It is clear in these financial times that the issues of student retention and persistence to graduation are more important than ever before.  USA Today reported that several state legislatures are considering plans to base the funding for higher education on course and/or degree completion rates of the colleges and universities in their states.  With this level of public focus on student success and persistence, it is imperative that we demonstrate clearly to our decision makers the strong connection between quality academic advising and student success, engagement, and persistence to graduation.

NACADA Past President Susan Campbell and NACADA Executive Director Charlie Nutt will briefly summarize key retention research and provide:

• key strategies for analysis of retention and persistence issues on your campus
• hands-on strategies for advisors and advising administrators on how to utilize retention research and analysis in planning and implantation
• hands-on strategies for communicating with key administrators about the important role advising is playing and can play in student retention and persistence

Participants will:

• gain an understanding of the literature and research supporting the value of quality academic advising programs
• gain an understanding the key issues in student persistence and how academic advising is connected to these factors.
• learn strategies for communicating with institutional decision makers
• learn strategies for putting research into “action”

Presenters:

Susan Campbell, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, University of Southern Maine
NACADA Past-President

Since arriving at the University of Southern Maine in 1977, Susan Campbell has held a number of administrative positions including serving as the coordinator of an off-campus center, director of summer session, director of financial aid, and director of admission. She became the director of academic advising in 1993 and was promoted in 2001 to her current position as Executive Director of the Division of Advising and Academic Resources. In her role as Executive Director, Susan has responsibility for the functional areas of academic advising, support for students with disabilities, learning foundations (developmental studies, tutoring, first year seminars), and academic assessment. She also serves as the chair of the university's First Year Experience Committee. Susan's reputation as a change agent, or "utility in-fielder" (as her president refers to her), has led to the receipt of USM's Distinguished Professional Staff Award in 1998 and to her involvement in staff development activities both on and off campus on topics related to leadership and academic advising. Susan teaches an undergraduate peer leadership seminar and also coordinates the student affairs concentration in USM's masters in Adult Education Program where she is an adjunct associate professor.

Susan is Past-President of NACADA and has a long record of involvement in regional and national NACADA activities. In addition to participating in regional and national conferences as a presenter, Susan has also served as site chair, evaluation chair, and conference chair for Northeast Region 1; Chair of the Advising Administration Commission; and has been a participant in the organization's Professional Development Task Force and the planning committee for the Advising Administrator's Institute. She has served as a faculty member at the NACADA Summer Institute and the Assessment of Advising Institute.   Susan has contributed to a variety of NACADA publications, including Academic Advising Today and the Guide to Assessment of Advising CD.

Susan earned her undergraduate degree in speech and theatre from Ball State University, her M.S. Adult Education from the University of Southern Maine, and her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Charlie Nutt, NACADA Executive Director

Charlie Nutt, a NACADA member since 1991, joined Kansas State University and the NACADA Executive Office in 2002 as Associate Director and Assistant Professor in the College of Education.

Charlie earned his Associate Degree in English from Coastal Georgia Community College (formerly Brunswick College), Bachelors in English Education from the University of Georgia, Masters in Administration and Supervision from Georgia Southern University, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership in Higher Education from Georgia Southern University.   He has taught both at the secondary and post-secondary levels since 1977. He taught English in grades 9-12 as well as at the community college. At Coastal Georgia Community College, he was Assistant Professor of English before being appointed Director of Orientation and Advising. He next served as Vice President for Student Development Services from 1993 until he moved to the NACADA Executive Office.

Charlie served in various leadership roles in the Association before coming to work full-time for Executive Office. These roles include Region IV Representative, Two-Year College Commission Chair, 2000 National Conference Chair, Chair of Re-organization Implementation Committee, Chair of Task Force on Faculty Advising, and President-Elect. In addition, he has served on the faculty of the NACADA Summer Institute, Academic Advising Administrators' Institute, and Assessment of Advising Institute. As Executive Director of NACADA, Charlie is responsible for coordinating the work of the Executive Office staff as well as working with the various NACADA units on professional development issues and external relations for the Association.

Read Charlie's article in the Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources:  Academic Advising and Student Retention and Persistence.