Supporting academic advising: Serving our stakeholders

Carol A. Cartwright , President, Kent State University

2004 NACADA Pacesetter Award Recipient

Public universities exist for the public good. That statement of our historic role implies a social compact based on trust: Students realize that, regardless of tuition prices, higher education is the best investment they will make in their long-term economic futures. Those students trust the university to provide an education that is not only of a high quality but also adaptable to changing employment conditions and capable of improving the quality of their lives.

At Kent State University , to meet the demands of state budget cuts, we have reallocated resources and streamlined processes, but always with the goal of protecting that public trust by keeping our academic programs strong and nourishing student success. Our studies show that students succeed most often when we have made some personal connection that ties them to the university. Academic advisors play a crucial role in linking this human touch with our university mission.

We all have a story of someone who supported us, gave us inspiration, looked out for our well being, and generally encouraged us to achieve. Advisors, whether they are full-time professional advisors or faculty in an advising role, represent the direct contact that is so important to promoting student success and connectedness to the institution. At Kent State , the influence of our advisors is obvious. We feel it is essential in turn to provide systematic approaches that ensure our academic advising continues to assist us in supporting and retaining our students.

Kent State's current strategic plan focuses on meeting the needs of the people served by the university - "stakeholders" that include everyone from students to the businesses that hire them. In order to provide leadership on the objectives, we must understand the needs. When we attempt to specify the desires of the student body we find that students respond best to individuals and offices that offer direct, instant contact. It is for this reason that we have worked diligently for a strong advising network at Kent State University . Advisors represent direct communication and outreach to the student body, and the relationships they create with students promote educational as well as lifelong success.

Since my arrival at Kent State in 1991, we have established the Student Advising Center with eight full-time advisors to assist exploratory students, created the Retention Advising Initiative with eight advisors who focus on freshman students, developed a Faculty Advising Workshop Series to enable an annual cohort of 30 faculty members to hone their advising skills, and established the Kent Academic Support & Advising Association to encourage professional development and research for all advising staff and faculty.

With our priorities driving decision-making, we reallocated resources to substantially enhance advising services. These efforts primarily benefit students through higher educational achievement. But when we enhance our educational mission, we also better serve the institution, community, and state. The result is a better informed public that understands the importance of education and its positive role in society. Effective advising fosters students who are more likely to be advocates about the need for educational funding, more likely to stay active with the university, and more likely to share their views on education with future generations. As graduates, they also contribute to the social, economic and cultural climate of the nation. The entire process begins with the initial relationship.

A university's senior leadership cannot interact with every student as much as we would like to. Our best course as a university is to maintain a strong academic institution and to support advisors and advising programs. As a public university whose mission is improving the economic and cultural life of our state, we depend on the important contributions academic advisors make to student success.

Carol A. Cartwright, President
Kent State University
2004 NACADA Pacesetter Award Recipient

President's Letter

Dear Colleagues:

By now, each of you have received a copy of the 2004 NACADA National Conference Brochure in the mail or have reviewed the information on the Association’s web site. I hope you are clearing your calendars and making plans to attend our 28th National Conference where we will celebrate NACADA’s 25th anniversary! Over the past 25 years, NACADA has grown from a young organization with a charter membership of 429 to an association with over 7,800 members, serving critical roles in the development of the profession and the implementation of quality academic advising on our campuses that focus on student learning.

The conference theme “Building Bridges: Advisors as Architects for the Future” is particularly meaningful as we reflect on the role NACADA plays in the professional lives of our members and ultimately in the academic success of our students. Under the leadership of Tom Grites (Academic Advising) and Maura Ivanick (Core Values), task forces have been focusing on two key areas for our Association, the development of a statement on the definition of academic advising from the Association’s perspective and the review and update of our Core Values Statement. These two documents along with our strategic plan should provide the vision (or the “Bridge!”) for NACADA, our membership and the institutions we serve as we engage in our daily work.

An important part of this development and review process is to obtain feedback from you on the drafts of these documents. Please note the brief article in this newsletter concerning the statements on defining academic advising and the core values. Click on the link that will take you to the drafts where you can provide feedback on-line to the task forces. Also, at the National Conference, a roundtable session has been scheduled for Friday, October 8 at 10 am, where Task Force members will be present to review the process of writing and updating the statements and to share in a discussion of the various issues. These types of discussions are critical to the Association’s vitality and the sense of vision we share as members of NACADA.

Best wishes to you as the summer orientations and academic terms come to a close and you prepare for another academic year. Remember that NACADA is an ever present resource for you via the web site, telephone or in person! I look forward to seeing you in Cincinnati, October 6 – 9!

Sincerely yours,

Ruth A. Darling
President

Member Input Needed!

Two major initiatives of President Darling this year have been the review and revision of the NACADA Core Values for Academic Advising and the development of a NACADA Definition of Academic Advising. Task Forces, chaired by Maura Ivanick and Tom Grites, have developed drafts for the review and discussion by the membership before approval by the Board of Directors.

Go to http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/discussions.htm to review these important documents, and then please connect to the NACADA Discussion Board and provide input and comments on the drafts. In addition, there will be an opportunity for discussion and input at the national conference in Cincinnati.

NACADA Journal

The NACADA Journal Editors have worked hard to put the Journal back on schedule without skipping any issues. In October/Novemeber of 2004, you may expect to receive a double issue (Volume 24, Issues 1 & 2) which will accomplish this goal! We thank Gary M. Padak and Terry L. Kuhn, Co-Editors, Nancy Vesta, Copy Editor and Marsha Miller from the NACADA Executive Office, as well as the many authors and book reviewers for making this possible!

