MEMORANDUM

To:       Craig Fiedler, Interim Dean, COEHS

From:   The Advisory Council for Comprehensive Academic Advising

Date:    November 3, 2004.

Re:       Deans’ plan to offer a Faculty/Staff advising training proposal to DTC

The ACCAA was delighted to hear of the Deans’ interest in working with the Council to craft a Differential Tuition Committee proposal creating Faculty and Academic Staff advisor development programs. We fully support this cooperative effort. 

Inasmuch as the so-called UARC-Faculty Workgroup has already been tasked with designing such UW Oshkosh-specific programs, that Workgroup is the particular body with which the Deans should communicate most directly. Indeed, to date, two ACCAA members (David Jones and Mike Godfrey) are part of that Workgroup, whose efforts are coordinated through the UARC. The ACCAA will receive regular reports from the Workgroup and will continue to offer recommendations and support. 

At this time, the ACCAA wishes to communicate a synopsis of Faculty Advisor training program best practices (see below), gleaned from the pertinent chapters of the Academic Advising Handbook published by the National Academic Advising Association.  This synopsis suggests a logical and efficient progression to follow; indeed, some of the steps have already been completed or begun.

We look forward to a competitive proposal that will benefit UW Oshkosh students by providing optimally prepared Faculty and Academic Staff advisors for years to come.

SYNOPSIS (prepared by Dana Vaughan):

Programs MUST include:

q       Informational (“how to”: programs & course offerings, policies, academic integrity, referral services; too many training programs end with this part)

q       Conceptual (definition of advising, its role in student development, rights & responsibilities of all participants, characteristics of our students, attrition & retention patterns, student expectations of advising, special populations such as adult/part-time/undecided/at risk, etc.)

q       Relational (accessibility, attitude of warmth & welcome, asking questions that invite student involvement in discussion, demonstrating decision-making strategies, verbal & nonverbal communication, multicultural communication skills, interviewing; the least attended area in training programs)

Possible progression:

1. Define advising for the campus (done; see ACCAA recommendation document)
2. Identify knowledge/skills/behaviors needed for success (poll students, staff, and faculty)
1. Macro/campuswide basis
2. Micro/program basis
3. Identify knowledge/skills/behaviors already in place
4. Identify ways to close gap between what’s in place and what’s needed
5. Set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, tangible)
1. Acknowledge audience as adult learners
2. Accommodate diversity amongst those adult learners; e.g. new faculty needs ¹ existing faculty needs.
3. Likely UWO priority: enhance those advisor skills that boost retention & graduation
6. Motivate (but do not force) participation through incentives
1. Acknowledge that some faculty hold back because:

                                                               i.      low priority compared to research or classroom or committee work

                                                             ii.      no perceived reward

                                                            iii.      sink or swim philosophy

                                                           iv.      just not interested

2. Consider advisor certification (with periodic re-certification)
6. Market the training program (see Handbook p. 311+)
7. Offer multiple sessions at times when faculty and staff are free.

Possible pre-service program topics for NEW faculty:

1. description of advising system on campus (definition of advising, desired outcomes, roles & responsibilities of all parties)
2. tools (email, web pages, handbooks)
3. accessing student records, interpreting STAR
4. review of common procedures (drop-add, major change, etc)
5. program-specific content

Possible in-service program topics for EXISTING faculty:

1. review of pre-service
2. news/updates
3. communication skills
4. referral skills
5. campus resources