General
Session 1: Realizing the Potential of Academic Advising,
Wes Habley
This
opening general session sets the Summer Institute stage by focusing
on several critical conceptual and organization imperatives for
academic advising. Included as critical conceptual components
are 1) a definition of academic advising; 2) the relationship
between advising and teaching; 3) the relationship between advising
and career/life planning; and 4) the relationship between advising
and student persistence.
The
organizational elements include: 1) the centrality of advising;
2) the need for campus collaboration and cooperation; 3) the need
for advising programs to actively reach out to students; and 4)
the importance of training, evaluation, and recognition/reward.
NOTE:
The resources and citations for each of the topics presented in
this general session are included with the general session, workshop,
and topical session guides found throughout the Summer Institute
Session Guide.
General
Session 2: Academic Advising As A Comprehensive Campus Process,
Margaret (Peggy) King
Academic
advising is a comprehensive campus process, as evidenced by the
variety of people who provide the service and the relationship
between advising and other campus programs and services. This
presentation will focus on the following: (1) academic advising
and the institutional mission; (2) the organization and delivery
of advising services; (3) key components of effective advising
programs; (4) academic advising and other campus programs and
services; and (5) advising and retention .
Workshop
1: Role of Faculty in Advising, Charlie Nutt and Gary Kramer
Faculty advising is largely
an unexamined activity yet it has been an integral component of
the higher education system beginning with Johns Hopkins University
in 1877. Thus, this is a presentation that not only examines faculty
advising as a potential contributor to student college success,
but more importantly, this is a presentation on how to organize,
deliver, and overall improve faculty advising on the campus today.
It is intended to be a resource for academic leaders to address
faculty advising issues of accountability, training, delivery,
evaluation, and recognition/reward.
Research
indicates that faculty are either the only source of academic
advising for students or they function as part of a larger advising
system administered by centralized or decentralized advising professionals.
While the national research shows an increasing involvement of
faculty in advising students, for the most part advising is uneven
and unsatisfactory. The areas of accountability (or clearly defined
expectations), evaluation/assessment of individual and program
performance, reward and recognition, and training-all of which
are emphases of this presentation-are the most significant methods
through which advising can be improved, but they are the least
effective components of campus advising programs.
Workshop
2: Advising Exploratory/Undecided Students, Margaret (Peggy)
King and Eric White
This
workshop will begin with a presentation that will describe the
characteristics of undecided/exploratory students and look at
the reasons for their being undecided. Advisor attitudes, knowledge
and skills essential for successful advising of this student population
will be discussed as will specific strategies that can be used.
An advising model for undecided students will be presented. Following
the presentation, participants will spend time discussing case
studies related to advising undecided/exploratory students. Discussion
will then shift to organizational models and will conclude with
a discussion of the ideal organizational model/program for delivery
of services to this student population.
Workshop
3: Advising At-Risk Students, Thomas Brown and Phil Christman
Abstract
to come
Topical
1: Keys to Empowering Women Students & Academic Advisors,
Jennifer L. Bloom
This session will focus
on keys to empowering women undergraduate students, graduate students,
and academic advisors to be successful. We will take a look at
the latest figures on the number of women in higher education
and discuss some of the challenges facing them. However, the main
emphasis will be on what academic advisors can do to empower women
to succeed. Additionally, we will also focus on career issues
facing women academic advisors. Our focus will be positive and
centered on devising proactive strategies to address issues facing
women students and academic advisors.
Topical
2: Legal Aspects of Academic Advising, Wes Habley
In
an increasingly litigious society, it is clear that academic advisors
need to be concerned about the extent to which advice they give
might lead to legal action taken by students. Although the courts
have generally held that they will not intercede in issues regarding
academic decisions, advisors should be cognizant of the important
legal principles they mush keep in mind as they fulfill their
roles. The approach taken in this session will be practical and
will feature illustrations of problems and pitfalls that confront
advisors.
Topical
3: Group Advising - Rusty Fox
Through
exploration of the static and dynamic components of advising,
and a quick consideration of the value of group dynamics, we will
reflect on the role group advising can play in addressing staffing
and budget needs, as well as augmenting the provision of advising
services. In this session we will explore the reasons for making
use of a groups, methods of delivery, and potential skills needed.
