Katie Dabbs Emily Kolby Becca Van Drimmelen

As a result of this presentation, attendees will be able to …• Describe Bellevue College’s transition from one new student advising model to

another• Identify the successes and challenges in piloting a new advising model• Answer the question of how they could adapt components of the model for

their own needs (i.e. how can you start something like this at your own school?)

No matter the new student advising model, it is important to keep in mind the work of…• Nancy K. Schlossberg

• Marginality & Mattering (1989)• “Mattering is a motive: the feeling that others depend on

us, are interested in us, are concerned with our fate, or experience us as an ego-extension exercises a powerful influence on our actions” (8).

• Transition Theory• Moving in, through, out• The 4 Ss: Self, Situation, Strategies, Support

Vincent Tinto• “Academic advising should be an integral part of the first-year

experience, not an adjunct to it. Advising should be woven into the fabric of the freshman year in ways that promote student development and that provide clear, consistent, and accurate information that is easily accessible to students. It should reflect the best professional knowledge of the day. Quite simply, good advising should not be left to chance.”

Tinto, Vincent.(1999). Taking Retention Seriously: Rethinking the First Year of College. NACADA Journal, 19(2): 9.

The New Student Advising Experience needs:• To exist within a greater context– recognizing what comes before and after in

the student lifecycle• To have clearly defined learning outcomes. What should students know as a

result of each stage of the college’s Getting Started process?• To be recognized as a collaborative process. For example,

Enrollment/Registration, Assessment/Testing, Orientation, and others need to know what’s going on and speak the same language.

Entry Processes:Application/Assessment

New Student Advising(Nuts and Bolts

information)

First Year Experience(Student Success Course)

• First Year Experience course exists (since 2007)• 1 credit required course for all first time to college

students. Meant to assist students in their transition into college, teaching and reviewing strategies for success during their first quarter.

• Includes an Academic Advising and Career Exploration Module (50 minutes each), which can be used as follow-up to the initial advising session.

• NO Traditional Orientation• Open House/Activities Fair (optional), as well as program

specific orientations (Running Start, International Students, etc.); however, no mandatory orientation program for the general student population.

• Students could hypothetically apply, assess, and receive advising all in one day

• A cadre of 30 faculty were hired and trained to work seasonally during the new student registration period

• New students met with a faculty member to receive their first-quarter advising, and then were referred to staff advisors for their next steps

• Peer-to-peer advisors (student employees) assisted students with the registration process following their advising session

• Students also registered for a First Year Experience course and walked away with a print-out of their schedule

• When students apply to the college, their account is blocked if they don’t report any previous college experience

• The block was removed when they signed in at the Academic Advising front desk while they waited to meet with a faculty advisor.

• Reports were run to measure the “Leakage”– i.e., how many students took the assessment but then didn’t receive advising or register for classes.

• The “AS” block continues to be how mandatory new student advising is enforced.

PROS:• Students got to meet both a

faculty member and a student mentor

• Advising was on-demand (Mon-Thurs) and didn’t require pre-scheduling

• Current Advising staff could be left to serve continuing students

CONS:• Expensive. Faculty received a

modified faculty rate for advising. • Unpredictable. Sometimes wait-

times were long while, at other times, faculty just sat and did grading.

• Inconsistent. While trained, faculty might encourage students to take their class or emphasize/de-emphasize varying information.

• Pair up in groups of 2 or 3 people and brainstorm a list of everything new college students would need to know before starting classes and/or what you would include in a new advising session

• Remember, this is an advising session, but not a new student orientation

• We will come back together in 10 minutes to discuss

• What are a few of the key points you feel students need to know in a new student advising session?

• Did you find it challenging to keep your list advising specific?

• Who are some of the key partners you would need to work with to make this advising session successful?

• Bellevue Advising and Registration Kickoff!

• A group advising session for first time students & students with 15 or fewer transfer credits

• The session is a balance between a group presentation and individual interactions with an advisor

• BARK is offered several times a week during the registration period at different days/times to meet the needs of our student populations• Morning, Afternoon, and Online

• Sessions are capped at 25 students to ensure a manageable advisor to student ratio

• The focus of the presentation is to review degree requirements, math and English placement, and selecting classes for their degree

• Consistency!• All students are receiving the same, accurate information• We are able to control the “flow” of new students

registering• Students establish a relationship with their advisor from day

one• Reducing the “BC Shuffle”• Students leave the session registered for First Year Experience

(FYE)

• Narrowing down what information is crucial for new students• A great deal of behind the scenes planning and scheduling

prior to each “BARK Season” • Scheduling rooms and advisors for each session• Updating the presentation and websites• Partnering with First Year Experience • Advertising the sessions

• Collaboration and “buy in” among various departments crucial to BARK’s success• Enrollment & Testing Services, Career Services and

Multicultural Services in particular

• Student Affairs Buy-In• Multicultural Services, Career Center (STEM Programs), Testing Services,

TRiO, Counseling• Collaboration with Enrollment Services to remove barriers to registration• Staff invited to attend sessions to understand

• Consistency of Information• Presentation, folders, etc.

Successes!

• First Year Experience Course Registration• All students register for FYE during BARK Session• Collaboration for alternate ways to get FYE credit – STEM, TRiO, ASN,

• New Student Follow Up• Quick and easy – All in one spot!• Reminder emails, Students on campus to follow up, Enrollment checks

Successes!

249 - students who attended Winter Quarter 2015 BARK Sessions420 – students who attuned Spring 2015 BARK Sessions45 – students who attended Summer Quarter 2015 BARK Sessions1182– students who attended Fall Quarter 2015 BARK Sessions

19 – students who still had AS block for Fall 2015 Quarter

“I found the BARK incredibly informative and now that I've completed it I feel competent in how to achieve my college goals. The advisors were very helpful and full of insight, and I am very excited about my time that I'll be spending at Bellevue College!!”

“Good energy, quick, left me educated but it wasn't boring, so it kept my attention. A+ from me.”

Challenges• Institutional Silos• No Orientation• Online Version of BARK• Setting Firm Expectations of Students while not being an extra barrier

to registration

• A one-time investment in 30 iPad minis (with keyboards) that we can check out to students during the session

• Allowed us to use any classroom on campus for BARK sessions instead of having to rely on one of our few computer labs on campus

• SignUpGenius for registration and pre-BARK information gathering• Allowed us to control the number of students in each session• Provided us with students English/Math placement, major information,

etc.• Allowed us to provide accommodations for students with disabilities• Students were able to get information needed to prepare for their BARK

session

• Key Partners: Enrollment/Registration, Assessment/Testing, and other offices which do some form of advising (TRiO, MCS, etc.)

• Helping instill a mindset of “they are all our students!”• Can staff from other departments come to offer

feedback (e.g., DRC)?• Can staff from other departments come to

welcome new students?

Using Adult Learning Theory – Creating an Interactive Presentation

• Camtasia Videos• Guest Speakers• Multiple Staff Presenters Trained• Multiple Ways of Receiving

Information• Fliers, Speaker, Video, Power

Point• True/False Quiz• Reminder Quiz• Silent reflection Questions• Introducing Students to Each Other• No Dumb Questions!• Advisor One on One Interaction at

the Student’s Pace