The document proposes a reform of the undergraduate advising system at the Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM) to address long wait times and a lack of specific knowledge among advisors. It suggests assigning advisors based on student majors, with one to three advisors per major depending on enrollment size. This would allow advisors to become experts in their assigned majors and better guide students. A survey found most students would visit advising more often with this new system and believe it would improve their experience. The proposal aims to implement the changes by the 2017-2018 academic year.

1. Dean’s Council Undergraduate Advising Reform Proposal
Undergraduate Dean’s Council
January 2017
Mission Statement: To properly prepare students for careers and graduate programs by
providing personalized advising given the complexity of the undergraduate degree programs.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND………………………………………………………………………………… 2
CONCERN………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
PROPOSAL……………………………………………………………………………………… 3
CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………...… 6
APPENDIX A (SURVEY RESULTS)…………………………………………………………... 7

3. 2
Background
As the Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM) continues to grow, the issue of
Undergraduate Advising seems to be more prevalent and urgent. The need for a personalized
Undergraduate Advising system and a more thorough understanding of degree plans from
advisors has been a concern for many students. In the past, JSOM was a much smaller school, so
it was not necessary to have the Undergraduate Advising split up based on intended majors.
However, JSOM currently has 9,160 students, and over 4,000 are undergraduate students. With
only nine advisors for undergraduate students, it is difficult for advisors to keep track of every
single student’s situation. In addition, with eight different majors, eight different minors, and
seven concentrations, it is understandably difficult for advisors to comprehensibly inform
students on the degree plan requirements for each of those majors. Therefore, the many tracks
within each of the eight degree programs is evidently why the current Undergraduate Advising
system is complex. Advisors are, arguably, some of the most important JSOM representatives
with whom students are in contact. They are in charge of aiding in the process of schedule sign
up and making sure that each student is on track to graduate on time. Due to the importance of
Undergraduate Advising, JSOM’s Undergraduate Dean’s Council would like to help resolve this
issue. has chosen to focus on reforming this issue.
Concern
We have identified two problems with JSOM Undergraduate Advising:
1. Long wait times during peak enrollment times
2. Lack of specific knowledge of majors
The registration period is a time-consuming phase of the semester where students can face
tremendously long wait times. Currently, students wait for more than an hour to see an advisor
during peak enrollment time. This bottleneck can be attributed to the fact that each advisor has to
accommodate students of different majors. Advisors are not subject matter experts towards a
particular degree plan. Because of this, their efficiency rate of helping students significantly
decreases causing the lengthy lines during enrollment time.
Furthermore, many advisors have an overarching idea of all of the degree plans in JSOM. In the
past, this was sufficient enough to help undergraduates. However, as UTD and JSOM continue to
grow every year, student demand for wanting to see advisors accordingly increase. In order to
better serve the JSOM student body, advisors need to become subject matter experts of particular
majors in order to maximize Undergraduate Advising efficiency while also minimizing student
wait times.