First Graduate of the Kansas State University/NACADA Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising

Congratulations to Ben Chamberlain who is the first graduate of the K-State/NACADA Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising. Ben, also a recent graduate of the College Student Personnel program at K-State and Graduate Assistant in the NACADA Executive Office, will be an advisor in the College Business at Iowa State University beginning in September. Congratulations, Ben!

It is not too late to apply and register for the Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising. You can register for Foundations in Academic Advising through September 22 and for Trends in Career Development through September 1. For complete application, registration, and course information go to http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/GraduateCertificate/index.htm.

Issues in Advising Graduate and Professional School Students

Virginia Hueske, Advising Graduate and Professional Students Commission Chair

In her recent Chronicle of Higher Education article, Catherine Stimpson, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science at New York University, declared the graduate school to be “the most important stadium on any research-university campus (Stimpson, p. B7).” Of course, we who advise graduate students and students at professional schools agree. We sometimes think that teaching and research assistants are the oil that makes a university engine run, an unrecognized truth that would be evident only if grad students suddenly ceased to exist. Nevertheless, as Dean Stimpson points out, things are somewhat better for graduate students now than when she was a pursuing her Ph.D.

Diversity, interdisciplinarity, and professionalism are gauges by which we measure improvement over the last several decades. Part of the improvement is due to faculty and professional advisors who support these changes. The classic relationship between a faculty research supervisor and a master’s, doctoral or professional student is still the essential relationship. Built around that, whether at the large research institution, a small college, or the professional school, those who advise strive to meet the needs of today’s graduate and professional students.

What do our students need? At a minimum, they need accurate, timely and transparent information about program admission requirements, course and degree requirements, professional licensing, and certification. They need to understand such things as the culture of the institution in general and the department in particular; how to teach undergrad students and how to navigate research labs; how to apply for grants and project funding; how to prepare for, attend and present at conferences. Hard work and a high level of expertise in advising, data management and administration are required of us all.

Is the master’s student fresh from undergraduate school? Maybe a little hand-holding is in order, especially if this person is young and moved directly into the program without ‘real world’ experience. Is the new law school student coming back from the workforce with spouse and children in tow? Practical advice about health and childcare may be in order. Is the Ph.D. student nearly finished with course work and facing qualifying exams? Providing clear directives about how to navigate the process will lessen anxiety.

Just as for those advising undergraduates, the ways in which we support our graduate and professional students are myriad, complex and becoming more so. We work hard to define the realities of our profession and seek colleagues with whom to communicate and commiserate. In this process many discover that while we may be seen as individual “angels of mercy” in our own programs, there are people who do just what we do in most graduate programs. Both faculty and professional advisors of post-baccalaureate students face similar challenges, regardless of the discipline or the university. We must find each other and learn best practices for serving our students and our profession.

In her article, Dean Stimpson eloquently identifies the mission, or “deep purpose,” of graduate education as three-fold. 1. “… a place where the most promising and lively minds of several generations come together to work on the central problems of the time and of the disciplines” and “breaks through conventional wisdom.” 2. Graduate school educates the “next generation of scholars, researchers, intellectuals, artists, and educators.” We can include with this doctors, lawyers, and all other graduates of professional schools. 3. Graduate schools “embody an ideal of a community of advanced inquiry (Stimpson, p. B7)

It is incumbent upon those of us close to the “oil in the engine,” i.e., the students themselves, to find the best ways possible to help to fulfill this mission.

Reference

Stimpson, Catherine R. (June 18, 2004). Traditions and Winds of Change in Graduate Education. In The Chronicle of Higher Education, p. B6.

Virginia Hueske
Advising Graduate and Professional Students Commission Chair
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8130
avvh@mail.utexas.edu

If you would like to find out more regarding advising graduate students, please visit the Advising Graduate and Professional Students Commission Web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Commissions/C06/index.htm.

Connect with colleagues and discuss this article on the Graduate student advising electronic list at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/list serve/C06.htm.

Vantage Point

Advising at a Small, Remote Campus

The blue of Lake Powell dominated the horizon as we dropped off the last hill approaching Page, AZ, but it was the ribbon of green wrapped around the plateau on which the town sat that caught my attention. After 135 miles of reds, browns, yellows and grays of the landscape north of Flagstaff, the green of the new golf course really stood out. Off to the right, on the edge of the plateau just above the fifth hole, was the college. The buildings were new, modern architecture--all glass and brick and steel—and looked like a church.

Advising at this remote branch campus was exciting not only because of the natural beauty, but also because of the variety of cultures and duties. Page is surrounded by the Navajo Nation, but although the population of the town was 65% Native American, they made up only 26% of 400 in the student body. Compared to national norms, a larger percentage of students were female and non-traditional. The economy of the area relied on tourism and the power plant that supplied electricity to Phoenix. Each year Page’s 6000 residents hosted three million visitors from all over the world. One was as likely to hear French, Japanese or Navajo as English at the supermarket. As an advisor, it was also likely that a student would have a question for you in the canned goods aisle.

My job description included recruiting, community outreach, student activities, coordinating financial aid, disability resources, and career services as well as academic advising. Of course there were endless committees at the college’s main campus in Flagstaff that wanted a representative from Page. (Somehow, it was further from Flagstaff to Page than it was from Page to Flagstaff!). The reality was that I was always on duty representing the college. Whether making a presentation at the high school’s college night, promoting registration on the local radio talk show, running a booth at one of the numerous events in the city park, or helping to organize the college foundation’s fundraising golf tournament, it was fun to be so involved in the community.

Geography is important to understanding the advisor’s role in this situation. A small town and a small campus mean that you get to know the students (and they you) very well. It also meant limited resources, limited job opportunities, and limited programs. Problems like childcare, transportation, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, poor academic preparation, unemployment, underemployment and seasonal employment presented hurdles for students and those who advise them. Some students demonstrated amazing creativity, flexibility and persistence in dealing with these issues; some were unable to overcome them and became part of the negative side of retention statistics. Their stories are beyond the scope of this column. At issue here is the role of an advisor in these circumstances.

