Faculty Advisor Training

1. Faculty Advisor Training "Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience." Light, R.J. (2001) Making the most of college. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

2. Why Advisor Training? • Consistency in advising information given to students and faculty

3. SSARPG Committee Renee Butler, ENGR Fred Hartfield, CSEJennifer Louten, A&SSimin Nasseri, ETMPeter Pittman, ACCJon Lindsay, ATTICPhyllis N. Weatherly, CCCtr Dawn Ramsey, Faculty Growth and Development 2011 Advising Fellows Peter Pittman, ACCPhil Patterson, A&SGreg Conrey, ETMLance Crimm, ENGR SSARPG Teaching Fellow:Becky Rutherfoord, CSE Planning Committee

4. What is Academic Advising? Academic advising is a systematic student-centered developmental process consisting of active communication and information exchange. In this process the students and advisors develop a collaborative relationship resulting in a successful academic experience. The students are empowered to clarify life/career goals consistent with their interests, values, skills and abilities. Together the students and their faculty advisors develop an educational plan and identify the necessary services and contacts to assist students in achieving their maximum educational potential. In this process the faculty advisors are facilitators who provide guidance, referrals, and ongoing evaluation of the student's progress.

5. Advisor Training Outcomes Full-time FacultyUpon completion of the 4-hour Faculty Advisor Training participants will be able to:1.  Understand expectations for faculty concerning advising.2.  Identify available SPSU services for student referral.3.  Use the Advising website and the Advisory Resources available to faculty.4.  Explain the requirements for majors in degrees offered in their department.5.  Explain basic Core curriculum requirements and access available resources (materials and Core experts) for Core questions.6.  Assist their advisees in developing an academic plan.7.  Inform advisees to career options and resources in their discipline.8.  Understand the SPSU admissions process for various student groups (undergraduate, graduate, online, transfer, etc.).9.  Understand the SPSU registration process, policies and procedures.

6. Board of Regents • BoR Policy Manual 3.9 Academic Advisement • Each institution shall establish training sessions associated with academic advising such that faculty advisors are aware of the rules and regulations associated with the core curriculum, academic transfer, student status, and grading policies.

7. President’s Charge to SPSU Graduation Report to the Regents Taskforce–May 4, 2010 Strategic Plan for 2010-2013 Goal 1. To increase the number of graduates who are well prepared for work and for life. Objective: Increase the success (including retention rates and graduation rates) of enrolled students. Key indicators: • Develop and implement an early-warning system. • Provide additional training for academic advisors. • Fully implement and assess the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan by 2012. • Develop and implement departmental plans to match the University’s goals for retention and graduation rates. • The objective and key indicators above are linked to USG Strategic Plan

8. Strategic Plan • The new strategic plan includes the University’s specific goals for improving retention rates (to 84% by 2013) and six-year graduation rate (to 40% by Fall 2013, for the cohort that entered in 2007).

9. Dean’s Council Enhancement of advising at SPSU is an important part of our Retention, Progression and Graduation Plan (RPG) and our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Both call for “strong faculty advising” and a strong “advising safety net”. All full time faculty have advising as a part of their responsibility. Also, advising will be a significant part of the faculty evaluation process. P&P 308.0 – Academic Advising identifies that academic advising is designed to help students with a variety of tasks, such as the following: •        Interpreting University System and institutional requirements •        Clarifying career goals •        Developing suitable educational plans •        Selecting appropriate courses and other educational experiences, such as co-op •        Seeking assistance from institutional and community support services such as the Career and the Counseling Center, when appropriate •        Finding a way out of academic difficulty or probation •        Monitoring progress toward academic goals•        Understanding thesis and project guidelines (for graduate students) The training offered through the SSARPG Committee is designed to support our faculty and provide the required training identified in P&P 308.0.

10. Who Advises SPSU students? • Full-time Faculty • Academic Advisors (professional) • Part-time Faculty

11. Advising vs. Counseling Advising Assist with academic requirements and academic planning Mentoring Recommend appropriate classes, and interpret test scores Refer to campus resources including counseling Counseling Professionally trained Provide therapy for personal growth Teach coping skills and stress management Offer career assessments Facilitate college adjustments Provide crisis counseling

12. Retention, Progression, Graduation (RPG) Six-year graduation rates • Fall 2002 Cohort (2008) = 29.76% • Fall 2001 Cohort (2007) = 24% Freshman retention rates • Fall 2007 cohort = 78.59% • Fall 2006 cohort = 75.94%

13. One

14. Legal Issues in Advising • Potential Liability Issues • The importance of accurate record keeping • Disclaimer Forms? • ADA/504 • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 1974

15. Ethical Issues in Advising • Limits of your expertise • Acknowledge what you don’t know • Making referrals • Continuous learning • Avoid dual relationships • Response time to advisees

16. Two

17. Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) • Connection between QEP and Advising • Source of Mandatory Academic Planning • Advisors to assist student with mandatory two- year academic plan • http://www.spsu.edu/qep/

18. National Academic Advising Association Statement of Core Values Academic advising is integral to fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of higher education. Academic advising has three components: curriculum (what advising deals with), pedagogy (how advising does what it does), and student learning outcomes (the result of academic advising).

