Meeting the Needs of Upper Class Students on Academic...
Transcript of Meeting the Needs of Upper Class Students on Academic...
Sharlene Toney, Academic & Probation Advisor
Amanda Karls, Academic & Probation Advisor
A Mentorship Model
Meeting the Needs of Upper Class Students
on Academic Probation
Workshop Overview
Background on the Kelley School of Business probation program
Developing your own
faculty or staff mentoring
program
Mentoring curriculum development and implementation
Overview of current research on academic success courses and
mentoring programs
Student and mentor course evaluation results
Impact of course on student retention
Identifying needs &
gaps
Protagonists,
antagonists and first
steps
Identifying & recruiting
mentors
Wrap-up
Continuing the
development process
Kelley Undergraduate Probation Program Background
Semester GPA below 2.0 out of 4.0:
1st time: General Probation
2nd time: Critical Probation
3rd time: Academic Dismissal
Support in place:
• 2 required meetings with academic
advisor
• Beginning Spring 2011, up to 38
students could be assigned to take,
EDUC-X158 The Culture of College, a
course specifically for students on
academic probation.
January 2007-August 2012
Semester GPA below 2.0 out of
4.0:
1st time: General Probation
2nd time: Academic Dismissal
Support in place:
• 2 required meetings with academic
advisor
• Enrollment in either EDUC-X158 The
Culture of College (class of 18) OR
BUS-X355 Academic Success
Mentoring (one on one professional
staff mentor pairing OR the student
may seek regular counseling to
meet course requirements, taking
the class pass/fail)
August 2012- Present
Academic
Probation
Students
Research Overview
Mentoring/ Companioning
Upper Class Students
Discipline
Specific BUS-X355
Why a mentoring course for upper class students on academic probation?
Generally, first time placement of junior/senior year students on academic probation
stems from a greater variety of influencing factors than our freshmen/sophomore
students; this makes it difficult to meet the needs of these students in a classroom
setting. While not all are limited to our upper class students, we see:
- Lack of motivation due to unknowns: “What type of internship/job will I like?” “I’m this far
along, but I don’t know what I want to do.”
- Pressure or requirement from family to major in a particular area of business
- Burn out from intense curriculum
- Mental Health or Alcohol/Drug Use
- “If I can’t be the best, what’s the point?”
- Work/school balance
- Living off-campus, away from easy access
to resources
Considerations for Curriculum Development
• Everyday Leadership • Ethics in Business School & the
Business World • Using Your Liberal Arts Education • Career Exploration
• Strengths Assessment • Setting Goals • Embracing Change • Time Management • Stress Management • Using Campus Resources • Characteristics of a Successful
Student • Motivation
Topics with unique considerations for our business students
Topics helpful for all students on academic probation
BUS-X355 Course Format
Course Credit: BUS-X355 Academic Success Mentoring is a 2 credit hour course.
The credit does count toward the total credits needed to graduate.
Course Duration: 14 weeks (begins in Week 2 of classes and ends the week
before final exam week)
Course Mentors: 11 professional staff mentors, with 1-3 mentees per mentor
Course Meetings: Mentors/mentees meet for 1 hour per week following the
outlined curriculum.
Outside of Class Requirement: Students must attend one Student Academic
Center Workshop, go to office hours, attend a review
session or help session provided by a professor or AI
once per week. (other options available with prior
Mentor approval – Ex. Counseling session)
Assignments: Written reflections and assignments
are due each week, as in a regular course.
What are your students’ needs?
Within your assigned discipline cluster:
1. What unique general needs do your upper
class students on academic probation have?
2. What discipline specific needs do your upper
class students on academic probation have?
3. How are these needs currently being met, if
at all?
Considering your needs lists and how these
needs are currently being met at your
institution:
What current gaps exist that might be best filled
through one on one mentoring?
Preparing to Propose a Mentoring Model
Who are your protagonists?
- At the departmental level?
- At the interdepartmental level?
- At the college/university level?
- Why are they protagonists?
What support might they
offer?
Who are your antagonists?
- Why do you consider these
individuals antagonists?
- Where might their resistance to a
new mentoring program of this
type come from?
What would the first step be to:
1. Harness the support of your
protagonists?
2. Address the concerns of your
antagonists?
Course Evaluation Results: Learning Outcomes
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
I have a betterunderstanding of therole of ethics in the
Kelley School ofBusiness.
I have a betterunderstanding of the
role of everydayleadership in the Kelley
School of Business.
I have a clearer vision ofthe skills required to be
a successful collegestudents and future
employee.
I am better able toidentify appropropriate
university services tosuit my needs.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree or Disagree
Disagree or Strongly Disagree
Course Evaluation Results: Learning Outcomes (cont.)
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
I have a cleargoal/plan for
personalsuccess in
college and inmy career.
I have a betterunderstanding
of current issuesfacing college
students.
I have identifiedkey areas of
strength that Ipossess.
I have identifiedhow to use my
key areas ofstrength to
supportacademic and
careersuccesses.
I am moreconfident in my
ability toembrace change
in order tosucceed in
college and inmy career.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree or Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
If I had the option again, I would choose a one on one
mentoring class over a traditional class with many students.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree or Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
67.7% (21 students)
12.9% (4 students)
12.9% (4 students)
3.2% (1 student)
3.2% (1 student)
What students had to say about their experience…
“Having a mentor was a wonderful experience. I was able to be more reflective and conscious of my thoughts.”