Just as each student is unique, so every advisor brings a particular mix of experience, skills and education to the table. My style is to let the student set the agenda. As I listen to their concerns (after all they dropped in or made an appointment for some reason!), I ask the appropriate question(s) to help determine their interests and goals, try to help them explore whatever options exist, and encourage them to take the next step to pursue their chosen path. During this discussion, I also try to ensure that they are clear on degree requirements, course selection and other “nuts and bolts” issues. But the decisions are the students’ responsibility. It’s their education.

This routine could be the same at a large university. What makes advising at a rural, isolated community college different is that the advisor does it all. You are the guide, the coach and the cheerleader. You do the placement testing because there is no testing center; you interpret the Strong Interest Inventory and MBTI because there is no career services specialist; you do the orientation program because there is no separate department for that. The whole student services process from recruiting to graduation is in your hands. The job requires good listening and problem-solving skills, organization and communication, and the exercise of good judgment when faced with counseling situations that are beyond your training and expertise. Most importantly, it requires genuine care for students. The advisor is really on the front lines, but the rewards are great. When you see a student achieve his or her goal—which may or may not include graduation—the experience is priceless.

It was just starting to snow when we left Page. In fact, the first major winter storm of 2002 followed the exact route across the Midwest I had planned for our move Michigan. Even though my new position there would be at a larger college with a different mix of responsibilities, I knew what I had experienced in Page would help me continue to serve students in any small town environment.

Kevin M. Anderson
(Formerly of Coconino Community College, Page, AZ)
Bay De Noc Community College, Escanaba, MI
(906) 786-5802+1124
andersok@baydenoc.cc.mi.us

From the Executive Director

Happy New Year! Yes, those of us in academe get to celebrate a second time as we begin the new academic year. This is a time of renewal also, as the majority of our memberships renew in September, and our leadership “renews” at the end of the national conference when our newly elected leaders assume their responsibilities and begin their work for the New NACADA Year.

Through the dedicated work of our members, NACADA has made great strides in promoting advising as a profession, raising awareness of the value of effective advising for our students, and providing professional development for advisors and administrators. With a record membership of over 7800, the Association relies on volunteer leaders to provide ideas, feedback, and leadership.

On page 9 you will find information regarding the NACADA leadership positions to be elected in early 2005 along with a request for nominations for those positions. Complete information is also available on the NACADA Web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/election/index.htm.

Now is the time to step forward! Nominate yourself or someone you know for a leadership position. Our goal is to provide members with a choice; as such, we need at least two candidates for each position. Whether you are new to the association or a veteran member, check out “About NACADA” on our Web site to select from the myriad opportunities available to contribute to your Association and our profession. Visit with your current region or commission chair about ways you can get involved.

Volunteers are the heart of this Association. Those choosing to volunteer often express as benefits of their involvement – opportunities to learn from others, creation of a network of colleagues for advice and support, professional growth through the exchange of ideas, insight regarding operations at other institutions that can translate to enhancements to their own programs, validation that what they are doing is “right on”, a network for employment opportunities, and most often, new and deep friendships!

The association management literature I read advises that members of differing generations often have different participation goals. Most notably, “baby boomers” tend to participate in an association in a sequential manner, committing to long-term continuous service to the Association. However younger association members tend to be more “cyclical” in their involvement, wanting repeated short and brief involvement (give me a task, I’ll do it, and that’s the end for now). There is a place in NACADA for both. So, no matter how, or how long, you want to be involved, consider starting now.

Check out the leadership opportunities available and volunteer to serve. NACADA needs you!

Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty
Executive Director
nacada@ksu.edu

Humor Helps Us Build Bridges

By John Wagner

Advising higher education students is important work and is fast becoming stressful work. Students have higher service expectations while administration applies cost containment pressure: ’do more with less, faster, with higher quality’. Information technology conversions, new releases, and upgrades constantly challenge us to use IT to better to serve students. The positive power of humor can help us avoid stress, stay balanced and ready to have fun designing and building bridges to success for our students.

Let’s look at “The Three R’s”---Responsibility, Relationships, and Recognition in using humor in our important work.

Responsibility:
Each of us has a choice about all that we do. Because we have a choice, we have response-ability: the ability to choose our response to the challenges we will face. But we can take ourselves lightly while we take our jobs, life, and responsibilities seriously. If you experience a failure or setback, accept responsibility, laugh it off, learn from it, and do all you can to make it right quickly. If you experience a conflict, don’t turn it into a contest with a win or lose outcome. Use your sense of humor to become flexible enough to use the energy of the conflict to creatively generate positive possibilities. Laughter helps us flex and loosen-up; it is healing. When you choose to laugh more, all you can loose is some body fluids. Remember to LAUGH!

Relationships:
Positive, supportive, and cooperative relationships are essential for success. We can control only ourselves; we can only influence others. When we try to control or force others to change, we risk loosing control of ourselves. Positive humor is a powerful influence. Be happier by being an encourager of others; believe in and encourage yourself. It is more fun, productive and efficient to work playfully with others toward a common goal. Choose to accept that each of us is a unique and special person with our own view of life. Learn to celebrate the uniqueness and look for the common thread of humanity that connects us all. Positive humor and smiling enhances communication. When you smile, get your whole face into it; raise your eyebrows, it will make you look taller. Remember to SMILE!