In the context of the developmental sequences of Tuckman's (1977)
stages of groups, we will also review how advisors can make use
of this unique format to assist students in building social support,
sharing ideas, and learning practical applications of information
presented.
-
A resource document will be provided with key college Group Advising
programs noted.
Topical
4: Decisions and Dilemmas: Ethical Considerations In Academic
Advising, Susan Campbell
What
does it mean to be ethically correct? How does this differ from
being morally right? While some make the distinction between "moral"
and "ethical" behavior, it is also true that, for many, the terms
are used interchangeably. Kidder (1995) suggests that confining
ethics to a particular definition renders it less practical and
accessible as a concept; indeed he argues that ethics needs to
be understood as the stuff of daily living. Even when framed within
such a familiar context, few would take issue with the statement
that understanding ethics is not an easy task.
This
session will explore ethics from Kidder's perspective, that is,
that fundamentally ethics is the "stuff of daily life". In our
discussion, we will consider the differences between/among morals,
ethics, and legality, explore ethical pitfalls (also known as
the "slippery slope", work through the dilemmas of choice when
the juxtaposed choices can both be considered "right" (right versus
right paradigms), review principles of ethical decision-making,
and reflect on our own ethical fitness and core values. From here,
our discussion will take us to issues more specific to academic
advising and we will work through a framework to use when faced
with ethical dilemmas. The session will end with a discussion
regarding the value of developing codes and standards to guide
professional behavior.
This
session is designed to be both theoretical and practical. The
content will include information about ethics from the vantage
point of moral philosophy. Participants will also engage in pragmatic
activities (including case studies) designed to help them understand
their own ethical perspectives and to apply a decision-making
framework to address ethical dilemmas.
Topical
5: Learning Communities, Rusty Fox
The
possibilities of "shared learning," are exciting. They potentially
mean that students and faculty are active and interactive in the
process of learning, and that there is greater integration of
ideas, diversity of perspectives, and enhancing of academic and
social support systems for students. In connecting components
of the curriculum, augmenting student involvement and time on
task, and engaging faculty in collaborative, curriculum development,
Learning Communities have the opportunity to greatly impact our
institutions (Shapiro and Levine, 1999). Through exploration of
modes of learning communities, we will investigate the concepts
and value of what Tinto (1998) categorizes as; blocked scheduling;
linked courses; interest groups; clusters; and coordinated studies.
In doing so we will explore his three key components of, "share
knowledge, share knowing, and shared responsibility to each other."
-
A resource document will be provided with key links to various
Learning Community resources, and examples of best practices.
General
Session 3: Advisor Development/Training: A Critical Part
of A Triad for Excellence In Academic Advising, Tom Brown
"Institutions
should require that all faculty and staff are able to effectively
assist the students they serve [and] acquire the broad repertoire
of skills appropriate to the education of all, not just some of
their students. Faculty and staff development is critical to the
long-term success of retention efforts." Vincent Tinto, Leaving
College , 1993
The Fifth
National Survey of Academic Advising (1997) identified eleven
areas of effectiveness for advising programs and asked respondents
how effective they thought their institutions' advising programs
were in each area. The four lowest ratings were for implementing
training programs for advisors (ranked #8), systematically evaluating
the advising program (#9), and evaluating academic advisors (#10),
and rewarding good advisor performance, which received the lowest
rating of the eleven variables.
Excellence
in academic advising is dependent on a triad that includes a comprehensive
pre- or in-service advisor development program. Such programs
have common elements, whether the audience is faculty advisors,
counselors or professional advisors, or peer advisors.
This
session will provide an overview of the Conceptual, Relational,
and Informational elements of a comprehensive advisor development
program and consider how such programs might be designed in response
to the needs of different advisor groups. While a theoretical
context will be provided, the focus will be on practical, concrete
and tangible examples and strategies.
