Academic Advising

Laura Coffin Koch, Associate Vice Provost New Faculty Orientation

August 20, 2008

Overview

• Introductions• Undergraduate

Advising at the U of M

Getting started:

Do you have questions or information that you are interested in learning about as it relates to advising undergraduate students?

STRUCTURE OF ACADEMIC ADVISING

How we are structured:

• Decentralized system: College-based models of advising for Undergraduate Advising

• Models of academic advising: Professional adviser, faculty adviser or combination – some colleges also use peer advisors

• No matter which college you are in or what model your college uses, you will be an advisor to students, serving as either a formal advisor or an informal advisor/mentor to undergraduate students

College Models• College of Liberal Arts (CLA):

– Lower Division: Communities with professional advisors– Majors: Department advisor and some faculty

• Institute of Technology (IT): – Mostly faculty advisors with a peer advisor– Some professional advisors, but moving towards more

professional advisors

• Carlson School of Management (CSOM): – Professional Advisors

• College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences CFANS): – Faculty advisors (first year professional advisors)

College Models, cont.

• College of Biological Sciences (CBS):– Professional advisors throughout but faculty mentors once

major declared

• College of Design (CDes): – Professional advisors

• College of Education and Human Development (CEHD): – Professional advisors for first two years, then faculty and

professional mix for majors

NEW INITIATIVES RELATING TO STUDENT SERVICES

Strategic Positioning Recommendations

New Initiatives

• Provide a more standardized level of service for students across colleges (addresses variations in case load, facilities, professional development opportunities for professional advisers)

• Provide more holistic support for students: integrate advising, career counseling, mentoring, engagement opportunities

• More meaningful interactions with faculty• Opportunities to provide better services to undecided

students (Center for Academic Planning and Exploration)

WORKING WITH YOUR STUDENTS

Faculty/Student Contact

Research supports that contact with faculty is one of the most important factors contributing to student retention (Kuh, Light, Astin, etc.).

How can you do this?

Faculty/Student Contact, cont.• Engaging pedagogy in the classroom

– Feedback, group work, interact with community/surroundings to apply learning, etc.

– Center for Teaching and Learning

• Office Hours…be available, give ideas to guide why students should come see you

• Take Your Professor to Lunch Program– 30+ classes, 3-7 undergrads– Information and applications will be advertised and available to

students on the Class of 2012 portal during the third week of class

• Welcome Week: August 27-September 1,2008

Faculty/Student Contact, cont.

• New Student Convocation– First day of Welcome Week – August 27, 5:30 p.m.– All first-year, first-time students

• Freshman Seminars– For first-year, first-time students only– Small classes (<20 students)– Faculty picks topics that are interesting for them and first-

year students– Great way for faculty to get to know what students are like

and for students to get to know faculty

Faculty/Student Contact, cont.

• Research Projects

Think about your own abilities and interests in research when you were undergraduates and how you were involved as undergraduates in faculty research.

Undergraduate Research

• UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program)

• Directed Studies• NSF, NIH, or other

grants

http://www.research.umn.edu/undergraduate

Mentoring

Remember…many students are scared of you! World-class = intimidating!

How many of you have worked closely with advising/mentoring undergraduates…what worked? What was challenging?

Mentoring, cont.

• Coach them: Success in academic environment/ link to field of study (career/grad school)– What are they interested in?– Why did they choose this major?– What careers are they interested in? What is graduate

school like?– What types of classes or experiences should they pursue?

• Share your story…– How you got to the University– Research areas…what you are working on

RESOURCESImportant Resources to Know

Resources

What types of resources would be useful to know? What would you refer students to?

Academic Resources

• SMART Learning Commons– Peer learning consultants that support math, sciences, stats,

econ, writing and library research– Located in libraries, MCAE, tutoring centers, and Residence

Halls

• Writing Center: Nicholson Hall• Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE)• Mid-semester alerts for students in 1001 level

courses

Personal Resources

• University Counseling and Consulting Services

(Eddy Hall)

• Boynton Health Services

Career Resources• Students should begin to think about using career

services during their first year• Faculty are great resources to help students who are

interested in graduate or professional programs• Encourage students to visit a career center to help

them figure out a major or plans for after graduation• Career services are decentralized….Collegiate or

regionally-based• GoldPass

– post research or career opportunities

Advising Special Populations

• Student-Athletes– McNamara Advising Center

• Disability Services– Serves students with documented disabilities: physical,

medical, mental, learning, etc.

• MCAE (Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence) – Klaeber Court

• International Students – International Student Support Services (ISSS)

Technology

• Tools for undergraduates include:– Grad Planner…soon to have Engagement Planner– APAS Reports– One-Stop Student Services- both on-line and in person in

Fraser Hall– E Portfolio– Portal – Undergraduate and Class of Portals

Questions?