Enhancing Academic Advisement Using the First-Year Seminar

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Enhancing Academic Advisement Using the
First-Year Seminar

• Dr. Mark L. Campbell Chair
• Academic Services Department
• Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
• The ROCK

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Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

• One of fourteen universities in the State System
  of Higher Education
• Over 7,200 undergraduates and about 800 graduate
  students
• Over 60 degree programs in four colleges
• 600-acre campus located 50 miles north of
  Pittsburgh in rural Western Pennsylvania
• All first-year students reside on campus.

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Characteristics of Undergraduates

• 96 are Pennsylvania residents.
• 70 are from the ten counties surrounding the
  Pittsburgh area.
• 67 are low-income and/or first-generation.
• 6 are students of color.
• Education and Exercise Science are the largest
  academic majors.

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Academic Services Department

• Academic Advisement Center
• FYRST Seminar course
• Orientation and Learning Community Clusters (LCC)
• Exploratory (Undeclared) Student Program
• Tutorial Center Supplemental Instruction
• State and Federal (TRIO) grant programs for
  academically at-risk students

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First-Year Studies (FYRST) Seminar

• FYRST Seminar is based upon the First Year
  Experience model.
• 97 of first-year students are enrolled in FYRST
  Seminar.
• FYRST Seminar is a one-credit, letter-graded
  course that meets 15 times/term.
• Some FYRST Seminars meet weekly for the entire
  term others are front-loaded.
• There is no common syllabus, but faculty members
  are strongly encouraged to cover a list of common
  topics.

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FYRST Seminar Academic Advisement

• Borrowed faculty on one-credit overload teach
  most FYRST Seminars.
• All FYRST Seminars meet through mid-November
  (spring registration).
• All FYRST faculty members are approved by
  Academic Services and attend a mandatory two-day
  professional development workshop in May.
• When possible, students are assigned to their
  FYRST instructors as academic advisees.
• Many FYRST Seminars are major-specific and/or
  linked to other classes.

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FYRST Seminar and Learning Community Clusters
(LCC)

• 75 of first-year students are enrolled in a
  Learning Community Cluster.
• Learning Community Clusters consist of College
  Writing, FYRST Seminar, and a Liberal Studies or
  major content course.
• Learning Community Clusters are based upon
  academic majors or topical themes.
• The instructor of the content course often
  teaches the FYRST Seminar.
• Collaboration among LCC faculty is encouraged
  though not required.

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New Student Orientation

• Attendance is required of all first-year
  students.
• One-day programs held in March, April, and June
• Parallel sessions for students and parents
• Deans sessions highlight academic expectations.
• Faculty advisors explain degree requirements and
  develop/adjust schedules.
• Course schedules are created in advance using
  students preferences.

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Goals of New Student Orientation

• Connect students with the Slippery Rock
  University campus
• Create awareness of responsibilities and roles in
  the academic advisement process
• Explain academic requirements and policies
• Familiarize students with campus services,
  programs, and organizations
• Assist parents in understanding the transition
  from high school to college

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Relating Orientation to FYRST Seminar

• Weekend Of Welcome (WOW) for first-year student
  move-in
• Programming to address academic, technological,
  and social topics
• Involvement of academic advisors and FYRST
  Seminar faculty
• Introduction to ROCK-e, the weekly e-mail updates
  to students and parents
• Future plans small group discussions of a
  summer reading assignment

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Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar

• Roles of the academic advisor and advisee
• Early academic alert Student Attendance,
  Performance, Adjustment (SAPA) Report
• Mid-Term Grades for all first-year students
• Liberal Studies Program and Major Progression
• Pre-registration session to explain Degree Audit
  Report System (DARS)
• Individual registration/scheduling appointments
  with academic advisees.

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Major-Specific Academic Advisement Information in
FYRST Seminar

• Quality Point Average (QPA) requirements by major
  many are 2.5 and higher
• Expectations of departments/colleges behavior,
  community service, ...
• Exploration of internship opportunities
• Complements major departments Intro classes
• Example Education QPA of 3.0, certification
  tests, moral character policy, ...

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Special FYRST Seminar / Learning Community
Cluster Arrangements

• Frederick Douglass Community of Scholars
• Non-Learning Community Cluster FYRST Seminars
  free standing
• Annual FYRST Seminar Trip to London, UK, during
  Winter Break
• FYRST Seminar sections for at-risk students
  (including those who are eligible for TRIO or
  state grant programs)

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Peer Helping in Orientation FYRST Seminar

• Upper-class peer helpers/leaders facilitate
  discussions and guide activities.
• Peer helpers do not teach or advise. They mentor
  and model.
• Students studying in the academic major are the
  most relevant and successful role models.
• Peer helping involves careful selection and
  thorough training.

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Local Evaluation of FYRST Seminar Academic
Advisement

• Student Survey of Course Effectiveness
• Student Opinion of Academic Advising
• Annual survey of FYRST Seminar faculty
• Experimental and longitudinal research on student
  outcomes like persistence and achievement
• Focus groups of FYRST Seminar students and FYRST
  Seminar faculty instructors

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Use of National Instruments in Evaluation
Assessment

• National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
• Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)
• Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP)
  
• First Year Initiative Survey (FYI)

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FYRST Seminar Learning Community Evaluation
Results

• Statistically significant increases in student
  persistence especially 1st to 2nd year
• Statistically significant increases in quality
  point averages and credit hours earned
• Increases in student satisfaction with academic
  advisement
• Increases in student usage of campus services and
  participation in organizations

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Factors Enhancing the Academic Advisement/FYRST
Seminar Link

• Strong administrative support
• Availability of auxiliary budget to augment
  institutional commitment
• Full-time faculty directors of Academic
  Advisement FYRST Seminar AND Orientation
  Learning Community Clusters
• Allowing others to own FYRST Seminar
• Collaboration with Division of Student Life

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Future Directions for Advisement/FYRST Seminar/LCC

• Non-faculty as academic advisors and instructors
  of FYRST Seminar
• Increasing academic focus for Orientation and
  FYRST Seminar
• Encouraging greater collaboration among Learning
  Community Cluster faculty
• Incorporating summer reading assignment into
  programming

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National Evaluation Instruments Cited

• National Survey of Student Engagement NSSE
  http//www.indiana.edu/nsse/
• Faculty Survey of Student Engagement FSSE
  http//www.indiana.edu/nsse/fsse/index.htm
• Cooperative Institutional Research Program CIRP
  http//www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/cirp.html
• First Year Initiative Survey FYI
  http//www.brevard.edu/fyc/fyi/

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Contact Information

• Dr. Mark L. Campbell Chair
• Academic Services Department
• B-106 Bailey Library
• Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
• Slippery Rock, PA 16057-1326
• Phone [phone]
• FAX [phone]
• E-mail mark.campbell_at_sru.edu