Advising Handbook

Fall 2016

Provided by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology 322 Smith Library, Winchester Campus

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Contents

Advising at Shenandoah .......................................................................... 1 Advising is Teaching! .................................................................................. 1

Advising Template ................................................................................ 2

Advising Best Practices ........................................................................... 5 Catalog Year Requirements ........................................................................... 5 Ellucian Student Planning ............................................................................. 5 General Education ..................................................................................... 5 Advising and Student Housing ........................................................................ 5 Communicating with your Advisees ................................................................. 5 Document your Meetings .............................................................................. 5 Suggested Questions to Ask Advisees ............................................................... 5 Advising Schedule ...................................................................................... 6 Encourage Minors/Certificates ....................................................................... 6 Academic Suspension/Probation ..................................................................... 6

When You Are Concerned About A Student .................................................. 7 How You Can Help ..................................................................................... 7 Who to Call .............................................................................................. 7 Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT) ................................................................ 7 BCT Contacts ............................................................................................ 8

Student Privacy and Registration Matters .................................................... 8 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) ................................................ 8

Sexual Misconduct ................................................................................. 8 Reporting Sexual Misconduct ......................................................................... 9

International Students ........................................................................... 9 Visa Considerations in Advising ...................................................................... 9 International Students in the Classroom ........................................................... 9 Disciplinary Concerns and Criminal Violations ................................................ 10

Campus Resources for Students .............................................................. 11

Thanks to the many faculty and staff across the university who have contributed to this document

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Advising at Shenandoah

Advising is Teaching! Advising is some of the most important teaching that you do. We know that advising is a critical factor in retention and student success. Think back to your own academic career. Was there an advisor that was particularly helpful to you? What traits make an outstanding advisor?

Advising Syllabus Template Customize the template on the following page to create your own Advising Syllabus. This will help your students better understand the advising relationship and provide them with valuable resources. Take an interest in your students. Learning about hobbies or interests can often help identify student aptitudes

and spark ideas about academic and career choices. You may find that advising can be one of the most rewarding teaching activities!

The Advisor’s Role As stated in the faculty handbook, while advising focuses on assisting students in making academic decisions, the advisor also plays an important role in helping students evaluate the consequences of decisions they make. Never underestimate the value of the support you can provide!

Care & Feeding of Advisees We encourage faculty to meet students for coffee or a meal. The VPAA’s office will reimburse faculty up to $100 for meal/coffee related expenses per year.

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Advising Template (Word format available upon request or on the CTL Resources Site)

Shenandoah University [School, Department or Division]

Advising Syllabus, [Academic Year]

The Advising Relationship Advising is an educational process through which students learn to set and achieve academic goals in order to meet career objectives. The advisor guides the student’s professional decision-making and development. Advising is by nature a collaborative relationship that requires active participation of both student and advisor to succeed.

Advisor Information Advisor: Office Building/Room: Office Hours: Preferred method of contact: Phone: Email: Chat: [List of departmental advisors and their specialties] University/Degree/Program Requirements: www.academics.su.edu/academics/areas-of-study

Important Dates and Forms (exam schedules, degree audits, incompletes, graduation, etc.) Registrar’s Office: www.su.edu/registrar

Student Responsibilities [examples] • Enter courses into Web Advisor and register after advisor has approved them

• Meet with Advisor for each academic program (major, second major, minor) to approve schedule, seek guidance, and ask questions

• Develop an academic plan that includes outside professional development activities

• Seek advisor help when academic goals are not being achieved

• Be proactive about learning degree requirements and university processes

• Identify goals and self-assess with respect to personal development (writing and presentation skills, study skills, classroom engagement, etc.). Ask for referrals as needed

• Be active in monitoring academic and professional development progress

• Be on time to appointments scheduled with advisors.

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Advisor Responsibilities [examples] • Guide students in setting goals and helping them make realistic academic choices

• Advise students as to program selection (major) and pathways to graduate programs

• Assist students with course selection and approving schedules

• Help students understand academic policies and degree requirements

• Advise students on ways to augment their academic programs: study abroad, service learning, etc.

• Advise students as to career path and professional stepping stones such as professional organizations and internships

• Help students identify goals and self-assess with respect to personal development (writing skills, presentation skills, study skills, classroom engagement, etc.) and make appropriate referrals

• Help students understand the role of student support services

• Make appropriate referrals when the student is in academic difficulty or has other support needs

• Maintain confidentiality

• Be available for advising during peak advising times (start of term, after mid-term, and end of term)

• Approve advisee related forms: Course Schedule Adjustment, Curriculum Change, Degree Audit Adjustment

Advising Schedule [advising, degree audit, course scheduling, registration, career/internship events]

Meeting Date Purpose, Goals, Objectives

Advising Outcomes [used to assess the effectiveness of the advising process - examples]