Workshop
4: Technology in Advising - Gary Kramer
Web
technology has used the electronic medium of computers and communication
lines to connect the world in ways never thought possible just
a few years ago. This electronic connection of computers and data
bases has created an "e" factor that has transformed the way people
interact with each other especially in doing business, providing
services and processing information. As in business, the "e" factor
is fueling a major revolution in education. The "e" factor, with
all of its possibilities, is transforming the way advisors are
thinking about advising and the manner in which advisement and
other academic services can be connected and made available for
the student. For the first time the Web offers students a single
location where they can access all services. This new "e" factor
empowers students by putting information at their disposal twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week. The "e" factor also empowers advisors
by freeing them in a way that allows them to move from behind
technology and information and have meaningful personal contact
with students. That is, working hand-in-hand, technology and advisors
have the opportunity today to provide exceptional student support.
This
workshop, Technology in Advising, addresses key issues
in the planning, campus preparation, development and implementation
of advising and academic student services to be delivered over
the Web. Examples of best IT practices in student services are
provided in this workshop.
Workshop
5: Integrating Academic Advising and Career/Life
Planning, Betsy McCalla-Wriggins
Many
students come to colleges and universities without a clear direction
for either a major or a career. In addition, many "declared" students
change majors during their academic career. Advisors who understand
career life planning can assist students not only with major selection,
but also with career exploration and selection.
This
interactive workshop will explore the integration of academic
advising and career life planning from both an individual advisors'
perspective and also from an institutional viewpoint.
The
first part of the workshop will identify the elements of career
planning, the similarities and differences between academic advising
and career life planning, and how advisors can develop skills
and competencies in career life planning.
The
second half will cover both formal and informal ways participants
can work with colleagues on their campus to work toward this integrated
approach. Joint programs, curricula based activities as well as
a totally integrated Career and Academic Planning unit will be
described.
Integrating
these two functions at both levels provides students with a more
holistic approach to making appropriate academic and career decisions.
Workshop 6:
Advising and Retention, Charlie Nutt and Susan Campbell
Student
retention and persistence continues to grow in its importance
on college. The recent funding problems facing higher education
has increased the necessity of students remaining enrolled through
graduation. However, retention and student persistence is not
one office's responsibility; since a student's decision to remain
enrolled is affected by many and varied things, student retention
must be a campus-wide initiative and campus-wide project. This
workshop will provide information on the issue of retention, including
information from the literature on student retention and strategies
for developing campus-wide collaborations for increasing student
retention. Participants will also have an opportunity to do hands-on
work in small groups during the workshop.
Topical
6: Topics in Assessing Faculty Advisors, Wes R. Habley
There
is perhaps no advising topic more laden with pitfalls and politics
that assessing faculty advising. And, no topic is more critical
to the delivery of quality advising to students. Yet, there has
been a significant lack of progress in each of these areas over
the last twenty years. Citing data from ACT's most recent national
survey of academic advising, this session will focus on the characteristics
of effective advisors, critical issues in assessment, formative
and summative approaches to evaluation, and strategies for involvement
in and acceptance of the assessment of individual faculty advisors.
Topical
7: Advising as Teaching, Eric R. White
This
topical session will address how academic advising can be conceptualized
as a teaching activity and how this paradigm might differ from
advising as counseling or advising as information giving.
Some
of the questions to be discussed in the session will include:
- How can advisers guide students in
their understanding of the nature and purpose of higher education?
- How can advisers help students to
integrate their total educational experiences and to see its
relevance to their lives?
- If advising is teaching, what then
is the curriculum?
- If advising is teaching, how can we
express the outcomes?
- If advising is teaching, can and should
the discipline of the adviser contribute to the advising relationship?
- If advising is teaching, how do we
assess the activity?
This
session will examine how teaching can occur outside of the traditional
classroom structure.
Topical
8: Advising One-to-One: Relational Issues , Thomas Brown
What
is really important in that first advising interview with the
student is that you demonstrate that you have something to offer,
that you have some skills, that you are interested in that student:
that you are committed to that student's success.
If we didn't ask questions about spring break,
if we didn't ask questions about living in residence halls versus
having their own apartment, if we didn't ask what they were doing
outside of class, we wouldn't be advising the whole student. Communication
and Relational Skills, Academic Advising for Student Success
& Retention USA Group/Noel Levitz, 1997
This session will consider
the relational elements that are essential to one-to-one advising.
