus resources so that they can introduce the relevant support to students in need.
• Academic Advisors do not work alone. Programme leaders, advising counterparts, colleagues from OUS and SAO your partners in the advising process.
• Join training workshops organized by OUS on handling students’ mental health issues in advising contexts

Links to relevant Resources

Advice for Staff (SAO)

SAO Counselling Service (SAO)

Non-office Hour Student Counselling Hotline Service (SAO)

Mental Wellness Clinic (UHS)

Employee Assistant Programme (HRO)

References

Firestein, C., & Fink, N. (2020, September). Supporting students who struggle with mental wellness. Academic Advising Today, 43(3). Retrieved from https://nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Academic-Advising-Today/View-Articles/Supporting-Students-Who-Struggle-with-Mental-Wellness.aspx

Harper, R. & Peterson, M. (2005). Mental health issues and college students. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/tabid/3318/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/141/article.aspx 

Shek DTL, Dou D and Zhu X (2022) Prevalence and Correlates of Mental Health of University Students in Hong Kong: What Happened One Year After the Occurrence of COVID-19? Front. Public Health 10:857147. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.857147

Yiu, W (2023, May 8). Number of Hong Kong students with mental health problems doubles in 4 years, with experts blaming 2019 social unrest and Covid. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3219673/number-hong-kong-students-mental-health-problems-doubles-4-years-experts-blaming-2019-social-unrest?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article

To prepare and support Academic Advisors in playing their advising role, four videos on major advising issues are available:

• Advising First-Year Students



• Advising Non-local Students



• Advising SEN Students



• Advising Students on Academic Probation

These videos aim to serve as a reference for Academic Advisors to understand major advising issues and prepare for advising students.

If you have any questions about the videos, please feel free to contact us at 3400 8203 or email at ous.enq@polyu.edu.hk 

Academic Advisors may refer to the following documents to learn more about the academic advising system in PolyU and information on advising students

• Operation Manual for Academic Advisors
• Guidance Notes - General University Requirements (For students admitted from 2022/23)
• GUR Subjects Library
• LTC/42/A4 (Revised in June 2024)
• PolyU Student Support Services and Resources
• Guidelines on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs
• Guidelines for Supporting Students Admitted via Special Talents Admission and Recognition Scheme (STARS) (Except OSRS and SALSA)
• Guidelines for Supporting Students Admitted via Outstanding Sportsmen Recommendation Scheme (OSRS) and Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme (SALSA Scheme)

Staff are welcome to contact the designated Undergraduate Studies Support Officers for information on GUR and student advising.