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This study reports the development of an index for the student assessment of academic advisors. A total of 197 undergraduate students at 2 large universities volunteered to participate in a survey focusing on their advisors' skills and competencies. Drawing from a literature review, researchers had developed a 33-item scale that was pilot-tested with 75 undergraduates. After refinement, a 27-item scale was administered to the participants. Psychometric analyses demonstrated that the instrument was both reliable and valid, but the analyses suggested that a 15-item form of the instrument would be preferable, because the inter-item reliability for these 15 items was very high. The 15-item instrument is a potentially valuable tool for improving advising and rewarding excellent advisors. (Contains 3 tables and 30 references.) (SLD)

In order to determine the effect of being disabled on the academic progress of disabled college students, a questionnaire assessing the social climate of a major western university, the quality of its programs and instruction, and student academic and career expectations was administered to 100 disabled students. Factors explored in the questionnaire included prosocial climate, campus support services, social adjustment, social alienation, motivation, and perceived competence in social and task situations. Analyses of the data revealed that the disabled students' motivation was significantly related to their level of social alienation, while perceived competence was most related to level of social adjustment. Among suggestions offered are the following: (1) alumni with disabilities should be surveyed to determine if the university is doing enough to prepare disabled students in career planning and placement; (2) the university needs to identify ways in which disabled students can better function as role models and assume greater campus responsibilities; and (3) university personnel need to be aware of the considerable variability in the needs and abilities of their disabled students. (JW)