Recognition:
High self-esteem will enhance achievement. Build self-esteem by recognizing all positive efforts. (Especially those little efforts, they add up.) Be an encourager. The best way to raise your self-esteem is to raise someone else’s. Use positive humor to make recognition more acceptable and meaningful. Use humor to accept reality, maintain a positive perspective, and build bridges to a future success reality. Be optimistic, and joyful. Replace all pity parties with effort recognition events. Recognition only works with three types of people - men, women and children. Remember to CELEBRATE!

There is a choice in everything you do. Keep in mind the choices you make - make you. Choose to Laugh, Smile and Celebrate as you build those bridges.

NACADA Career Services Corner

Dear Career Corner:

I am looking forward to attending the NACADA National Conference in Cincinnati this Fall. Although I am not looking for a new position right now, I plan to consider new job opportunities within the next five years. What services does the Member Career Services Committee offer at the National Conference and how can I make the most of my time in Cincinnati?
– Signed, Cincinnati-bound Advisor

Dear Cincinnati-bound Advisor:

All of us on the Member Career Services Committee are looking forward to attending the 2004 NACADA National Conference in Cincinnati, OH October 6-9, 2004. We will have a table near the registration area that will be hosted by Member Career Services Committee representatives. At that table you will find information on current advising-related positions that are available as well as helpful handouts on how to successfully advance your career. Our representatives will also be available to give you constructive feedback on how to improve your cover letters and/or resumes/CVs, so remember to bring them with you to the conference. Be on the lookout for us and stop by to say hi and find out more about the services we have to offer you.

As far as making the most of the National Conference, one of the most important things you can do in Cincinnati is expand your professional network. The American Heritage Dictionary (1997) defines a network as, “An extended group of people with similar interests or concerns who interact and remain in informal contact for mutual assistance or support.” Remember that you have a lot to offer the rest of us, so be bold and strike up a conversation with someone as you are waiting for the next presentation to begin. NACADA members are some of the most friendly people I have ever met, so introduce yourself and ask questions of the people you meet. Here are some suggestions of things you can ask people to get the conversation started:

1. How long have you been a member of NACADA?
2. Where do your work?
3. What population of students do you work with?
4. What is the best part of your current job?
5. What is the biggest challenge that you and/or your institution face?

Make sure that you bring plenty of business cards and ask for a card from each person that you meet. Then when you get back home, take the time to send a quick e-mail to let the person know how much you enjoyed meeting them at the conference. Add his/her contact information to Outlook or to whatever software you use to track your contacts. See you in Cincinnati!

Do you have a career related question? If so, submit your questions on-line at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AdministrativeDivision/career.htm. Questions will be answered anonymously.

Jennifer L. Bloom, Chair
NACADA Member Career Services Committee
217-244-1512
jlbloom@uiuc.edu

Who are you seeking to retain and why?

Brian Stanley, Chair, Multicultural Concerns Commission

It is well known that retention of every student is simply not possible. As academic advisors we understand that, for some students, transferring or stopping-out is a legitimate strategy for attaining long term personal or professional success. Yet, on many campuses, talk of retention focuses on retaining “all” students. As a result, some colleges have developed overly-broad retention strategies that disjoint campus units and ignore the role of identity in the retention of at-risk ethnic and cultural minorities. A more effective alternative is the development of a focused retention framework that utilizes assessment to identify those most at risk for early institutional departure and then seeks to develop culturally relevant programmatic interventions for their success.

Before I continue, I need to stress the importance of assessment in any well structured retention program. Quantitative and qualitative assessments of student needs and outcomes are key in the identification of those most at-risk, tracking changes in at-risk populations, and providing important benchmarking information for evaluating the strengths and potential growth areas for any retention program. If your retention program does not do assessment then your institution probably is not doing retention as well as it could be.

Swail, Redd, and Perna (2003) suggest that student retention is the result of an interaction between cognitive, social, and institutional factors that impact students positively or negatively. Successful students are able to attain equilibrium between these variables.

Cognitive factors are the intelligence, knowledge, and academic abilities students bring to the collegiate environment (p. 78). Cognitive factors are central to students’ abilities to comprehend and complete the academic portion of the college curriculum, understand their experiences, and develop and utilize effective decision-making and problem solving capacities. Social factors encompass the broad array of issues that allow or inhibit student integration into the social fabric of the institution and include related issues such as cultural fit, peer group influence, career goals, educational legacy, and coping skills. Institutional factors include the institution’s ability to provide students with academic and social support throughout the collegiate experience. Institutional factors are equivocated with cognitive and social factors due to the importance of institutional support in student decisions to persist through degree attainment. The institution’s ability to leverage the cognitive and social services needed to support students through their college experience is critical in helping students compensate for cognitive or social weaknesses (p.79). Within this model, it is important to note that students with serious deficiencies in both cognitive and social skills are the most at-risk and will need the most institutional support to persist to degree completion (Swail et. al., 2003, p. 81).

What does successful institutional support look like for at-risk cultural and ethnic minorities? Tierney (2000) posits that the “negotiation of identity in academe as central to educational success”(p. 219). The challenge is not for students to fit into an alien culture at the expense of their own; rather, it is to challenge the organizational culture to adapt to students’ cultures by developing “…ways in which an individual’s identity is affirmed, honored, and incorporated into the organization’s culture” (p. 219). To accomplish this, Tierney (2000) proposes that retention and achievement programs should (1) develop innovative programs and activities that seek to affirm and validate individual student cultural identities (Collaborative Relations of Power); (2) develop contextualized social and academic activities which create connections between home, community, and schooling (Home, Community, and Schooling Connections); (3) Be locally grounded in student experience and reality, thus providing students with an opportunity to integrate their local lives into the fabric of the institution while challenging them to use their university education to make positive change in their home and local environments (Local Definitions of Identity); (4) foster a spirit of academic excellence within target populations by maintaining high academic expectations of student performance (challenge over remediation); (5) have strong, validating, holistic support structures which, instead of narrowly focusing on any real or perceived skill gap, emphasize the development and utilization of academic support structures (formal and informal) which view students, especially at-risk students, as individuals with the capacity for academic success (p. 218 - 224)

The research completed by Tierney (2000) and Swail, Redd, and Perna, (2003) provide important insight into effective retention. First, effective retention is collaborative insofar as it requires a strategic alignment of institutional resources for the purposes of retention success of those most at-risk of early departure. Second, effective retention is conscious of the impact of race, class, and culture in the life of the at-risk student and actively seeks positive ways to validate and integrate culture into institutional support. Finally, effective retention is assessment driven and evaluates programmatic activities for alignment with assessed student needs.

