Advising Coordinating Committee
Thursday, May 12, 2005
11:00 a.m. - Business 215
In Attendance: John Mortensen (conducting), Kathy Bayn, Dawn Black, Becki Broadbent, Peggy Buttars, Trisha Butterfield, Amanda Cram, Sam Curley, Krystin Deschamps, Margaret Garr, Tressa Haderlie, Stephanie Hamblin, Kristy Hodson, Emily Hoffman, Juanita Hunting, Janalee Johnson, Melanie Jones, Marilyn Kruse, Mary Leavitt, Rachel Lewis, Christine Lord, Erin McDonough, Quinn Millet, Betty Murri, Wade Oliver, Jeannie Pacheco, Susan Parkinson, Darcie Peterson, Sally Peterson, Megen Ralphs, Alene Alder Rangel, Karalee Ransom, Karen Ranson, Deborah Reece, Mary Lou Reynolds, Marcia Roberts, Isobel Roskelley, Larry Rupp, Lynne Slade, Tami Spackman, Roland Squire, Suzie Stones, Heather Thomas, Maureen Wagner, Dennis Welker, Linda Woertendyke, Eric Worthen
Extension Sites Participating: Brigham City, Moab
Excused: Heidi Beck, Susan Haddock, Cathy Myers-Roche
AGENDA:
1. Recognition of Recent Advising Award Recipients
Congratulations to our advising associates who have recently received awards. At the recent USU Robins Awards Ceremony, Doran Baker received the award for Faculty Advisor of the Year, and Sally Peterson received the award for Professional Advisor of the Year. In addition, the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) will recognize the following advisors at this year’s national conference: Lyle McNeal, Outstanding Advising Award: Faculty Advising; Darcie Peterson, Outstanding Advising Award: Advising as a Primary Role; Dennis Welker, Outstanding New Advisor Award: Faculty Advising; and Stephanie Hamblin, Outstanding New Advisor Certificate of Merit: Advising as a Primary Role. In addition, the Office of Student Support Services will receive an Outstanding Advising Program Award.
2. Multicultural Student Services Programs
First-year programs are designed for American students with multi-ethnic backgrounds and those of the majority population who are looking for diversified experiences. REP (Realizing Educational Potential) Week is a free orientation program to be held August 23-27 and introduces new students to services offered by the University. TOPS is an MHR 1160 P/F one-time-a-week class offered as an extended orientation to college. Under certain circumstances, sophomore students may register for the class. Both programs serve as effective retention tools.
3. Proposal for Mandatory Advising for Juniors
John Mortensen introduced ASUSU President, Quinn Millet, who identified the problem that students are sometimes required to stay an extra semester to complete just one class because they have overlooked a graduation requirement. The ASUSU proposal is to make it mandatory for all students to meet with an advisor at the beginning of their junior year and again before the second semester begins. An advising hold would be placed until this action is taken.
Among concerns voiced by advisors:
· Too time consuming to meet twice with these students
· Who would place the hold and who would remove it
· How would students be informed of a hold
· Clarification of who is a junior
· Not enough advisors to meet the demand
· How to spread out advising appointments
· Process would become a “signature activity” rather than true advising
Possible solutions offered by advisors:
· Emphasize education rather than punitive measures (knowledge vs penalty)
· Mandatory advising acceptable; registration hold unacceptable
· Move graduation candidacy date up a semester
· Require students to run their own degree audit (CAPP)
It was suggested that a committee comprised of both ASUSU and advisors meet to reach an understanding of both the problem and possible solutions. The following advisors will serve on the committee: John Mortensen, Eric Worthen, Maureen Wagner, Kathy Bayn, Ruth Harrison, Mary Leavitt.
Please send your comments and suggestions to ASUSU Academic VP, Spencer Watts, at SPENCERWATTS@cc.usu.edu.
4. USU Advising Conference
This year’s conference is scheduled for August 15 (new advisor orientation) and August 16 (old advisors—professional and faculty). ASUSU representatives are invited to participate in the new advisor orientation on August 15. Charlie Nutt of NACADA will be the keynote speaker, and Jimmy Moore, Director of Admissions, will give his perspective on advising. Lunch will be provided for participants on both days. Check e-mail for additional information and for registration information.
