Team Up with Your
Teaching and Learning Center to Restructure Faculty Advising
Todd Carter, Seward County Community College
Many advising programs strive to connect faculty, student advising,
and learning in an effort to move from “advising as class
scheduling” to “advising as teaching.” Likewise,
many instructional development programs assist faculty with learner-centered
instructional methods that better serve our under prepared or
underserved student populations. It would seem likely that the
advising and teaching strategies that better serve these students
would have significant overlap (Hemwall and Trachte, 2003).
The Seward County Community College restructuring project recently
completed its first year. In evaluating our experiences, we found
that there can be a disconnect between faculty approaches to student
learning in the classroom and the approaches required to develop
a learner-centered advising program. Therefore steps should be
taken early in any restructuring project to build the framework
and common vocabulary needed for professional development activities
that integrate learner-centered advising and teaching.
We recommend that a NACADA consultant evaluate what is happening
to, and for, students. The unbiased nature of the evaluation process
and resulting exit report helps establish an honest and open conversation
between faculty, staff, administration, and students. After meeting
separately with our Student Success Advisory Committee and Administrative
Council, our NACADA consultant utilized the Miller (2004) restructuring
format as a guide for framing recommendations. Based upon the
mission of our college, the consultant recommended that we consider
advising through the lens of “advising as teaching.”
It is important to note that our chief administrative officers
have been involved from the project’s outset and support
this advising restructure by including the project in the institution’s
goals. In addition, our chief academic officer attended the NACADA
Summer Institute with our Advising Team. As a result of our administration’s
support of this faculty-driven effort, the first year of our restructuring
project has been deeply reflective and rich in dialogue as we
navigated an incredibly steep learning curve.
Our second recommendation: determine the state of teaching and
learning at your institution. Your Teaching and Learning Center,
Director of Instructional Development, or Professional Development
Committee can assist in determining faculty location on a pedagogical
continuum with “learner-centered” at one end and “information
delivery” on the other. Sources of data can be surveys,
course evaluations, faculty evaluations, and classroom observations.
Many of the “Factors to Consider When Restructuring Academic
Advising”(Miller, 2004) are readily applicable to classroom
teaching. Appleby (2001), Davis (2003), and Lowenstein (2003)
contend that an excellent teacher and an excellent advisor should
be an engaging facilitator of learning. Thus our chief questions
became: How could we expect a learner-centered approach to advising
if learner-centered methodology is not practiced by faculty in
their classrooms? What assumptions do faculty hold about learning
behaviors and student capacities? How might these assumptions
impact student learning from an advising AND teaching perspective?
As we move forward with our restructuring project we will continue
to work with the staff of our Teaching and Learning Center to
coordinate faculty development of learner-centered approaches
to advising and teaching. Initial benefits of this collaboration
include:
• modeling effective learner-centered teaching practices
within our professional development workshops
• utilizing a faculty learning community to develop a core
of advisors for exploratory and part-time students
• identifying central professional development themes, including
diversity and critical thinking, that discuss issues in terms
of both advising and teaching
• connecting advising and teaching at the level of practice
• modifying instructional development techniques, such as
coaching and small group instructional feedback, to advising settings.
In the June issue of Academic Advising News, Maura Reynolds (2004)
suggested that advising can assist students in becoming more complex
in their view of the interaction between education and their lives.
Clearly, faculty intend their courses to do the same. In order
for this to occur, faculty must be involved in institutional efforts
to prepare the environment and provide the opportunities necessary
for students to develop into life long learners. As we move forward
with this restructuring project, we will continue the integration
of our advising and teaching professional development themes to
better assist faculty in making the connection between effective
advising and effective teaching.
Todd Carter
Seward County Community College
620-629-2643
tcarter@sccc.edu
References
Appleby, D. (2001). The Teaching - Advising Connection: Part
II. The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal. Retrieved 05/20/2004
from Center for Excellence in Academic Advising Web site: http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/appleby0.htm
Appleby, D. (2001). The Teaching - Advising Connection: Part
IV. The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal. Retrieved 05/20/2004
from Center for Excellence in Academic Advising Web site: http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/appleby0.htm
Davis, K.J. (2003). Advisor Training: Exemplary Practices in
the Development of Advisor Skills. Monograph Series Number 9.
National Academic Advising Association: Manhattan, KS.
Hemwall, M.K. & Trachte, K.C. (2003). Advising and Learning:
Academic Advising from the Perspective of Small Colleges and Universities.
Monograph Series Number 8. National Academic Advising Association:
Manhattan, KS.
Lowenstein, M. (2003). If Advising is Teaching, What do Advisors
Teach? Outline for the presentation at the NACADA Regional Conference,
Pittsburgh, PA. Retrieved from http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/advising/AdvisingAsTeaching.htm
Miller, M.A. (2003). A Guide to Restructuring Advising Services.
Retrieved 4/05/2004 from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising
Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Restructure.htm
Miller, M.A. (2004). Factors to Consider when Restructuring Academic
Advising. Retrieved 12/22/2004 from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic
Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/factors.htm
NACADA Consultants Bureau. Information retrieved 1/6/05 from
http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/ConsultantsBureau/index.htm
.
Reynolds, M. (2004). Faculty Advising in a Learner-Centered Environment:
A Small College Perspective. Academic Advising News. Volume 27,
Number 2, http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Newsletter/NW27_2.htm
. National Academic Advising Association: Manhattan, KS.
Academic Advising
and Technology: Some Thoughts
Eric White, President, NACADA
A short while ago I was talking with a student about academic
advising. I casually mentioned that it is important that students
become familiar with the degree audit system at Penn State and
use it often. The student first responded by agreeing that the
Penn State system was good, but then said (much to my surprise
and I paraphrase): But if we encourage students to use the degree
audit, they won’t ever see their advisors. And then it hit
me—how often advising is confused with scheduling and registration
procedures and how easy it is to assume that some form of technology
can replace human contact and interaction.
One of the consistent themes I hear from the advising community
is how difficult it is to dispel the equation that advising is
registration. Once, this was a very natural assumption as often
advising occurred only as a prelude to the registration process.
Knowles’ (1970) definition of advising makes this connection
quite clear when he said that “the task of advising is concentrated
in the opening days of registration and enrollment and consists
of aiding students in the selection of courses”. For those
working under this definition, once registration was over, there
was no need to see an advisor again. Add the convenience of today’s
technology that allows students to register using a computer in
the advisor’s office, and one shouldn’t be too surprised
that the impression of advising as a registration process has
not totally disappeared from the advising landscape.
What can we do about this? We must educate students about academic
advising. A large majority of new students don’t “have
a clue” about academic advising. They typically come with
notions based on their high school experiences and assume that
academic advisors must be like guidance counselors, or social
workers, or psychological therapists. The advising community must
take the responsibility to help students understand who academic
advisors are and what they do. Several institutions have addressed
this challenge and the Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources
provides links to advising Web sites that help introduce academic
advising to students.
Academic advising should be mentioned in the recruitment literature
of our schools, our catalogues should discuss advising, and our
college Internet home pages should easily link to advising sites.
