Central Casting:

1. Central Casting: Building a Thriving Academic Support Team Joanne Harvest Koren Director, Academic Achievement Program University of Miami School of Law

2. A note from the Director • What are our goals? • “Cast of Characters” • Defining our roles and responsibilities • Identifying resources • Devising “Central Casting” strategies to develop the cast and crew • Collaborating with the entire “Production Company” • Retire the “One-Man/Woman Shows”

3. WHY should you build an Academic Support “Team?” • Why not just create and perform a “One Man/Woman Show,” that provides all the academic support? • HOW do you create a THRIVING Academic Support Team or a successful Production Company?

4. What are we doing, anyway? • "Academic Support“ • "Academic Assistance“ • Support: vt. 1. to carry or bear the weight of: keep from falling, slipping or sinking; hold up, 2. to give courage, faith, or confidence to; help or comfort, 3. to give approval to or be in favor of; subscribe to; uphold 6. to bear; endure; submit to; tolerate. . . . • Assistance:n. the act of assisting or the help given • Assist: vt. to make stand; 1. to give help to; aid • No wonder we’re tired.

5. ASP Professionals brainstormed a a job description: Language translator Housing referral Career placement director Recreation/Picnic organizer Book reviewer Medical referral service Financial advisor Candy provider Writing specialist Restaurant critic Lawyer Counselor Career counselor Historian Lending librarian Parent Dietician Life management coach Sports director Cutural interpreter Caterer/Food consultant Best friend Legal referral Referee Tour guide Trainer Clothing consultant Information disseminator Travel Consultant Newscaster Historian Therapist Computer consultant UN Ambassador Tutor Do you ever feel YOU need some help? Where can you find it?

6. Consider the irony of this. • We have chosen as a profession a position in which we offer ourstudents daily doses of advice and strategies to cope with stress, exhaustion and feelings of being overextended and wrung out. • We suggest to them ways to avoid feeling isolated and remind them that people care about their success and are available to help them.

7. ASP in Isolation • We often do all our "academic supporting" in isolation, while coping with our own exhaustion and overload. • Do we secretly enjoy this or do we simply need some guidance to discover the resources available in our own schools, to work with us to achieve the institutional goal of maximizing students’ experience and academic achievement?

8. Think of your ASP as a Theatrical Production • Well-planned, well-directed and stunningly produced • Careful attention given to the casting of the cast and crew • Stars do not shine if a production falters • Lead actors, supporting characters and technical production crew • Sound, lighting, music, choreography and costumes • Director and Producer

9. Selecting the Cast and Hiring the Crew • Who is on the team/in the cast, crew, company? • As Casting Director, Producer and Director, YOU may define/ describe and cast those roles • Or, as a team you may define the players’ roles • LET’S BEGIN: • Focus on your ASP goals (Retention? Enhancement?) • Starting a new program or refining or re-focusing an existing program?

10. Let’s Put on a Show! • As ASP Director or one who has responsibility for ASP offerings, define YOUR OWN ROLE and RESPONSIBILITIES • Identify roles and responsibilities of individuals or departments at your school who CAN provide academic support • Or who already provide student services that IS academic support • You may not realize what these talented persons are already doing and THEY may not recognize that the work they do provides academic support

11. Have a CASTING CALL • Select your cast and crew, build your production company • Train your actors, develop your scenes • DELEGATE responsibility to the players and the production crew for appropriate roles and responsibilities • Enjoy the results of putting together and being part of a professional team that will contribute to an outstanding performance

12. A Director’s “Vision” • Prepare the players for the collaborative production • Help each other carry out common goals so students benefit • Understand each department’s or individuals’ daily job function • Do not assume everyone understands and appreciates each other’s function • An effective director “directs”— teaches, develops and trains the cast and crew to prepare for a starring or supporting role • Sees the absolute value of each person as an integral part of the final production extravaganza

13. Rehearsal Time! In the Law School context, this may be facilitated by: • Staff meetings (Regularly scheduled) • One-on-one meetings • E-mail, telephone and face-to-face/in person meetings • Coffee and lunches • Walking the halls, the Bricks, the campus and visiting Starbucks • As the one responsible for administration and delivery of Academic Support, you are the Director and Producer –the one who makes those critical decisions—it is up to YOU!