• The student will develop career goals and a plan to achieve them

• The students will demonstrate the ability to make effective decisions with respect to degree progress and professional goals

• The student will utilize campus resources and services

• Students will graduate on time and meet their academic objectives

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Preparing for Graduation (advice for students)

• Set GPA goals well in advance. A minimum 3.0 is necessary for many career positions and graduate programs. GPA becomes permanent upon graduation

• Make sure you have internships and/or job experience as you prepare to enter the workforce

• Visit Career Services and take advantage of events they offer your Senior year

• Apply to graduate by the deadline for the particular semester

Resources for Transfer Students (transferring credits, enrollment checklist, academic resources, etc.) http://www.su.edu/admissions/transfer-students/

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Advising Best Practices Catalog Year Requirements Please take note of your advisees’ catalog year, which is usually the year they entered the university. Students must complete their catalog year requirements in order to graduate.

Ellucian Student Planning Shenandoah University is now using the Student Planning Module of WebAdvisor for advisors to approve student academic plans. Go to www.su.edu and click on the WebAdvisor link at the bottom of the page. The CTL maintains Help Files for using the system and can provide training upon request. Login instructions and a user guide can be found at on the CTLT webpage, http://www.su.edu/ctlt, under Advising Resources.

EAB Student Success Collaborative Shenandoah is adopting the EAB SSC tool starting this fall. Training Sessions will be advertised in the Sun-e. Advisors can use this web-based tool to evaluate student risk and check to see if students are failing to meet success markers for their academic programs.

General Education General education requirements and approved courses vary by year, so please check the advisee’s catalog year for specific program requirements.

Advising and Student Housing Students registered for less than 12 credit hours must receive permission to live in campus housing. It may seem logical to reduce the workload for a struggling student, but experience

indicates that students with too much time on their hands may not make satisfactory academic progress. If an advisee will be enrolled in less than 12 credits, please refer them to the office of the Vice President for University Life to determine whether the student may stay in a residence hall. The Vice President will review student needs on a case-by-case basis. This provides an opportunity for holistic intervention when warranted.

Communicating with your Advisees A Google Site can be a great way to stay in contact with your advisees. Some schools and departments have dedicated folders in Canvas or Google with advising information specific to your discipline. Remember that transfer, international, veteran, first generation, and other non-traditional students may need additional support, and some may only feel comfortable talking to you if you make it clear that you are approachable and welcoming.

Document your Meetings Check with your department head about formal meeting documentation requirements. Keep a record of the salient points discussed for later reference. This is particularly helpful if the student changes programs.

Suggested Questions to Ask Advisees • How are your classes going? What do

you (dis)like about them?

• How are you meeting challenges in your classes?

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• What are your academic goals and how do you feel about your progress?

• What are your career goals and how do you feel about your progress?

• What are your professional development goals (writing, speaking, reading, professional skills, etc.) and how do you feel about your progress?

• Is campus life okay? Are you involved in any clubs, hobbies, or honor societies? How much time do you devote to them?

• Do you feel that you are managing your time well? How many hours a day do you study? Is this enough/too much?

• Have you thought about next steps?

• Have you explored internships in your field?

• Have you thought about graduate school?

• What questions do you have for me? Can I help you with anything else?

Advising Schedule Your department may have specific guidelines about frequency of meetings, but in general, you should meet with students each term: first, when they enter the university to assist them in declaring a major and/or minor, and to assist transfer students with getting transfer credits approved as needed; and then at least once per term to approve their schedule for the following term and to check their progress. Students who are not doing well will need to meet more often for careful monitoring.

Encourage Minors/Certificates Using elective credits to complete a minor is an easy way for students to get a second credential. This may be especially valuable for weaker students wanting to improve their competitiveness in the workplace. For example, an Arts and Sciences or Conservatory major might benefit from a Business Administration minor, a Business major might benefit from a Mass Communication minor, and so on.

Similarly, a student can augment a bachelor’s degree program with a graduate certificate, which can be a stepping-stone toward a master’s degree for students who need a little more time preparing for graduate school. Note that minors are required in some programs. Students should meet with the advisor for each academic program.

Academic Suspension/Probation The catalogs explain the probation and suspension process. Students who do not make satisfactory academic progress may be required to meet frequently with their advisor to evaluate challenges and obstacles, and determine if intervention or an alternative degree program is appropriate. Students who fail in one discipline may make great progress in another once they find a field that captures their interest and matches their innate characteristics.

Reference The Global Community for Academic Advising: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu

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When You Are Concerned About A Student

How You Can Help Fellow students, family members, faculty and staff can play an invaluable role in helping students who are in distress. The Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT) coordinates Shenandoah University support services to provide assistance to students who may be experiencing some potentially harmful or disturbing behaviors. The BCT promotes academic success and safety through an appropriate, timely, and caring response. For more information, see: www.su.edu/campus-life/student-of-concern.

