A Departmental Advising Model Designed to Increase Retention and Student Success

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A Departmental Advising Model Designed to
Increase Retention and Student Success

• Linda Clark
• Western Washington University
• Bellingham, WA 98225-9081
• Pacific Northwest Higher Education
• Assessment Conference
• May 2-4, 2001

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Why a Departmental Advising Model?

• Assessment Student surveys indicate low
  satisfaction with academic advising and career
  advising reportage is consistent over time,
  nationwide
• Research National research stresses the central
  role of academic advising in student retention

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WWU Assessment 1) Non-Returning Students

• 1997 survey of former students who left w/o
  graduating
• Random sample of 2759 students enrolled 1991-1996
  
• Left w/o completing degree away more than one
  year
• HS GPAs similar Drop in GPA between HS and 2nd
  Qtr of college difficult transition, low
  academic performance
• NRS NRS 1998
• Variables Freshmen Transfers
  Graduates
• Ave HS gpa 3.43
  3.32 3.42
• WWU gpa 2.59
  2.49 3.16
• GPA drop (HS-2nd QTR) .86 .69
  .52
• Draft 4/29/01 Report re Survey of Non-Returning
  Students
• WWU Office of Institutional Assessment and
  Testing

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WWU AssessmentNRS Students (cont.)

• Obstacles NRS Graduates
• Filled courses ( hindered progress) 51
  30
• Inadequate advising ( hindered) 33
  21
• Lack support, direction ( hindered)
  28 13
• Uncertain goals ( hindered)
  25 17
• Academic advising ( dissatisfied) 43
  27
• Availability of major courses (dissatisfied)
  44 7
• Overall college experience ( satisfied) 49
  86
• Over half (51) agreed or strongly agreed that
  more or better advising was needed
• Nearly three quarters (72) agreed that new
  students should be given suggested sequences of
  courses

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WWU Assessment2) Freshmen and Transfers

• Winter 1999 Survey of Fall Freshmen (N587)
  Transfers (N636)
• How easy or difficult has your transition to
  Western been re getting the advisement you
  needed?
• Freshmen Transfers
• Very/mostly easy 50.5 44.5
• Very/somewhat difficult 49.5 55.6
• So far at WWU, have you needed advisement re
  selecting courses to prepare for entry into a
  major and if so, did you receive the advising
  you needed?
• Freshmen Transfers
• No need 40.3 43.3
• Needed, not received 47.0 32.4
• Needed, received 12.7 24.4
• WWU Office of Institutional Research Resource
  Planning
• Research Notes Report Series Report 2001-01
  (March 22, 2001)

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WWU AssessmentFreshmen Transfers (cont.)

• So far at WWU, have you needed advisement re
  career planning or long-term life planning and if
  so, did you receive the advising you needed?
• Freshmen Transfers
• No need 54.2 49.9
• Needed, not received 37.7 42.4
• Needed, received 8.1 7.6
• How much would the following have improved your
  experience at WWU so far An advisory plan of
  study that shows everything you would need in
  order to complete a degree in your desired major?
  Freshmen Transfers
• Improved a lot 58.6 62.6
• Improved somewhat 26.0 20.2
• Improved a little/no difference 15.5 17.2

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WWU AssessmentFreshmen Transfers (cont.)

• Transfers Only
• Have you ever worked with an advisor to formulate
  a plan of study for your major?
• No 63.2
• Yes 36.8
• Do you have a main advisor in your major
  department?
• Yes 54.0
• No 34.9
• Dont Know 11.1

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WWU AssessmentFreshmen Transfers (cont.)

• Analysis re GPA and Retention
• The single strongest indicator of one-year
  retention is first-year GPA
• Students who needed and did not receive advising
  re selecting a major suffer a 0.20 lower year
  GPA than peers
• Students who received at least some advising from
  an academic department receive a 0.14 higher year
  GPA

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WWU AssessmentFreshmen Transfers (cont.)

