A Seamless Approach to Orientation Presented by: Heather Speed, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A Seamless Approach to Orientation

Presented by: Heather Speed, Director

• Dr. Trisha Van Duser, Assistant Director

Center for Student Development Texas Woman’s University

Presentation Outline

 History of Texas Woman’s University (TWU) &

Orientation

 3 Step Orientation Process  Key Personnel  Roles & Responsibilities  Building a Team  Seamless Approach

Texas Woman’s University

 Locations: Denton, Dallas (2) & Houston  9,713 students  Male population – 9%  1,330 residential students  35.4% minority population  Incoming freshman class – 625 students  Average age – 31 years  Student to faculty ratio – 13:1  Average class size – 25 students

• From the Fall 2003 Fact Sheet

The Effect of TWU’s History on Orientation

 Enrollment was very high  Began as a Student Life event  Minimal campus wide buy-in to the program  Enrollment began to decline Fall 1995  TWU as a university revised its mission and vision  More campus wide buy-in to the program  Communication began to develop between

departments

 Technological advances  Increased communication between TWU and

students

Orientation - Past

 2 day overnight program  Technology limited to telephone registration only  Inconvenient and time consuming  No communication management process or

accountability

 No one present to troubleshoot problems with

registration

 Result: Delayed registration for most students, timely

registration process, and parent/student dissatisfaction

Orientation – Present

 3 step process:

 Academic Planning & Registration (APR)  Pioneer Camp  UNIV 1011

Academic Planning & Registration (APR)

 2 day program designed to introduce

students and parents to the unique educational experience that TWU has to offer

 Meet with faculty & staff to discuss academic

programs and student services

 Take placement tests, meet with an academic

adviser, register for classes via the Pioneer Portal system

 Average time to register for classes is less

than 1 minute

Pioneer Camp

 Community-based orientation (no additional

cost)

 4 day program where students are given the

• pportunity to explore our hidden treasures

that enable them to have a successful college experience

 Before the first day of class, students will

have met new classmates, participated in fun activities, and be comfortable with the campus climate.

UNIV 1011

 One hour credit bearing course  Designed to equip students with the

knowledge and tools they’ll need to make a successful transition to college level learning

 Gain an understanding of effective learning

strategies, personal abilities, interests and values, and their cumulative impact on educational success.

Key Personnel

 Admissions  Student Records  Bursar  Academic Advising  Key Faculty  ITS/ISS  Registrar  Student Life  Academic Affairs

Roles & Responsibilities

 Admissions

 Communication Management

 Student Records

 Involved in planning & troubleshooting

 Bursar

 Involved in registration process & notification

• f fees due; on site bill explanation

 Academic Advising

 Involved in planning & facilitation

Roles & Responsibilities

 Faculty

 Advising

 ITS/ISS

 Built system for communication management  Enabled web registration  Hands on demonstrations at APR  Technical support during registration

 Registrar

 Involved in planning & troubleshooting  Closed class issues

Roles & Responsibilities

 Student Life

 CSD responsible overall for implementation

and facilitation of orientation and its success

 Support and guidance

 Academic Affairs

 Support from academic side/faculty  Timely response to closed class issues

Building A Team

 Began with a charge from the President to increase

enrollment

 New vision of TWU’s enrollment management

process

 Orientation committee formed to include individuals

• utside of Student Life

 Communicate needs to academic departments  Explore new options for registration and

communication management as a whole

 More accountability among entire university rather

than on Student Life alone

Seamless Approach

 3 Step Process

 Well organized APR program  No one left behind in 2nd step – Pioneer Camp  All encouraged to register for UNIV 1011

 Communication Management

 Better communication within departments  Better communication with potential students  True spirit of helpfulness

Communication Management

Start Office of Admissions

Student is accepted as a new undergraduate admit to TWU for fall

• semester. (1)

Student is coded depending on number

• f hours they have
• accumulated. (2)

Student is blocked from registration until they have attended

• Orientation. (3)

Adm Asst for VP Student Life

Label including name & address of new student is printed

• n same day student

is admitted & used to send a letter from VP Student Life to new student. (4)

Adm Asst for VP Student Life

Label addressed to family of new student is printed seven days after student has been admitted & is used to send a letter from VP Student Life to new student’s

• family. (5)

Secretary III, Center for Student Development

Label including name & address of new student is printed fourteen days after student has been admitted & is used to send an Orientation brochure to student. (6)

Dir, Academic Advising

List including email address of new student is printed fourteen days after student has been admitted & is used to send info about academic advising. (7)

Secretary III, Center for Student Development

Label including name & address of new student is printed twenty-one days after student has been admitted & is used to send an Orientation reminder

• postcard. (8)

A

Communication Management

Secretary II, Center for Student Development

Label including name & address of new student is printed when registration is received & is used to send an Orientation confirmation letter. (9) Phone list is requested of all new students sent an Orientation brochure but not confirmed to

• attend. (10)

Asst Dir, Center for Student Development

Label including name & address of new student confirmed for Orientation is printed & is used to send an Involvement packet from CSD. (11)

Secretary III, Center for Student Development

Label including name & address of new student (FTIC only) is printed after they attend Orientation & is used to send a Pioneer Camp reminder postcard. (12)

Dir, Center for Student Development

Label including name & address of student is printed for those students that stated an interest in Greek

• rganizations on

their Orientation

• survey. (13)

Label including name & address of student is printed for those students that stated an interest in being an Orientation Leader on their Orientation survey. (14)

End

A

Seamless Approach

 ITS/ISS

 Web-based registration  Online orientation registration  Hands on

 Accountability

 Ultimately the entire university held responsible for

success of program

 Results in increased enrollment and higher retention

rate  Physical presence

 Actually being present during the process to take care

• f problems in a timely and effective manner

Orientation - Future

 Virtual Orientation  Adding academic components to our

communication management process

 Adding a track exclusively for parents to our

communication management process