As the White House considers proposals to allocate federal money for armed guards in schools, school discipline reform groups have issued a report denouncing the idea as a misguided reaction to the shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Just when it seems to be needed most, face-to-face advising is getting harder for students to find as the number of advisers shrinks and case loads soar because of budget cuts and enrollment increases. As a result, many students flounder through college, changing majors, piling up and paying for credits they don’t need, and taking more time than they planned to graduate.