• Students who report no need for advising re
  understanding major requirements or getting into
  a major have only one-fifth the odds of
  retention of others
• Students who say they needed but did not receive
  advising re selecting courses to prepare for
  entry into a major have about one-third the odds
  of retention of others
• Students who receive at least some advising from
  an academic department have a 66 higher chance
  of retention

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B. National Research Links Advising and
Retention

• Poor advising reported as a significant reason
  for leaving college significant relationship
  with someone at school found to be most important
  in retention (Beal Noel, 1979)
• In subsequent studies, greater faculty-student
  contact and sound academic advising are seen as
  the core of campus retention efforts (McGillin,
  2000)

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And

• According to the National Academic Advising
  Association (NACADA, 2001)
• The successful one-to-one advising relationship
  can be a major factor in a students decision to
  remain in college and be academically successful
• A key to student retention is connection to the
  university for transition and throughout the
  college experience

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References

• Beal, P.E., and Noel, L. What Works in Student
  Retention A Preliminary Summary of a National
  Survey. Iowa city, Iowa American College Testing
  Program and Boulder City, Colo. National Center
  for Higher Education Management Systems, 1979.
• McGillin, V. A. Current Issues in Advising
  Research. Gordon, Habley Assoc., eds.
  Academic Advising A Comprehensive Handbook.
  Publication of NACADA, Jossey-Bass, 2000.
• NACADA 2001. Program Publications, Quality
  Advising for Student Development and Retention.
  See http//www.nacada.ksu.edu

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Summary How to Foster Retention Student
Success?

• Accessible advisors one-on-one advising with
  faculty or professional staff advisors--friendly,
  supportive advising!
• Better advising Accurate, in-depth advising
  referrals to other support services
• Policy to insure quality academic advising
  programs campus-wide--an accountability plan
  Departmental Advising Model

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W.W.U. Departmental Advising Model
Accountability

• In Fall 1999, WWU instituted its new Model--an
  accountability measure for 1999-2001 biennium
• Purpose to enhance student academic advising as
  well as performance on other accountability
  measures e.g. retention, GPA, graduation
  efficiency  
• Measure proportion of all WWU major
  departments/ colleges that have fully implemented
  all elements of the Departmental Advising Model.
  A department will be counted as a yes when it
  has in place all five elements

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W.W.U. Departmental Advising Model Elements

• Clearly designated advisors accessible
• Opportunities for pre-major exploration
• Opportunities for career exploration
• Individualized written plans of study
• Departmental advising web page constructed in
  coordination with university-wide effort

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1) Advisors

• One or more departmental advisors with clearly
  marked, readily available location and hours
  contacts by appointment, telephone, email
• Provide continuity perform advising for all
  majors, pre-majors and potential majors, at
  least through declaration of the major
• Assist students with goal clarification, planning
  course of study, referrals to student support
  services, completion of degree process

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2) Pre-major Exploration

• Sponsorship of at least one event per year
  widely publicized and open to all undergraduate
  students to help them explore field as potential
  major
• Sponsor events through department clubs, classes,
  workshops
• Or participate in widely publicized campus events
  sponsored by Admissions, Academic Advising
  Center, or student organizationsincluding
  orientations, majors fairs

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3) Career Exploration

• Sponsorship of an ongoing mechanism to help
  majors explore career and graduate school options
• Sponsor events through clubs, classes, seminars,
  alumni presentations
• Co-sponsor events with Career Services Center
• Participate in widely publicized campus events
• Note Departmental advising web pages link to
  Career Services Center

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4) Plans of Study

• Work with each student, face-to-face, to
  develop a written plan of study before or at the
  time of declaration
• Check-list or flow chart something solid for
  advisee and a tracking document for advisor
• Flexible make adjustments as needed throughout
  degree process
• Overall intention is to move toward better
  advance planning and timely graduation

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For Example, The Advisor Can

• Discuss curriculum requirements
• Check-off courses completed transfer credits
• Determine courses remaining for completion
• Talk about co-curricular activities--
  internships, study abroad, other opportunities
• Estimate quarter of graduation timeline
• Help make connections about acquired skills,
  learning outcomes, career options

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5) Advising Web Pages

• A departmental advising web page, constructed
  in coordination with a university-wide effort
• Response to technology changes integration of
  technology and advising
• For students quicker and easier access to
  advisors accurate information
• For institution resource management more
  professional advising

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How Do We Do This?