19. for Advising

20. Characteristics of Good Advisors • Knowledgeable • Student-centered • No-nonsense • Professional • Available/responsive • Experienced  • Assertive--expect student to participate and perform

21. Three

22. Admissions at SPSU • Admit Types • Freshman (FTFT - First time, full-time; transfer with <30 credit hrs) • Transfers • Transients • International • Graduate • Others

23. “Catalogs as Contracts” • Initial catalog • Future catalog • Graduation catalog • Degree Audit Catalog can be found on Registration page

24. Initial Registration Process • Admitted to SPSU • Attend Undergrad or Grad Orientation • Get advised • Prepare schedule • Register in BANNER

25. Registration for Current Students • Prepare or review 2-year Academic Plan • Consult major curriculum requirements • Review Schedule of Classes • Meet with advisor as required • Finalize course selection (Banner notes or advising sheets) • Student self registers in Banner

26. Registration Topics • Prerequisites • Link Errors • Transfer Credit • Incompletes • Withdrawals (Drop/Add) • Deadline, after deadline, faculty • initiated (new process) • HOLDS • Overrides • Do’s and Don’ts

27. Registration Topics (cont’d) • College Level Examination Program (CLEP) • Credit by Examination – Departmental Discretion; $50 per test (NO credit for work experience) • Advanced Placement • AP website http://www.spsu.edu/home/prospective/apply/ap.html • Academic Standing • Probation (term & cumulative) • Suspension • Deferred Suspension • Petitioning for Reinstatement • Appeals Procedure

28. BANNER • SPSU’s “official” student records system • In BANNER you can: • Obtain class lists • Enter student’s grades • Update information • Others? • Faculty view vs. student view

29. Day One is Done! Homework Scenarios • Tony • Bill • Amy

30. Degree RequirementsThe USG Core Curriculum I. General Education Requirements Area A.Essential Skills Area B. Institutional Options Area C. Humanities Area D. Science, Math and Technology** Area E. Social Sciences** Area F. Courses Related to the Program of Study** **Requirements dependent upon major

31. Degree Requirements (cont’d) • Major Course Requirements • Supporting Courses • Elective Courses

32. Majors and Minors • Declaring a Major • Declaring a Minor • Sequencing • Double Major

33. Curriculum Sheets

34. Repeat Courses • Students may take a course repeatedly • ONLY THE LAST ATTEMPT is calculated into the institutional GPA • ALL grades remain on the transcript • Financial Aid counts all attempts Academic Renewal • Effective after an absence of 5 years or longer • Student must not have attended any other institution during that 5 year period • Details found “Registrar’s Office” section of catalog

35. Recommended Class Load What responsibilities in addition to college does the student have? If you are working: • 40 hours per week 1-6 credit hrs • 30 hours per week 6-9 credit hrs • 20 hours per week 9-12 credit hrs • Less than 20 hours per week 12 -15 credit hrs • Not working 12 -18 credit hrs 12 credit hours is full-time for undergraduates Graduates varies by program

36. Key Financial Aid Issues • ALL credit hour attempts are counted • Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) – F’s, W’s and I’s • Completion Rate 67% • Send students to Financial Aid Office

37. Faculty Resources • SPSU Catalog • registrar.spsu.edu • Faculty Advising Website • advising.spsu.edu • Web Reports • reports.spsu.edu • Connect.spsu.edu • New Faculty Handbook • Campus Map • Student Handbook

38. Four, Five & Six

39. Delivering Bad News “Bad News” is any information which adversely alters one’s expectation for the future.  We essentially alter their dreams. • “Summarize and Strategize” • See a Career Counselor • Suggest they research several majors and report back to you • Don’t deliver via email! • Alternate Career Paths- have some in your office • Denial to Architecture Program = "I will never have a career as an Architect“ or Denial to Graduate School = re-strategize/different routes

40. Seven

41. “10 Questions to Ask an Advisee” • “The Advising Appointment” • “Basic Topics for Advising Sessions” • “Making Effective Referrals” • “Common Student Issues by Month”

42. Student’s Academic Plan Beginning fall 2011, following student’s first registration, students will be required to come up with a two-year plan and meet with their advisor

43. Final Wrap-Up • Faculty advising is a requirement by the BOR and an integral part of the SPSU faculty annual evaluation process • Training evaluation • This completes Advisor Training Part 1! • Upcoming! Part 2 and 3 leading to a Master Advisor certificate