The University of Idaho administration has been far from stable in recent semesters.
In just a handful of months, UI President Chuck Staben and the Idaho State Board of Education announced this year as Staben’s final year as president. Rob Spear transitioned from athletic director to former athletic director. And that is just the top tier of the university administration.
Multiple deans left their posts this summer and many positions remain unfilled.
Students often look to university leaders for consistency and support, even if students themselves don’t always reach out to high-level administrators day-to-day.
As UI is in something of a transition period with the administration, it is more important now than ever for students to know and understand their support system options, and for the support systems in place to truly know the students.
While the faces that often represent the university are in a shuffle, the staff and faculty support system in place to help students on a daily basis is not.
Students now, more than ever, should know their resources — be it their adviser or the Counseling and Testing Center.
While the administration is not likely to know each and every student in any window of time, the staff and faculty of the individual colleges and programs do. Even within programs and majors, students are divided into smaller groups so advisers have the opportunity to better know the students within their program and help shape their path.
It’s a two-way street.
Just as students should be expected to know who on campus is responsible for guiding them through their education, educators and advisers should prioritize establishing a relationship with students. A friendly face in the office can go a long way for a student lost and in search of support.
Advisers and program faculty are a student’s first line of defense when it comes to finding support within the university — they know what most students under their umbrella want, where they are heading and how best to guide them through challenges students may face during their college tenure.
When a roommate is not cutting it as a personal therapist and a program adviser cannot guide students through all the challenges and hurdles of student life, there are resources available.
The Counseling and Testing Center, located in Mary E. Forney Hall, is there for that exact purpose. The Counseling and Testing Center provides services ranging from learning disability accommodations to individual meetings with the university psychiatrist.
Schedule a visit with your education adviser early in the semester. Get to know their style of advising and help them get to know your style of learning.
Take a trip up to the Dean of Students Office on the second floor of the Teaching and Learning Center. You don’t need to set up a meeting, but it’s always good to know where help can be found.
Find mentorship in professors, staff and engaged members at UI. Even at a time when stability might not seem like UI’s strongest attribute, be open to the idea that anyone can provide a sense of stability with the right connection.
— MS