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Proposal
Survey Results
A survey was distributed amongst the undergraduate JSOM student body in regards to the
problem addressed in this proposal. According to the results, about 73% of JSOM Undergraduate
students would visit Undergraduate Advising more if a major-specific Undergraduate Advising
system was implemented. Currently, about 57% of JSOM student body visits Undergraduate
Advising once a semester, which is most likely during enrollment season. By implementing a
major-specific Undergraduate Advising structure, JSOM Undergraduate Advising would see an
increase in student visitation and a decrease in wait times to speak with an advisor. Finally,
roughly 15% of JSOM students rated their JSOM Undergraduate Advising experience 5 out 5 (5
being the best). A revitalized Undergraduate Advising system will increase the percentage of
students who believe JSOM Undergraduate Advising is properly serving the JSOM community.
Plan
As seen in the aforementioned survey results, the JSOM students at UT Dallas are very interested
in the idea of having major-specific advisors, and many of them believe it would greatly improve
their Undergraduate Advising experience.
By looking at the numbers, there are currently 9 advisors for JSOM. Enrollment for the School of
Management is around 9,160 students.
Dean’s Council would like to propose the following:
● Implement the New Undergraduate Advising Structure in the 2017 - 2018 Academic
Year: Not only would this allow all of the advisors ample time to be trained for the new
Undergraduate Advising structure but also would provide students with a substantial
amount of time to acclimate themselves to the new changes.
● Have Three Advisors for Accounting: Since Accounting is the largest program in
JSOM, two advisors should be assigned to help these students. Students with last names
starting with A - G would see advisor 1, students with last names starting with H - M
would see advisor 2, and students with last names starting with N - Z would see advisor
3. Finally, advisors should have a general knowledge regarding the Professional Program
in Accounting.
● Have Two Advisors for Business Administration: Since there are so many
concentrations in the Business Administration Degree, there needs to be enough advisors
to be able to sufficiently go through each of the requirements for each individual
concentration. This is also one of the largest programs offered in JSOM, and therefore,
multiple advisors would be needed to minimize student traffic. Students with last names

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starting with A - L would see advisor 1 while students with last names starting with M - Z
would see advisor 2.
● Have One Advisor for Finance: Finance is one of the larger programs offered at UT
Dallas, but it is not as prominent as the Accounting program. The program also has
multiple tracks but not as many tracks as Business Administration, thus, making one
advisor sufficient. Finally, the advisor should have a general knowledge regarding the
Professional Program in Finance.
● Have One Advisor for Information Technology and Systems (ITS) and Global
Business: The ITS and Global Business Programs combined attract enough students to
have one advisor. In relative to the Growth-Share Matrix, ITS and Global Business are
Stars in the fact that they yield high market share in JSOM. These two majors will
eventually need their respective advisors when they become cash cows, but for now a
single advisor can supply the student demand. Finally, the advisor should have a general
knowledge regarding the Study Abroad Programs to assist Global Business majors with
their study abroad endeavors.
● Have One Advisor for Healthcare Management and Supply Chain Management:
Healthcare Management and Supply Chain Management have some of the lowest
enrollment rates in JSOM; however, as these lucrative degrees become more popularized
at UT Dallas, the student enrollment rate will easily increase. Therefore, having one
advisor for Healthcare Management and Supply Chain Management students currently is
sufficient until these majors become more prominent on campus.
● Have One Advisor for Marketing and for all the New Majors (i.e. Human
Resources): Marketing is a degree that has a steady demand in JSOM, according to
enrollment rates, and it also has few concentrations. Furthermore, other majors are
currently being incorporated in JSOM, so this advisor will have time to acclimate herself
with these new degree plans.
● Have an “Express Help Desk” to Answer Rapid Questions: A lot of the time students
have questions that an advisor can answer within 15 minutes. When students are
requesting to see an advisor in person or online, the online system can filter and
categorize the urgency of the visit and direct them to this help desk. This advisor must
have thorough knowledge about all of the JSOM majors and can help another advisor
during peak enrollment times.
● Have One Advisor for Davidson Management Honors Program (DMHP) Students:
DMHP is comprised of students from every single major, and it is very difficult to
coordinate their class schedules around study abroad, Archer, and other plans with their
DMHP course progression. With an advisor specific to DMHP students, the advisor will
be able to guide these students to help them finish their DMHP progression along with
their other ventures as well.
One of the major concerns that has been brought up with this proposal is in regards to student
traffic. Some people are afraid that this new structure would increase student waiting times.