When prospective students visit our campuses, both initially and
once they have accepted an offer, one of the first persons they
should meet is an academic advisor. Advisors should use this time
to orient students to the roles and responsibilities of advisors
and advisees. When that happens, then students will know that
advising goes beyond registration and clearly see advising as
education. We should use this time to encourage early contact
with advisors and persuade students not to wait until the last
minute to see an advisor to register. If our institutional calendars
are not conducive to such interactions, then we must work for
change. In this new world of technology and registration, almost
anything is possible.
What we must ultimately “teach” students is that
academic advising is an on-going relationship; that while scheduling
courses is part of the total endeavor it is not the entire picture.
The richness of academic advising lies in helping students grow
intellectually and personally, assisting students as they make
positive decisions that help them move forward in their lives,
challenging students to stretch their strengths and experience
new things, and use their time in the college as a learning experience.
The best of degree audits, the most sophisticated of on-line
registration programs, and the flashiest Web sites can’t
do what a real live academic adviser can. If students only use
a degree audit and nothing more as the full measure of their advising
experience, then a great deal has been lost. There is much a student
can learn from an academic advisor: about themselves, about the
value of education, about taking advantage of all opportunities
offered by the college, about the nuances of curriculum, and about
all course choices -- from general education to major selection
to electives.
I have yet to see (and I doubt I will ever see) any computer
that can have a relationship with a student. I have witnessed
the power of successful advising that lead students to make innovative
choices, weigh possibilities, take action, try something new academically,
take the unfamiliar rather than the familiar, or allow themselves
to open up to all the possibilities that higher education has
to offer.
We talk about the power of computers and how technology can free
us. This is true. What we must now do is take advantage of the
freedom that technology provides and deliver on the promises that
are inherent in sound academic advising.
Eric White, President, NACADA
erw2@psu.edu
References
Knowles, Asa S. (1970). Handbook of College and University Administration:
Academic. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Student and Advisor Responsibilities in Advising. (2005). NACADA
Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Retrieved January
13, 2005 from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Links/student_responsibility.htm
Life In The NACADA
Executive Office
Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty, Executive Director,
NACADA
The reorganization of the Association in 2002 has led to a more
efficient and dynamic governance structure which in turn is more
quickly generating ideas and authorizing more projects in support
of the members. Coupled with the premise that the volunteer leaders
should be able to rely on the Executive Office staff to manage
or implement projects, the day to day operations in the Executive
Office have changed significantly. I thought it might be helpful
for the members to read about what a typical day might entail.
When I arrive these days, Judy Weyrauch is already at her desk
working on membership database issues. Judy oversees the students
that enter the memberships, registrations, and member information
changes; initiates the membership renewal notices, and is in charge
of our upcoming computer program change that will lead to on-line
access by members. Rhonda Baker is usually in her office early,
as well, and is busy managing the National Conference presentation
proposal process or finalizing details of the Administrators’
Institute, Assessment Institute, or Engaging Faculty Seminar –
hotel room block monitoring, arranging food events, preparing
the programs for printing, corresponding with the faculty for
each event, etc.
Nancy Barnes is next door to Rhonda attending to other details
of the National Conferences – finalizing the Convention
Center contract for Indianapolis for 2006, keeping up on anything
that might impact our contracts (renovations, etc.) in Baltimore
and Chicago for 2007 and 2008 respectively, preparing a request
for proposals for 2009 to be sent to western locales, contacting
suppliers for Las Vegas (exhibit booths, audio-visual equipment,
banquet directors, entertainers, etc.), and preparing the Las
Vegas conference brochure. Diane Matteson is working through similar
details with each of the ten regional conference chairs for their
Spring 2005 meetings while also beginning work with an additional
ten chairs on site selection, hotel contracts, and budgets for
2006, and is liaison for the Regional Division. Between e-mails
and phone calls, she is readying the content for this newsletter
and answering questions about the Summer Institutes that she coordinates.
Marsha, Bev, and Bob reside in our “west wing”. Marsha
Miller responds to numerous e-mails and phone calls from the members
seeking specific advising information and/or resources. She uses
these calls to gauge what the current hot issues are and to help
us keep a pulse on what information needs to be addressed at NACADA
events, added to the Clearinghouse, or be the basis of a publication.
Marsha works closely with the Research Committee and the Journal
Editors, too, in her comprehensive role of “advising content”
authority. Beverly Martin is responsible for marketing membership,
events and publications, so she is often preparing flyers, brochures,
membership forms, etc. for the printer. Bev also maintains the
inventory of our various “products” and assures that
orders are filled and shipped in a timely manner. She has 10 boxes
lined up outside her door collecting information to be sent to
each of the regional conferences along with a display board for
each and is always working on the next monthly NACADA “Highlights”.
Bob Maddula offices next to Bev and as one might expect, is busy
on his computer. Along with maintaining the network server, the
NACADA web site, and providing desktop support to all staff, he
programs all of our on-line services. Much like the on-line conference
proposals and journal manuscript submission processes that he
developed, he is finalizing the leadership reports program and
the leadership elections/voting program. In addition, he is developing
a “members only” section for our web site.
Cara Wohler is pleasantly answering your many phone calls, providing
information, or routing them to the appropriate staff member.
She is also opening the mail, providing clerical support, balancing
the student work schedules, reconciling the bank statements, processing
airline discount agreements, seeking state by state sales tax
exemptions, and managing the overall operations of the office.
Then, as I leave at the end of the day, Julia Wolf is still in
her office busily writing checks to cover the $1.7+ million in
annual expenses and accounting for an equal or greater amount
of income. Julia is also guiding the 20 Commissions and 14 Interest
Groups as liaison to the Commission and Interest Group Division,
and logging in the annual Award nominations while preparing the
announcement for the 2005 leadership elections.
Charlie Nutt is nearby and is busy coordinating the work of all
the staff while cultivating new relationships with other higher
education associations, responding to member inquiries about advising
issues, coordinating the curriculum and faculty of the January/February
events, addressing the many demands that I place on him, fighting
fires, conducting a search for a new staff member to focus on
the development of distant learning programs for members, and
leading those “beloved” staff meetings. Charlie has
responsibility for the day to day operations of the office while
I, Bobbie, focus on overall association management issues and
work with the Board of Directors. That means I am currently filing
our state sales tax report, preparing for our annual IRS report,
reviewing our investments and searching for the best paying CDs,
responding to Board requests for information to support decisions
on future activities and policies, reviewing the association’s
insurance coverage and debating on whether to purchase event cancellation
insurance in case there were another major terrorist incident
in the US that would preclude our having a conference, conveying
issues of concern to the Board as expressed by members, and explaining
association actions that raise concerns from members.
As our responsibilities increased, we had a need to reorganize
the office into “units” and are pleased to announce
that Julia Wolf will be Assistant Director, Administration and
Operations; Marsha Miller will be Assistant Director, Research
and Programs; and the three meeting planners (Nancy, Rhonda, and
Diane) will work as a team. We will strive to continue to provide
quality service to the members of NACADA!
Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty
Executive Director
785-532-5717
nacada@ksu.edu
Issues facing
First Generation College Students
Ila Schauer, Chair, First Generation College Student Interest
Group
Embarking on a journey into the unknown…Boldly going where
no relative has gone before…Blazing new trails. These are
brave and exciting statements, but to any student who is first
in the family to have the experience, it is an intimidating venture.
