Constructing an Effective Communication Planfor Your Advising Department

ADVISING ACADEMY 2020

Jacqueline S. Taylor, Ed.D.Associate Vice President, Retention & Student Success

Student Success Council Co-ChairEquity & Inclusion Chair

• 9,500 Students• 2nd Largest Community College in the State of TN• 60% African American• 30% White• 10% Hispanic, Asian, Native, Bi-Racial• 60% Women• 75% of Student require learning support• 50% Pell Eligible• High-poverty community• Average ACT = 17• Poorest Metropolitan Statistical Area with 1M+

population• We serve Memphis, Shelby, & Fayette Counties• 7 Locations• ATD, 4th Year• Student Success Council• $2.18M Title III SIP Grant: IDEAS• $1M DOL Grant for Workforce Development• ATD Leader College Status• 20th Anniversary

Constructing an Effective Communication Plan for Your Advising DepartmentPutting an effective communication map in place is as much a cultural change as a process change. As our campuses work to minimize deficits, create clear paths to positive student outcomes, and prioritize equitable goals across multiple cross functional teams, it is important that we understand our current processes and intentionally implement them. This session will help you (1) visualize the roadmap to student success from the students’ perspective and (2) provide a framework for the touchpoints and tools needed to make informed decisions in your advising department to promote holistic student success.

Who? • Campus & Departmental Culture Change

What? • Process Change & Language Change

Why? •Social & Economic Justice

When? •NOW

The Culture Change@ Southwest…

HIGHER EDUCATION IS NO LONGER MEETING THE DEMANDS OF THE STUDENTS WE SERVE.

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF SERVICE THROUGH A

PROACTIVE APPROACH TO STUDENT SUCCESS.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work demands that we accept the moral imperative to truly educate and support our students from an equity lens.

A NEW CULTURE….

Culture of Academic Excellence

Culture of Caring (Mattering vs. Marginality)

Every student has “someone” to reach out to for support, but more importantly, Professional Academic Advisors

proactively reach out to students.

Culture ChangeProfessional Academic Advisors (PAAs)

◦ 12-month professional staff◦ Walk alongside students from

onboarding, to matriculation,to graduation day

◦ Focus on Customer Service

◦ Focus on Academic Planning & Support

◦ Focus on Advocacy & Proactive Intervention

◦ Focus on Academic Excellence and Caring◦ Assigned @ NSO, general PAA

◦ Specific PAAs assigned by caseload,beginning fall semester (by week 2)for all students by Campus & Alpha Order

◦ Focus on Professional Development

◦ Focus on Being Data-Informed

What Are the Key Strategies to an Effective Advising Communication Plan?

Key Strategies for PAAUnderstanding the Proactive, Professional Advising Model and Communication Plan

◦1-on-1 Advising◦ Guiding…Deliberately, Proactively, Intrusively, Empathetically, and

Systematically◦ Touch Points…How Many Are Enough?◦ Outreach from Connection to Completion Strategies

◦ Advising First Gens◦ Advising Undecided and Wavering Majors◦ Advising Adult Learners

◦Group Advising◦ Maximizing Advising Opportunities for Student Groups

Visualizing the Framework &Road Map

Our Framework

FacultyMentors

CareerServices

Studentat the Center

ProfessionalAcademic Advising

FT PAAs andPT PAAs (peak season)

Faculty Advising Fellows (peak season)

The Triage Approach

Our Model

PT PAAs7 @ .5 FTE

Faculty AdvisingFellows, 11 @ .5 FTE

Studentat the Center

ProfessionalAcademic Advising

20 FTE

The Triage Approach

Academic Advising Process Map

Student completes online or in-person

orientation by meeting with advisor to register for courses.

Student receives a welcome message (phone call, email, or letter) to discuss career paths

with their current major and discusses AdvisorTrac notes from Professional Academic

Advisor.

Advisor welcomes student, conducts intake

interview to assess needs, and makes appropriate referrals to finalize any outstanding

documentation.

Student is advised, given a copy of their

academic map, registers and leaves the session with a schedule. Advisor makes appropriate

referrals.

Admissions,

Records (Transcripts),

Financial Aid,

Cashier s Office

Student attends first appointment with faculty mentor. The faculty mentor will make

appropriate referrals.

