Institutional Vision at Proprietary Schools: Advising for Profit

Abstract

A college or university's general approach to students and student support services, as reflected in its institutional vision, can serve to advocate the adoption of one type of advising structure, approach, and delivery system over another. A content analysis of a nationwide sample of institutional vision statements from NACADA-membership colleges and universities was performed. Findings suggest that for-profit institutions are driven by an outcome-oriented, pragmatic mission statement rather than the complex, compelling vision statement often employed by traditional nonprofit institutions. The customer-service model of the former places priority on student affairs, but in the form of highly centralized prescriptive academic-advising operations. Implications for all academic institutions are discussed.Relative Emphasis: research, practice, theory