Improving the quality of student advising in higher education – A case study

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the application of the quality improvement process (Deming Cycle) to improve the quality of student advising at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The quality improvement project was undertaken by the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Team at the Center for General Studies, assisted by two facilitators. All steps in the process are shown with detailed information hoping that colleagues elsewhere who would like to apply the method can do so successfully. These steps include construction of SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) and flowchart, nominal group technique, control chart analysis, focus group, customer satisfaction survey, recommendations implemented, and follow-up. The president of the university credited this project as having had a definitive impact on the retention of General Studies students.

Keywords:

• Deming cycle
• quality of student advising
• Total Quality Management
• SIPOC
• voice of the process
• voice of the customer
• nominal group technique
• focus group

Acknowledgements

CGS team members included Frances Morris, Coordinator for Academic Advising; Julie Alford, Coordinator for Retention/Academic Counsellor; and Tina Johnson, Administrative Assistant, all of whom provided valuable input in defining the problems in the CGS and offering ideas for solutions to these problems.

Grateful acknowledgement is extended also to Dr Bryan Cole of Texas A&M University, who conducted the Training Workshops for Facilitators of Continuous Quality Improvement Teams in Educational Institutions, which was attended by Dr Carl Montano. Dr Cole's handouts on the quality improvement process are very much appreciated and liberally applied.