Fostering Successful Transitions through Transfer Student Orientation January 27, 2010

1. Fostering Successful Transitions through Transfer Student Orientation January 27, 2010 NISTS Annual Conference Addison, Texas

2. Mike Knox University of Texas at Arlington mjknox@uta.edu Shandol Hoover University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill schoover@email.unc.edu Katie Granholm University of Minnesota Twin Cities granhol013@umn.edu Chelsea Ruff DePaul University cruff@depaul.edu

3. Mission: The mission of the National Orientation Directors Association is to provide education, leadership and professional development in the fields of college student orientation, transition and retention Core Values: Community, Diversity, Integrity, Learning, Scholarship, Service.

4. What we know about Transfers Numbers are Growing • Almost 60% of students who graduating from 4-yr institutions began at a different institution • Almost 1/3 of college students have transferred at least once Graduation Rates Compared to Native Students • Transfers are less likely to graduate in 4 years • Transfers are just as likely to complete a degree program There is much Diversity within Transfer Population • Types of transfer experience (traditional, lateral, reverse, swirling) • Number of earned credits, educational aspirations, length of time between educational experiences • Age, outside commitments (work, family), first-generation status, ethnic diversity Sources: Jacobs, B. (2008, January) Transfer Orientation. Session presented at Annual National Orientation Directors Association Conference, Boston, MA. National Center for Education Statistics (2007). The condition of education. Washington, DC: Bureau of Postsecondary Education.

5. Who is your transfer population? Before you make decisions about the size, nature and offerings of your program, you need to know the following: • How many transfer students make up your student body? • What are your top feeder schools? • What majors are attracting your transfer students? • How academically prepared are your transfer students? • What experiences are your transfer students having once they arrive on your campus?

6. Purpose of Orientation Provide students with attitudes, knowledge, skills and opportunities that will assist them in making a smooth transition to university or college community thereby allowing them to become engaged and productive university community members.

7. Effective Transfer Orientation Programs • Are based upon institution-specific transfer population needs • Support institutional mission • Extend across entire campus community • Celebrate prior transfer student experiences and address current and future concerns • Assist students through academic and social transitions • Facilitate connections with current campus community members • Address concerns of parents/families • Are consistently assessed for effectiveness

8. Orientation Program Considerations: • When should you offer your program? • During school/work day? • Evening or weekend? • How long should your program be? • How long will your students commit? • What do you need to accomplish? • Should your program be mandatory? • If you make your program mandatory, you should be prepared to offer evidence that it will or does make a difference by building assessment into your program!

9. Orientation Offerings • Data tells us transfer students report difficulty with creating networks, and connecting to campus resources. • Advising and registration? • Academic expectations and rigor on your campus. • Policies specific to your campus. • Who to know on campus. • Transfer shock, and how to avoid it.

10. Other Considerations: • Budget • Marketing • Campus collaborations • Assessment plan

11. Why Online Orientation? • Increasing numbers of transfer students • Diversity of transfer student population and their experiences • Demand for increased access to our services and resources • Shrinking budgets and/or staffing • Focus on transitional experience & link to retention

12. Types of Online Orientation Programs 1. Pre-Orientation: provide information or action steps prior to on-campus/in-person experience 2. Replacement to on-campus experience Online Orientation programs are utilized at all types of institutions & for many different student populations

13. University of Minnesota Online Orientation • Students have two options for fulfilling orientation requirement: 1. Full-day on-campus orientation OR 2. Half-day on-campus orientation with advanced participation in online orientation • Average participation rate of ~ 70% • Program launched in January 2005. Proven successful though comprehensive evaluation. • Streamlined on-campus orientation schedule, while still meeting the needs of all colleges and departments

14. Transfer Students as Orientation Leaders • DePaul’s Transition Leader Position • Hire 15 Transition Leaders (TL) • Three-day training in June • Payment: $10/hr • Primary Responsibilities • Facilitate small group session • Present “Get Plugged In” breakout session • Serve on panel during Parent & Guest Welcome • Provide campus and neighborhood tours • Promote interaction among new students among all aspects of program

15. Importance of Leadership Role/Position • Form of Diversity • Share similar experiences • Students can discuss transfer shock from the student perspective • Opportunity to create a transfer community • Traditional-aged transfer student seeking leadership positions

16. Transfer Orientation Leader Training Topics • Transfer Shock • Transfer Student Demographics • Commuter Issues • Campus Partners/Resources • Parent/Guest Relations • Importance of Small Talk and Public Speaking • Campus Tour • Student Panel Preparation • Overview of Programs

17. Why Offer Parent/Family Orientation Programming? • Broad base of research suggests that appropriate parent involvement can augment student success • Parent/Family Orientation Programs Can… • Provide insight on transfer student transitions • Communicate importance of parent/family involvement • Connect parent/family members to involvement opportunities • Discuss conversation starters for engaging with students • Communicate strategies for supporting student towards success • Connect parent/family members to campus resources • Enhance parent/family affinity and connection to institution

18. Framing Parent/Family Orientation Programming • Consider Institution Specific Transfer Student Profile • Timing of program (evening, 1-day, 2-day, etc.) • Program components (veteran affairs, family services, etc.) • Educate the campus community on transfer student needs • Brown bag lunches, newsletters, workshop

19. Parent/Family Orientation Program Topics • Transitions • Social Transitions specific to transfers • Academic Transition specific to transfers • Academic Curriculum and Understanding Transfer Credits • Career Services • Campus Safety and University Policies/Procedures • Concurrent Sessions • Money Matters, Academic Resources, Health Services, Parking/Transportation, Housing (on and off-campus) • Specific topics related to your institution's population • Veteran Affairs, family services, first generation resources

20. Ground Orientation Programs in Assessment/ Evaluation • Develop outcome-based programs • As a result of attending transfer orientation, students will…identify campus resources; articulate university policies and procedures • Establish Timeline and Assessment Cycle • Evaluations • Focus Groups • Orientation Committees • CAS Standards • NSSE for Transfer Students • Institutional Research • Communicate results • campus community and prospective transfers

21. Extending Beyond Orientation Programs • Mentoring Programs (pre and post matriculation) • Intentional Welcome Week Programming • Inclusion in Convocation Ceremonies • Common Reading Program Transfer Discussion Groups • Transfer Seminars • Transfer Student Organizations/Council/Tau Sigma • Publications/Newsletters • Program Series (Transfer Tuesdays) • Living/Learning Communities • Transfer Specific Outdoor Orientation/Wilderness Opportunities

22. NODA Resources • Conferences • Annual NODAC for 2010 is in St. Louis, MO Nov. 6-9, 2010 • 9 Regional Conferences • Networks – Affinity & Special Interest groups • Transfer Services, Two-Year College, Small College, Multi-Ethnic, Canadian, GLBT Issues, Nontraditional Student, etc. • Publications • Orientation Planning Manual, Parent and Commuter Guides, Designing Successful Transitions Monograph, Journal of College Orientation and Transition • Peer Resources • Data Bank, Website

23. NODA Home Office University of Minnesota 1313 Fifth Street SE Suite 323A Minneapolis, MN 55414 Toll free: 866-521-NODA or 612-627-0150 612-627-0153 (fax) noda@umn.edu www.nodaweb.org