14. Central Casting:Building a ThrivingAcademic Support TeamBased on “The University of Miami Academic Achievement Program” Original Production Produced and Directed by Joanne Harvest KorenScenic Design Costume Design Lighting DesignAnita Help Imma Lost Ron G. WayProduction Manager Technical Director Ina Wrut Falyn B. Hind Producer/Director Joanne Harvest KorenCentral Casting is produced by special arrangement with LSAC and the University of Miami School of Law LSAC Academic Assistance Training Workshop -- St. Louis University June 4, 2009

15. Central CastingCAST Academic Achievement Program…...………….Joanne Harvest Koren Admissions………………….……………………………….Michael Goodnight Student Recruiting……….………………..……………….Therese Lambert Dean of Students………...…….Janet Stearns, William VanderWyden Disabilities Services…….…………………...………………….….Iris Morera Faculty……….…….Especially, Faculty who sponsor Dean’s Fellows LRW Faculty…………….……….………………………………Susan Bennett Law Registrar………….……………………..…...…...…………Cindy Busch Registrar’s Office……..Jean Shapiro, Anita Whellan, Claudia Osorio Dean’s Fellows………………...………15-20 (per semester) 2L and 3L Writing Center Dean’s Fellows…..15-20 (per semester) 2L and 3L Students…………………………………………………...……1L, 2L, 3L, LLM

16. Central CastingENSEMBLE Dean’s Office…………………….……………….....Dean, Associate Dean Student Organizations….........(i.e. BLSA, HLSA, MLW, SBA, PAD) Law Reviews and Journals……….………….……………………………..All Moot Court…………………………….………………..MCB and AMC Class HOPE…………………………………….Director and Student Volunteers Center for Ethics………………...........Directors, Staff and Students Career Planning and Placement……...Asst. Dean, Directors, Staff Children and Youth Law Clinic…………...…Directors and Students Library………………………………………….………..Librarians and Staff Litigation Skills…………………………..….Director, Faculty and Staff Alumni Office………………………………………..Asst. Dean and Staff University Counseling Center and Wellness Resources…Campus LSAC……………………………………………………..Kent Lollis and MAC ASP Professionals…………………Colleagues at Other Law Schools

17. Central CastingPRODUCTION CREW Dean of Students’ Office……….…Administrative and Staff Support Computer Resources……..……….…Director and Technical Support Audio Visual Department…………….………………..Director and Staff Financial Aid……………………………….……………....Director and Staff Budget Office…………………………….………………..Director and Staff Student Assistants……………………..Work Study and Law Students Copy Center………………………………………………..Director and Staff Facilities Department…………………………..………Director andStaff

18. List of Scenes and Musical NumbersAct l FALL SEMESTER Overture Scene 1: Summer May through July……………………………………………Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 2: Orientation August………………………………………………………….Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 3: Classes begin August………………………………………………………….Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 4: Fall semester September through November (AAP and Exam Prep)…………………………………….Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 5: End of Semester November through December (Dean’s Fellow hiring for spring)……………………..Ensemble, Cast, Crew Intermission (December 20- January 5)

19. Act II SPRING SEMESTER Entr’acte Scene 1: Return from break and classes begin Begin Spring AAP January…………………………………………..……………Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 2: AAP and Exam Workshop up and running January………………………………………………………..Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 3: Grades are posted January-February………………………………………….Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 4: Academic (and non-academic) counseling Bar Exam counseling February-March………………………………………………..Ensemble and Cast Scene 5: End of Semester March through April Dean’s Fellow hiring for fall semester……………………Director and Cast Course registration and Bar Exam advising……..Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 6: Graduation May…………………………………………………………..Ensemble, Cast, Crew

20. Act III SUMMER Overture (reprise) Scene 1: THE BAR EXAM April-July………………………………………………………Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 2: Planning for Orientation April-July………………………………………………………Ensemble, Cast, Crew Scene 3: Planning for Dean’s Fellow Fall training May-July…………………………………..AAP Director, Cast, Ensemble, Crew Scene 4: Plan for LSAC AATW May……………………………………….AAP Director, Cast , Ensemble, Crew Scene 5: LSAC AATW June……………………………………… AAP Director, Cast, ,Ensemble, Crew Curtain Call Cast Party –date and location to be announced when Bar Exam results are announced

21. Who’s Who In The Company • Play video here • Therese Lambert, Director of Student Recruiting • Professor David Abraham • Janet Stearns, Dean of Students • Scott Byers • Marni Lennon, Assistant Dean for Pro Bono • Alex Schimel • Professor Robert Rosen • Allison Perez • Kevin Probst • Kristofor Nelson

22. The Reviews Are In and Critics Rave!

23. Curtain Fin.