Quality Advising for Student Development and Retention

Research in the area of retention, in nearly all instances, concludes that the single most important contributor to student persistence is the development of strong relationships between students and members of the faculty and staff. Because academic advising is the only structured service on the campus in which all students have the opportunity to develop an on-going, one-to-one relationship with a concerned member of the college community, quality academic advising should be a major strategy in every college's retention planning.

The institute utilizes an effective integration of expert group presentations with small group discussions, workshops, and topical sessions led by skilled practitioners and organized by institutional type. Through these activities, you will develop a network of supportive colleagues throughout the nation.

 

Who Should Attend

The institute is designed for individuals or teams who have responsibility for academic advising, such as:

• Teams or individuals from an institution desiring to refine or redesign campus advising services
• Academic advising campus task force members
• Advising program directors
• Campus administrators including deans or vice presidents with responsibility for advising

Special Benefits to You and Your Program

• Action-oriented small group discussions with persons from similar type institutions
• Close facilitator and participant interaction
• Development of a network of colleagues and friends for support after the institute
• A variety of topical sessions to focus on your specific situation/role
• Opportunity to earn graduate credit
• Facilitators who are expert practitioners and national leaders in the field
• Hands-on workshops (registrations limited)
• Examination of workable models and practical alternatives to improve advising on your campus
• Opportunities to share experiences and get feedback from experts and colleagues
• Assistance with the development of a plan to enhance advising on your campus

Program Description & Schedule

Action Plan

You will be given the opportunity to prepare and present (in your discussion group) an ACTION PLAN for solving an advising challenge on your campus. The scope of the action plan is left up to you. The scope may be as narrow as devising a new form or as broad as proposing a new model for delivery of advising on your campus or recommending the use of new technology. You will receive assistance with this project by attending relevant sessions, group discussions, and group & individual consultations with institute facilitators who have expertise in the area you have chosen.

Here's a link to Action Plans developed by participants in previous Institutes!

Small Group Discussions

During these daily sessions, led by an institute facilitator, you will discuss issues focusing on the general session topics, share ideas, and receive feedback on your ACTION PLAN. Each group will consist of approximately 12-15 colleagues from similar type institutions.

Teams

While many participants in the Summer Institute are individuals representing their institutions, in the past few years, we have seen an increase in the number of institutional teams attending to work on a common ACTION PLAN .  Your team could include a combination of administrators, advisors, faculty and others who have an integral part in the success of advising programs and missions at your institution. Teams have varied in size from 2 to 12 at past institutes.

In addition to the regularly scheduled sessions of the institute, we also provide breakout space for your team meetings with the opportunity to meet with SI faculty, as well as group consultation sessions on Wednesday afternoon.  Take advantage of the opportunity to be away from the daily cares of your campus to focus on the "big picture" of advising while developing a specific ACTION PLAN for the improvement of student success. 

As noted above, Institutions are encouraged to send teams in order to achieve the highest possible results for their campus. Teams will be provided opportunities to meet together with Institute facilitators for individualized focus on their plan of action. Informal discussions led by experienced professionals will provide guidance on specific issues relative to your situation.