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Utah
Valley University
Directed
by: Clint Moser
Nominated
by: Paula Tibbitts
In
2001, advisor training at UVU was practically non-existent. Training
was considered minimally important and at the discretion of each
department. Because of budget limitations, new advisors were routinely
hired after positions had been vacant for some time. Thus, new advisors
were often forced to learn their jobs without access to the previous
advisor’s knowledge and experience or formal training. Consequently,
information disseminated to students was often inconsistent or simply
inaccurate.
To
address these concerns, Utah Valley University (UVU) initiated a
campus-wide advisor training program in the fall of 2001. Since
that time, the program has evolved into a comprehensive training
system utilizing traditional and non-traditional training methods.
Advisor Training and Development (ATD) consists of a Director, Counselor/Trainer,
and Coordinator/Trainer. These individuals develop content for and
conduct most training sessions. Outside experts and experienced
advisors are also invited to conduct specific training sessions.
The
program provides comprehensive, experiential training for new and
experienced academic and career advisors and counselors, faculty
mentors, and support advisors that:
- Trains them to use the Student Information
systems.
- Effectively disseminates current information
and resources.
- Models, trains, and facilitates application
of best practices.
- Cultivates professional, developmental
relationships.
- Provides and trains advisors in the
facilitation of career decision-making.
- Conducts and reviews research related
to academic advising in order to stay abreast of the field.
- Conducts assessment and evaluation of
advising practices.
- Trains advisors and faculty to effectively
engage in coaching and mentoring of students.
Advisor
Enhancement Program
Directed
by: Advising Council Chair
The
University of Central Florida has instituted a successful three-year
academic advising enhancement program. This program provides opportunities
for collaboration, networking, improved communication and professional
development for professional and faculty advisors. Utilizing existing
resources and very minimal funding, this program has provided services
to over five hundred faculty and staff that have directly contributed
to student progression, persistence and success.
This
collaborative program between the Divisions of Academic Affairs
and Student Development and Enrollment Services provides opportunities
for new advisor training, continuing professional development and
enhanced networking within the advising community. Our goals are
accomplished through a monthly advising enhancement program through
presentations facilitated by selected University officials and advising
offices. In collaboration with the Faculty Center for Teaching and
Learning, new faculty advisors attend hands-on workshops at the
new faculty orientation to instruct them on university policies,
on the use of existing advising tools, and new technology related
to advising. The University's Academic Advising Council enhances
all training programs by providing an on-line advising website,
training materials and documents, an Advising Handbook, and a regular
communication network that provides regular E-mail updates.
PACADA
Professional Development Programming
Purdue University
Directed
by: Gerald A. Ripka
Purdue
University's Academic Advising Association (PACADA) Professional
Development programming is an exemplary way to present Academic
Advisor Education. The model has useful applications for any size
educational institution. Coordinated by a Professional Development
Committee, the group is charged by the bylaws to promote the individual
and corporate professional growth of the membership for the benefit
of the advisors, students, and University as a whole. Quickly realizing
that academic advisors must be able to talk about and discuss many
academic areas the group moved to include academics in their programming.
Event
planning includes needs and interest surveys, topic, site and format
selection. Decisions about publicity, refreshments, and evaluations
follow. A typical annual event calendar includes:
FALL
FORUM: An educational and networking day in retreat setting; a thematic
approach to professional development.
CAMPUS
AFFAIRS UPDATE: Bursar, registrar, financial aids.speak.
DEPARTMENTAL
OPEN HOUSE: This event facilitates sharing of physical space at
host's unit.
FEBRUARY
ANNUAL MEETING and PRESENTATION: Awards and educational presentation.
PACADA
PRESENTS: a forum for advisors to present to colleagues unusual
or unique activities/research/programs in their academic units.
It is noted that 30% of our presenters take their presentations
on to Regional and National Conferences.
Scheduling
spontaneous events is encouraged. Matching needs and interests with
a variety of effective professional development programming demonstrate
that advisor educational barriers have been expanded to promote
education. One advisor describes, "When I saw and heard what people
were doing, I realized that I was part of something really important."
PACADA positively promotes professional development.
