Academic Advising at APSU

1
Academic Advisingat APSU

• Presentation to
• Faculty Senate
• November 18, 2004

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Effective Advising QEP Academic Advising
Subcommittee

• Effective advising is the most significant factor
  in student retention and success.
• Effective advising is crucial for students
• In the early years of college
• Undecided about a major
• At risk because of demographic factors
• Low income
• First generation college students
• Commitment to outside employment, etc.

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Roles of the advisor

• Academicprovide guidance to keep the student on
  track
• Conduit to university services designed to help
  the student succeed
• Positive connection with the university
• Component of an early-alert system

4
RecommendationsQEP Academic Advising Subcommittee

• Improve advisor training
• Regular and consistent
• Mandatory for new faculty
• Departmental mentors to focus on advising of that
  departments majors
• Refresher training for all faculty
• Special training for those who advise undeclared
  students

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QEP Academic Advising Subcommittee

• Institute new incentives for effective advising,
  for example
• Cash award and plaque for universitys
  outstanding advisor
• Nominations by students, other faculty, and chairs

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Recommendations, contd

• Improve accountability
• Evaluations of advising
• Involve Faculty Senate in implementing an
  assessment of advising
• Department Chairs
• Assure equitable advising loads
• Determine which faculty need refresher training
• Check student schedules after advisement to make
  sure students are following advice

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Recommendations, contd

• Require frequent advising for new students
• 6 meetings each semester (FYE Committee
  recommended 3 and included those in APSU 1000
  activities.)
• Develop system that sends reports of these
  meetings to the Director of Retention Services
  (now Academic Support.)

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Recommendations, contd

• Reinstate the Advising Center for undeclared
  students that would also serve as a locus for
• Early Warning system
• Advisor Training
• Peer Mentoring Program

9

• QEP Academic Advising Subcommittee
• recommendations are consistent with the
• Standards for Academic Advising
• Council for the
• Advancement of Standards in Higher Education
  (CAS)

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CAS Standards 1-5

• Development of suitable educational plans
• Clarification of career and life goals
• Selection of appropriate courses and other
  educational experiences
• Interpretation of institutional requirements
• Enhancement of student awareness about
  educational resources available (e.g. internship,
  study abroad, honors, academic support)

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CAS Standards 6-10

• Evaluation of student progress toward established
  goals
• Development of decision-making skills
• Reinforcement of student self-direction
• Referral to and use of institutional and
  community support services
• Collection and distribution of data regarding
  student needs, preferences, and performance for
  use in making institution decisions and policy.

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Implementation of Recommendations

• Since the QEP sub-committee made its
  recommendation
• Two advisors for undeclared majors have been
  added to Career Services
• Advisor trainingtwo sessions, spring 04
• Advising is connected to APSU 1000
• Permanent advisors assigned
• Students required to meet with advisor
• Early Alert will be electronic, January 1

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Academic Advising Committee

• Houston Davis
• Sheila Bryant
• Barbara Blackston

• Margaret Deitrich
• Robert Robison
• Harriett McQueen

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Next

• Review all elements of Advising at APSU
• Pre-admission
• Transitions/Summer advising
• Regular Advising
• Tracking Students
• Training Advisors
• Assessment