“Not Every Advisor Is for Me, but Some Are”: Black Men’s Academic Advising Experiences during COVID-19

Abstract

Contemporary research indicates that Black American men encounter multiple obstacles in higher education settings. Understanding the complexities of how Black men perceive and make sense of academic environments requires addressing a number of elements that influence their academic success. The purpose of this study is to investigate the academic advising challenges faced in virtual environments by Black men during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative case study provides detailed accounts of ten Black men navigating academic advising practices in a virtual setting at large research one historically white institution using focus groups as a method of data collection. Implications and suggestions for future research highlight the significance of supporting Black men in virtual academic advising spaces to create equitable and sustainable practices.

AI-Supported Academic Advising: Exploring ChatGPT’s Current State and Future Potential toward Student Empowerment

“…Given that access to quality academic advising-or lack thereof-is frequently cited as among the most notable challenges faced disproportionately by university students, especially those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, as they navigate the unfamiliar terrains of higher education [4,5,28,31], such students may particularly benefit from the integration of AI-powered large language models, such as ChatGPT, into academic advising-not only in obtaining answers on an immediate basis but also in actively engaging in the process of focused inquiries. This is because, as noted earlier, ChatGPT is readily accessible free of charge, and it permits inquiring individuals to interact using their natural language.…”

“…It is perhaps worth reiterating here that the intent of the current exploration is not necessarily about evaluating a particular tool, ChatGPT, per se; rather, the inspiration here is far more inclusive. Specifically, our motive here is to examine the current state and the future possibilities of generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, in a context that does not appear to have been very well examined-student advising, especially given that student advising continues to pose challenges in university students' educational and professional pursuits in the United States, most often involving students of color and other underrepresented demographic groups [31,32]. Then, why are we singling out ChatGPT in discussing academic advising vis-à-vis AI-powered tools?…”

“Research Mentors Should Support Students of Color by Taking an Extra Step.” Undergraduates’ Reasoning about Race and STEM Research Mentorship

“…Consistent with this point, research suggests that students benefit when their mentors are culturally sensitive. Mentors who are culturally sensitive strive to be cognizant of their mentees' racial and ethnic backgrounds (and corresponding systems of oppression and privilege) and adjust their mentorship strategies as appropriate [13,20,[33][34][35]. Examples of culturally sensitive mentoring include creating a safe and inclusive space where students feel comfortable turning to their mentor for guidance and resisting negative stereotypes about students from marginalized backgrounds [20,36].…”