Brian Stanley, Chair, Multicultural Concerns Commission
Saint Mary's College of California
(925) 631-4349
bstanley@stmarys-ca.edu

References

Swail, S. W., Redd, E. K., & Perna, W. L. (Eds.). (2003). Retaining minority students in higher education (ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report). San Francisco: Wiley Publishers.

Tierney, W. G. (2000).” Power, identity, and the dilemma of college student departure.” In J. M. Braxton (Ed.), Reworking the Student Departure Puzzle (pp. 213 - 234). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.

ADVISING TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students who transfer from one institution to another constitute a significant portion of the current college population, and they consume a considerable amount of the time and effort of advisors at both two-year and four-year institutions. While transfer students bring some higher education experience with them, they are new to the (receiving) transfer institution. They are, in a sense, an anomaly in that they are first-year students with some experience in higher education. This article serves as an overview and provides a brief description of the forthcoming NACADA monograph about this important student population.

In reviewing the literature there seems to be an overgeneralization about transfer students. Two specific observations become apparent. First, the data reported regarding transfer students sometime appear to be inconsistent or in conflict. The data sources, the timing of the data collection, and the varying definitions of “transfer students” all contribute to these inconsistencies. Therefore, it is essential that institutions clearly and accurately define their transfer populations when attempting to develop or modify their programs and services for these students.

Second, it is clear that most articles and studies found in the literature (in fact, most of the literature itself) about transfer students are limited to the community college transfer student and process. However, “transfer students” include not only those who transfer from two-year to four-year institutions, but also those who transfer from four-year to four-year institutions, and reverse transfers (four-year to two-year). Therefore, it is essential that institutions examine their policies and programs to insure that they reflect equity and comparability for the full complement and variety of their transfer students, especially if these efforts are to be based upon what is reported in the literature.

The various authors of the chapters in the monograph have identified several broad considerations that need to be addressed on many campuses in order to enhance the success of transfer students. These are summarized as follows:

1. Recognize that “transfer shock” really exists. All transfer students enter a new and different institutional environment, which has different policies, different procedures, different advising structures, different terminology, different faculty and academic expectations, etc. Improving application materials and resources, strengthening Orientation programs, and expanding campus programs for transfers will all serve to overcome this “transfer shock” syndrome.

2. Strengthen articulation agreements. The real value of articulation agreements has somewhat eroded as a result of recent trends toward legislated Statewide mandates, common course numbering systems, and other seemingly well-intended guarantees for transfer students. However, most of these trends have diminished value if they are not articulated within specific degree programs, that is, the student’s major academic program of study. Without this context, some agreements have served as no more than public relations and recruitment functions. Program-to program articulations better serve the transfer student and both institutions.

3. Use technology wisely. On-line admissions applications, course equivalency determinations, electronic transcript submission and retrieval, and advance registration capabilities have improved the transfer process quite readily. Institutions should maximize the opportunities and capabilities of these technological improvements in order to serve transfer students more effectively, more efficiently, and more successfully.

Finally, the monograph editors observed a variety of recommendations that are provided throughout the document. They have attempted to synthesize these recommendations into a “common” set. These are:

1. Enhanced communication must occur. Both two-year and four year-institutions need to improve upon this critical aspect in the transfer process. ; clearly publicized articulation agreements, course-to-course equivalencies, enhanced Websites and other technological media, and on-site campus visits at other institutions are just some of the ways that this recommendation can be realized.

2. “Transfer Centers” should be established. The communication links suggested above can only be positively facilitated if a specific unit, office, or individual person is identified as the primary contact for transfer students. The concept of “one-stop shopping” has already been implemented for various student service areas on many campuses; the Transfer Center should simply become an extension of this concept. Where a smaller population of transfer students exists, an individual or specific office should be designated as the primary resource for transfer students.

3. Orientation Programs must be improved and/or Transfer Courses should be developed. The seamless transition will not occur only on paper; students must be prepared for their planned transfer to a specific school (orientation out of the community college, for example), and the receiving transfer institution must provide a full and complete orientation to the new environment for all transfer students. The course format, similar to many First-Year Seminars, offers a more systematic and sustained way to acculturate all transfer students into their new environment.

4. Similar opportunities should be afforded transfer students as are native students. Access to Honors Programs and curricula, scholarships, restricted upper-division majors, early entry to graduate and professional schools, and even individual course selection opportunities should be afforded the transfer students who meet or exceed the same criteria as native students.

A full description of these, as well as other recommendations, examples, and resources, are provided in the monograph. The authors, the editors, and the NACADA leaders look forward to this new monograph and trust that you will find it useful as well, as you monitor, review, and revise your services for transfer students. Find out more about resources for advising transfer students in the Clearinghouse at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Links/Transfer.htm.

Tom Grites, Co-Editor, Advising Transfer Students: Issues and Strategies NACADA Monograph
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Tom.Grites@stockton.edu

2005 NACADA Leadership Election Information

The next NACADA Leadership elections will be held in January-February 2005. For a complete list of NACADA leadership opportunities available in the 2005 elections, visit the NACADA web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Election/index.htm. You will also find a link to the 2005 election information on the NACADA home page.