Relational elements are those behaviors that advisors need to
employ as they strive to develop effective and mutually rewarding
relationships with their advisees. As relationships are based
as much on who we are as they are on what we do
, we will also examine the distinction between being
and doing .
Topical
9: Creating Effective Handouts, Handbooks, Publications
& More ! Jennifer L. Bloom
Have you been
asked to help develop a handout, handbook, publication, or web
site for your unit? If so, this session will walk through the
steps needed to deliver a high impact publication. We will focus
on helping you to figure out the needs of your intended audience,
define the purpose of the piece, establish deadlines, determine
the best format for your piece, and decide whether to produce
the piece yourself.
Topical
10: Advising Related Technologies, Eric R. White
This
topical session will provide general information on the technology
resources that support academic advising. Special attention will
be paid to the basic computerized tools and systems: degree audit,
transfer course equivalency, registration, student information
systems, e-mail, list serves, electronic notebooks, and appointment
calendars. Opportunities to discuss the pros and cons of technology
and its appropriate use will be provided. Participants will be
encouraged to share how technology has advanced academic advising
on their campuses. This topical session is intended for those
who did not participate in the Technology in Advising Workshop.
Topical
11: Advising Students of Color, John Burton
Students
attending higher educational institutions represent varied cultural
and ethnic backgrounds. Not only are many universities admitting
increasing numbers of diverse populations but they are also admitting
large numbers of international students and of non-native speakers
of English from within the U. S. These individuals, many of whom
are first-generation college students, often find the traditional
American university to be complex, bureaucratic and unwelcoming.
Students of color frequently express their frustrations to advisors
who may be ill-equipped to address the presenting situations.
The intent of this topical session is to explore ways advisors
may appreciate the challenges students face in order to appropriately
respond to students' frustrations. Particular attention will be
focused on how advisors might be more sensitive to differences
exhibited by students from non-dominant cultures and how policies,
practices, or procedures at their respective home institutions
might be altered to more effectively hear and appreciate the many
different voices of students of color.
General
Session 4: Assessment of Academic Advising, Charlie Nutt
Assessment
and evaluation of all components of higher education has become
a major focus with accreditation agencies. In addition, with the
financial restraints many institutions are facing, the issue of
assessment has become even more important as all areas of the
campus are competing for the same shrinking pool of resources.
This general session will define the issues revolving around assessment
in general, assessment specifically to advising services, and
information on specific assessment strategies, processes, and
instruments. Additionally, various assessment resources will be
provided as well.
Workshop
7: Joy of Advising- Defining What We Do and Why it is Important.
Jennifer L. Bloom
The
focus of this session will be on why what we do as academic advisors
is so important to our students and institutions. First, we will
examine how academic advising has been defined in the literature.
Then we will discuss how to incorporate Appreciative Inquiry,
an organizational development tool that focuses on peoples' strengths
rather than their weaknesses, into advising and into your everyday
life. At the end of the workshop, we will watch the inspiring
training video called "Everyday Creativity" by DeWitt Jones. This
positive and uplifting session will help re-ignite your own personal
passion for empowering students.
Workshop
8: NACADA Video Training Program, Wes R. Habley, Kathleen
(Kim) Roufs
In
the late 90's NACADA developed a comprehensive advisor videotape
training program focusing on developmental advising. Many campuses
have utilized the program with great success. In this workshop
participants will engage in a field-tested application of the
program. This participative workshop will focus understanding
the twelve dimensions of developmental advising and observing
their application in a set of six scenarios included in the training
video.
NOTE:
The materials for this session will include a facilitator's
guide for the delivery of the workshop. The guide will be distributed
at the conclusion of the session.
Workshop
9: The Power of One....Leading from Your Position, Betsy McCalla-Wriggins
Every
day each individual has the opportunity to be a leader. This is
true whether a person is a faculty or professional advisor, a
newly appointed chair, supervisor or manager of a department,
an Assistant to the Dean, or a VP in charge of a broad range of
academic or student affairs functions. Leadership is not a function
of position.
