Advising Coordinating Committee


Thursday, September 13, 2001

MINUTES

Attending: John Mortensen (conducting), Cara Allen, Aaron Andersen, Pat
Anderson, Leslie Barns, Kathy Bayn, Heidi Beck, Debbie Buck, Noelle Call,
Robyn Daines, Brian Evans, Kathryn Fitzgerald, Whitney Fleming, Sylvia
Robinson, Amy Greenway, Susan Ericksen, Marilyn Kruse, Stuart Gibby, Fawn
Groves, Susan Haddock, Tressa Haderlie, Stephanie Hamblin, Lisa Hancock,
Ruth Harrision, Arsenath Hartman, Joslyn Heiniger, Jill Hoffman, Janet
Karren, Joyce Kinkead, Mary Leavitt, Christine Lord, Irene McInerny, Todd
Milovich, Sheri Noble, Wade Oliver, Darcie Peterson, Karen Ranson, Deborah
Reece, Mary Lou Reynolds, Cathy Roche, Tami Spackman, Suzie Stones, Nancy
Van Kampen, Maureen Wagner

1. Introductions. New faces include: Debbie Buck, secretary for Advising
and Transition Services; Cara Allen, On Course; and Leslie Barns,
Student-Athlete Services.

2. SOAR Calendar Discussion:

Unanimous positive decision on starting SOAR one week early to finish before
the July 4th holiday. Negative on having an early SOAR date in April due to
early registration, graduation, etc. A lot of advising is done via mail
and internet. SOAR Committee will work with Re-Entry Student Office on
discussion for two non-traditional SOAR dates. There will be further
discussion on having one later orientation date (without the advising),
perhaps the Friday afternoon before school starts. The group decided not to
have a Saturday SOAR session in 2002. We will try this on a trial basis.
Saturday sessions were provided in an attempt to accommodate those who work
during the week. However, many students and parents have complained about
offices and services not being available.

3. SOAR Packet Contents.

When students attend SOAR, the cost of their SOAR packet includes: an ID
card voucher, the Schedule of Classes, The Source: New Student Handbook, a
$5 meal card, a USU window sticker, and other various handouts. The packet
for those who do not attend excludes the meal card, but includes a brief
workbook, explaining what the students need to do. It was suggested to
include a refridgerator magnet with important information.

4. SOAR Possibilities in 2002:

Admission letter currently contains an insert about SOAR. Plans on
improving communication with incoming students by including an additional
letter about SOAR, dates, and options.

For transfer students, there was a general feeling that advising should
remain mandatory, but orientation should be optional. If implemented,
advisors would be responsible for removing the registration hold for
transfer students. These students would then have the choice of attending
SOAR, or they would be given a checklist of the things they still need to do
on their own (e.g., paying for and obtaining their ID cards, etc.)

There was also talk about the possibility of having an early evening (5:30
p.m.) advising session for Returning Adult students. John and Aaron will
discuss this with the Reentry Student Center.

One complaint from last summer was that fee payment was not available during
the earlier SOAR dates. The Cashier's Office is will be implementing a
tuition and fee payment installment plan for next year that will begin by
June 1.

High School/College Relations has changed its name to Recruitment/Enrollment
Services. Advising and Transition Services will work closely with their
office to try to provide more orientation information when they bring groups
on campus to visit.

A very small number of students attend from the College of Natural
Resources. Since many of their faculty are on 9 month contracts, we may
advertise that the College of NR is only available for advising on certain
dates.

5. Future Possibilities of SOAR:

There was positive feedback of not charging for SOAR but somehow including
the cost in student fees. However, some thought students would have more
ownership if they knew they were paying to be there.

There will be a lot of effort to make an online orientation website for
those students who do not attend SOAR on campus. The site would force the
students to go through relevant information step-by-step and to take a quiz
at the end. An advisory committee will begin meeting in the near future.

There will likely be some discussion within the next year about students
taking a mandatory orientation class. This requirement might be satisfied
by taking University Survival or a one-credit weekly semester class.

6. CLEP Tests and Scoring.

CLEP testing is now done electronically. Academic departments are working
with the Testing Center to set scoring standards for the new tests.

7. Academic Record Adjustment Forms: (Heidi Beck)
There is a new Academic Record Adjustment Form that students pick up at the
Registration office. Students are assessed a $10 processing fee that is
mandatory and non-refundable, regardless of outcome. It is up to the
student to type a detailed description of actions to be taken. There is a
blue form that is to be used if there was a Processing Error, in which case
the students will not be charged. Academic Record Adjustments will be
tracked in SIS Plus on the 148 screen with four separate codes-received &
sent to, received & approved, received & denied, and processing error has
been received and corrected.

8. The next Advising Coordinating Committee meeting is scheduled for
October 18. Please request any discussion items by contacting John
(mort@cc.usu.edu).


FOLLOW-UP

1. After our discussion, we have scheduled the following SOAR dates for
2002. All advising times are at 1:00 p.m.

June 10 Transfer students
June 11-14 Outdoor (advising 6/11)
June 13-14 Two-Day (advising 6/11)
One Day sessions are: June 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 26, and 27

If the Bookstore is closed on June 27, we will change that SOAR date to June
25. One of these dates will be finalized next week.

2. As we look to build an online orientation website, we need your input.
Several advisors had some wonderful ideas. Please consider attending our
first Online Orientation Advisory Committee to be held Thursday, September
27 at 10:30 a.m. in TSC 336.


Back to Top