Advising
in the Millennium: A Comprehensive Professional
Development Series for Advisors
Indiana University-Purdue University
Indianapolis
Directed and nominated by: Cathy
Buyarski
With a commitment to the intellectual and personal growth of our
students, the University College
Advising Center at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
(IUPUI) has developed an on-going professional development series
for staff and faculty who serve as advisors. The series includes
a variety of formats to meet the diverse needs of the advisors across
campus. Program components include a standardized advisor training
program, professional portfolios for advisors, an annual campus-wide
advising symposium, a graduate-level seminar in academic advising,
and a campus-wide list serve for advisors. Program assessment has
included program evaluations and research on the transfer of knowledge
gained through professional development to job skills. The comprehensive
nature of this program makes it applicable to almost any institution;
program components may be implemented individually to meet the needs
of advisors on any campus.
Academic
Advising and the First Semester: Collaborations for Student Success
Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis
Directed and nominated by: Cathy
Buyarski
Indiana
University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is an urban commuter
institution serving approximately 28,00 students who enroll at IUPUI,
60% are first-generation college students. In addition, most balance
family and work obligations along with academic responsibilities
to a greater degree than on most urban campuses. The IUPUI students
body exhibits many of the characteristics associated with high rates
of attrition; this is confirmed by studies that show retention rates
at IUPUI are lower than those of other institutions in the state
of Indiana.
University College, in collaboration with other university departments,
has created “Academic Advising and the First Semester: Collaborations
for Student Success” in an attempt to increase retention and
student satisfaction. The involvement of academic advisors throughout
a student’s first term of enrollment has evolved as part of
the institution’s efforts to promote retention and model the
best practices in urban education.
“Academic Advising and the First
Semester: Collaborations for Student Success” has been evaluated
by on-going assessment, and indicates high effectiveness at IUPUI.
Because the program is based on meeting the individual needs of
students, it is highly applicable to any institution. In fact, many
institutions have implemented portions of this intrusive first-semester
advising system. The uniqueness, and ultimately the success, of
the program lies in the collaborative approach to the first semester
experience. Adaptation of the total program will be enhanced by
efforts to build relationships with academic and administrative
units serving first-year students.
KSU
Wise Owl Advising
Information Program
Kennesaw State University
Directed by and nominated by: Brian
Glankler The
KSU Wise Owl Advising Information Program consists of three separate
components. The first is the KSU Wise Owl Advising Certificate
Program in conjunction with the KSU Learning Center for Faculty
and Staff. The purpose of this program is to provide faculty, staff
and administrators with up to date advising related information.
The certificate program consists of a series of three workshops
designed to familiarized faculty, staff and administrators with
KSU's academic and administrative policies, General Education requirements,
appropriate referral and the students records database. Upon completion
of the program, participants are given a certificate, a letter of
satisfactory completion is forwarded to their department chair/director
and dean/vice-president and they are awarded continuing education
credits. The
second component of the KSU Wise Owl Program is geared toward individual
academic and administrative departments. A one-time workshop is
available to departments across campus. In this workshop the focus
is on academic policies and procedures, General Education requirements
and referral resources. It is offered upon request by a department.
The
third component of the KSU Wise Owl Program is dedicated to students.
A presentation has been developed to familiarize students with academic
policies and procedures and the General Education requirements.
The presentation is give to the KSU 101 Freshman Seminar courses
and to other courses upon request from the instructor. This presentation
is on of the most highly requested by instructors and is given to
an average of 15 to 20 classes each fall and spring semester.
FVTC
Academic Advising Program
Fox Valley Technical College
Nominated by: Steve Schneider Want
more information? Contact: Kathy
Stockwell
Fox
Valley Technical College is one of the 16 colleges of the Wisconsin
Technical College System and offers 70 technical diploma and associate
degree programs. FVTC's advising program grew out of a 1992 Counselor
Task Force report that described a developmental model for advising
and counseling. Faculty advising was initiated in 1996 as a result
of an administrative effort to improve student retention. Students
are advised through a modified "dual advising" system. Counselors
in Student Services have primary responsibility for working with
students in specific assigned programs from time of application
through their first semester enrollment. The counselor then becomes
the consultant and referral source as the faculty advisor follows
students through to graduation. The Advising Program Coordinator
works with a steering committee to oversee the advising program.
Guidelines were developed, as recommended by a consultant, Dave
Crockett, to provide a framework for the FVTC program. The advising
policies/guidelines led to the development of two advising training
series, consisting at FVTC. Most FVTC advising materials can have
been easily adapted by other schools. The program has demonstrated
success through presentations at the National, Regional and State
level. The program has fostered two NACADA outstanding advisor
winners. Our coordinator serves as and officer in the state affiliated
of NACADA, as well as serving as a consultant to other schools for
USA Group/Noel-Levitz Inc.