• The pages must be do-able
• Financial constraints? Cost-effective!
• Minimal expertise? Simplicity low-tech!
• Little time an add-on to work load? Easy to
  start (help provided) easy to maintain
  time-efficient in the long-run!
• How to start? Prototype templates!

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How Are Advising Pages and Home Pages Different?

• Home pages introduce the department
• Provide a mission statement
• List faculty and staff biographies
• Describe programs and class schedules
• Highlight special features, facilities
• etc.

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Advising Pages Organize Information For Students

• Advising pages organize advising information from
  the audiences point of viewfor students
• Who is my advisor?
• What can I do with a degree in this major?
• How do I go about declaring?
• When do I apply for graduation?
• Etc.

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W.W.U. Web Page Model

• Contact information re advisors name, phone,
  email, office, (photo)
• FAQs department-specific
• Information for prospective students
• Information for currently enrolled students
• Links to home page advising services
• Unique features added by departments

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How To Start? Prototype Templates

• Sociology pages designed as prototype
  www.ac.wwu.edu/socad
• Content tailored for each department
• Graphic templates designed so that all
  departments can use them
• An FAQ generator designed to easily create FAQs
  with index

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Added Features

• Plans of Study pdf forms, checklists
• Career Options What can you do with a degree in
  this major? What skills do majors acquire?
  Internships, job search strategies, graduate
  school, other links
• Newsletter Whats new in the department?
  Announcements, events, news from alumni

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Departmental Advising Pages Link To Advising
Services

• W.W.U. departmental advising pages link to
  other advising services
• Academic Advising Center
  Index links directly to advising pages,
  bypassing departmental home pages
• Career Services Center
• Student Support Services

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Where Are We Now?

• Target for 2000 was to have 25 of all
  departments with all five elements in place. We
  met our goal
• The target for 2001 is 50, and we have already
  met that goal
• 27 of 36 departments now have advising web pages
  up and running

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Whats next? 1) Evaluation

• Continue toward 100 implementation
• Are departments continuing to implement all
  five elements of the advising model?
• Are we retaining students successfully?
• Are students progressing smoothly graduating?
• Are students more satisfied with the quality of
  departmental advising, and with WWU overall?
• Are advisors advising effectively?

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2) Training for Advisors

• 35 of academic departments across all
  institutional types provide some type of formal
  training, and only 23 require training for
  academic advisors (Kerr, 2000)
• To improve the quality of advising practices, we
  need to provide support and professional training
  for advisors
• WWU-Advisors Listserv advisors group meetings
• NACADA Conferences workshops, seminars

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For example

• How can advisors effectively implement each
  element of the advising model? Training re
• How to help students decide on a major
• How to work with students to develop a plan of
  study
• How to make connections for students re majors
  careers transferable skills learning outcomes
• Other important skills to build relationships
• Communication skills listening effectively
• Understanding re diverse populations, students
  at risk
• Referral skills knowledge re other support
  services

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And finally3) Recognition Rewards

• More than two-thirds of institutions nationwide
  do not recognize, reward, or compensate faculty
  for academic advising (Habley Morales, 1998)
• In some departments, staff are not recognized as
  advisors
• Establish recognition and rewards system for
  advisorsfor both faculty and professional staff
  advisors

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References

• Habley Morales, eds. Current Practices in
  Academic Advising Final Report on ACTs Fifth
  National Survey of Academic Advising. National
  Academic Advising Association Monograph Series,
  No. 6. Manhattan, Kans NACADA, 1998.
• Kerr, Thomas. Recognition and Reward for
  Excellence in Advising Gordon, Habley, and
  Associates, eds. Academic Advising A
  Comprehensive Handbook. Publication of NACADA,
  Jossey-Bass, 2000.