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Georgia Institute of Technology
June 18th, 2008
Sponsored by the Georgia Tech Academic Advisors Network
What is a “Best Practices” event?
As advising colleagues, we have much to share and teach each other about our advising methods. Our goal is to share our best practices, our best “secrets” you might say, for creating efficient and effective academic advising systems. Please join us to learn how Georgia colleges and universities are reaching students through innovative advising strategies. This is also a great opportunity to network with our peers at other institutions.
9:00 - 9:30
Registration
9:30 - 10:10
Welcome
Keynote Address
Gail Evans – Best-selling book author and former Executive Vice President of CNN
“She Wins, You Win”
For decades women have struggled to find parity in the workplace. To truly succeed in business women need to evolve from the world of "I can do it" to the world of "we can do it." She will discuss: * New approaches to mentoring * Natural networking * Rainmaking * How to make the women's team work for every business and every woman.
10:15 – 10:55
Concurrent Session #1
James Spencer
Georgia Tech
When Students are Out of the House: Effective Advising in Programs Abroad
This presentation will explore effective ways of advising students in programs/campuses abroad, using the Georgia Tech Architecture Program’s Paris Program at L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-la Villette, which has been in operation for more than 30 years, as a model.
Ellen Murkison and Chris Thompson
Georgia Southern University
Early Advisement of Transfer Students
Transfer students are a growing population at Georgia Southern University. Providing appropriate academic advisement and course registration for these students proved difficult in the past, due to the unique academic record the student brings, the one-day Orientation model, and limitations on the size of advisement staff. In Spring 2007, Georgia Southern began a new model in which all accepted transfer students were contacted PRIOR to their arrival for orientation for early advisement. This practice has dramatically improved the advisement and registration process, allowing for a firmer handle on enrollment management. These positive changes have allowed for a smoother process for both students and advisors.
11:00-11:40
Concurrent Session #2
Jennifer Cannady and Machamma Quinichett
Agnes Scott College
Getting Their Attention: Delivering Advising Information in a Creative Way
Last summer we hired three art students to collaborate with our office and some faculty representatives to create an entertaining and informative video presentation about liberal learning, degree requirements and advising. Shown at new student orientation to parents and new students right before their first meeting with faculty advisers, the presentation helped make the advising sessions more effective. This summer we plan to mail a copy of the presentation as a DVD to all new students.
Dr. Roxanne Dukes, Elaine Bryan, Cynthia Walker, Tamra Young, George Vargis, Mike Hall, Susan Lofstrom
GA Perimeter College
True Adventures in the Life of a Master Faculty Advisor
Georgia Perimeter College, part of the University System of Georgia, is a 2-year transfer institution located in Atlanta, Georgia with over 21,000 students. Student advisement at GPC was decentralized with limited faculty involvement. But that all changed when a new sheriff came to town (i.e., a new president) and he placed major emphasis on student retention, transfer, and graduation. GPC created the Master Advisor Program to provide leadership and training to peer faculty. A few key faculty members were recruited to help their colleagues brave this new frontier. Join these fearless pioneers as they describe some of the methods they’ve used to help put fellow faculty members on the path to success as academic advisors.
11:45-12:25
Concurrent Session #3
Kevin Roman and Jennifer Leavey
Georgia Institute of Technology
Information is power: a two-sided advising database
In this presentation we will describe the development of an electronic advising tool that serves many functions including: improving consistency in advising in a department with a large number of students and advisors, requiring students to take charge of their own academic planning, and improving organization. This database has an “advisor-side” in which notes can be made, changes can be made in course planning and student information can be viewed. There is also a “student-side” where the student develops a course plan for the upcoming academic year. This database has the additional benefit of replacing the traditional filing cabinet, reducing paper usage and saving time.
Victoria Cooper, Cecilia Reynolds
University of Georgia- Franklin College Advising Office
Peer Mentor Initiative
The Peer Mentor program was developed to provide experienced student workers in the Franklin College’s Residence Hall offices with more extensive training in basic University information. After receiving this extra training, these student workers are differentiated from others by the title “Peer Mentor.” By providing Peer Mentors with training, it was felt that Residence Hall students would feel more secure in the accuracy of the information they receive, as well as more comfortable relating to Franklin College representatives closer to their own age. Since a Peer Mentor interaction is one of the first that students experience in the Residence Hall advising offices and the Peer Mentors are available 52 hours each week (including evenings), there are many opportunities for student learning. After a year of development, the program was initiated in Fall 2007 under the direction of Residence Hall Advisor, Cecilia Reynolds and Residence Hall Coordinator, Victoria Cooper. The program was awarded a grant from the UGA Parents and Family Association in Spring 2007 to cover start-up expenses. This presentation will discuss the successes and pitfalls that have been experienced in the first year of the program and provide suggestions for the creation of similar programs at other institutions.