First Generation College Students (First Gens) often receive mixed
messages from their families – make us proud/don’t
leave us. These students are "breaking", not "keeping"
the family tradition. Without guidance, First Gens often get lost
in the maze of college life.
An academic advisor who seeks more information about this student
population finds several contradictions. First, and foremost,
there is no clear definition of the term ‘First Generation
College Student’. A commonly held definition for First Gen
is that these students are the first in their immediate family
to attend college – period. However, a literature review
shows that this is not a universally held notion. The least restrictive
definition is that of the federally funded TRIO program: neither
of the student’s parents (guardians) earned a four-year
college degree. The most restrictive definition is that used by
the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES): the student
is the first in the family to pursue education beyond high school.
The second problem an advisor faces is how to identify this student
population. If an advisor cannot obtain information from FAFSA
forms, then First Gens must self-identify. Most current research
uses the self-select method and, of course, most grant money is
distributed to students through a volunteer process.
A third hurdle is clarification of issues. Which concerns are
specific to First Gens, and which are generally held by other
students? Research continually suggests that First Generation
College Students are at a definite disadvantage when compared
to students from a family with previous college experience. In
fact, Bolante (2002) points to the fact that First Gens are twice
as likely to leave college before the 2nd year. Yet quantitative
studies that indicate which interventions actually help are almost
non-existent beyond those of TRIO sponsored programs.
D'Amico (1998) indicates that first Generation students are more
likely be: older than the typical 18 year old freshman, from lower
income families, married (many with dependants), and ethnic minorities.
Warburton, et al. (2001) found that First Gens are more likely
to attend part-time, and to work full-time while in college. They
are less like to enroll in 4-year universities (and are even less
likely to enroll in research universities), less likely to have
taken college prep courses or advanced placement courses in high
school, and less likely to have taken college entrance exams.
Additionally the Warburton study found that those who have taken
college entrance exams generally score lower than those students
whose parents have a college education. Bui (2002) point outs
that it is more likely that English is not the first language
spoken in First Gen homes and Warburton finds that First Gens
tend to have lower first year GPAs and take at least one remedial
course.
Another concern for First Gens is ‘debt load’ (Somers,
Woodhouse, & Cofer, 2004). Many First Gens come from lower
income families and thus are more likely to end up accumulating
large debt before they complete their program of study. One reason
for this lack of financial support is their high school background
and low college entrance scores often do not qualify them for
scholarships. Warburton, et. al (2001) brought an interesting
finding to the discussion when they found that when First Gen
students complete a high school program with equally high level
of rigor, they succeed at the same rate as their peers whose parents
earned degrees. Indeed, if this is the case, then it would appear
that more needs to be done to educate potential students, their
parents, and high school counselors regarding how high school
course choice affects college success.
Research in this area is often limited to one campus or student
population, and definitions appear to be conflicting. What is
needed is research which covers a cross-section of the US including
many types of institutions. It would seem that NACADA members
may be in the best position to champion this research across campuses.
As such, the First-Generation College Student Advising Interest
Group challenges you to look at these issues on your campus and
welcomes discussion of possible research topics on our electronic
list at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/list serve/C31.htm.
While studying First Gens can be discouraging, working with them
is not. Typically these students blossom under the care and attention
of advisors, mentors and peer counselors. Effective academic advising
of First Gens is of utmost importance as are programs that assist
students to achieve more social input, educate parents, and provide
earlier interventions. We must foster students’ sense of
belonging on campus and facilitate healthy relationships with
faculty, staff, and other students, both in and out of the classroom.
Advising, tutoring, and mentoring are necessary to help these
students succeed. More research must be done to determine which
interventions are successful in retaining First Gens to the second
year.
Ila Schauer, Chair, NACADA First Generation College Student
Interest Group
Prairie View A&M University
936-857-2306
ila_schauer@pvamu.edu
Reference
Bolante, Ronna (2002). First Generation Students: Higher Education
is foreign territory for students whose parents never attended
college, Malamalama, The magazine of the University of Hawaii
System, Retrieved on September 22, 2004, from http://www.hawaii.edu/malamalama/2002/07/FirstGen.html
Bui, Khanh Van T. (March, 2002) First-generation college students
at a four-year university: background characteristics, reasons
for pursuing higher education, and first-year experiences-Statistical
Data Included. College Student Journal. Retrieved September 21,
2004, from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCR/is_1_36/si
D'Amico, Aurora (June 1998) Statistical Analysis Report: First-Generation
Students: Undergraduates Whose Parents Never Enrolled in Postsecondary
Education), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Retrieved
November 3, 2004 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/web/98082.asp
Somers, Patricia, Woodhouse, Shawn, & Cofer, Jim (2004).
Pushing the Boulder Uphill: The Persistence of First-Generation
College Students, NASPA Journal, Vol.41, no.3, Spring 2004.
Warburton, E.C., Bugarin, R., and Nuñez, A.-M. (2001).
Bridging the Gap: Academic Preparation and Postsecondary Success
of First-Generation Students. Educational Statistics Quarterly,
3(3). Retrieved October 27, 2004 from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/quarterly/vol_3/3_3/q4-2.asp.
Diversity in
Transfer
Troy Holaday, Chair, NACADA Advising Transfer Students
Commission
Without fail, institutions claim to value diversity. Yet institutions
often limit their understanding of diversity to the inclusion
of individuals from racial or cultural minorities. While seeking
out under-represented individuals is an admirable response to
a symptomatic lack of diversity, real enrichment is achieved not
by counting heads, but rather through learning to prize individuals
whose origins, viewpoints, values, and traditions may not be consistent
with those of the campus majority. In this sense, transfer students
are one of the most commonly encountered yet frequently overlooked
sources of diversity.
By definition, a transfer student's prior education is the product
of teaching methods, institutional conventions, physical environments,
educational philosophies, and even geographical experiences that
are not native to the receiving institution. If advisors learn
to understand and appreciate the inherent diversity in transfer
students, both the institution and the student will benefit.
The first step in embracing transfer diversity involves taking
time to assess a student’s prior non-academic experiences.
In assessing the needs of transfer students, advisors sometimes
forget to look beyond the student’s coursework. However,
awkward and unsuccessful transfer experiences may be expected
when we fail to identify dramatic contrasts between the student’s
prior institution and his or her new one. When transfer students
are unsuccessful, administrators and faculty may too quickly suppose
inadequate academic preparation and ignore factors such as a move
from a non-residential campus to a residential one, or from small
classrooms to larger ones.
Minimizing these contrasting factors may take extra effort that
will assuredly pay off in increased student success. One response
is a post-orientation program, such as an interest group, or for-credit
course, specifically designed to help transfer students adapt
to their new environment. Many campuses already have post-orientation
programs that aid freshman in forging connections to their new
campus home, but do not supply these same services to transfer
students.
Accepting the diversity of transfer students also influences
how institutions manage the credit evaluation process. Barriers
to effective evaluation may include inertia, rigidity, or simply
the lack of a regularized process. Understanding that rejecting
credits or shunting them into ineffective electives is a process
of discrediting a transfer student’s previous academic experiences
may change the demeanor in which we approach such an activity.
