Academic Plans for Student Success

1. Academic Plans for Student Success Helping students develop skills to overcoming obstacles to success Theresa Hitchcock, Director of Advising Pott College of Science, Engineering & Education The University of Southern Indiana Kelly Pistilli,Pre-Professional Advisor Center for Pre-Professional Advising Purdue University, West Lafayette

2. GROUND RULES • We are not telling you what to do or how to do your job • We are practitioners, not experts • You are the expert in your field, you know what will work in your field • This is our professional philosophy but may not be accepted in every department • Trust your gut! • What is said in this room, stays in this room

3. Changes in higher education • In loco parentis • Increase in access • The Servicemen's Readjustment Act 1944 • National Defense Education Act (NDEA) 1958 • Economic Opportunity Act 1964 • Higher Education Act 1965 • Americans with Disability Act 1990 • Elimination of programs to support students • Cut in TRIO funding • Changes in Federal Pell Grants • Connecting state financial aid to academic performance • Increase in mental health issues • Change in state federal guidelines regarding financial aid Source: http://www.chessconsulting.org/financialaid/history.htm

4. What are some of the obstacles students face? • Test Anxiety • Plan to study < 5 hours per week • Homesick (separation) • Not confident about finances • Struggling in at least two courses Source: USI MAP-Works Freshman Transition Survey 2012 N=1687

5. ACADEMIC OBSTACLES OBSTACLE STUDENT RESPONSE struggle in course, drop course (FY major change stat) Limited course selection, major change, delayed graduation Drop challenging course, stop or drop out • Underprepared (cite) • Not focused • Too focused • College skills

6. FINANCIAL OBSTACLES OBSTACLE STUDENT RESPONSE Stop out, drop out, work too much Take course that are too easy or too challenging; Skipping lower level courses to graduate on time Trusting academic officials to know financial policies • Lack of funds to pay for school • Financial aid and academics are closely aligned • Academic advisors and faculty are not adequately trained in financial aid

7. CAREER PLANNING OBSTACLES Obstacle Student response Changing majors multiple times, indecision, excess classes, unhappiness in major Lesson learned later can be detrimental Don’t know where to look, so they don’t; listen to friends • Major ≠ job • Importance of GPA • Accessing Career Information

8. CAREER PLANNING OBSTACLES • Job skills • Coursework alone will not get you a job • Students need: • Critical Thinking, problem solving • Information technology applications • Teamwork, collaboration • Creativity, innovation • Diversity • Leadership • Oral communications • Professionalism, work ethic • Ethics, social responsibility • Written communications • (The Handbook of Career Advising, pg 38) • How do students do these and show mastery to employers?

9. Types of obstacles

10. Don’t be afraid to ask the big questions Teach students how to learn why and ask their own big question!

11. QPR • QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER • Suicide Prevention Training • The most important step is QUESTION • Starting the conversation • Easy to use in a short appointment

12. QPR & F QUESTION: Establish repor first; Let the student know about confidentiality and reporting requirements Don’t be afraid to ask the tough question Meet the student where she is. Ask questions that challenge the student’s current beliefs. Ask open ended questions

13. QPR & F PERSUADE: Meet the student where she is. Encourage the student to look at alternatives. Encourage the students to use her strengths and support systems Paraphrase what you heard from the student and connect her experience to the larger experience. Provide student with information on alternatives and encourage student to keep the options in her thinking.

14. QPR & F Refer: Know your own boundaries Know the FERPA requirements Know your campus resources Connect student with specific individuals Have the student write the contact information down Send information to student in an email Give the referral person/office a heads up

15. QPR & F Our Twist on QPR Followup: Set a deadline for response Ask student to contact you Document the conversation, referral and outcome Continue the conversation with student if needed

16. Help students develop self-efficacy • Meet the student where he/she is • Serve as guide through the language/culture of higher education • Consider all the factors affecting the student’s concerns • Provide self-disclosure as example of self-efficacy • Failure is not an option, or is it? • Know your personal boundaries • Know when to refer

17. questions • QUESTIONS • THOUGHTS • DISCUSSION

18. References • Gadow S. (1980) Existential Advocacy: Philosophical Foundation of Nursing. Springer Publishing Company, New York. • Kohnke M. (1982) Advocacy, Risk, and Reality. Mosby, St Louis. • Howe, L.L.S, Jerry J. Sweet, J.J.& Bauer,R.M. 2010. Advocacy 101: A Step beyond complaining. How the individual practioner can become involved and make a difference. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 24: 373–390, 2010 • Source: http://www.chessconsulting.org/financialaid/history.htm