Nominations for the various positions can be submitted electronically using the online form available on the NACADA web site. A Word version of this document is also available. Forms will be available in the NACADA display booth in the Exhibits area at the National Conference in Cincinnati this fall as well as in the back of the conference program. These printed forms can be submitted while at the conference or faxed/mailed afterwards. The deadline for submitting nominations to the Executive Office for the 2005 elections is Friday, October 15, 2004.

If you are interested in becoming more involved in the governance of the Association, we encourage you to submit a nomination to be considered for a position. If you know someone whom you believe would be a good candidate, please submit his or her name via the recommendation form, and the NACADA Executive Office will follow up to determine if he or she is interested and meets the eligibility criteria. Position descriptions and eligibility requirements are provided at the link above on our web site.

All nominees will be required to complete a personal biography form detailing past NACADA involvement and specific accomplishments and other relevant support of advising. Based on information submitted, the NACADA Board of Directors and Executive Office may solicit additional nominees to assure at least 2 candidates for each position. The final slate of candidates will be available in late fall 2005 and the election will be conducted online in January-February 2005. Newly elected leaders take office in October 2005 after the national conference.

Watch the monthly Highlights e-mails for more information about the 2005 elections. If you have questions, contact the NACADA Executive Office at nacada@ksu.edu or call (785) 532-5717.

September 2004 Newsletter Announcements

2005 NACADA Awards Program

The 2005 Call for Nominations for the NACADA National Awards Program will be available in November 2004. Until then, the criteria and nomination guidelines used for the 2004 awards can provide you with a general idea of the types of information and documents requested in the nomination materials for the current award categories. Please note that it is possible that some nomination guidelines and criteria may change for the 2005 Awards Program depending on discussions held by the Awards Committee at the national conference. Therefore, please be sure to check all guidelines closely once the 2005 Awards Call becomes available before submitting any nomination materials.

Next year’s deadline for submitting nominations or applications for most award categories will be March 7, 2005. Final research grant applications and retiree recognition notifications will be due June 6, 2005. Information on the awards program is available at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/awards/index.htm on our web site.

Start now in planning for the advising awards nominations to be submitted in 2005 from your institution!

NACADA MONOGRAPHS

Advising Transfer Students:
Issues and Strategies

Students transferring from one institution to another continue to be a significant part of our college populations, and they consume considerable amounts of time and effort by advisors at both two-year and four-year institutions. Transfer students constitute a population that already brings some higher education experience with them yet they are new to the transfer institution. ‘This monograph attempts to identify many of the issues related to this population and to provide a wide range of potential services, programs, and other resources that serve to strengthen the overall higher education experience for transfers.

AVAILABLE AT THE 2004 NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN CINCINNATI, OH

Giving Advice to Students: A Roadmap
for College Professionals

All members of the academic community are potential advice givers who want to help students map their own routes. However, many on campus frequently fail to incorporate their implicit knowledge about the academy into the thoughts they share with students. Giving Advice to Students is designed to help campus professionals, especially faculty and student affairs professionals, blend their expertise to help students understand the underlying assumptions that direct their education and to integrate their college experiences. The monograph is useful as a training handbook and dialog stimulus for professionals. Included essays can be reproduced as tip sheets for students that can help make campus resources readily accessible.

AVAILABLE AT THE 2004 NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN CINCINNATI, OH

The Status of Academic Advising: Findings from the
ACT Sixth National Survey

Want the most up-to-date statistics regarding the delivery of advising services? Required to have comparable data for an accreditation visit? This monograph provides details that illuminate advising practice throughout the academy. ACT/NACADA’s Sixth National Survey on Academic Advising gathered data from over 1,400 institutions nationwide that reported on all aspects of advising practices and services. In addition to survey data, the author provides observations and data-drawn conclusions that can help your institution.

AVAILABLE NOW! ORDER AT http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Forms/orderform.htm

Building Bridges: Advisors as Architects for the Future

NACADA National Conference

Cincinnati, Ohio October 6-9, 2004

We are excited to extend to you an invitation to attend the 28th National Conference to be held at the Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6-0, 2004 with the theme of “Building Bridges: Advisors as Architects for the Future”.

We are pleased to announce this year’s keynote speakers: Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher, the first woman president of the University of Cincinnati, will speak at the opening plenary Wednesday evening. Her research in education will set the tone for an excellent conference. John Wagner, humorist and professional speaker, will speak Friday morning on how our sense of humor can help us find more joy in our important work of helping students succeed in higher education and life.

The conference activities are plentiful and offer a wide variety of opportunities to

• Learn – over 300 pre- and post-conference and concurrent sessions provide a wealth of topics. You will want to print out the schedule on our website, get out your highlighter and tailor your conference experience to fit your needs.

• Network – many activities, both formal and informal, provide a great atmosphere to network with old and new acquaintances. The Commission and Interest Group Fair, receptions, Exhibits, Regional and Commission meetings are just a few places to meet new people who are interested in subjects important to you.

• Share – by giving presentations, contributing to the discussions and sharing experiences, you will enhance both your own conference experience and the learning of your colleagues. You may also want to share a portion of your time as a volunteer, your vocal talent by singing in the NACADA Choir, or your school spirit by wearing your school colors on Thursday.

• Help us celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the association. From its incorporation in 1979 with 429 charter members, NACADA has grown to a 7,800+ member association representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and several other countries. Highlights of the past 25 years will be featured throughout the conference.

Details on these and the many other activities of the conference can be found at the NACADA Web site. We look forward to meeting you in Cincinnati!