We should not assume that students expect to lose credits in the
transition from one institution to another, and a casual devaluation
of a student’s prior coursework can taint the student’s
relationship with the institution before he or she even enters
a classroom. While this understanding may not actually change
the decisions made, it will surely temper the manner in which
we communicate the evaluations to the student.
Though our skill in advising transfer students has certainly
improved as the phenomenon of transferring students has increased,
in the busy rush to get the student started advisors sometimes
give in to inertia and choose not to pursue the evaluation of
credits they perceive to be inconsequential to the student’s
educational goals. Though we may understand that finalizing certain
evaluations will not advance a student toward graduation, the
students will not understand why so little regard is being given
to their hard-earned coursework.
Rigidity, too, can obstruct effective evaluation when matching
the content of transfer courses to those from an institution’s
own catalog is completed with excessively narrow margins of error.
A bias toward one’s own institutional programs may impede
a more reasonable comparison of learning outcomes and credit experiences.
The best results often are achieved when credit evaluators lay
aside the “that’s not the way we do it here”
attitude, and instead seek to assess whether the student is academically
and socially prepared for the next level of coursework.
Understanding that transfer students foster campus diversity
can empower relationships, increase success, and mark an institution
as transfer-friendly. A charitable assessment of transfer student
experiences and robust program of orientation built upon this
understanding will lead to more transfer recruits who, in turn,
will provide experienced, yet fresh, viewpoints on campus services
and broaden the experiences of their peers and instructors.
Troy Holaday, Chair, NACADA Advising Transfer Students
Commission
Ball State University
765-285-3936
tholaday@bsu.edu
New NACADA Monograph
Order your copy today at www.nacada.ksu.edu/Forms/orderform.htm
ACADEMIC ADVISING PUBLICATIONS
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
identifies many of the issues related to this population and provides
a wide range of potential services, programs, and other resources
that serve to strengthen the overall higher education experience
for transfers.
Published: 2004 NACADA Member: $25
Order Number: M12 Nonmember: $40
Pages: 168
Some Thoughts
on Diversity in NACADA
Karen Gould, Member of NACADA Diversity Committee
I am a new member of NACADA as my initial experience with this
association began in February 2004 at the Advising Administrators
Institute. While the quality of the information was certainly
first rate, what became immediately apparent to me was the lack
of color that I saw around me, not a void—just low numbers.
What seemed most glaring to me was the lack of diversity among
the people who were teaching and organizing the Institute. As
a newcomer to NACADA I did not know what to make of this—I
remained relatively silent about my concerns and focused on soaking
up the information I had come to learn.
Midway through the course of the Institute, Charlie Nutt, Associate
Director from the NACADA Executive Office approached a group of
five of us (all people of color) seated in the hotel lobby at
the end of the day. “Just what can we do to get more people
of color involved in NADADA” was Charlie’s friendly
greeting of inquiry. While his unsolicited question felt a bit
awkward and jarring, it was also an acknowledgement of his awareness
that NACADA still had some work to do. He was willing to ask the
hard questions. Moreover, Charlie seemed truly interested and
engaged in the feedback we had to offer.
Shortly thereafter, Charlie summoned Ruth Darling (then president
of NACADA) to join our conversation. Both she and Charlie articulated
their clear understanding regarding the importance of diversity
to higher education institutions. They were well aware that increased
participation from people of diverse backgrounds would be beneficial
to the association, but admitted that doing so had been an ongoing
struggle.
I left the Institute slightly intrigued yet cautiously pessimistic—other
organizations had dashed my hopes with their promises of commitments
to diversity. I had no expectations that NACADA would be any different.
Following my experience last year, I have had the opportunity
to come to know NACADA much better. It will come as no surprise
to some folks that one consequence of my outspokenness was an
invitation to serve NACADA in several capacities, including an
invitation to serve on the NACADA Diversity Committee. In fact,
I share my story as a member of this committee in hopes of addressing
the doubts of those who might question NACADA’s willingness
to be open, honest, and proactive in confronting diversity issues.
This committee meets fairly regularly via phone or contacts each
other via list serve primarily to discuss what we can do to improve
the diversity of NACADA membership. (NACADA defines diversity
as being all inclusive as it references ethnicity, gender identity,
sexual orientation, institutional type and size, and employment
position.) Clearly, NACADA is by no means perfect in this regard,
but we are making concerted efforts to bring about change.
One part of this change process is the writing of this article.
Our hope is that it will encourage you to discuss issues that
the diversity committee visits about all the time—why the
leadership of NACADA isn’t more diverse. Within NACADA,
19.5% of the nearly 8,000 members are Hispanic, African American,
Native American or Asian American. Yet, within the elected leadership
of the Organization, only five of the 57 individuals (8.8%) hail
from these groups. Over the past five years, whites have held
about 88% of the leadership. These figures are a problem and we
believe that they need to improve. (At this time, NACADA does
not collect demographic data with regard to identification of
its BLGT members. It is our hope that subsequent diversity issue
papers will address more nuanced topics such as how to balance
right to privacy issues with issues of inclusion and representation.)
One purpose of this paper is to bring these figures out to the
forefront and to get people talking about them. We plan to lead
constructive, non-judgmental conversations at each of the regional
conferences about what these figures mean and what each of us
can do about them.
As a committee, we believe that it is important to have leadership
reflect at minimum the membership of our organization. The face
of higher education should be representative of the face of the
people that we advise. We also believe that a more diverse representation
within our leadership will contribute to enhanced decision making
within all facets of NACADA, and enhance our creativity and problem-solving
approaches. Increased diversity within organizations facilitates
different outcomes for different individuals and groups who participate
(Smith and Schonfeld, 2000). For those who are underrepresented,
diversity promotes an increased willingness to become more involved.
For those in the majority, diversity offers an exposure to a wider
variety of perspectives. We are excited about achieving such outcomes
for our members and for our association at large.
Discussions around the significance of member diversity have
a long, but sporadic, history in NACADA. In The National Academic
Advising Association: A Brief Narrative History, J. D. Beatty
(1991) reports that the 1979 national conference in Omaha was
alive with debate over whether to mandate that a certain percentage
of NACADA leadership include members from under-represented groups.
While such a mandate was never enacted, by 1983 the association
had established its first minority affairs committee, reflective,
perhaps the growing presence of diversity within the association.
In 1993 the national conference in Detroit had as its theme: Using
Resources Creatively to Serve Diverse Populations.
We think that by (1) putting forth this article, (2) continuing
its discussion at regional conferences and (3) encouraging themes
of diversity in academic advising for the 2006 national conference,
we will not only improve on the legacy of diversity at NACADA,
but also work to lessen the sporadic cycle of attention that diversity
issues receive at NACADA.
We hope that by putting forth this article and convening sessions
at the regional conferences, we will help to put issues of diversity
at the forefront of our membership concerns. We want to create
the opportunity to engage in fruitful dialogue about how to insure
that change occurs; one that is guided by a commitment to strengthening
our association overall. While engaged in this process we will
come to see the variation of opinion and ideas that exists within
diverse groups and move away from any tendency to generalize and
stereotype. The process itself will be part of our change.