Who to Call • If immediate assistance is needed because of a threat to themselves or someone’s

safety, Dial 911 for a police dispatcher.

• For on-campus situations, contact the SU Department of Public Safety at 540-678-4444 or dial extension 4444 from any campus phone

• For other situations where a student needs to be evaluated and may need some sort of intervention (either academic or non-academic), please go to www.su.edu/campus-life/student-of-concern and use the Student of Concern On-line Form

• For a death in the student’s family, please contact Ron Stickley and Sue Driscoll

Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT)

• Develops a centralized reporting structure for university concerns to be addressed regarding potential harmful and disruptive behaviors.

• Collects and tracks information about potentially harmful and disruptive behaviors that impact the safety and rights of others and the university community.

• Searches for patterns of behaviors through appropriate information sharing and collaborative efforts between university services.

• Develops a caring response and strategy to manage harmful or disruptive behaviors that impact the safety and rights of others and the university community.

• Makes recommendations and referral efforts to university offices to take appropriate actions consistent with university policies and procedures.

• Follow-up with referral actions to manage intervention efforts and track student progress.

• Educate the university community about prevention strategies, the reporting structure, and the purposes and benefits of the BCT’s efforts.

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BCT Contacts

Name Department Telephone (540)

Email

Sue O’Driscoll Dean of Students, Residence Life and Student Conduct 545-7399 sodrisco09@su.edu

Doug Stump Student Engagement 665-5445 jstump14@su.edu

Ron Stickley Wellness Center 665-4863 cbarlow@su.edu

Whitney Pennington Title IX Coordinator 665-4921 wpenning@su.edu

Justin Allen Spiritual Life 665-4921 jallen3@su.edu

TBD Case Manager,

Matthew Coats Assistant Director of Residence Life 665-4611 mcoats@su.edu

Sarah Pelster Athletics 545-7366 spelster@su.edu

Doug Zipp Athletics 665-4566 dzipp@su.edu

Nancy Schulte Counseling 665-4530 nschulte

Holli Phillips Academic Learning and & Support Services 665-4928 hphillip@su.edu

Robin Ebersole Department of Public Safety 545-7338 rebersol@su.edu

Michael Wasko Department of Public Safety 665-4779 mwasko@su.edu

Rodney Bragdon TBD - Arts and Sciences – Psychology 678-4328 rbragdon@su.edu

Student Privacy and Registration Matters

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) FERPA refers to the 1974 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, the federal law that protects the confidentiality of student records. Any educational institution receiving federal funds, including Shenandoah University, must adhere to FERPA.

According to FERPA, faculty advisors are prohibited from discussing student academic records with anyone other than the student or Shenandoah employees as appropriate. You may not discuss student academic records with students’ parents, spouses, or employers unless the student has specified that person in a FERPA release filed with the Registrar’s office. Exceptions, including immediate threats to health and safety, are listed on the Registrar’s website. Specific questions about FERPA should be directed to the Registrar’s Office. For details, visit www.su.edu/registrar. For questions relating to student registration and financial accounts, please contact Hornet Central at hornetcentral@su.edu or call 540-665-4514.

Sexual Misconduct

What is sexual misconduct? Sexual misconduct is engaging in any sexual behavior without consent, including sexual conduct that occurs after consent has been withdrawn.

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Reporting Sexual Misconduct If you are made aware or know of cases of potential sexual misconduct, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, Whitney Pennington wpenning@su.edu or by telephone at 540-545-7399. To report an incident of sexual misconduct, please complete This Form that will be sent to our Title IX Coordinator. Helping a student who has experienced sexual misconduct. If someone comes to you after potentially being a victim of sexual misconduct, make sure the student feels safe. Before giving any type of physical reassurance (i.e. hug, tap on the leg or shoulder), ask the student if you can touch him or her. Provide comfort and allow the student to say as much or as little as he or she would like to share.

Private vs. confidential information. If a student asks if you can keep the information he or she shares with you confidential, please tell the student you will keep the information private. Explain that confidentiality is not guaranteed because you have to report the potential sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator. Sometimes students may ask you not to tell anyone what they just told you. In those cases, tell the student, “I will only share the information given to me with people who can help.”

Are all cases investigated? All cases of reported sexual misconduct are investigated. There will be times when an alleged victim of sexual misconduct may not wish to pursue an investigation. Please explain that even if he or she does not want to file an official report, you must make a report because the university has a legal and moral obligation to investigate any potential threats to our community and to fully investigate any reports of sexual misconduct.

For more information on sexual misconduct, please visit: www.su.edu/sexualmisconduct.

International Students

Visa Considerations in Advising An international student’s visa status may be affected by advising decisions. Each student may have specific background immigration and exceptions that must be considered. International student(s) should be referred to the Center for International Programs for any immigration advisement.