2004 Conference Program Committee

Barb Bucey, University of Cincinnati, Conference Chair
Peg Steele, Ohio State University, and Dennis Bothel, Ohio University, Pre-conference Workshops
Tricia Gore, University of Texas-Austin, Exhibits/Publications
Nichole Grant, University of Cincinnati, and Jo Pionke, Kent State University, Volunteers
Denise Robinette, University of Cincinnati, Poster Session
Jennifer Grube Vestal, Denison Universityy, Evaluations
Paula Breslin, University of Cincinnati, Hospitality

Plan to attend NACADA's 28th national conference on academic advising.

The number one goal is to connect advisors, faculty, administrators and students from across the country to share learning experiences. While in Cincinnati, plan to explore, discover, and enjoy Cincinnati's many attributes. Cincinnati offers all the fun and diversions of a much larger city while maintaining a friendly, small town atmosphere. There are more than 50 restaurants within walking distance of the downtown conference hotels! Your pick...5-star, full-service, casual or fast food. Ethnic cuisine is in abundance, from fine French dining to authentic German dishes to local specialties like Cincinnati-style chili.

With the opening of the Smithsonian-affiliated National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (honoring the city’s important role in the underground railroad network), the Contemporary Arts Center and the newly-renovated Taft Museum of Art, along with historic museums such as the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, there is an extensive selection of arts from which to choose. There are also several performing arts venues downtown.

Take a riverboat dinner cruise, visit a nearby casino, go wild at the Zoo, enjoy a dinner theatre with a Broadway-style show, visit the Kentucky Horse Park and explore the Newport Aquarium or Museum Center--all of these and more activities are available through the optional tours.

It’s easy to get around—many attractions are within walking distance. You can use the 20-block elevated pedestrian Skywalk (which itself connects more than 350 establishments), head out on the sidewalks, hail a taxi, or for just $1.00, board the Southbank Shuttle. This convenient shuttle takes you to the Northern Kentucky riverfront in ten minutes, where you can enjoy a wide selection of restaurants, shopping and attractions such as the state-of-the-art Newport Aquarium, Newport on the Levee, MainStrasse Village, Hofbrauhaus and much more.

In addition to the invigorating conference sessions and the diversions offered in Cincinnati, we'll be celebrating the association's 25th anniversary. From its incorporation in 1979 with 429 charter members, NACADA has grown into a 7,000-member association representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and several other countries. Highlights of the past 25 years will be featured throughout the conference.

We hope you will join more than 2,000 of your colleagues in Cincinnati for the conference!

Regions at the National Conference

It’s time to begin planning your presentation for your regional conference! Yes, you have great ideas and the regional conferences are a great place to start sharing! Presentation proposals will begin to be accepted in late October, so contact your colleagues and team up for a potentially award winning presentation. Generally, regions offer several types of presentations including 1 hour concurrent sessions, 1 hour roundtable discussions and preconference workshops. Details will be e-mailed to members and the on-line proposal system will be linked to each region’s conference web page this fall.

A great place to get ideas for presentations is the National Conference, which will be held in Cincinnati, October, 6-9, 2004. While at the conference, you will want to:

Plan to attend several “Best of Regional Conference” presentations!
Each Region chooses a Best of Regional Conference presentation to repeat their session at the national conference. Along with this honor comes a $500 stipend to help defray the costs of attending National Conference.

More than just catchy titles, excellent content and presentation style earned the following sessions “Best of Regional Conference” designations by the participants at the 2004 spring regional meetings. To give others an opportunity to take advantage of these informative and interesting presentations, these sessions are scheduled throughout the conference in Cincinnati. They will be designated in the program, so be sure to attend the ones pertinent to your area of responsibility. See the abstracts in the program and on the Web for further information!

• Not So “Trivial Pursuit”: A Fun Method of Training Faculty Advisors
• Help! I Think My Professor Is An Alien
• A Question Concerning Advising
• Communication that Works: Effective Ways to Build Stronger Relationship with Students
•"OnStar" Advising: Employing GPS as a Metaphor for Student Guidance
• Effective Cross-Cultural Communication: Challenges for Today's Advisors
• Inspiring Students to Aspire for More
• Blueprint For Change: A Structure For Struggling Students
• Are You B.R.E.A.T.H.E.ing? Stress Management for the Advisor
• Extraordinary Transformations: Using Strengths-Based Strategies to Retrofit the Advising Experience
• Conflict Management and Advising

Find old friends and meet new neighbors!
Regional locations will be designated at the opening reception on Wednesday evening. With 2,000 people in the room, it will be good to see familiar faces, meet new neighbors and make plans to touch bases throughout the next few days.

Attend your Regional Meeting!
Region Meetings will be held Thursday afternoon, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Convention Center. These meetings are a great place to find out what is going on at the grassroots in NACADA, meet the regional leaders who have great ideas on ways for you may join in the activities in your area.

On another note, remember that the NACADA web page has specific places designated for information about regional activities and leadership structure. Bookmark your region’s page and keep up to date!

Commissions & interest groups help members connect with others in the association who share similar advising responsibilities or interests. E-mail lists and commission Web pages help members communicate throughout the year and the Clearinghouse provides articles and information on specific subjects.

You may also want to check out the events at the National Conference in Cincinnati which provide several ways to meet, share ideas, and work with your colleagues face to face. You will want to:

Plan to attend the Commission and Interest Group Fair!
On Thursday, October 7, from 7:30-8:30 a.m., the Commissions and Interest Groups will host the fifth annual fair. Each commission and interest group will have an informational table to provide material concerning their group’s activities and how you can get involved. Come join in this excellent opportunity to meet and network with your colleagues during a continental breakfast for all attendees.

Choose concurrent sessions which relate to your interests!
Topical tracks are listed after session titles in the Conference At-A-Glance section. A separate index by track appears in the back of the program as well. You will also note that some sessions are designated as Commission Sponsored sessions, chosen by the commission leadership for inclusion in the program.