We know that the most worthwhile discussions about diversity
can be filled with disagreement and contradiction. Yet, we believe
that as representatives of higher education institutions, we must
model behavior where issues of diversity are discussed frequently
and with increased ease. In turn, practicing such behavior is
certain to inform our work as advisors and administrators, giving
us something truly powerful to take away from NACADA and bring
back to our campuses.
Karen Gould, Member, NACADA Diversity Committee
Brandeis University
781-736-3475
kggould@brandeis.edu
Leaving the U for
Avenue Q
Cynthia Sarver, LPC, Academic Advisor, Michigan State
University
Like many academic advisers, I occasionally receive email messages
from former students who are somewhat disillusioned by their first
post-graduation jobs and speak with some nostalgia about their
alma mater. After all, finding a job, meeting workplace expectations,
relocating, seeking new friends, and planting roots are all hard
work. This unsettling life transition is the theme of the Broadway
musical, Avenue Q (Lopez, Marx, and Whitty, 2003), which was written
for the twenties generation finding their way in an uncertain
world. Avenue Q can be fictitiously found in the furthest and
least expensive borough of New York City.
The Avenue Q song that captures the essence of this transition
poses the question:
What do you do with a BA in English? What is my life going to
be? Four years of college and plenty of knowledge have earned
me this useless degree. I can’t pay the bills yet ‘cause
I have no skills yet. The world is a big, scary place…But
somehow I can’t shake the feeling I might make a difference
to the human race (Lopez, et al., 2003).
Amid the confusion and the search for personal meaning, this
character (this generation?) is optimistic, confident, and willing
to serve for the greater good [“When you help others, you
can’t help helping yourself” (Lopez, et al., 2003).]
Reassuringly, Avenue Q credits academic advisors with making
a difference in a small way in the lives of students. In the nostalgic
song, “I Wish I Could Go Back To College,” a character
wistfully sings, “I wish I could just drop a class or get
into a play or change my major. I need an academic advisor to
point the way” (Lopez, et al., 2003). I’d like to
think that we do point the way for many students in both small
and significant ways. As students leave the U for Avenue Q and
other destinations, academic advisors must be sensitive to the
reservations, the anticipatory jitters, and even the sense of
denial that some graduating seniors feel and, if appropriate,
invite them to share those feelings.
The Michigan State University (MSU) Alumni Association, in conjunction
with the Senior Class Council, sponsors a series of seminars called
“Getting Your Career Game Together. ” When they register
for MSU’s eNews for Graduating Students, seniors can explore
the Career Game Web site and choose to attend sessions that focus
on pragmatic topics such as, Relocating to a New Job and a New
City, Portfolio Development/Brag Book, Managing Personal Finances,
and Consolidation of Student Loans. (http://www.msualum.com/careers/career-events.cfm)
Another MSU Alumni Association Web page, Preparation for Life
After College, features thought-provoking passages from essays
that offer encouragement, reassurance, and practical advice to
the soon-to-be graduates. Examples include: Attitude is Everything,
Instructions for Life, No Excuses, Your Power Grid, and Mentors
Play an Important Role on Your Road to Success (http://www.msualum.com/careers/lifeafter.cfm).
My personal send-off to graduating advisees is brief and simple:
“For those of you ready to start careers or graduate school,
best of luck. For those of you searching for a job or a direction
in life, don’t get discouraged; you’ll find your niche
in the world. And as a small gift from me…here is a getting-through-your-twenties
suggested reading list. [Editor’s note: see appendix at
end of article for reading list.] Best wishes in your quest for
personal and professional growth and satisfaction.”
Avenue Q ends on a positive note, as characters sing, “Don’t
stress, relax, let life roll off your backs! Except for death
and paying taxes, everything in life is only for now. Each time
you smile, it’ll only last awhile. Life may be scary, but
it’s only temporary. Everything in life is only for now”
(Lopez, et al., 2003).
Cynthia Sarver, LPC
Academic Advisor
Michigan State University
517-432-1352
sarverc@egr.msu.edu
References
Lopez, Robert (music and lyrics), Marx, Jeff (music and lyrics),
& Whitty, Jeff (book). (2003). Avenue Q. Information available
at http://www.avenueq.com/index.php.
Appendix
Getting-through-your-twenties suggested reading list:
Michael Ball. (2003). @the Entry Level: On Survival, Success,
& Your Calling as a Young Professional. Los Angeles: Pure
Play Press.
Sasha Cagen. (2004). Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising
Romantics.
San Francisco: Harper.
Rebecca Knight. (2003). A Car, Some Cash and a Place to Crash:
The Only Post-College Survival Guide You’ll Ever Need. New
York: St. Martin’s Press.
Alexandria Robbins, and Abby Wilner. (2001). Quarterlife Crisis:
The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties. New York: Penguin
Putnam.
Jeff Taylor, Doug Hardy. (2004). Monster Careers: How to Land
the Job of Your Life. New York: Penguin USA.
Ethan Watters. (2003). Urban Tribes: A Generation Redefines Friendship,
Family, and Commitment. New York: Bloomsbury USA.
NACADA Career
Services Corner – Feb. 1 Edition
Jennifer L. Bloom, Chair, NACADA Member Career Services
Committee
Dear Career Corner: I have just been offered a new position.
How should I approach negotiating a salary and other benefits?
– Signed, Apprehensive about Negotiating
Dear Apprehensive: Congratulations on being offered this position!
Although I know that you are apprehensive about this process,
it is important to re-frame this problem into an opportunity.
The negotiation process should be positive and allows you to affirm
that this opportunity is a good match for both you and the institution.
Begin the negotiations by focusing on what you need to be successful
in your new position. In other words, take time and work with
your future employer to devise a written plan that spells out
mutually agreed upon goals and objectives, and establishes a performance
review process. This is also an excellent opportunity to delineate
your professional development needs. The initial focus of the
negotiations should be on the institution and what you need to
maximize your contributions to your new employer. Martin and Bloom
(2003) suggest that “focusing on the institution positions
you as a person who puts the substance of what you do above the
salary you earn, and shows your commitment to making real and
substantive contributions to the institution in your new role.
Your prospective employer will be impressed by your focus on substance
and be more readily adaptable and generous as you negotiate the
rest of the package” (p. 83-84).
A few of the items that comprise the rest of the package include:
salary, insurance, retirement plan, vacation, holidays, computer
needs, etc. If you must move to another city, you should include
relocation expenses and housing on the negotiating list. On the
personal side, you may want to ask about assistance with helping
your spouse find a position in the area, tuition remission, and
childcare options.
Take time to negotiate a thorough, fair, and equitable package.
For complete details on how to approach the negotiation process
and a thorough negotiation check list, refer to the book Career
Aspirations and Expeditions: Advancing Your Career in Higher Education
Administration (2003).
Best wishes!
Jennifer Bloom
Chair, NACADA Member Career Services Committee
University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign
217-244-1512
jlbloom@uiuc.edu
References
Martin, N.A. & Bloom, J.L. (2003). Career Aspirations &
Expeditions: Advancing Your Career in Higher Education Administration.
Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
Graduate Certificate
in Academic Advising
NACADA continues to partner with Kansas State University (KSU)
to offer a Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising that provides
options for those interested in personal professional development
in the advising field.
Rick Hogrefe, Assistant Dean and Speech Communication faculty
member at Crafton Hills College, has participated in the on-line
courses leading to the KSU Certificate in Academic Advising. Hogrefe
credits the program with helping him gain new knowledge and skills
associated with academic advising, a greater appreciation for
the work of professional advisors, and an improved ability to
work with students both in and out of the classroom. He states,
“I am excited because my experience at KSU has provided
me with the encouragement to pursue doctoral coursework in education.”
While Hogrefe’s new educational goals are an unexpected
result of his participation, it is one example of numerous positive
reactions to this flexible, on-line program for professional development.
Practicing advisors and administrators who desire more formal
education relating to academic advising, faculty seeking advising
knowledge beyond their discipline and graduate students anticipating
academic advising roles discover that this program meets their
needs.
Five courses are included in the 14 semester credit hour program
completed "at a distance" via the Internet. All courses
are self-paced within a semester timeframe. Students work independently,
yet share comments and questions via electronic communications
that allows for a greater understanding of a myriad issues and
development of the skills needed to deliver effective academic
advising.
Those interested can select one course from the list below for
professional development or earn the certificate by completing
of all courses listed.
Foundations of Academic Advising, 3 credit hours
Jan-May 2005
Aug-Dec 2005
Multicultural Counseling and Advising, 3 credit hours
June-July 2005
The College Student and the College Environment, 3 credit
hours
June-July 2005
Trends in Career Development, 3 credit hours
Aug-Dec 2004
Learning Principles, 2 credit hours
Jan-May 2005
For further information on the Graduate Certificate in Academic
Advising please visit our website at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu
and choose the link on the front page or e-mail nacada@ksu.edu.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
SUMMER INSTITUTES 2005
June 12-17, 2005 in St. Paul , MN
July 31- Aug 5, 2005 in Colorado Springs , CO
Student growth, persistence and campus vitality – all are
linked to academic advising and influenced by programs and policies
that you & your colleagues help deliver or administer! Increasing
attention paid to the importance of academic advising is helping
many institutions develop effective strategies to implement critical
changes or necessary for high quality advising.
Join us for this weeklong, intensive institute focused on the
needs of you and your specific institution. Workshops, topical
sessions, small group discussions, consultations and general sessions
work together to provide an inclusive program.
Registrations are being accepted at this time. Institute registration
is limited, so reserve your spot early. More information, instructions
and the registration form are found at the NACADA Web page.
February 2005 Newsletter
Announcements
2005 NACADA Awards Program
Nominations are being accepted for
the 2005 NACADA National Awards Program. The deadline for receiving
most nominations or applications is Monday, March 7, 2005. Retiree
recognition notifications are due Monday, June 6, 2005. Complete
information for the 2005 Awards Program, including nomination
criteria, eligibility and forms, is available at www.nacada.ksu.edu/Awards/AwardsCall.htm
on the NACADA web site.
Leadership Opportunities
Those members interested in a leadership opportunity in the NACADA
organization may want to start as a member of a commission steering
committee or serve on a Commission committee. The Chair provides
leadership for commission activities in support of the profession.
The Chair represents the members of the commission, their needs
and concerns, assists with the selection and evaluation of presentations
for both national and regional conferences, and communicates with
the members through the national newsletter and electronic mail.
The Chair attends the fall Division meeting and communicates commission
needs and concerns to the Division Representatives on the NACADA
Council. To qualify for this elected position as Chair requires
at least one year of membership in the commission and a commitment
of 2 years of service. Additional information can be found on
the Commission and Interest Group Division web page at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/CandIGDivision/cigdivinfo.htm.
Hitting
the Jackpot:
Making Academic Success a Sure Bet!
Wednesday, October 5-Saturday, October 8, 2005
Bally's and Paris Hotels
Las Vegas, Nevada
Hosted by NACADA Pacific Region 9
Co-Chairs Heather Howard and Rimi Marwah
University of Nevada-Las Vegas |
|
Plans are coming together for another great national
conference!
The conference runs from Wednesday, October 5, 7:00 p.m. –
Saturday, October 8, 12:15 p.m.
A variety of optional Pre-conference and Post-conference workshops
will be offered Wednesday during the day and Saturday afternoon.
Here is a sample of what to expect!
• Opportunities for formal and informal networking with
2,200 advising colleagues.
• Professional development through more than 350 workshops,
concurrent paper sessions and poster presentations on relevant
topics
• Hot Topics (critical issues in academic advising) will
be discussed.
• Commission and Interest Group meetings bring together
colleagues with similar concerns in over 30 specific advising
areas.
• Region meetings introduce you to advisors from institutions
in your geographic area.
• Keynote speaker Joe Martin, founder and president of RealWorld
University. Joe is a national award-winning speaker, university
professor, author and educational consultant. He is considered
one of the country’s leading experts in the field of student
and staff retention, development, and self-motivation.
• Keynote speaker Robert Sherfield, a nationally recognized
educator, writer, and speaker, having spent the last 22 years
working with faculty development, first year success programs,
and student motivation and retention.
Conference Registration Fee: $265 if you are a NACADA member;
$355 if you are not a member.
Bally’s Hotel Reservations: $123 for either one or two persons
per room, plus taxes.
Visit www.nacada.ksu.edu
for more information.
New in the
Clearinghouse!
Advising Issue Overviews
• FERPA: Basic Guidelines for Faculty Staff -- A Simple
Step-by-Step Approach For Compliance
• Making Effective Referrals in Academic Advising
• East Meets West – Bridging the Academic Advising
Divide
• Ethical Decisions (Note: The edit is with the author and
I don’t have the final title yet. I will let you know when
I get it).
Resources
• Advisor Training
• ’Your Ideal Advisor’ supplement to the AAI
Student Inventory
Find this and more on the Web at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/overview.htm.
The NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources promotes
the advancement of academic advising through the greater dissemination
of pertinent resources and research.
Register now for
these upcoming NACADA Professional Development Opportunities!
Regional Conferences 2005
1. Northeast
March 23-25, 2005 Montreal, Canada
Gail Stepina & Beth Higgins
2. Mid-Atlantic
April 17-19, 2005 Virginia Beach, VA
Sandra Waters
3. Mid-South
April 10-12, 2005 Louisville, KY
Janet Spence Lee Kem
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
March 3-5 2005 Oklahoma City, OK
Peggy Jordan & Terri Blevins
8. Northwest
April 20-22, 2005 Portland, OR
Karen Sullivan-Vance
9. Pacific (NEW DATE!)
April 7-9, 2005 Emeryville (San Francisco), CA
Janine Mixon & Patrick Allen
10. Rocky Mountain
March 3-5, 2005 Denver, CO
Carol Morken
Summer Institutes 2005
June 12-17, 2005 in St. Paul , MN
July 31- Aug 5, 2005 in Colorado Springs , CO
National Conference
Oct. 5-8, 2005
Las Vegas, Nevada
For more information visit http://www.nacada.ksu.edu,
or e-mail nacada@ksu.edu
Advising Administration
Commission Update
As the commission chair since the October 2004 conference, I
have become greatly aware of the dedication that NACADA has toward
its members. The organization is constantly urging us chairs to
find more and better ways to serve our members or increase the
participation of our members. A main goal of this commission is
to encourage and create networking opportunities to expand professional
development in ourselves and others. What better way to foster
this than to showcase our best practices. Therefore, we have brought
back an “encore” of the “administrators’
best practices” that was a featured column in the commission
newsletter from a few years ago.
