Administration of Academic Advising

Transcription

1 NACADA Executive Office Kansas State University 2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 225 Manhattan, KS Phone: (785) Fax: (785) National Academic Advising Association The contents of all material in this presentation are copyrighted by the National Academic Advising Association, unless otherwise indicated. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of an original work prepared by a U.S. or state government officer or employee as part of that person's official duties. All rights are reserved by NACADA, and content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of NACADA, or as indicated below. Members of NACADA may download pages or other content for their own use, consistent with the mission and purpose of NACADA. However, no part of such content may be otherwise or subsequently be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred, in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of, and with express attribution to NACADA. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law and is subject to criminal and civil penalties. NACADA and National Academic Advising Association are service marks of the National Academic Advising Association. Administration of Academic Advising 2012 NACADA Summer Institute Rich Robbins, Bucknell University Sample of Key Administrative Issues Program mission and goals Outcomes for advising programs Delivery of advising Advisor training Advisor evaluation Advisor reward and recognition Legal and ethical issues Campus environment and politics Assessment of advising programs Identify each relative to your program. What are the issues with each? It all starts with the Advising Program Mission Statement A mission statement describes Who we serve Why - our reason for being What we strive to achieve See sample Mission Statements at Wes Habley Developing a Mission Statement for the Academic Advising Program NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources A mission statement articulates Our values Our purpose Our direction now and in the future A mission statement reflects Opportunities Competence Commitment Susan Campbell Vision, Mission, Goals, and Program Objectives for Academic Advising Programs Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook, 2 nd edition Drucker, P. F. (2003). What is our mission? In Business leadership: A Jossey Bass reader. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass.

2 Why do we need a mission statement? Unless the mission is explicitly expressed, clearly understood, and supported by every member of the organization, the enterprise is at the mercy of events (p. 371). Peter Drucker Drucker, P. F. (2003). What is our mission? In Business leadership: A Jossey Bass reader. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass. A mission statement guides the decisions we make about what we do and how we accomplish it. It is a vital portion of any institutional effort to restructure or revitalize academic advising. CAS Standards emphasize that Mission Statements must be developed, recorded, disseminated, implemented, and regularly reviewed incorporate student learning and student development be consistent with the vision, mission, and goals of the institution Characteristics of a quality mission statement Broad Does not claim to be all things to all people Does not narrowly define what we do Provides the umbrella for our services Characteristics of a quality mission statement Realistic Practical Workable Easily turned into program goals Characteristics of a quality mission statement Motivational Inspires commitment among employees/advisors Something to strive for Presents an ideal

3 Characteristics of a quality mission statement Short and Concise Elevator pitch 25 words or less Tee shirt 3-4 sentences long Do you have a stated mission for your advising program? Programmatic Goals Goals are derived from the mission statement and identify exactly what should be achieved via academic advising by describing how the mission will be enacted Broad statements that communicate a desired future state for academic advising Express what academic advising would look like if the mission was achieved Conceptual; not measurable Communicate the aims of academic advising Long range Provide guidance for action Goals Goal statements are more specific than mission statements (e.g., Academic a advising at X institution is based on developmental theories or Academic advising at X institution is responsive to the demographic profiles of the student population ). Examples: Academic Advising at XYZ focuses on the developmental relationship between the student and the adviser Academic Advising at XYZ promotes student curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular learning Do you have articulated goals for your advising program? Outcomes for Advising Process/Delivery Outcomes Articulate the expectations for how academic advising is delivered and what information should be delivered through the academic advising experience Student Learning Outcomes Articulate what students are expected to know, do, and appreciate as a result of involvement in the academic advising experience Achieving desired outcomes indicates meeting programmatic goals, which in turn indicates achievement of the mission of the advising program Process/Delivery Outcomes Typically what is evaluated via student satisfaction surveys e.g., the advisor provided accurate information e.g., the setting for the advising session was appropriate etc. Do not assess student learning, but evaluate what processes occurred during the advising interaction Student Learning Outcomes What do you expect students to be able to Know (cognitive learning) Do (behavioral learning) Value and Appreciate (affective learning) as a result of participating in academic advising? Do you have identified desired student learning outcomes for your advising program?

4 Delivery of Advising centralized, decentralized, shared mandatory versus volunteer faculty, professional staff advisors, counselors, paraprofessionals, peer advisors use of technology web sites pod casts text messaging advising social networks other timing of advising Advisor Training Training must clearly be tied to your institution s mission, goals, and objectives Content of the training should reflect the institution s goals for advising Content should reflect directly the expected advisor outcomes and the student learning outcomes that will be assessed by the program How is your academic advising delivered? Who is Being Trained? - new faculty advisors - new staff advisors - tenured faculty - academic discipline - full-time or part-time employee - peer advisors - required to participate These are all considerations when designing training and development for different cohorts of academic advisors First Step A Needs Assessment A systematic exploration comparing the way things are (the real state of things) and the way things should be (the ideal state of things) - perform a GAP analysis by asking how advising is currently being done and how it should be done - identify priorities - identify issues and reasons for them - identify possible solutions and opportunities Suggestions for Advisor Training - should be comprehensive in scope (continuing rather than one shot) - should not be perceived as isolated events - should be sequential in topics - should be carefully organized and focused Components of Advisor Training Informational components Conceptual components Relational components - should be supported from the top

