In response to student concerns that their four year advisors do not fit their needs, Student Union Senate’s Academic Affairs Committee is in the process of exploring ways to foster better suited student-advisor pairings.

Because Washington University is planning to switch away from WebStac to MyDay, a new platform, within the next few years, SU’s focus has shifted from immediately implementing a matching survey towards an outreach campaign to find out what other features students would like to see on the new system.

The idea originates from the results of Senate’s annual Improve WashU campaign, which asked students what changes they would like to see within the University.

Sophomore David Massey said that because of his four-year advisor switching to a new school, he is in favor of the idea of SU exploring new options for better student-advisor matches.

“My major advisor has become the thing I lean on,” Massey said.

According to the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee sophomore Anne He, a survey would aim to enable closer student-advisor relationships.

“Whenever a situation arises for a student, your four-year advisor should be the person that you go to, to address any and all problems, whether it be academic or otherwise…” said He. “The idea is how can we get students’ four-year advisors who can actually be able to connect with the student on a deeper level.”

The idea behind a matching survey is welcomed by Arts and Sciences Dean Jennifer R. Smith, who also mentioned that such deep relationships are “inherently reciprocal” in her written response to Student Life.

“We appreciate that students’ intersectional identities are important factors in how they engage with their academic advisors. Additionally, in considering any process to match advisors and advisees, we want to ensure that this process also values advisors’ voices and identities,” wrote Smith. “We would want to make sure that advisors be represented in the next stages of conversation.”

Smith also pointed out the significant logistical challenges that would likely come with a survey.

“In order to give students time to prepare for and schedule a conversation with their advisor before they register for the first semester of classes, we end up having a very tight turnaround between when we get information on the entering class and when advising assignments need to be solidified,” wrote Smith.

SU consulted with the Student Technology Advising Committee to discuss what a survey would have theoretically included and is in contact with University administrators.

“We don’t even actually have to necessarily create it now. It’s just about making sure that the administration will actually enable that function,” He said. “Right now, we are not as concerned with the specifics of the survey until a few years later, because the survey will only be available when MyDay is available.”

The committee is currently investigating options for the project beyond a matching survey, looking to include increased student insight on what else students may want to see in the future.

“I would say our new goal is to just [do] outreach [with] the students to figure out what else do they want to see on MyDay other than the four-year advisor matching survey,” He said. “It’s basically like we shifted the project.”