Please contact the International Student Advising Office (ISAO) if a student wants to change academic programs, drop one or more classes, travel outside the U.S., take a leave of absence, apply for OPT or CPT (optional or curricular practical training), withdraw from SU, transfer schools, or extend the period of stay.

For information, email Betty Wardrope at bwardrop@su.edu or call (540) 665-1293.

International Students in the Classroom International students in the United States enjoy constitutional protection similar to citizens and permanent residents. They are protected from most forms of discrimination by law. However, immigration laws do regulate many aspects of international students' lives, including entry to the United States, the conditions under which they may remain in this

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country and re-enter after traveling abroad, and eligibility for immigration benefits such as employment or change of status.

To maintain legal F-1 status in the United States, international students must:

• Report to ISAO with Form I-20, passport/visa, upon first arrival at Shenandoah to ensure that these documents have been properly processed.

• Register for and complete a full-time course load each semester. Any and all exceptions to this, whether for academic, medical or personal reasons, must be documented and approved by ISAO.

• Obtain written authorization from ISAO or the DHS as required before engaging in any employment on or off campus. This includes students with graduate assistantships.

• Keep passports I-20 Form valid at all times.

• Notify ISAO immediately of a lost or stolen I-20, or passport/visa.

• Report to ISAO any change of address within ten days of the move.

• File a federal income tax form for every year present in the United States. This includes students with no income and F-2 dependents. The annual deadline to file is April 15.

Disciplinary Concerns and Criminal Violations Should any international student face disciplinary sanctions at the university, it is imperative that ISAO be notified as early in the process as possible. ISAO can serve as a confidential resource to the faculty or administrators involved in the disciplinary process.

If suspended, an international student must meet with an ISAO advisor to discuss the immigration implications of the sanction. This also applies to students not attending classes and/or barred from returning to classes. In the event of any contact with the criminal justice system, a student should seek legal counsel before entering a guilty plea. Since it is important that a student's immigration status be taken into account in any criminal proceeding, ISAO should be notified immediately.

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Campus Resources for Students

Emergencies: Dial 911 or Campus Public Safety at 540-678-4444 Office/Service Telephone

(540) Location Webpage Link

Academic Enrichment Center (Learning Resources) 665-4928 204 Howe www.su.edu/Academic-Enrichment-Center

Admissions 665-4581 Wilkins Bldg www.su.edu/admissions

Bookstore 665-4523 Brandt Student Cntr

www.su.edu/bookstore

Canvas Assistance 665-4774 Online https://suorg.instructure.com/courses/75

Career Services 665-5412 314 Cooley www.su.edu/career

Center for Public Service and Scholarship 665-4696 120 Gregory www.su.edu/cpss

Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology 542-6537 Smith Library www.su.edu/ctlt

Counseling (Short-term Personal Counseling and Referrals)

665-4530 303 Cooley www.su.edu/counseling

Disability Support Services 665-4928 204 Howe www.student-life.su.edu/disability-services

Diversity and Inclusion 665-4907 Brandt Student Cntr www.student-life.su.edu/student-engagement

Financial Aid 665-4538 Wilkins Bldg www.su.edu/financial-aid

Fitness Center (Rec Centers, Intermural Sports) 542-4790 Various www.su.edu/campus-life/student-engagement/recreation

Global Citizenship Project (International Service Learning) 665-5460 Cooley www.su.edu/gcp

Hornet Central (Information Forms) 665-5585 Wilkins Bldg https://sites.google.com/a/su.edu/registrar

Institutional Computing Help Desk (Email, Laptops/iPads, Network) 665-5555 112 Howe www.su.edu/helpdesk

Institutional Computing 678-4325 Online http://www.su.edu/institutional-computing

International and Cross Cultural Student Support 665-1293 Cooley www.su.edu/academics/international-programs

International Programs (Study Abroad) 665-5460 Cooley www.su.edu/cip

Library 665-4553 Various www.su.edu/library

Math Enrichment Center 665-5485 107 Howe http://www.su.edu/academics/academic-centers/math-enrichment-center/

Media Services 665-4551 Smith Library www.su.edu/media

Public Safety 678-4444 Wilkins Bldg www.su.edu/departments-offices/publicsafety

Registrar (Transcripts, Records) 665-5585 Wilkins Bldg www.su.edu/registrar

Sexual Misconduct (Confidential) 545-7399 303 Cooley www.su.edu/sexualmisconduct

Student Clubs and Organizations 665-4907 Brandt Student Cntr

www.su.edu/campus-life/student-engagement/clubs-organizations

Wellness Center (Student Health) 665-4530 Wilkins Bldg www.su.edu/campus-life/health-services

Writing Center (Grammar, Mechanics, Writing Strategies)

665-4845 204 Howe www.su.edu/academics/academic-centers/writing-center