“The one on one help was very beneficial because it forced me to open up and participate. Also, it was very active and I looked forward to meetings with my mentor.”
“I really enjoyed meeting with my mentor every week. We had thoughtful and helpful conversations.”
“My mentor-mentee relationship was by far the most beneficial part of this course. By providing me with support, adapting to my limitations/strengths, and maintaining flexibility and continuity, my mentor compelled me to grow as a person, student, and future professional.”
“[My mentor] helped me to get back on track and begin to realize my potential again, as well as the strategies to help get aid in the realization.”
• Soliciting Mentors
– Professional
Development
– Different Student
Interactions
– Outside of typical duties
– Finding “time” to use
– Providing support
Who could be mentors?
• Advisors
• Admissions
• Graduate Program
Students
• Supervisors
• Other Professional Staff
Recruitment & Training of Mentors
BUS-X355 Mentors ARE… BUS-X355 Mentors ARE NOT…
…a resource for general guidance on
academic success.
(ex. Mentors might ask how a semester is
going for a student and offer referrals to
appropriate resources.)
…the academic advisor for the student.
(ex. Mentors will not looks up their
assigned students in databases during the
mentorship semester.)
...responsible for holding students
accountable for class related assignments
and readings.
…responsible for holding students
accountable for meeting other probation
requirements outside of the class.
…a safe, professional person for students
to discuss their challenges, strengths and
goals with.
..friends, counselors or therapists.
…encouraged to share thoughts questions,
concerns regarding their student mentees
with the BUS-X355 mentor group.
…allowed to share any information
gathered from their mentorship meetings
with anyone outside of the BUS-X355
mentor group.
Mentors
Characteristics of an Effective Mentor
Empathy: The ability to accurately understand the feelings and thoughts of the
student. With active listening, a mentor is able to understand the surface as well as the
underlying messages and themes from the student.
Genuineness: The willingness to be authentic, open, and honest with the student.
Someone who can genuinely care for the student will be more effective than someone
who has to act caring. This also includes the ability to recognize your own emotional and
cognitive reactions to what the student says and be congruent.
Acceptance: This can also be called unconditional positive regard. You would accept
the student as they are and your care for them is not based on conditions. This does not
mean you have to accept his/her behavior and actions. His/her behavior is separate from
the person.
Open-Mindedness: Mentors should be receptive to multiple perspectives.
Sometimes students will have different attitudes on subjects that are different from yours.
Acknowledge that more than one attitude can exist. As mentors, you are working within
the framework of the student.
• Mentor Guide
– Policies
• Attendance, Late Work,
Promptness, Privacy
– Grading
• Points breakdown
– Syllabus
– Facilitator Prep
• Theories of Change,
Motivational Interviewing,
Communication Methods,
Reflection, Leading
Questions
• Weekly Meetings
– Student Situations
• How to talk about
changing behavior
• Dealing with areas of
concerns
– Assignments
• Weekly mentee
feedback with topics
• Plans for the upcoming
week
Training for Consistency
What mentors had to say about their experience…
“The most beneficial part was making the connection with a student. Being able to build rapport and then challenging the student was rewarding.”
“I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with students beyond the advising appointment. We were able to learn about their experience and life at a more substantial level.”
“I learned a lot about myself as a person and professional. The videos and readings
weren't just helpful to student development, they were also beneficial in learning or
reminding myself of proactive life skills.”
“It was helpful to learn more about working
with at-risk students and to continue to
develop interpersonal skills.”
“[The most beneficial part was] getting to know students one-on-one and seeing the breakthrough moments.”
Identifying and recruiting mentors…
Who are your resources and stakeholders who might also serve as mentors?
- Faculty?
- Professional Staff?
- Graduate Assistants?
- Other campus offices? What incentives or trades can be offered for
their involvement?
Example: Our advisors who mentor are able to
use the time that would have been two 30
minute advising appointments to accommodate
seeing 1 mentee; therefore, they don’t have to
make extra time in their schedule.
Other possibilities:
- Stipend?
- Academic credit for GAs?
- Reduced load of other duties?
What does this mean for student academic recovery?
82 students were left without the support of an academic probation course in Spring 2011, Fall 2011 &
Spring 2012.
42 of these students (51%) would have been dismissed under current
probation policy.
Of those 42 students, 25 were juniors and seniors (59%).
48 students completed BUS-X355 during the Fall 2012 and Spring
2013 semesters.
13 of these students (27%) were dismissed under current probation
policy.
Of those 48 Students, 41 were juniors and seniors (85%) – 10 of the 13 dismissed students were
juniors or seniors.
We will continue to track these students each semester to determine their long
term persistence to graduation.
Wrap-up: Continuing the Development Process
Additional key questions to consider: Who will develop the curriculum? What is your implementation timeline? Will students earn credit? What will the duration of the mentorship be? How will you measure effectiveness?
…to name a few.
Remember: Development of new programs takes time. For us, it was an 8 month process from idea to the first semester offering of BUS-X355. While the included development guide will take you through the process we went through, your process will likely look different as you work to meet the needs of your department/school/students.