Developing
Master Advisors: Academic Advising at Southwest Missouri State
University
Southwest Missouri State University
Submitted by: Kathy
J. Davis The
Master Advisor Program was created to increase the quality of
academic advising for Southwest Missouri State University students
by systematically providing faculty and professional staff advisors
with appropriate training, evaluation, and recognition.
The Advisement Center staff designed the program, focusing on
three main competencies in advisors: an ability to relate
with students, an understanding of basic concepts of advising,
and a strong working knowledge of academic information and campus
resources. Both the Master Advisor Handbook and the Master
Advisor Workshop were organized around these competencies.
In
the first year of the program, 112 advisors from across campus
have voluntarily participated in one of six intensive sixteen-hour
advising workshops. Participants earn the designation "Master
Advisor," receive a framed certificate, are commended to their
deans and department heads, and become eligible for "Excellence
in Advising" awards. To keep current, Master Advisors receive
annual updates to the Master Advisor Handbook and attend refresher
workshops at least every three years. All
indicators show the success of the Master Advisor Program.
Demand for the workshop remains strong, with five additional workshops
scheduled for 1997. Pre-and post-tests of advising information
are administered to all participants. Participants show
an average gain in advising knowledge of 17% from pre- to post-test.
Since the 112 current Master Advisors advise 6,673 students, the
program is affecting the quality of advising offered to a large
proportion of SMSU's 14,309 undergraduate students.
SELECT
Advisor Training and Student Retention Program
Coffeyville
Community College
Nominated by: Waneta Davis
Want
more information? Contact: Cari
Redden The
usual fifteen minute advising and scheduling for new students
did not meet the students' needs (seventy percent are first generation
college students, thirty-one percent are from families with incomes
belowe $12,000, fifty percent are deficient in basic skills) at
Coffeyville Community College. In order to retain students, improve
advisement, and encourage computer usage, summer advisor training
was instituted. A monetary reward was offered to the six who would
attend the training, help with New Student Orientation, teach
one section of Colege Orientation, advise ten "at-risk" students,
and participate in the Early Academic Warning System (EAWS). Eighty
"at-risk" students were identified for special mentoring. Faculty
meet monthly with the "at-risk" and use subjects which were identified
in the training as topics for the meetings. Thus far, the program
has been a huge success because the students have closely bonded
with advisors and our retention rates reflect this success.
The
Faculty Advisor Workshop Series
Monroe
Community College
Nominated by: Susan Salvador, Mary Eshenour, and Susan Baker
Historically,
Monroe Community College (MCC) faculty have been interested in
and concerned with academic advisement. While sentiments among
faculty regarding the philosphy of advisement are similar, the
methods by which they advise vary by department and division.
Over
the past year, executive administration identified academic advisement
as a top priority. In response, staff from the student and academic
services areas individually and collaboratively worked on a variety
of advisement issues. One area that was in need of improvement
was training and, as a result, a comprehensive Faculty Advisor
Workshop Series was developed. Presently, staff from the two areas
collaboratively work toegether to offer this program.
The
goal of the workshop series is to meet the needs and enhance the
skills of beginners to very experienced faculty advisors. Based
on Virgina Gordon's advising training topics, these monthly workshops,
which are presented by professional counselors and advisors, are
designed on three skill levels: basic--advisement skills, tools,
and information; intermediate--developmental theory; and experienced--developmental
theory with role plays. Participants evaluate each workshop and
are awarded certificates for their attendance. The
workshop series is a voluntary program that has trained staff
and faculty from each of the four divisions. Of the 206 participants
who attended during the spring and fall 1995 semesters, 94% indicated
on their evaluations that they were strongly satisfied with the
workshops they attended. It
is important to also note that this model can be replicated by
other institutions due to its theoretical base and clear and concise
goals and objectives.
Certificate
of Advising Program
Liberty University
Nominated by: Wilbur E. Groat The
Certificate of Advising Program grew out of the need to provide
a quality program for the development of faculty advisors based
upon a developmental approach toward advising. The program combined
the professional expertise of the National Academic Advising Association
(NACADA) with the factors unique to a private comprehensive university.
The program provides a vehicle that is cost effective, easy to
administer, affords professional expertise, provides faculty recognition,
makes available faculty identification, and has solid cognitive
theories and philosophical moorings. As a result, Liberty has
noticed a renewed interest in attendance at advising seminars
and the desire to use the program as one of the elements for faculty
promotion.
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