FAQs from Individuals, with responses from Beth: Click here for FAQs from Institutions
- How can I know whether you can really help me?
We will have a preliminary consultation (at no charge to you) to discuss your needs and goals and whether I can help you. This consultation in no way
obligates you to use my services further. See the Process for Attaining Higher Education Consulting for more detail.
- I'm a faculty member (full- or part-time) and need some advice. I'd like to try you out. What do I do next?
We'll talk briefly or correspond through email to determine how I can help you and whether you want to proceed. We can move fairly quickly to a full
discussion, once a little paperwork is completed. See the Process for Attaining Higher Education Consultation for more detail.
- I'm a dean/department chair/other administrator/staff member. Can you help me? How?
If your matter involves academe, I can probably help you. There is very little that surprises me any more. Explore the Services page for more detail.
- Once I talk to you in the preliminary consultation, what next?
If it is a consultation for you as an individual, I will quickly work up a Consent form so that expectations for each of us are clear, You'll pay through PayPal,
and then we are all set to talk.
- How and when do I pay you?
You will pay through PayPal, which is very easy to set up and use. For individuals, payment comes before the professional consultation. (Institutions will
give final approval to a project proposal and we go from there.)
- How do you determine pricing?
I have sought to make the cost affordable for you. It is based on the market for coaching (and is less expensive than that!) rather than on
institutional consultation. Our first talk will be 45-50 minutes. If you'd like me to read and comment on your CV and job application materials, that comes at
the same hourly rate.
- What if I have a persistent problem or ongoing need and I know I'll be coming back to you? How is that handled?
We can keep adding sessions or schedule a few at the outset, whatever you prefer. As before, you will need to pay through PayPal before our actual session.
- What if I have an urgent matter? How soon can we talk?
If you tell me it is urgent, I can turn things around fairly quickly using electronic means. I may be limited if I am out on the road on another consultation,
but I will let you know this and you can decide whether or not my suggested times to talk are soon enough for you.
- What don't you do?
Under no circumstance will I provide either legal counsel or personal counseling--which are more appropriately handled by an attorney or a psychotherapist,
respectively. I have an associate fully licensed to practice psychotherapy who can provide you with personal counseling if you so desire; I can refer you to
him. I will tell you directly when our conversation begins to move into these areas and that I cannot provide you such services.
- How do we talk? Phone? Skype?
Either phone or Skype works.
- How confidential is this?
This service to you is private and confidential. I understand that many individuals who seek advising do so because of the delicate nature of their
situation. They often have no one to talk to and/or no one they can trust at their institution. You can be assured that your information is held in strict
confidence, including even the fact that you have sought me out. In my work as a dean, I learned long ago how to maintain confidentiality.