An analysis of staffing issues related to counselors and advisors in the Washington State community and technical college system

Abstract

In 2001, a team developed and implemented a survey on staffing issues related to advisor and faculty counselor positions in the Washington State community and technical college system for the purpose of providing staffing data to inform education policy discussions. Chief student affairs officers from each of the 34 institutions assembled respondent teams to report the staffing trends for advisors and faculty counselor positions in five-year increments from 1985/86 to 2000/01.The data indicates that traditional faculty counselor duties are being reassigned to rapidly expanding advisor positions within non-faculty classified staff and administrative exempt employee classifications. Employees in these non-faculty employee classifications groups are paid less, have less job security, and have less educational training than faculty counselors. Data is reported and analyzed for policy and educational leadership implications. Recommendations for future research, policy, and leadership considerations for the staffing of counselors and advisors in the Washington State community and technical college system are also included.