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Michael Abel, Academic Advisor, UNC CharlotteLeeFredrick Bowen, Academic Advisor, UNC Charlotte
Advising with a Full House: Collaborative Initiatives
focused on creating Individualized Outcomes
Ideal: Providing personalized and individualized advising to each student
while at the same time empowering students to take control of their own
academic journey
Challenges: Large caseload, Undeclared students, Maintaining efficiency and efficacy, Exhibiting empathy during
interaction with all students
Is it realistic and feasible to strive for the ideal while facing the challenges? Can we balance
the two?
We think so…
Goals of this session:1) To discuss ideas for streamlining advising functions
while at the same time treating advisees as individuals
2) To showcase four ways that the University Advising Center at UNC Charlotte approaches its work with undeclared students in an effort to reach that “ideal” referenced earlier
3) To share ideas with each other on how to balance efficient work flow and strategies
Setting the Scene
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte-Public university of approximately 27,000 students-Urban, research-intensive-UNC System member institution
• University Advising Center at UNC Charlotte-Advising home for undecided/undeclared and transitioning -Responsible for helping students navigate declaration requirements for intended major-10 fulltime advisors with caseloads between 200-350 students-Centralized advising platform to record notes and store advising records
Why working with undeclared students makes the individualized/personal
approach more difficult?
• Advisees don’t have built-in advantage/connection that comes with field of study relationship
• Advisors have to be well-versed in requirements for all majors including restrictions, policies, and declaration processes, making it difficult to become experts in any one area
• Multiple categories of undeclared students. Gordon (1998) breaks undecided students into four groups:
Tentatively Undecided- close to making decision, taking steps towards goals, aware of alternatives, not ready to commit
Developmentally Undecided- need continued exploration of self and different options; need support and reinforcement before selecting path
Seriously Undecided- moderate anxiety exists; need additional information about other alternatives
Chronically Indecisive- high anxiety exists; fear of commitment and not at a place where focus is on career decisions
Source: Gordon, V. N. (1998). Career decidedness types: A literature review. Career Development Quarterly, 46(4), 386-403.
Collaborative Initiatives lead toIndividualized Outcomes
1) Teaching First-Year Seminars
2) Involvement in Orientation and Week of Welcome
3) Incorporation of Early Alert Tools
4) Student-friendly Policies and Procedures andAdvisor-Specific Responsibilities
1) Teaching First-Year Seminars
• UAC advisors regularly teach seminar courses composed primarily of undeclared students.
• Significant amount of class time on major and career exploration
• UAC advisors will add their seminar students to respective advising caseloads.
• Utilizing Peer Mentors
2) Involvement in Orientation and Week of Welcome
• UAC advisors meet with students in small groups during orientation for their first advising session which includes information about student/advisor expectations.
• During 1st week of class, UAC sets up information table in front of student union as way to welcome new and returning students to/back to campus.
• Convocation: During UNCC’s Day of Convocation, UAC advisors help students begin to explore different majors and areas of interest.
3) Incorporation of Early Alert Tools
• New early-alert system
-Advisors will have accurate picture of student’s academic performance prior to pre-registration advising appointment
-Advisors can view comments and concerns raised by faculty members
-Advisors will know ahead of time which resources and strategies to focus on during advising meeting which leads to more individualized appointment
-Advisors are able to create student success plans
-Success Plans: Goals
3) Incorporation of Early Alert Tools con’t
• New searchable platform based on data from previous UNC Charlotte graduates
-Allows advisors to show advisees academic snapshot of how advisee compares to previous UNC Charlotte students in the same position re GPA, credits earned, courses taken
-Advisors can show advisee how likely that student is to succeed in certain types of majors (data driven)
-Advisors can conduct campaigns targeted at groups of students based on earned hours, enrollment, etc.
Academic Snapshot
Academic Snapshot
4) Student friendly policies and procedures plus advisor-specific responsibilities
• UAC has sufficient staffing to allow for up to 30-minute, one-on-one advising appointments with each advisee during pre-registration advising
• UAC offers walk-in advising for both declared students looking to transition majors and undeclared students
• During walk-in times, students can request to meet with own advisor
We survey students to measure the effectiveness of these policies and procedures.
4) Student friendly policies and procedures plus specific advising responsibilities
• Advisors within the UAC focus on specific areas of student experiences
- Transfer students- Learning Community- Health Professions- Engineering/Business
