Enhancing Academic Enhancing Academic Advisement Using the - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Enhancing Academic Enhancing Academic Advisement Using the Advisement Using the First-Year Seminar First-Year Seminar Dr. Mark L. Campbell – Chair Academic Services Department Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania The ROCK

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania  One of fourteen universities in the State System of Higher Education  Over 7,200 undergraduates and about 800 graduate students  Over 60 degree programs in four colleges  600-acre campus located 50 miles north of Pittsburgh in rural Western Pennsylvania  All first-year students reside on campus.

Characteristics of Undergraduates Characteristics of Undergraduates  96% are Pennsylvania residents.  70% are from the ten counties surrounding the Pittsburgh area.  67% are low-income and/or first-generation.  6% are students of color.  Education and Exercise Science are the largest academic majors.

Academic Services Department Academic Services Department  Academic Advisement Center  FYRST Seminar course  Orientation and Learning Community Clusters (LCC)  Exploratory (Undeclared) Student Program  Tutorial Center & Supplemental Instruction  State and Federal (TRIO) grant programs for academically at-risk students

First-Year Studies (FYRST) Seminar First-Year Studies (FYRST) Seminar  FYRST Seminar is based upon the First Year Experience model.  97% of first-year students are enrolled in FYRST Seminar.  FYRST Seminar is a one-credit, letter-graded course that meets 15 times/term.  Some FYRST Seminars meet weekly for the entire term; others are “front-loaded.”  There is no common syllabus, but faculty members are strongly encouraged to cover a list of common topics.

FYRST Seminar & Academic Advisement FYRST Seminar & Academic Advisement  “Borrowed” faculty on one-credit overload teach most FYRST Seminars.  All FYRST Seminars meet through mid-November (spring registration).  All FYRST faculty members are approved by Academic Services and attend a mandatory two- day professional development workshop in May.  When possible, students are assigned to their FYRST instructors as academic advisees.  Many FYRST Seminars are major-specific and/or linked to other classes.

FYRST Seminar and Learning FYRST Seminar and Learning Community Clusters (LCC) Community Clusters (LCC)  75% of first-year students are enrolled in a Learning Community Cluster.  Learning Community Clusters consist of College Writing, FYRST Seminar, and a Liberal Studies or major content course.  Learning Community Clusters are based upon academic majors or topical themes.  The instructor of the content course often teaches the FYRST Seminar.  Collaboration among LCC faculty is encouraged though not required.

New Student Orientation New Student Orientation  Attendance is required of all first-year students.  One-day programs held in March, April, and June  Parallel sessions for students and parents  Deans’ sessions highlight academic expectations.  Faculty advisors explain degree requirements and develop/adjust schedules.  Course schedules are created in advance using students’ preferences.

Goals of New Student Orientation Goals of New Student Orientation  Connect students with the Slippery Rock University campus  Create awareness of responsibilities and roles in the academic advisement process  Explain academic requirements and policies  Familiarize students with campus services, programs, and organizations  Assist parents in understanding the transition from high school to college

Relating Orientation to FYRST Seminar Relating Orientation to FYRST Seminar  Weekend Of Welcome (WOW) for first-year student move-in  Programming to address academic, technological, and social topics  Involvement of academic advisors and FYRST Seminar faculty  Introduction to ROCK-e, the weekly e-mail updates to students and parents  Future plans – small group discussions of a “summer reading assignment”

Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar  Roles of the academic advisor and advisee  Early academic alert – Student Attendance, Performance, & Adjustment (SAPA) Report  Mid-Term Grades for all first-year students  Liberal Studies Program and Major Progression  Pre-registration session to explain Degree Audit Report System (DARS)  Individual registration/scheduling appointments with academic advisees.

Major-Specific Academic Advisement Major-Specific Academic Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar Information in FYRST Seminar  Quality Point Average (QPA) requirements by major – many are 2.5 and higher  Expectations of departments/colleges – behavior, community service, ...  Exploration of internship opportunities  Complements major departments’ “Intro” classes  Example – Education: QPA of 3.0, certification tests, moral character policy, ...

Special FYRST Seminar / Learning Special FYRST Seminar / Learning Community Cluster Arrangements Community Cluster Arrangements  Frederick Douglass Community of Scholars  Non-Learning Community Cluster FYRST Seminars – “free standing”  Annual FYRST Seminar Trip to London, UK, during Winter Break  FYRST Seminar sections for at-risk students (including those who are eligible for TRIO or state grant programs)

Peer Helping in Orientation & Peer Helping in Orientation & FYRST Seminar FYRST Seminar  Upper-class peer helpers/leaders facilitate discussions and guide activities.  Peer helpers do not teach or advise. They mentor and model.  Students studying in the academic major are the most relevant and successful role models.  Peer helping involves careful selection and thorough training.

Local Evaluation of FYRST Seminar & Local Evaluation of FYRST Seminar & Academic Advisement Academic Advisement  Student Survey of Course Effectiveness  Student Opinion of Academic Advising  Annual survey of FYRST Seminar faculty  Experimental and longitudinal research on student outcomes like persistence and achievement  Focus groups of FYRST Seminar students and FYRST Seminar faculty instructors

Use of National Instruments in Use of National Instruments in Evaluation & Assessment Evaluation & Assessment  National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)  Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)  Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP)  First Year Initiative Survey (FYI)

FYRST Seminar & Learning Community FYRST Seminar & Learning Community Evaluation Results Evaluation Results  Statistically significant increases in student persistence – especially 1 st to 2 nd year  Statistically significant increases in quality point averages and credit hours earned  Increases in student satisfaction with academic advisement  Increases in student usage of campus services and participation in organizations

Factors Enhancing the Academic Factors Enhancing the Academic Advisement/FYRST Seminar Link Advisement/FYRST Seminar Link  Strong administrative support  Availability of auxiliary budget to augment institutional commitment  Full-time faculty directors of Academic Advisement & FYRST Seminar AND Orientation & Learning Community Clusters  Allowing others to “own” FYRST Seminar  Collaboration with Division of Student Life

Future Directions for Future Directions for Advisement/FYRST Seminar/LCC Advisement/FYRST Seminar/LCC  Non-faculty as academic advisors and instructors of FYRST Seminar  Increasing academic focus for Orientation and FYRST Seminar  Encouraging greater collaboration among Learning Community Cluster faculty  Incorporating “summer reading assignment” into programming

National Evaluation Instruments Cited National Evaluation Instruments Cited  National Survey of Student Engagement – NSSE http://www.indiana.edu/~nsse/  Faculty Survey of Student Engagement – FSSE http://www.indiana.edu/~nsse/fsse/index.htm  Cooperative Institutional Research Program – CIRP http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/cirp.html  First Year Initiative Survey – FYI http://www.brevard.edu/fyc/fyi/

Contact Information Contact Information Dr. Mark L. Campbell – Chair Academic Services Department B-106 Bailey Library Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA 16057-1326 Phone: (724) 738-4410 FAX: (724) 738-4497 E-mail mark.campbell@sru.edu