A Seamless Approach to Orientation Presented by: Heather Speed, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A Seamless Approach to Orientation Presented by: Heather Speed, Director Dr. Trisha Van Duser, Assistant Director Center for Student Development Texas Woman’s University

Presentation Outline  History of Texas Woman’s University (TWU) & Orientation  3 Step Orientation Process  Key Personnel  Roles & Responsibilities  Building a Team  Seamless Approach

Texas Woman’s University  Locations: Denton, Dallas (2) & Houston  9,713 students  Male population – 9%  1,330 residential students  35.4% minority population  Incoming freshman class – 625 students  Average age – 31 years  Student to faculty ratio – 13:1  Average class size – 25 students  From the Fall 2003 Fact Sheet

The Effect of TWU’s History on Orientation  Enrollment was very high  Began as a Student Life event  Minimal campus wide buy-in to the program  Enrollment began to decline Fall 1995  TWU as a university revised its mission and vision  More campus wide buy-in to the program  Communication began to develop between departments  Technological advances  Increased communication between TWU and students

Orientation - Past  2 day overnight program  Technology limited to telephone registration only  Inconvenient and time consuming  No communication management process or accountability  No one present to troubleshoot problems with registration  Result: Delayed registration for most students, timely registration process, and parent/student dissatisfaction

Orientation – Present  3 step process:  Academic Planning & Registration (APR)  Pioneer Camp  UNIV 1011

Academic Planning & Registration (APR)  2 day program designed to introduce students and parents to the unique educational experience that TWU has to offer  Meet with faculty & staff to discuss academic programs and student services  Take placement tests, meet with an academic adviser, register for classes via the Pioneer Portal system  Average time to register for classes is less than 1 minute

Pioneer Camp  Community-based orientation (no additional cost)  4 day program where students are given the opportunity to explore our hidden treasures that enable them to have a successful college experience  Before the first day of class, students will have met new classmates, participated in fun activities, and be comfortable with the campus climate.

UNIV 1011  One hour credit bearing course  Designed to equip students with the knowledge and tools they’ll need to make a successful transition to college level learning  Gain an understanding of effective learning strategies, personal abilities, interests and values, and their cumulative impact on educational success.

Key Personnel  Admissions  ITS/ISS  Student Records  Registrar  Bursar  Student Life  Academic Advising  Academic Affairs  Key Faculty

Roles & Responsibilities  Admissions  Communication Management  Student Records  Involved in planning & troubleshooting  Bursar  Involved in registration process & notification of fees due; on site bill explanation  Academic Advising  Involved in planning & facilitation

Roles & Responsibilities  Faculty  Advising  ITS/ISS  Built system for communication management  Enabled web registration  Hands on demonstrations at APR  Technical support during registration  Registrar  Involved in planning & troubleshooting  Closed class issues

Roles & Responsibilities  Student Life  CSD responsible overall for implementation and facilitation of orientation and its success  Support and guidance  Academic Affairs  Support from academic side/faculty  Timely response to closed class issues

Building A Team  Began with a charge from the President to increase enrollment  New vision of TWU’s enrollment management process  Orientation committee formed to include individuals outside of Student Life  Communicate needs to academic departments  Explore new options for registration and communication management as a whole  More accountability among entire university rather than on Student Life alone

Seamless Approach  3 Step Process  Well organized APR program  No one left behind in 2 nd step – Pioneer Camp  All encouraged to register for UNIV 1011  Communication Management  Better communication within departments  Better communication with potential students  True spirit of helpfulness

Communication Management Start Adm Asst for VP Dir, Academic Student Life Advising Office of Admissions Label addressed to List including email family of new address of new Student is accepted student is printed student is printed as a new seven days after fourteen days after undergraduate admit student has been student has been to TWU for fall admitted & is used admitted & is used semester. (1) to send a letter to send info about Student is coded from VP Student Life academic advising. depending on number to new student’s (7) of hours they have family. (5) accumulated. (2) Student is blocked from registration Secretary III, until they have Secretary III, Center for attended Center for Student Orientation. (3) Student Development Development Label including name Label including name & address of new Adm Asst for VP & address of new student is printed Student Life student is printed twenty-one days fourteen days after after student has Label including name student has been been admitted & is & address of new admitted & is used used to send an student is printed to send an Orientation reminder on same day student Orientation brochure postcard. (8) is admitted & used to student. (6) to send a letter from VP Student Life A to new student. (4)

Communication Management A Secretary II, Asst Dir, Center Dir, Center for Center for for Student Student Student Development Development Development Label including name Label including name & address of new & address of student Label including name student confirmed is printed for those & address of new for Orientation is students that stated student is printed printed & is used to an interest in Greek when registration is send an Involvement organizations on received & is used packet from CSD. their Orientation to send an (11) survey. (13) Orientation Label including name confirmation letter. & address of student (9) is printed for those Phone list is Secretary III, students that stated requested of all new an interest in being students sent an Center for an Orientation Orientation brochure Student Leader on their but not confirmed to Development Orientation survey. attend. (10) (14) Label including name & address of new student (FTIC only) End is printed after they attend Orientation & is used to send a Pioneer Camp reminder postcard. (12)

Seamless Approach  ITS/ISS  Web-based registration  Online orientation registration  Hands on  Accountability  Ultimately the entire university held responsible for success of program  Results in increased enrollment and higher retention rate  Physical presence  Actually being present during the process to take care of problems in a timely and effective manner

Orientation - Future  Virtual Orientation  Adding academic components to our communication management process  Adding a track exclusively for parents to our communication management process