Diversity in Advising

Foreword

This text is primarily intended for those advisors at the university who, in their role in the departments, often have concerns from students or staff that go beyond simple requests for information. Since many of these advisors, at least initially, do not have in-depth advisor training, this text is intended to set forth some principles for professional advisors and also to provide external sources of assistance.

The standards set out here are intended to serve as a guide and to help people gain a self-understanding of their role as an advisor. However, they are by no means the final word in this regard and should always be supplemented by further training. To this end, a collection of support services within and outside the university has also been appended.

The advisors at the University of Konstanz use these standards as a basis for their work in order to be able to guarantee high-quality advising for all.

Quality standards

The advisor is professional:

The advisors...

• ensure a professional setting (clarification of the assignment, transparency of the process, possibilities and limits, ...).
• give advice, to|advise, to|coach, to on the basis of the applicable regulations (e.g. examination regulations).
• commit themselves to regular further training consisting of advice, to|advise, to|coach, to the extent that their position provides for and enables them to do so.

The persons seeking advice are the center of attention:

Advisors give advice to...

• clarify the concerns of the person seeking advice and regularly check whether these concerns and needs have changed. They support in finding individual solutions and help the person seeking advice to develop and follow his or her own path.
• take into account the personal interests, competencies and individual circumstances of the person seeking advice (health, family, social requirements).
• give advice independent of the interests of third parties and should focus on the interests of the person seeking advice.
• try, within the given framework, to make possible a spatially and temporally flexible offer of contact.

The advisor is confidential:

As a matter of principle, all advisors are subject to the duty of confidentiality. No information will be passed on to third parties without the consent of the person seeking advice, unless there is an acute danger to the person or others. In this case, third parties are persons who are outside the system of university advisors; a professional, collegial exchange is not affected.

Diversity is taken into account:

Advisors...

• give advice based on the information provided by those seeking advice and are not guided by information or opinions of third parties. They are also aware that all people have prejudices, stereotypes and preconceived ideas and try to reflect these and minimize their influence.
• are careful to communicate in a positive and appreciative manner (e.g., non-discriminatory language and active listening).

The role as an advisor:

Advisors...

• take responsibility for the counseling process.
• with the consent of the person seeking advice, refer the person to the appropriate authorities if necessary and recommend further assistance. In this way, they use the expertise of their colleagues to give advice, to|advise, to|coach, to those seeking advice in the best possible way.
• know the advising colleagues and the overall network of advisors at the University of Konstanz.
• commit themselves to cooperate with other offices of the University of Konstanz.