5 Informational Components programs policies procedures referral services student information systems support tools advisor resources Advisor provides accurate information keeps up-to-date on changes refers to appropriate services assists in selection of courses that match advisee s interests and abilities is familiar with advisee s academic background is knowledgeable about courses outside of advisee s major or area of study Conceptual Components definition of academic advising role of academic advising relationship between advising and persistence relationship between advising and support services expectations of advisees expectations of advisors rights and responsibilities of advisees rights and responsibilities of advisors career issues in advising availability of advisor confidentiality of information respect for advisees right to make decisions Advisor assists advisee to Identify obstacles Examine needs Examine interests and values Explore careers Advisor encourages advisee to Assume an active part in planning Achieve educational goals Talk about themselves and their experiences Consider their interest in their academic discipline Be involved in extracurricular activities Relational Components communication skills referral skills rapport building decision making multicultural and gender issues

6 Advisor needs to know the advisee be a good listener express genuine interest in the advisee respect the advisee s opinion provide an open atmosphere Purposes Advisor Evaluation to collect information with the goal of improving advisor effectiveness to collect information as part of performance evaluation to collect information on individual advisors as part of an overall assessment process these are not necessarily mutually exclusive purposes Formative or Summative? Formative evaluation focuses on how to improve advisor effectiveness (future) tends to be regular but episodic Summative evaluation summarizes effectiveness over a period of time (past) often used to compare against specific criteria Foci of Advisor Evaluation Advisor knowledge - accuracy and timeliness of information provided Advisor helpfulness - perceived interest and concern - usefulness of information provided Advisor accessibility - availability of advisor Combined, they provide the best overall picture of effectiveness Models of Advisor Evaluation Student evaluation typically satisfaction surveys re: process Peer review typically 3 rd -party observation Self review Supervisor review review Types of Measurement and Data Qualitative Quantitative Direct Indirect Multiple measures!!!

7 Gathering Data local satisfaction surveys nationally normed surveys student knowledge and behavior institutional data (e.g., time to graduation, graduation rates, review of semester schedules, etc.) focus groups Dangers of Satisfaction Surveys there is often a difference between an advisee receiving good, effective academic advising and being satisfied with the advising process: if any negative information is exchanged during the advising interaction, the student may respond negatively to the survey items even though the information provided was correct and the process of the interaction was appropriate the student will likely rate the advising provided based on the type of interaction desired (e.g., informational, relational) surveys typically measure the advising process, not student learning Use of Evaluative Data Goal setting Professional development Reward and recognition Program improvement Do you evaluate your advisors? How is the evaluation conducted? Advisor Reward and Recognition Most institutions do not reward or even recognize the value of effect academic advising Linking of reward and recognition to effective academic advising send a clear message about the importance of advising to the institution Forms of Reward and Recognition release time from teaching or committee work as part of tenure and promotion financial incentives and rewards as part of annual staff and employee recognition awards plaques, certificates, parking external recognition Merit, Promotion, and Tenure For faculty advisors NACADA views academic advising as a form of teaching Advising should be counted under teaching component Demonstrates institutional commitment to effective academic advising Requires true evaluation of advising beyond student satisfaction or advisor:advisee ratios