No

Student receives proactive/intrusive advising bi- weekly or monthly via AdvisorTrac

communication, phone calls, and two-way texting

Academic Progress Report (APR) Intervention by Advisors via personal phone call and text during

the APR dates during the 5th and 6th weeks of the semester

Has student reached the

appropriate benchmarks for

program of study?

Yes

Faculty Mentor Professional Academic Advisor

Student is assigned a Professional Academic

Advisor and faculty mentor upon completed Admissions status. The student is notified by Advising office via official and alternate email.

Career Advising

Student receives a follow-up message (phone call, email, or letter) with encouragement,

information regarding upcoming events and/or co-curricular opportunities, and academic

support resources.

Begin the graduation workflow

Best Practice Model

Ongoing entry, progress level advising • Focus on encouraging academic progress and advising students with

45 hours or more • Referral to Career Services regarding Job and Career Readiness

Services, Experiential Learning, and E-portfolio development. • Schedule appointments with students to discuss degree evaluation

and outstanding requirements. • Outreach to students regarding steps to graduation including referrals

to program coordinators to provide program-specific forms.

Ongoing entry, progress level mentoring • Make referrals to Career Services Website to assist with employment

search and Career Services Events and Workshops. • Encourage students to develop their resume and a sample cover letter

and be willing to review these documents with students. • Letters of recommendation when requested and appropriate.

Entry

Professional Academic Advising • Outreach to students to introduce themselves and let them know that they will be

Faculty Mentoring • Outreach to students prior to early registration in the semester to introduce themselves

their advisor for the next year • Outreach via email, phone and text to students in professional advisor’s caseload who

receive Early Alerts (notified by EA team) and alert Faculty Mentor • Referrals to resources on campus • Once Progress Reports are submitted, outreach to students with 2.49 and below

(notified by R&SS team) • Advise caseload of students for following semester by setting up appointments with

students prior to Early Registration • Participate in Advising Day (Opportunity to collaborate and meet with other Advisors

and hear about Best Practices around Intrusive Advising) • Outreach to Students who have not made appointments.

• Meet with students to discuss the student’s career path, i.e. long-term planning and job opportunities; refer when necessary to auxiliary campus services, i.e. veterans services, disability services, bus pass discounts, etc.; and co-curricular experiences, i.e. guest speakers, orientations, on/off campus opportunities.

• Communicate with Student’s Advisor and Career Services regarding student’s Academic Progress and Career Aspirations with updates to AdvisorTrac

• Academic Advisor will alert Faculty Mentors when student receives Early Alert to assist with follow up when necessary.

• Send link to Career Coach and encourage students to take assessment during first semester with referral to Career Services.

• Referrals for community service/ SL contracts

• Referrals for community service/ SL contracts • Commit to complete finalization

• Referrals made to Career Services for undecided students • Commit to complete finalization

Progress

• On-going entry-level outreach and intrusive/proactive Advising • Connect students with opportunities to engage and make referral to

Student Development and Career Services • Students with 12-15 hours and a 3.25 or higher GPA are referred to

ASC to become peer tutors

• On-going Entry-Level Mentoring • Encourage students and make referrals to experiential learning

opportunities in their field of study. • Inform students of Career Services Events.

Prof

essi

onal

Aca

dem

ic A

dvis

ing

and

Facu

lty M

ento

ring

Onb

oard

ing

and

Inte

rven

tion

Proc

ess

Completion

Best PracticeModel

Framework for Touch Points

PAA & Responsibilities◦ Intake to learn the student’s STORY◦ Advising using Academic Maps or

Guided Pathways

◦ Registration (NSO, 1-on-1 Appointments, Academic Success Classes)

◦ Bi-weekly check-ins; Early Alerts Partner

◦ Documenter of the Student’s Story and Progression towards graduation day

◦ Academic Progress Reporting (APR)

◦ Transfer Fairs, Advising Roundtables, Priority Registration

◦ SAP Appeals

◦ Career Services Partnership on Undecided/Wavering Majors

◦ Faculty Mentor Referrals

◦ Co-curricular referrals (Leadership & Engagement)

◦ Graduation Monitor (45 hours+)

◦ Professional Advisors in the Classroom - Touchpoints & Group Advising

PAA TouchpointsWelcome

Appointments, Intake & Developing the Academic Plan (Use of Academic Maps)

Barriers? And Follow-up with Resources Listing

Events (for student engagement)