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However, we have several reasons why this would not to be a concern. Firstly, if a student comes
in for general questions, they will be directed to the visit the help desk. Secondly, the text-in-line
feature that JSOM Undergraduate Advising has currently in place would catalyze the efficiency
of students planning to visit their advisor.
Benefits to Advisors and Students
With the implementation of a major-specific Undergraduate Advising system, students will now
have an advisor who has increased knowledge of their degree plan. If each advisor is assigned to
only one or two majors, they will have a detailed knowledge of a few degree plans instead of
having a generic knowledge of all the JSOM degree plans. This will allow students to interact
with major-specific advisors regarding issues directly related to their degree plan. This plan
could also increase four-year graduation rates. With the heightened knowledge of specific degree
plans, advisors will know which classes are offered during which particular semesters for a
major. Advisors can inform students of this information when students are freshmen or
sophomores, so students can plan accordingly for their four-year degree plan and not have to
postpone graduation by a semester due to the availability of a course.
Furthermore, students will have an advisor who they can consistently visit throughout their
undergraduate career. If students are assigned advisors from the beginning, they can establish a
relationship with their advisor early on. This allows advisors to give more personalized advice to
students and encourage students to visit JSOM Undergraduate Advising more often. By doing so,
advisors have the opportunity to build relationships with students who they see periodically.
Finally, the newly proposed structure can potentially increase the efficiency in 3100 Professional
Development classes. If a specialized advisor could visit the Professional Development classes to
answer questions specifically related to that major’s four-year degree plan or when classes are
being offered, students will have more clarity and guidance as to what classes to enroll in for the
following semester.

7. 6
Conclusion
Considering that this is not a difficult request in terms of cost, we hope to implement this change
starting in Fall 2017. Due to the yearly increase in JSOM student body, a major-specific
Undergraduate Advising structure is in dire need. For the aforementioned reasons, we believe
implementing a more structured JSOM Undergraduate Advising system will help JSOM better
serve the needs of the student body.
With the new structure, each major-specific advisor will be able to provide students with a
wealth of information ranging from general business school education requirements to additional
opportunities that will help shape each student's academic success.
Furthermore, this initiative is the first in the entire University of Texas System. Currently, there
is a UT System initiative on advising reform. If JSOM successfully implements the revised
Undergraduate Advising structure, this structure will serve as an example that not only the UT
System can emulate but other Texas schools can emulate as well.
We, as students of JSOM, believe that, based on our personal academic experiences and JSOM
student opinions, having a major-specific Undergraduate Advising can contribute to a more
advantageous JSOM Undergraduate Advising experience. We hope you take our proposal into
consideration as you choose whether or not to implement a more defined approach to JSOM
Undergraduate Advising.

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APPENDIX A
Dean's Council October 2016 Office Hours: Advising Proposal
Q1 - How often do you currently see your JSOM advisor?
# Answer % Count
1 Once a month 13.68% 13
2 Once every two months 14.74% 14
3 Once a semester 55.79% 53
4 Never 15.79% 15
Total 100% 95

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Q2 - On a scale of 1 - 5 (1 being the worst and 5 being the best) how would you
rate your current JSOM advising experience?
# Answer % Count
1 1 8.42% 8
2 2 18.95% 18
3 3 28.42% 27
4 4 28.42% 27
5 5 15.79% 15
Total 100% 95

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Q3 - How often do you see the same advisor when you visit JSOM advising?
# Answer % Count
1 Always 20.00% 19
2 Sometimes 42.11% 40
3 Never 37.89% 36
Total 100% 95

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Q4 - Would you prefer to have the same JSOM advisor throughout your
Undergraduate career?
# Answer % Count
1 Yes 76.84% 73
2 No 11.58% 11
3 Maybe 11.58% 11
Total 100% 95

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Q5 - Do you think it would be beneficial to have a major specific JSOM
advisor throughout your Undergraduate career?
# Answer % Count
1 Yes 74.74% 71
2 No 11.58% 11
3 Maybe 13.68% 13
Total 100% 95