8 Performance Evaluation If utilizing your advisor evaluations as part of overall performance evaluation process for professional staff advisors, or promotion, merit and tenure process for faculty advisors, be informative and clear that you are doing so conversely, if you are not using advisor evaluation data as part of performance evaluations, communicate that from the start to attain cooperation and trust in the process Inclusion is Key Academic advisors who will be evaluated should be involved from the start Academic advisors who will be evaluated should be informed regarding the purpose of the evaluation Academic advisors who will be evaluated should provide input and feedback along the way to promote buy-in and cooperation How do you reward and recognize effective advising? Legal Issues The law of post secondary education is not static Court applications change Policies and procedure of institutions change Advisors statements should accurately represent the institution s goals, services, facilities, programs, and policies Academic advisors are agents of their employing institutions. Statements made by advisors may be construed as promises that obligate the institution to act, or not act, in a certain way. If a perceived promise is broken, and a student claims to be harmed, the institution may be liable to fulfill the terms of the promise. Gordon, Habley, Grites, and Associates, 2008 The 1974 Family and Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) The rights accorded to parents under FERPA are transferred to students of any age (including those under 18) if the student is attending an institution of higher education Parents of a college student may have access to the student s record if the parents claim the student as a dependent for tax purposes Colleges, therefore, have considerable discretion concerning FERPA and how it will be applied Ethical Issues The CAS (Council for the Advancement of Standards) guidelines for academic advising programs require that advisors: Ensure privacy and confidentiality Impart accurate information while complying with departmental and institutional policies and rules Adhere to highest principle of ethical behavior Consult standards of relevant professional organizations Uphold policy, procedures & values of dept. & institution Handle funds responsibly Abide by Human Subjects Research Policy Avoid personal conflict of interest Ensure fair and impartial treatment of all persons Perform within limits of training and refer when necessary Hold all staff members accountable Practice ethical behavior in use of technology Be knowledgeable about and responsive to laws and regulations that relate to advising Inform users or programs and services of legal obligations, limitations, institutional policies, and laws related to advising Be reasonably informed to limit liability Institution should provide access to legal advice Institution must inform about changes with respect to legal obligation or potential liability NACADA Core Values Treat students and colleagues with respect Honor the concept of academic freedom Learn about and understand the institutional mission, culture, and expectations and interpret the institution s values, mission, and goals to the community Obtain education and training Be knowledgeable and sensitive to national, regional, local and institutional policies and procedures related to harassment, technology, personal relationships with students, privacy of student information and equal opportunities Be knowledgeable and sensitive to national, regional, local and institutional policies and procedures related to harassment, technology, personal relationships with students, privacy of student information and equal opportunities Respect student confidentiality rights regarding personal information and practice an understanding of institutional laws and policies such as FERPA Seek access and use student information only when relevant to the advising process Document advising adequately

9 Campus Environment/Politics Identifying Campus Allies Power Structure Power Brokers Essential Linkages/Allies Outreach to All Campus Groups Establishing Communication Channels Networking Providing Campus Support and Assistance Campus Politics Reporting Structures Level of Position Financial Concerns Assessment of Advising Program Key Components Knowledge of the assessment cycle Identifying stakeholders Identifying student learning outcomes Mapping the students learning experiences Identifying multiple measures Minimum criteria of success Analysis of outcome data Interpretation of outcome data Acting upon the outcome data Continuing assessment Assessment is a team effort, is continuous and must be embedded in the culture, and is much more than a single student satisfaction survey Do you assess your advising program? The Assessment Cycle (Maki, 2002, 2004) The Assessment Flowchart (adapted from Darling, 2005) Gather Values Vision Mission Goals Programmatic Outcomes Evidence Interpret Evidence Process/Delivery Outcomes Mapping the Experience What experiences? When or by when? Student Learning Outcomes Cognitive, Psychomotor, Affective Mission/Purposes Educational Objectives Gathering Evidence When gathered? Where gathered? How often gathered? From whom gathered? How gathered? Minimum performance criteria for success? Identify Outcomes Implement Change Sharing and Acting Upon the Results Interpret how results inform practice How and with whom to share interpretation Follow up on implemented changes Start the process all over again! Institutional Mission Statement The Assessment Matrix/Table Local Specific Specific Where When or Outcome Minimum Data Mission Goal or Process/Delivery Outcome By When Measure Performance Instruments Statement Objective Outcome or Occurs Outcome Criteria for Student Learning Occurs Success Outcome Action(s) Based on Outcome Data Available Resources NACADA Web Site Clearinghouse Critical Issues (Commissions/Interest Groups) Speakers and Consultants Bureau Mapping of Outcomes Adapted from Robbins, R. L. (2009). Evaluation and assessment of career advising. In K. Hughey, D. N. Burton Nelson, J. Damminger, and B. McCalla-Wriggins (Eds.) The Handbook of Career Advising (chapter 12). San Francisco: Jossey- Bass. and Robbins, R. (2011). Assessment and accountability of academic advising. In J. Joslin & N. Markee (eds.), NACADA Monograph #22: Academic Advising Administration: Essential Knowledge and Skills for the 21st Century (chapter 4). Manhattan, Kansas: NACADA. NACADA Publications Newsletter Journal Monographs Handbook Pocket Guides Training DVD

10 Available Resources (continued) Conferences State Advising Organizations/Conferences Allied Organizations NACADA Regional Conferences NACADA Annual Conference NACADA Summer Academic Advising Institute NACADA Academic Advising Administrators Institute NACADA Assessment Institute NACADA Web Page: Available Resources (continued) Advising Administration Commission PURPOSE OF COMMISSION The purpose of the Advising Administration Commission is to provide a forum for sharing ideas and discussing common concerns. The Commission Chair and Steering Committee members actively encourage networking opportunities by posting items of interest or for discussion via the listserv and/or membership distribution. At each national conference, the Commission selects and sponsors up to four proposals in the field of advising administration. The Commission periodically publishes "administrators' tips" via its web page or electronic newsletter as well as supports an listserv. Webpage: Small Group Exercise identify one issue re: the administration of your advising program work with small group to brainstorm strategies to deal with these issues THANK YOU! Administration of Academic Advising 2012 NACADA Summer Institute presentation back to large group (as time permits)