Seeing that our lives as administrators are very busy, complex,
and nearly 24/7, the members supported a request to showcase these
best practices as “administrators’ tips” rather
than a full blown newsletter. (After all, the association’s
newsletters are hard to top!) We cast out a monthly topic to the
membership and any “takers” send us their tips. They
are posted on our web page so take a look from time-to-time at
our resources page.
By the way, the subject for February is “In what ways do
you reward/recognize staff when you don’t have the budget
to dole out raises or merit awards.” Much of my time as
an administrator is spent casting light upon the good deeds that
my staff do, which raises the level of enthusiasm and energy in
our office. Mama always said that “a little bit of sugar
turns sour into sweet.” I’m reminded of a song I learned
in church school eons ago, “This Little Light of Mine, I’m
Gonna Let It Shine.” In a world so filled with darkness,
sadness, and fear, we can strive to make the workplace a positive,
uplifting experience for those around us.
Take care and shine some light!
Linda Chalmers, Chair, Advising Administration Commission
University of Texas-San Antonio
210-458-6325
lchalmers@utsa.edu
Probation, Dismissal & Reinstatement
Issues Interest Group
Thanks to Jo Pionke (Kent State University) for her past leadership
as Chair of the PDR Interest Group. I have big shoes to fill as
the new Chair and look forward to Jo’s continued guidance.
The PDR Interest Group annual meeting at the national conference
was active and a great source for many ideas for the future direction
of the group. The group is now the largest interest group in NACADA
and is larger than any of the commissions! There is a lot of potential
for the future activities of our group to have significant impact
on our work with students in academic difficulty, as well as increasing
institutional support for our programs.
Members at the annual meeting agreed that we are currently in
a stage of needing to gather and share information about PDR programs
and issues at our various institutions. This information will
be gathered in an upcoming survey and the results shared with
the PDR interest group and list serve. Please watch your e-mail
for this survey soon and take the time to complete it.
Another current need of the interest group is to locate past
and current research literature on PDR issues related to advising
and assist members with developing future research projects. A
Research Committee has been formed to work on these important
tasks. Members of the committee during this year are:
Karen Reynolds, Michigan State University
Scott Amundsen, University of N. Carolina-Greensboro
Krystin Deschamps, Utah State University
Jason Jacobson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Debbie Nothduft, Truman State University
I encourage PDR interest group members to join the PDR list serve.
It’s a great way to network with each other. If you would
like to become a list serve member, you may do so at the following
web link: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/InterestGroups/C25/list serve.htm.
Please feel free to contact me with any of your comments, ideas,
or concerns about the interest group.
Karen Reynolds, Probation, Dismissal, & Reinstatement
Interest Group Chair
Michigan State University
517-432-5298
reyno238@msu.edu
Undecided and Exploratory Students
Members Commission
Thank you to all the members who attended the Commission meeting
in Cincinnati last October. The feedback that was received regarding
major changers was very helpful in designing the Major Changer
Survey due to be distributed in February. This survey will update
information that is currently 10-15 years old, help advisors understand
the major changer population and provide valuable institutional
data.
Please share your insight, ideas and
models of good practice in areas related to undecided and exploratory
students! The CUES list serve is a great way to share this valuable
information with your colleagues. list serve subscribers can just
e-mail N-UNDECIDED@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU and share. If you are
not yet subscribed to this list serve, instructions for doing
so can be found on the NACADA web site at www.nacada.ksu.edu/Commissions/C13/list
serve.htm.
Tom Kenyon, Chair, CUES
Indiana University
812-855-0568
tkenyon@indiana.edu
Two-Year Colleges Commission
Happy New Year!! Greeting from the Two-Year Colleges Commission.
Our Commission is alive and well, striving hard to meet the needs
of our commission members.
The Two-Year Colleges Commission would like to extend an invitation
for anyone who has an interest two-year colleges join our commission.
We would also like for you to join our listserv by going to the
NACADA website and going to the commission site and follow the
instructions from there. This web site is not real busy so do
not be afraid that you will inundated with emails. This web site
is used for specific items that are pertinent to members of two-year
colleges so that if you have a question or an idea you can obtain
quick responses.
As Commission Chair, I would like to solicit members who are
willing to serve as liaisons for the following regions: Regions
2, 4,5,6,7,8,9, and 10. These people assist the Chair with determining
the needs of our commission. This is just one way for you to become
involved in NACADA. Also, consider writing an article for the
Two-Year Colleges Commission Newsletter. Peggy Jordan is our newsletter
editor and she would love for you to participate in the newsletter.
The Two-Year Colleges Commission will also be presenting a Service
to the Two-Year Colleges’ award for someone who has been
active in our commission and who has contributed to this commission.
Please consider nominating someone for this prestigious award.
Please contact me if you are interested in the Two-Year Colleges
Commission and would like to become involved.
Dianne Castor, Two-Year Colleges Commission Chair
Coastal Georgia Community College
912-264-7381
dcastor@cgcc.edu
Mid-Atlantic Region
Two
Greetings to the Members of Region Two
I hope this newsletter finds you in good spirits and enjoying
2005!
This is an exciting time in Region Two and I would like to highlight
a few of the activities which are currently in progress. First
and foremost we are currently taking nominations for the first
ever Region Two Advising Awards. Please nominate your worthy colleagues
for Outstanding Professional Advisor, Outstanding Faculty Advisor
and Outstanding Service to Region Two. Information about the awards
and nominations can be found on the Region Two homepage http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Regional_Divisions/region2/index.htm.
We hope in the future to present additional awards to worthy members
of our Region. The deadline for nominating individuals for the
2005 awards is February 15, 2005.
Sandy Waters and the conference committee are busy putting together
an outstanding agenda for our Regional Conference April 17-19
in Virginia Beach. I hope you will consider joining your colleagues
across the region for an exciting, informative and motivating
conference. There are many excellent presentations scheduled beginning
with pre-conferences on Sunday afternoon and concluding with concurrent
sessions which end at 12 noon on Tuesday. In between you will
find such topics as: Programs, problems and protocols: help for
a new advisor; Product, process and portfolios: how one college
integrates advising with technology; Instant Advising: a creative
approach to student interaction; Advising hat-titude; and Advisor
as griot: the use of narration as a successful advising strategy.
Check out the conference web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Regional_Divisions/region2/confindex.htm
for more details.
There are also a number of activities occurring on a local and
state level. Watch for more details about the following upcoming
state drive-ins: Mid to late March for the DC Area (contact person
is Jeff Gardner), May 13th for Maryland (contact person is Jenna
Dolan), and June 9th for New Jersey (contact person is Paula Dollarhide).
