Ever wondered what athletic advisors do and where to find them if you need them? Tanya Foster, athletic advisor and Associate Director of Academic Support Services, met with Jennifer Radecki and Janet Robinson early this summer to give an overview of athletic advising.
Where: Athletic Advising offices are located in the Drew and Brittany Brees Student-Athlete Academic Center on John Wooden Drive between the giant Purdue Pete sculpture and the Mollenkopf Athletic Center. When you enter the door, you will see the reception desk on your right, and the receptionist can help you find the advisor you need.
Who: There are six athletic advisors who work with about 550 athletes in 18 varsity sports. Each advisor focuses on a set of particular sports. On the Academic Support Services website you will find a list of advisors, their sports, and their contact information: http://www.purdue.edu/athletics/student_services/pages/academic/staff.shtml. Students in club sports are not supported by the athletic advising office and depend on their academic advisors, their coaches and the Office of the Dean of Students for assistance.
What: Like many advisors, athletic advisor responsibilities fall into two general categories: program and student support.
Program responsibilities mainly involve the never-ending task of monitoring compliance with the frequently changing and staggering number of Big Ten and NCAA rules. As we all know, when rule infractions occur, there are major problems and often major publicity. Therefore, it is important for academic advisors to alert athletic advisors when there are program of study changes such as GPA requirements or standardized test changes. An important component of athletic advising is keeping tabs on all rules for each athlete.
The other major component is support for student athletes—academic, emotional, mental, social, and moral. Since the advisors have all been or are athletes themselves, they have a strong understanding of the unique pressures, stresses and time management issues athletes face. In addition to personal support, advisors can assist students in accessing a wide array of academic support provided especially for student athletes. For example, at times student athletes must miss a class during their sport season to travel to an away game. However, they are also expected to stay caught up (or ahead) in classes and to maintain a certain GPA for sport eligibility. Many resources are available to help including tutors, note-takers, study tables, and various forms of technology found in the Chris Ribnek Computer Technology Center located down the hall in the Brees Center.
Why: Many reasons! Resources when your student athlete seems to struggle academically. Information about rules and flexibility when your student athlete needs a specific class offered at only one time–which conflicts with practice. Assistance when your student athlete does not return your calls or respond to your e-mails. (The athletic advisor is your best friend on this one. Students often return your call within minutes of your having spoken to the athletic advisor!) Clarification when your athlete says his or her athletic advisor says he or she should take some class instead of the required one you are suggesting.
As Tanya said, “we are all on the same side. Call us—there are no dumb questions!”