During
this interactive workshop participants will examine the differences
between leading and managing, discuss specific behaviors that
effective leaders demonstrate, and identify their personal leadership
style. Through the use of the Personal Profile System, they will
learn the kinds of situations they strive for, how they evaluate
and influence others, how they contribute to their organization,
what behaviors they tend to use under pressure, and how they can
increase their effectiveness.
Topical
12: Advising First-Year Students, Susan Campbell
Abstract
to come
Topical
13: Overview of Training Principles, Rusty Fox
Although
widely recognized as important across the discipline of Academic
Advising, quality training of advisors continues to be a challenging
issue for many institutions. In this session we will build upon
concepts discussed in the Institute's General Session on Training
and explore the three major considerations of content, audience
and technique. We will discuss the impact of type-of-student and
technology on our changing role of advisors from Information Experts
to Information Facilitators. We will conclude by reviewing why
advisor training programs should parallel the developmental advising
process; including the conceptual, informational and relational
components of training. Best practices will be discussed, and
participants are encouraged to share ideas from their campuses.
Topical
14: Enhancing Transfer, Margaret (Peggy) King
Transfer
- the movement of students from one institution to another - is
a defining characteristic of higher education today. And it is
a responsibility shared by both associate and baccalaureate degree
granting institutions. This session will focus on the basic issues
related to transfer from both a two-year and four-year college
perspective, on creative approaches being implemented to address
those issues, and on the role academic advisors should play in
the transfer process. Participants will share ideas that have
enhanced the transfer process on their campus and/or within their
higher education system.
Topical
15: Training, Assessing and Supervising Full-Time Staff, Eric
R. White
For
the aspiring novice, or seasoned advising administrator, the leadership
of a full-time staff provides both opportunities and challenges.
In an administrative role, there may be more prospects to influence
advising delivery and develop new innovations. For administrators,
the trade-off may mean giving up part of the satisfaction that
attracted them initially to advising, the daily contact with students.
This
interactive session will set a context for the administration
of full-time staff. For each of the major topics (training, assessing,
and supervising), there will be an overview plus a chance for
small group discussion and reporting. Best practices will be cited,
and participants will be encouraged to share situations from their
own campuses.
This
session will benefit individuals in advising administration currently
or those whose career development plans include administration.
Topical
16: Advising Adult Students, John Burton
Adult
students have enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities
in record numbers. In addition to the sheer size of the adult
population on the campus, these students bring with them a very
different set of characteristics and issues than traditional college
student, and the impact of these differences is particularly important
in the advising process. As an advisor is quite often the most
consistent and sustained connection the adult student has with
the college or university, it is important that advisors have
a solid understanding of the characteristics and issues that adult
students bring to not only the advising process but to the larger
educational process in general. This session will examine some
of the characteristics and issues that make working with the adult
student different, and how advisors can integrate that knowledge
into more effective advising strategies. Understanding adult motivational
factors, detecting differences in communication styles, identifying
the accelerated developmental process, and seeing the advisor/advisee
relationship as more of a partnership or mentoring opportunity
than usually found with traditional students are some of the topics
to be covered in this topical session. Advisors will gain a better
understanding of what makes the adult student different from the
traditional student and will learn new advising strategies and
how to adjust current strategies to more effectively help the
adult advisee attain his or her educational goals.
Topical
17: Recognition and Reward for Advising, Thomas Brown
Abstract
to come
General
Session 5: Initiating and Implementing Change in Academic
Advising, Wes Habley
The
close of the Summer Institute means that participants will be
heading back to campus with great ideas about enhancing academic
advising services. No ideas however, will translate to practice
without a well-conceived plan for introducing and implementing
change. This session has two purposes: 1) to stimulate thoughtful
consideration of the change process and 2) to energize participants
to initiate and sustain their intentions as they re-enter the
real world of campus politics.
Major
topics include
•
understanding why accomplishing change is difficult
•
building a task, people, structure, strategy framework for approaching
change
•
orchestrating the change process
•
understanding participant roles in leading and/or participating
change