12:00-1:30
Lunch
1:30-2:10
Concurrent Session #4
Laura Dowd and Elizabeth Fuller
University of Georgia
Summer Orientation 'Team Advising' Model
The University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts & Sciences provides academic advising to first year and transfer incoming students during the required annual summer orientation program. Roughly 4000 students (approximately 75-80% of UGA’s new student population) enter the University each summer through the Franklin College. These students are seeking degrees in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Pre-Business, Pre-Journalism, and pre-professional programs such as Pre-Nursing and Pre-Pharmacy. The academic advising portion of summer orientation occurs on the second day of the two-day orientation program after students have completed placement tests and had an opportunity to gain knowledge about the overall campus environment. Since 2003, the Franklin College has implemented a “team advising” model. This innovative model was developed to provide both developmental and informational academic advising without compromising service, personal connection, or helpful academic tools that students at a large Research I institution should be afforded as they begin or continue their academic careers. We will describe this model as it resembles a “funnel”. The wide overview comes with the Area Meeting; then we break down into smaller and more specific sessions; and we end with one-on-one advising.
Kimberly E. Blue
INROADS, INC.
Helping Students to Develop their Parachute
Corporate America is clearly changing. The ideal candidate for a position in Corporate America needs to not only have the academic background, but be able to sell their personal "Brand". Academic acumen turns into business acumen and the more career and academic advising are integrated, helps students' develop their parachute. I will share my experience working with corporations in their recruiting process and what they expect from candidates and what career and academic advising can do to prepare them.
2:15-2:55
Concurrent Session #5
Christina Thompson, Laura Saunders, Rebecca Avant and Earnestine Burns
Georgia Southern University
Differentiated Advisement: Meeting them where they are.
The purpose of this advisement model/strategy is to provide the appropriate intensity level of advisement based on individual students’ characteristics. A student rubric is designed for both advisors and students. For advisors, it assists them in making informed decisions about the level of advisement needed for each student along a developmental continuum from a student needing very intrusive advisement to a student having the capacity to self-advise independent of the advisor. For students, it allows them to see the prospects of more independent advisement as they matriculate through their program. The overall goal is to provide the level of service needed by each student and assist each student in developing growing independence in their advisement. This model will allow advisors to use their time wisely, giving assistance to those who most need it and engaging in other service activities, especially retention support, to facilitate students’ success.
Dr. Tim Goodman, Dr. Dee McKinney, Dr. Sandra Sharman
East Georgia College
What is Electronic Advisement? Three Perspectives!
In response to a USG Enhancing Advising Report, three College faculty volunteered to explore utilization of GaView Vista as a vehicle for electronic academic advisement. The Report recommends each USG institution employ an appropriate technology process for improving communication, assessing the advising program, and expanding the advising process. The three volunteers worked independently to respond to the recommendation. One faculty member, who uses single-major group advising, focused on a student information forum on advisement and utilized the group management function of Vista to allow students to sign-up for group advisement sessions. Another faculty member used the assignments function in Vista to share advising information and solicit feedback from advisees. The third faculty member used the group management function to allow sign up for individual advising appointments and the content and assessment functions to get information to advisees and prepare students for self-advisement. These faculty are merging results of their explorations to generate a template for the general faculty. A preliminary evaluation found the students to be better prepared for advising sessions; they knew more about what they should be taking when they came to be advised; and thus were able to do a better job of course and career planning.
3:00-3:45
Concurrent Session #6
Dr. Martha Harris and Ms. Stephanie McLeskey
University of Georgia
Intrusive Advising and Academic Retention: The STEP and STAR Programs at UGA
This presentation will describe two academic retention programs in place at the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia: the STEP (Steps Toward Educational Progress) program, for students at risk of academic dismissal, and the STAR (Steps Toward Academic Recovery) program, for students returning from First Dismissal. These programs intentionally use intrusive advising practices as a means to help students recognize and overcome the obstacles they are facing in their academic careers. Students who are enrolled the STEP program create a specific set of personalized goals designed to help them get back on track. Students in the STAR program utilize a self-assessment tool and review priorities, goals, and academic progress. The presenters will provide an overview of each program, samples of documents and resources used, methods for following up with individual students, and strategies for program implementation.
Dr. Enid Steinbart
Georgia Institute of Technology
Academic Advising through Community Building
The School of Mathematics is using a community building approach to academic advising for undergraduate majors through activities involving undergraduate majors, graduate students, and faculty. Through this approach, students are advised by peers, upper-class students, graduate students, and faculty regularly in an informal and nonthreatening venue. As a result, students are better prepared and informed regarding academic advising issues including courses, undergraduate research, and graduate school opportunities. The presenter will describe activities, on-going challenges, and plans for the future.
3:50-4:30
Plenary Session
Miller Templeton
Miller Templeton has profoundly affected the lives of students throughout his career-long association with Georgia Tech. In this presentation he will be talking about the skills, talents and personal qualities advisors can develop that will optimize the probability of seeing a large enough part of a student’s life to provide informed, individualized advising. His perspective may just change the way you do your job!
4:30-6:00
Networking Reception
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