5. ACC Meeting Time & Locations for 2005-2006
Because the Merrill Library building will no longer exist, a meeting room is problematic due to our numbers and our desire to include extension sites. The proposed meeting dates listed on the agenda appear to be satisfactory. Definite information regarding locations and times will be forwarded when we receive it.
6. New Program Codes & Default Advisor List in Banner
Although Banner has the capability to list multiple advisors, only one may be designated as the Primary advisor. It is recommended that the Major advisor appear as the Primary advisor. The Primary advisor is the only name the student sees in Self-Service Banner. The advantage of listing multiple advisors is for more efficient use of Banner by advisors. For example, in addition to a major advisor, all student-athletes could be assigned to the advisors in Student-Athlete Services, all students could be assigned to a Career Services advisor based on major, all students with disabilities could be assigned to an advisor in the Disability Resource Center, etc. The change of advisor screen is SGAADVR in Internet Native Banner. When using the e-mail features in Banner, it is recommended that you cut the list of names from the “To” line and past them into a “Bcc” line so that the names and e-mail addresses are blind to other students. Contact John Mortensen for information about advisors, and Roland Squire for information about Banner codes.
7. Update on Course Clusters
Approximately 1500 students have been processed for fall semester. Now that the May 1 deadline has passed, students are no longer able to request clusters. SOAR registrations are down from last year. Please understand that SOAR does not cost $100. The $100 deposit goes toward tuition and fees, with SOAR being one of those fees. The balance of the deposit will be credited to a student’s account. The amount charged for SOAR is to recover the costs of expenses such as the Schedule of Classes, General Catalog, activity card, meal, etc. Lisa Hancock will field any questions regarding money.
8. SOAR Dates & Suggestions for 2006
For the Early SOAR dates, Lisa Hancock has been providing advisors with copies of the Enrollment Confirmation forms the students have submitted. Advisors indicated that the confirmation papers are helpful. An online form will replace the handwritten information next semester. There has been a 100 percent positive response to Early SOAR. Having students setup their email account already is a valuable component. Suggestions for lowering the student/advisor ratio for SOAR sessions include:
· Add additional SOAR dates for undeclared students or other large populations
· Expand SOAR options—more specific to major
· Add more dates (avoid pre-registration dates)
The role of the A-team has been expanded; they will be assigned as peer mentors to students as they are admitted. Peers will call students personally to welcome them to Utah State, to remind them of their SOAR date, to recommend Connections, and to answer any questions. This “high touch” approach should provide a better handoff from Admissions and benefit incoming students.
9. Miscellaneous SOAR Items
Instruction was given on the SOAHOLD screen in Banner. SOAR holds are cleared on the day students attend SOAR. If a student is doing SOAR Online, the SOAR hold is not cleared until the registration eligibility date. Students who live more than 400 miles away are completing SOAR Online on June 17; students who live within 400 miles are completing SOAR Online on July 9 (after the last SOAR date). All students participating in Online SOAR receive an email from the SOAR office informing them about their eligibility date.
If you advise students prior to their eligibility date, please place the notation a/b (for advised by) followed by your name in the space for the SOAR hold. If the eligibility date has passed, the SOAR hold will be cleared and the advisor hold will be put on. At this point, advisors can just clear this hold.
CALENDAR
May 20 (Fri) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
May 25-26 (Wed-Thu) Utah Advising & Orientation Conference in Park City, Utah
June 17 (Fri) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
June 20 (Mon) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
June 21 (Tue) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
June 23 (Thu) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
June 27 (Mon) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
June 28 (Tue) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
July 6 (Wed) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
July 7 (Thu) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
July 8 (Fri) 1:30 p.m. SOAR Advising
August 15 (Mon) New Advisor Orientation
August 16 (Tue) USU Advising Confernece
Proposed Meeting Dates for the Advising Coordinating Committee
2005-2006
September 15
October 13
November 17
January 19
February 9
March 9
April 6
May 11