Academic Advising at Miami University

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Academic Advising at Miami University

• The Big Picture

Christa Branson Advisory Staff Training Summer
2005
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What is academic advising?
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What is academic advising?

• At Miami University academic advising is a
  developmental process that assists students in
  their academic decision making by linking
  students and designated faculty and staff
  together to communicate and exchange information
  that will contribute to students reaching their
  maximum potential (Miami University, 2003).

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What is academic advising?

• At Miami University academic advising is a
  developmental process that assists students in
  their academic decision making by linking
  students and designated faculty and staff
  together to communicate and exchange information
  that will contribute to students reaching their
  maximum potential (Miami University, 2003).

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What is academic advising?

• At Miami University academic advising is a
  developmental process that assists students in
  their academic decision making by linking
  students and designated faculty and staff
  together to communicate and exchange information
  that will contribute to students reaching their
  maximum potential (Miami University, 2003).

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What is academic advising?

• At Miami University academic advising is a
  developmental process that assists students in
  their academic decision making by linking
  students and designated faculty and staff
  together to communicate and exchange information
  that will contribute to students reaching their
  maximum potential (Miami University, 2003).

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What is academic advising?

• At Miami University academic advising is a
  developmental process that assists students in
  their academic decision making by linking
  students and designated faculty and staff
  together to communicate and exchange information
  that will contribute to students reaching their
  maximum potential (Miami University, 2003).

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Key words for our discussion

• Decentralized
• Developmental
• Collaborative

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Decentralized
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Miami University
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Miami University
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Miami University
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Academic Divisions

• College of Arts and Science (CAS)
• Richard T. Farmer School of Business (BUS)
• School of Education and Allied Professions (EAP)
• School of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS)
• School of Fine Arts (SFA)
• School of Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS)

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Chief Divisional Advisers

• Claudia Scott-Pavloff, Assistant Dean (CAS)
• Marti Kyger, Assistant Dean (BUS)
• Roxann Sommers, Student and Academic Services
  Coordinator (EAP)
• Lisa Abrams, Assistant Dean (EAS)
• Rosalyn Benson, Assistant Dean (SFA)
• Kim Ernsting, Chief Divisional Adviser (IDS)

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Why Residence Life and New Student Programs?
If we could postpone the operation of our
present adviser system, which is based entirely
on academic divisions, and start that with the
sophomore year, it would really fit in better
with the time at which students naturally are
inclined to make vocational decisions. (quote
continued)
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• Then if we could find competent tutors, both men
  and women, to take residence in our freshman
  halls, not as proctors but as real guides and
  advisers of the freshman, we certainly should be
  able to be of much greater assistance to these
  boys and girls than we are at present (Upham,
  1928).

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Mission of theDivision of Student Affairs

• To provide a supportive environment
• To create and extend student learning
  opportunities outside the classroom that heighten
  student intellectual and personal growth
• To produce citizen leaders who make substantive
  contributions to their communities

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Mission of ORLNSP

• The Office of Residence Life and New Student
  Programs strives to provide a safe and supportive
  environment promoting
• purposeful connections to the community,
• academic success,
• personal development, and
• understanding of diversity
• in an effort to build citizen leaders for the
  future.

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How does it all work?

• Summer Orientation and Registration
• First Year Programs
• Folder Transfer February
• Transferred to Academic Divisions
• Assigned academic adviser
• Academic Divisions and Departments

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Developmental
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What is developmental advising?

• Developmental counseling or advising is
  concerned not only with a specific personal or
  vocational decision but also with facilitating
  the students rational processes, environmental
  and interpersonal interactions, behavior
  awareness, and problem-solving, decision-making,
  and evaluation skills (Crookston, 1972/1994,
  p.5).

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What is developmental advising?

• The process of academic advising includes the
  following dimensions 1) the exploration of life
  goals, 2) exploration of vocational goals, 3)
  program choice, 4) course choice, and 5)
  scheduling choices (OBanion, 1972/94, p.10).

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What is it that do we do?What is it that we
dont do?
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How do we do it?

• We focus on
• Development of academic and intellectual
  competence
• Development of personal identity and philosophy
• Interpersonal development
• Exploration of career and academic options
• Development of an appreciation for diversity

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Development of academic and intellectual
competence

• Students capacity as a thinker and learner,
  including processes by which a student gathers
  information, analyzes it, synthesizes it, and
  evaluates its merit and potential

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Development of personal identity and philosophy

• Development of ones sense of self-discovery and
  identifying the type of person one would like to
  become
• Formation of moral and ethical principles to
  guide ones life

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Interpersonal development

• Ones interactions with other people, how those
  interactions affect oneself and others, and how a
  person can learn to interact with others more
  effectively and beneficially

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Exploration of career and academic options

• Formation of commitments to particular occupation
  and academic fields

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Development of an appreciation for diversity

• Persons ability to be accepting of others, and
  appreciative of the many forms of diversity
  present on the campus and in the world

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How do these focal points connect to our guiding
missions?

• Development of academic and intellectual
  competence
• Development of personal identity and philosophy
• Interpersonal development
• Exploration of career and academic options
• Development of an appreciation for diversity

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Collaborative
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With whom do we collaborate?

• Students
• Academic Divisions
• Campus Offices

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What is academic advising?

• At Miami University academic advising is a
  developmental process that assists students in
  their academic decision making by linking
  students and designated faculty and staff
  together to communicate and exchange information
  that will contribute to students reaching their
  maximum potential (Miami University, 2003).

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Student/Adviser Partnership

• The student will
• Think carefully about their personal, academic,
  and career goals so that they may plan
  educational goals with the adviser
• Discuss with the adviser any special situations
  affecting academic achievement

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Student/Adviser Partnership

• Become familiar with Miami Bulletin, and other
  resources
• Visit their academic adviser regularly to discuss
  progress and gain assistance
• Acquire and keep useful materials

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Student
Contrary to those systems in which advisers make
decisions for studentsstudents are responsible
for making decisions throughout the process
(OBanion, 1972/94, p.11).
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Student/Adviser Partnership

• The adviser will
• Assist the student in developing personal,
  educational, and career goals
• Assist the student in developing decision-making
  skills
• Provide information concerning all University
  policies and procedures
• Refer the student to support services for
  assistance

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Adviser
It is the responsibility of the adviser to
provide information and a climate of freedom in
which students can best make such decisions.
(OBanion, 1972/94, p.11)
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Campus Partners

• Academic Divisions and Departments
• Scholastic Enhancement Program
• Student-Athlete Development Center
• Honors and Scholars
• ROTC and NROTC

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Campus Partners

• Rinella Learning Center
• Learning Disabilities Services
• Tutorial Assistance Program
• Supplemental Instruction Program
• Learning Specialists
• Career Exploration and Testing Center and Office
  of Career Services
• Study Abroad and Office of International
  Education
• Offices of the Registrar, Bursar, Student
  Financial Assistance

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(No Transcript)
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We are

• Decentralized
• Developmental
• Collaborative

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Questions?
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References
Crookston, B.B. (1972/1994). A developmental
view of academic advising as teaching. NACADA
Journal, 14(2), 5-9. Miami University (2003).
Academic Advising at Miami. Retrieved July 20,
2005, from Miami University Web site
http//www.units.muohio.edu/saf/lrn/advising/index
.shtml OBanion, T. (1972/1994). An academic
advising model. NACADA Journal, 14(2), 10-16.
Upham, A. H. (1928). Letter to the Committee on
Efficiency and Cooperation. Board of Trustees,
Miami University.