Attend your Commission & Interest Group Meetings!
These sessions scheduled throughout the conference focus on specific aspects of advising. Plan to share ideas, develop resources, and identify topics for future regional and national conference sessions.

Join in the Commission “Hot Topics” sessions!
New to the conference this year, these one hour Commission “Hot Topics” sessions will begin Saturday at 11:15 a.m. Commission leaders welcome both their commission members and others who are interested in the topic to come and join in the lively discussion of the following subjects. Complete descriptions will be found on the NACADA web page soon!

•Avoiding Burn-out
•Advising Adult Learners
•Dealing with Oversubscribed Programs
•Testing the Education Major for Admissions & Advising "OUT" of Education
•How has Academic Reform by the NCAA Affected your Advising?
•Hot Topics in Disability Advising
•Facilitating the Transition: TriGs, Cohorts, and Other Strategies
•CUES Discussion with Your Colleagues: Two Hot Topics in Advising Undecided/Exploratory •Students
•Issues and Answers in Training and Development
•Assessment of Advising Services: Developing Process and Learning Outcomes
•Our Critical Needs, Current Resources, and Future Issues
•How Can We Help ESL/International Students Make Transition? Overcoming Culture Shock and •Thriving in American Higher Education
•Who’s Who in Faculty Advising
•Supporting LGBTQ Students in a Non-Supportive Atmosphere
•Small Wonders (Small Colleges)
•Hot Topics for Two-Year Colleges

NACADA Professional Development Opportunities!

NEW in 2005! Effectively Engaging Faculty in Academic Advising

January 27-28, 2005
TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel
St. Pete Beach, Florida

Who Should Attend
This seminar is designed for teaching faculty, departmental/ institutional advising coordinators, advising administrators, academic administrators, and student affairs administrators..
On many campuses faculty have an essential and vital role in the academic advising experiences of students. Data in the NACADA 2004 publication, The Status of Academic Advising , indicate that over 80% of 4-year institutions and almost 50% of public 2-year and 80% of private 2-year colleges utilize models that rely on faculty involvement in academic advising. Since faculty play such an integral role in academic advising, it is imperative that faculty and administrators work together to assure that faculty are effectively engaged in the advising process. This seminar will provide an overview of the scope of advising while exploring the many opportunities and strategies for enhancing academic advising.

Topics
• Understanding the Scope of Academic Advising
• Connecting Teaching and Learning Skills to Academic Advising
• Connecting Advising to Learning Outcomes
• Effective Strategies for Faculty Professional Development Workshops/Seminars
• Developing Evaluation, Recognition and Reward Initiatives for Faculty Engagement in Advising

3rd Annual Academic Advising Administrators' Institute

January 30 - February 1, 2005
TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel
St. Pete Beach, Florida

Who Should Attend
This institute is designed for all levels of advising administrators whether they are new or experienced and administering , centralized, decentralized, or faculty-based advising programs. In addition, chief student affairs officers, academic affairs, officers, and presidents can benefit greatly from this experience.
Topics The Institute will focus on topics of concern to advising administrators at all types of higher education institutions, such as:

• Advisee/Advisor Ratios
• Components of Successful Advising Programs
• Assessment of Advising
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Reward
• Benchmarking for Advising Programs
• Leadership vs. Management Legal and Ethical Issues
• Budget Management/Financial Programs
• Planning Mission Statements, Goals, and Objectives
• Technology in Advising
• Training and Professional Development
• Successful Planning Strategies
• Effectively Utilizing CAS Standards

The Institute will utilize learning community groups facilitated by experienced advising administrators who are recognized as leaders in the field of academic advising administration. In addition to leading concurrent sessions on specific topics, these facilitators will:

• Respond to the latest issues appearing on campuses and facilitate a process through which you may better understand these issues
• Help you address issues within your academic advising programs
• Assist you in utilizing the resources and expertise available to you
• Help develop a clearer sense of your academic advising programs, how to effectively administer them, and how your programs should fit within your own institution
• Guide you in the development of an implementation plan for improvement or change on your campus

Assessment of Academic Advising Institute

February 2- 4, 2005
TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel
St. Pete Beach, Florida

This working institute will be an intensive two and a half days focused on the components of a successful assessment program as well as specific strategies and tools for developing and implementing assessment programs on your campus.

Topics
• Engaging in Assessment: What is it?
• Utilizing Assessment Results
• Identifying Resources
• Gathering Evidence
• Mapping the Learning Experience
• Developing Rubrics
• Understanding Assessment as a Collective Process
• Identifying and Developing Student Learning Outcomes

Announcing Regional Conferences for 2005

1. Northeast
March 23-25, 2005
Montreal, Canada
Gail Stepina & Beth Higgins

2. Mid-Atlantic
April 17-19, 2005
Virginia Beach, VA
Robert Otten

3. Mid-South
April 10-12, 2005
Louisville, KY
Janet Spence

4. Southeast
March 6-8, 2005
Tuscaloosa, AL
Brandi Zito & Lori Barstow

5. Great Lakes
March 17-19, 2005
Toronto, Canada
Jill Johnson

6. North Central
April 20-22, 2005
Sioux Falls, SD
Deanna Kost & Christy Osborne

7. South Central
**Tentatively March 3-5 2005
Oklahoma City, OK
Peggy Jordan & Terri Blevins

8. Northwest
April 20-22, 2005
Portland, OR
Karen Sullivan-Vance

9. Pacific
**Tentatively April 13-15, 2005
Emeryville (San Francisco), CA
Janine Mixon & Patrick Allen

10. Rocky Mountain
March 2-4, 2005
Denver, CO
Carol Morken