Difficulties in class? Early Alerts, Layered Support

APR (Academic Progress Reporting, 5th week of the semester)

Graduation- 45+ hours, Registration for next semester (by appointment, walk-in Wednesdays)

Divide caseload by hours for registration (priority registration: 45+, 30+, 15+, <15 earned hours)

End-of-Semester grades

**** Use of email, 2-way texting, phone, and in-person

2-Way Texting ImplementationObjectives:

• Streamline communication with students and follow them through their pathway

• Nudge students to check grades, register for classes, and attend events

• Help students reach different departments and resources

Curricular/Academic

Guided Pathways @

Southwest

StrategyOutline Guided Pathways (co-curricular) and create messages to

support them

First Semester Example

Theme:Commit to Complete

Communication touchpoints

Welcome1Hi, Southwest Saluqi! I’m your Professional Academic Advisor (PAA),

Caroline. I’m located in Room 314 on Campus B. Here are some tips for

your first semester.

Follow-up with Resources2

Hi [first_name]! It’s Caroline again. Here are some resources to assist you

in making the most of your college experience.

Events/Check-in3 Hi [first_name], how is the semester going so far?

Communication touchpoints

Academic Progress Reporting (APR)

5Hi, Southwest Saluqi! It’s Caroline again. Based on your APR, I’m offering

some advice, support, and guidance for grade improvement. Here are

some of those resources.

Graduation (45+ Hours)

6Spring and Summer Registration is coming up for students approaching

their graduation day! Make your appointment with your PAA to avoid the

wait!

Difficulties in Class4Hi, Southwest Saluqi! Are you having trouble in any of your classes? Visit

the ASC online or in-person to secure your appointment for free tutoring!

Communication touchpoints

End-of-semester Grades

9Check your final grades. If you were unsuccessful in one or more courses,

please schedule an in-person appointment with your PAA.

Registration for Next Semester

7Southwest Saluqi, we’re now into the advising stage for the spring

semester. Remember you can make an appointment through your

My.Southwest account!

Divide Caseload by Hours for Registration

8Hi, Southwest Saluqi! As a freshman, you can meet with [advisor_name] to

register for next semester’s classes beginning on April 15.

Consistent outreach

Each Monday morning, students receive a text message with a link to access e-weekly announcements.

Student Success E-Weekly using 2-way Texting

Call to Action:

Advising Appointments

Academic Progress Reports

Career Services

10 AM on Mondays

Student Affairs & Academic Affairs Partnership is Critical to the Communication Plan.

In Year 1 of ATD, we were intentional to co-lead the Academic & Career Advising Sub-Committee.

Combination of Student Affairs (Professional Academic and Career Advisors) & Academic Affairs (Faculty)

Touchpoint for Academic Planning requires PAAs to engage with students, technology, the faculty, the academic maps, and now EAB and Degree Works

Script1 S T W E E K O F C L A S S E S

Results

Other Items to ConsiderProfessional Advising Training in the Community College Context

Student Development Theories Which Inform Professional Advising Practice◦ Myers-Briggs, Dewey, Du Bois, Schlossberg, Holland, Maslow

Connecting Professional Advising to Career Advising◦ Guided Pathways (systematic, consistent academic planning)

◦ Assessment, Exploration, and Solidifying the Major

◦ Experiential Learning and Co-Curricular Engagement

Tech Talk: Utilizing Technology Effectively from an Equity and Inclusion Lens◦ AdvisorTrac vs. EAB

◦ Signal Vine 2-Way Texting Technology

◦ Dual Monitor Technology

◦ Student Check-In, Tracking Wait Time

Theory & Practice to Promote Equity in Communication

MBTI TrainingWhen Advisors know how they communicate, they can better understand how students communicate.

Understanding personality preference informs how scripts are implemented and how the communication plan is executed.

Creates a sense of belonging; students feel heard and are heard.

https://prezi.com/hma0jbyxxqjm/schlossbergs-theory-of-marginality-and-mattering/

https://prezi.com/hma0jbyxxqjm/schlossbergs-theory-of-marginality-and-mattering

Du Bois & Dewey

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs…

Professional Academic Advising @ Southwest

It takes a committed team focused on Student Success!

Any Questions?

Contact Information:Dr. Jacqueline S. Taylor

jstaylor@southwest.tn.edu901.333. 4265 (o) * 731.426.3703 (c)

More Questions