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Q6 - If you answered yes to the previous question, why do you think so?
If you answered yes to the previous question, why do you think so?
It helps with continuity
Many of the advisors do not know what they are doing. They give different and conflicting information.
Please standardize the information, and increase the quality of the advisors.
When I have questions about the best classes to take or the most important classes I need for my major, I
go to a teacher who teaches a major related class because I don't expect all the advisors to know my
major. However, if I had the same, major related, advisor every time I went, I'd trust their advice more. So
as long as wait times don't go up, having major specific advisors will improve service.
Advisors would not only presumably know more about my prospective career path and college education,
but be invested in me personally, on a level I do not currently experience in JSOM advising.
I would be more confident they know the right answer since they specialize in just one major and don't
have to know all the prerequisites and other info for every JSOM major offered.
Because I know they would be knowledgeable about my degree plan and be able to offer advice.
Because I can discuss my specific plans related to finance.
Of the few times I've contacted an advisor through email, they've helped me pick some classes for the
upcoming semester, but I feel like I still don't really feel comfortable with making my schedules.
It would be easier to plan ahead for things like study abroad and future semesters' classes if the advisor
we met with knew our major's courses and pre-requisites inside and out, and was consistent throughout
our years here so students and plans are remembered. Also, wait times would be cut since advisors could
specialize and thus become better and more efficient at working with students. Additionally, we could
tailor the number of advisors each major needs, and as programs grow we can more easily hire advisors
for them.
My advisor will be more knowledgeable about my situation.
due to it being major specific advising it would be more detailed and helpful
It is better for your advisor to get to know you so that they can help you best.
having an advisor specific to your major will allow them to fully understand the needs of your major.
It's nicer if they know what our level at, what we need at the present. So I don’t have to go over and over
again every time I come to JSOM advising.
Having advisors that are more knowledgeable in specific career plans and certain classes need for
pathways would ultimately be beneficial because it always for more of an intimate discussion when
seeking advice. The process would become more enticing to other students that look for more of a
specific one-on-one type of advising.
it gives you a specified advising session
because the same advisor knows you better. I had experience that two advisers gave me two different
answers, and it confuses me. Therefore, one advisor would be more consistent.
I would've preferred that my ACCT undergraduate advisor have experience with CPA requirements.
hopefully implementation of system would help expedite advising process

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You would be able to form lasting relationships with the same advisor.
Because they are more knowledgeable about my schedule and my major
Gives more guidance to students do they can stay on track or make proper adjustments.
less wait and more focused solutions than generic ones
Because they are more knowledgeable in the field which will benefit me the most. I won't have to go ask
someone else. Saves time and benefits everyone
They would know exactly what I need to be taking.
I think it would be very beneficial for students to visit advisors who are aware of every course you can
take in your degree plan. You want to make sure you graduate on time and maybe get an opportunity to
take more interesting classes, if degree plan allows it.
Because I feel the advisors would care more instead of making me feel like I'm wasting their time by
being there.
This system would allow the advisers to know more about the specific degree plans, which would help
the students more.
The current advisors are not trained enough to give advice to college students.
Because the consistency with one particular advisor would allow me to be more comfortable with the
advisor I am seeing
They would cruelly know your history
it will be more consistent
More practical experiences specific to career and future path
More specialized attention would be great and forming a strong relationship would be easy.
Better tips and you could be better informed of events that are related to your major
Because it would be more organized.
I would prefer to meet with someone who has specific, in-depth knowledge of my major.
because the current advisors are fairly useless, give questionable advice to students which sets them back
in terms of AP credit claiming/courses/degree plans/etc, and just generally give the same information that
could be gleaned from a basic google search. The only reason I’ve gone to an advisor is for classes
registration if I have an issue getting clearance.
I think that the whole experience would be more beneficial
I'm not too sure but I feel as if I'd have a better connection with the advisor and would be more eager to
see my advisor
They could recommend classes more tailored to your major and what is beneficial for the student on a
case by case basis.
It would be more beneficial and effective to schedule classes and know where I’m at in my undergraduate
process.

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Q7 - If a JSOM major specific advising system was implemented, would you
visit JSOM advising more often?
# Answer % Count
1 Yes 69.47% 66
2 No 17.89% 17
3 Nothing would change 12.63% 12
Total 100% 95