State Drive-in conferences are great opportunities to meet local
advisors, highlight your skills and accomplishments by presenting
and provide a cost effective way to continue your professional
development. There are also a number of activities that occur
on a local level. Groups in the Baltimore area often get together
for social and networking activities; contact Jenna Dolan for
more information. There is also a group for advisors in the Philadelphia
Area; contact me for more information.
A special thank you to all the members of the region who work
tirelessly to promote advising and student success on a daily
basis, you are making a difference. If you have any questions,
concerns or ideas please contact me.
Suzanne Trump, Chair, Region Two
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
215-596-8758
s.trump@usip.edu
Mid-South Region 3
Don't forget about the Regional Conference, April 10-12 in Louisville.
By the time you receive this newsletter, the deadline for proposals
will have passed, and there should be more detailed information
about the conference on the region website. Hotel and travel information
are already available. We had a great response to the call for
proposals! It's going to be a GREAT couple of days in Louisville.
Be watching for the updated "Outstanding Advising Award"
submission form on our region website. We will be soliciting your
nominations soon, so be thinking now of that colleague you feel
should be recognized by our region as an OUTSTANDING ADVISOR.
We are also considering the addition of an award for an outstanding
graduate student.
Finally, thanks to Carol Ann Baily for her hard work in organizing
a one day drive-in workshop in Murfreesboro back in December.
It was a small group, but it was a great program.
Rob Mossack, Chair, Region 3
Lipscomb University
615-279-6297
rob.mossack@lipscomb.edu
Southeast Region 4
Hello Region 4 members! We are looking forward to the upcoming
NACADA conference, March 6-8, 2005 Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Our conference will kick off with a river boat cruise on Tuscaloosa's
Black Warrior River
This will be a Sunday night welcome dessert reception: *please
note on the registration form that there is a limit to the number
of people we can have on the boat and you must register for this
event.
Monday March 7th will be school spirit day. We would like to
recognize all schools in our region, so please bring shakers,
pennants, or other decorations from your institutions so we can
use them to decorate the ballroom for our lunch together! We will
collect them at registration on Sunday and Monday morning.
Please make sure you pay attention to the deadlines for early
registration they are quickly approaching!
We have included some links we thought would be useful. if you
have any question please feel free to contact Lori Barstow lbarstow@cba.ua.edu
or Brandy Frost bzfrost@cba.ua.edu
1-800-828-2622
Be sure to check out our web page for the registration form
and more information regarding the conference, the hotel and Tuscaloosa!
Go to www.nacada.ksu.edu and click on Events and then Region 4!
Annie H. Turman, Chair, Region 4
Georgia State University
404-463-9500
sacaht@langate.gsu.edu
Great Lakes Region 5
Greetings Region 5! By now, you should all have your calendars
marked for the Regional conference in Toronto (March 17-19). Our
Keynote speaker is Wes Habley, who will be speaking to us on "What
Works in Student Retention?" His session will focus on three
areas: the impact of college student retention, a review of data
from the survey, and sharing a set of six recommendations for
organizing an effective retention program.
For other EXCITING details about the upcoming conference, visit
our
website at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Regional_Divisions/region5/confindex.htm
We will announce the new state/province liaisons for Michigan,
Wisconsin and Ontario at the conference. These folks will begin
their terms with the National conference in October. There is
still time to throw your name in! Contact me(rjryan@wisc.edu)
and let me know your interested. I'll need platform statements
from you by Feb. 4.
Here's what's going on around the region:
The Indiana State Conference will be held May 13, 2005 at the
University of Southern Illinois. The conference will focus on
advising and technology.
Contact Julie Floyd at jfloyd@usi
for more information.
Each year IAAN recognizes an outstanding faculty and professional
advisor in the state. Applications are due April 1, 2005 and can
be found at http://iaan.indiana.edu.
The Advisors in Michigan, are in the midst of planning the Michigan
Conference to be held at MSU on May 12. Charlie Nutt has agreed
to be the keynote speaker and registration materials will probably
be sent out in late February or early March. While it is still
in the planning stages, things are slowly but surely falling into
place. For more info, contact Dan King, kingd@egr.msu.edu
Ohio Academic Advising Assn (OHAAA) annual conference June 17
at the
Fawcett Center, Ohio State University. The theme is "Back
to Basics."
KASADA (Kent State) annual conference May 19 at the Kent Stark
Campus
Conference Center. Theme is "Making the Connection: Learning,
Teaching,
Advising. Keynote is Charlie Nutt.
Rebecca Ryan, Chair, Region 5
University of Wisconsin-Madison
608-265-5460
rjryan@wisc.edu
South Central Region 7
How can you make a difference in your career? You can attend the
NACADA Region VII Conference March 3-5, 2005. Our conference theme
is “Every Student has a Story”. It is amazing and
inspiring to learn what our students have encountered and overcome
as their paths cross ours in our roles as advisors. Even more,
it is humbling to know how we as advisors and mentors can become
part of each student’s story of success and goal attainment.
Our conference will encourage you to think about how you listen
to students’ experiences and how you positively impact students
by advising, encouraging, motivating, and mentoring students.
You are invited to meet and network with colleagues, share creative
programs and practices, and reflect on the value of all our life
stories.
We talk at the dawning of each new academic year about who our
new students will be. As the years pass, many of us start to contemplate
who are we? Professional development opportunities provide us
with the opportunity to find out who we are, what new ideas we
can utilize (knowing there are risks in change) and understanding
that we do the best we can based on what we know. Come to Oklahoma
City and see how growth happens when you expand your comfort zone
and determine what your story is. The tough part of advising is
what makes it great. Connecting with the students who share their
stories with us is our reward.
Check out this opportunity online at: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Regional_Divisions/Region7/confindex.htm
Northwest Region 8
Region 8's Portland Conference is taking shape. We have several
exciting features at this year's conference Connecting All, Reaching
Everyone-CARE:
• Dr. Jim Spectar, Provost at Western Oregon University,
will be our keynote speaker addressing "Connecting and Reaching
Everyone in Changing Times: Emerging Trends and Opportunities
in the 21st Century Academy."
• Pre-Conference workshops on legal issues, leadership
in advising and current issues.
• A selection of diverse topics in breakout sessions;
• Advisor self-care with chair massage.
• Portland in April--Sunset magazine calls it Music City-a
mix of classical, jazz and eclectic-a great way to spend an evening
during the conference.
• Networking with colleagues from throughout the Northwest.
April 20-22, 2005. See you in Portland.
Sarah Ann Hones, Chair, Region 8
Southern Oregon University
541-552-8418
honess@sou.edu
Rocky Mountain Region 10
Things are going well in Region 10 and we are excited about the
upcoming regional conference in Denver! Carol Rivas Morken and
her committee have done an outstanding job preparing for this
conference.
We will be meeting March 2-4 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel.
The Adam’s Mark has committed to making the conference an
enjoyable experience for all and they’ve given us a special
room rate of $99 per room. You should contact them by February
10 to ensure that rate.
The hotel contact information and the conference registration
form are now on the web: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Regional_Divisions/region10/confindex.htm.
I am excited and looking forward to seeing you next month!
Beth R. Isbell Tapley, Chair, Region 10
University of New Mexico Main Campus
(505)277.4354
isbell@unm.edu
