As students scurried around campus last weeks with add slips in hand, trying desperately to get that much-needed classes for the fall, some found themselves releived with helpful advice from their academic adviers, while others left frustrated and confused.

Matthew Berndt, senior in accounting, said he feels meeting with his academic adviser was a waste of time.

“The information is usually found on a piece of paper in the office itself,” Berndt said.

Berndt has met with his adviser three times this year and feels having to get a signature for everything is a “big, long hassle.”

Kelli Huser, sophomore in environmental science, has the opposite feelings.

Huser met with her engineering adviser twice this semester, once to change majors.

“My engineering adviser was actually pretty helpful in getting switched over and with what classes to take,” she said.

The University Academic Advising Committee is administering a survey asking students to give their opinions on the role of academic advisers and advising services at Iowa State.

Although the individual colleges have been doing surveys on their own, Lynn Sandeman, academic adviser for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Student Academic Services, said she is looking forward to the results of the university survey.

“There hasn’t been a university-wide survey in 10 years,” Sandeman said.

Huser has already completed the advising survey and Sandeman said she hopes many others students will, too.

Students who haven’t taken the survey can look for a reminder e-mail to be sent out soon. The survey ends April 20.

Sandeman said she wants students to realize the advisers want to improve so they can make the experience better for the students.

“Most of us got into this profession because we are most interested in helping students,” Sandeman said.

In addition to the survey sent out to students via e-mail, academic advisers completed a survey of their own in fall 2005.

Two hundred and forty-nine faculty advisers responded, and 86.3 percent said they spend 24 percent of their time or less on advising students.

Sixty-six professional advisers also responded, and 75.8 percent of respondents spend 50 to 100 percent of their time advising students.

Sandeman said there has been a change in the past five to 10 years in how advisers are spending their time.

“The biggest change I have seen is advisers are increasingly involved with meeting with prospective students,” Sandeman said.

The findings from the fall survey support the involvement of advisers in recruitment.

Of the professional advisers that responded, 89.4 percent are involved in on-campus recruitment. Thirty-one percent of faculty advisers are involved in on-campus recruitment.

The Office of Admissions understands the role of academic advisers in the campus visit schedule has changed, but the change comes from the needs of parents and students.

“There have always been academic advising appointments,” said Julie Kiefer, enrollment services adviser.

“The expectation of what our guests would like to get out of it has changed.”

Kiefer said increased interest in Advanced Placement courses and transferring in college credits has made academic advisers more important in the campus visit for prospective students.