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Enhancing Academic Enhancing Academic Advisement Using the Advisement Using the First-Year Seminar First-Year Seminar

• Dr. Mark L. Campbell – Chair

Academic Services Department Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania The ROCK

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

One of fourteen universities in the State

System of Higher Education

Over 7,200 undergraduates and about 800

graduate students

Over 60 degree programs in four colleges 600-acre campus located 50 miles north of

Pittsburgh in rural Western Pennsylvania

All first-year students reside on campus.

Characteristics of Undergraduates Characteristics of Undergraduates

96% are Pennsylvania residents. 70% are from the ten counties surrounding

the Pittsburgh area.

67% are low-income and/or first-generation. 6% are students of color. Education and Exercise Science are the

largest academic majors.

Academic Services Department Academic Services Department

Academic Advisement Center FYRST Seminar course Orientation

and Learning Community Clusters (LCC)

Exploratory (Undeclared) Student Program Tutorial Center & Supplemental Instruction State and Federal (TRIO) grant programs for

academically at-risk students

First-Year Studies (FYRST) Seminar First-Year Studies (FYRST) Seminar

 FYRST Seminar is based upon the First Year

Experience model.

 97% of first-year students are enrolled in FYRST

Seminar.

 FYRST Seminar is a one-credit, letter-graded

course that meets 15 times/term.

 Some FYRST Seminars meet weekly for the entire

term; others are “front-loaded.”

 There is no common syllabus, but faculty members

are strongly encouraged to cover a list of common topics.

FYRST Seminar & Academic Advisement FYRST Seminar & Academic Advisement

 “Borrowed” faculty on one-credit overload teach

most FYRST Seminars.

 All FYRST Seminars meet through mid-November

(spring registration).

 All FYRST faculty members are approved by

Academic Services and attend a mandatory two- day professional development workshop in May.

 When possible, students are assigned to their

FYRST instructors as academic advisees.

 Many FYRST Seminars are major-specific and/or

linked to other classes.

FYRST Seminar and Learning FYRST Seminar and Learning Community Clusters (LCC) Community Clusters (LCC)

 75% of first-year students are enrolled in a

Learning Community Cluster.

 Learning Community Clusters consist of College

Writing, FYRST Seminar, and a Liberal Studies or major content course.

 Learning Community Clusters are based upon

academic majors or topical themes.

 The instructor of the content course often teaches

the FYRST Seminar.

 Collaboration among LCC faculty is encouraged

though not required.

New Student Orientation New Student Orientation

 Attendance is required of all first-year students.  One-day programs held in March, April, and June  Parallel sessions for students and parents  Deans’ sessions highlight academic expectations.  Faculty advisors explain degree requirements and

develop/adjust schedules.

 Course schedules are created in advance using

students’ preferences.

Goals of New Student Orientation Goals of New Student Orientation

 Connect

students with the Slippery Rock University campus

 Create awareness of responsibilities and roles in

the academic advisement process

 Explain academic requirements and policies  Familiarize

students with campus services, programs, and organizations

 Assist parents in understanding the transition from

high school to college

Relating Orientation to FYRST Seminar Relating Orientation to FYRST Seminar

 Weekend Of Welcome (WOW) for first-year

student move-in

 Programming to address academic, technological,

and social topics

 Involvement of academic advisors and FYRST

Seminar faculty

 Introduction to ROCK-e, the weekly e-mail

updates to students and parents

 Future plans – small group discussions of a

“summer reading assignment”

Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar

 Roles of the academic advisor and advisee  Early academic alert – Student Attendance,

Performance, & Adjustment (SAPA) Report

 Mid-Term Grades for all first-year students  Liberal Studies Program and Major Progression  Pre-registration session to explain Degree Audit

Report System (DARS)

 Individual registration/scheduling appointments

with academic advisees.

Major-Specific Academic Advisement Major-Specific Academic Advisement Information in FYRST Seminar Information in FYRST Seminar

 Quality Point Average (QPA) requirements by

major – many are 2.5 and higher

 Expectations of departments/colleges – behavior,

community service, ...

 Exploration of internship opportunities  Complements major departments’ “Intro” classes  Example – Education: QPA of 3.0, certification

tests, moral character policy, ...

Special FYRST Seminar / Learning Special FYRST Seminar / Learning Community Cluster Arrangements Community Cluster Arrangements

Frederick Douglass Community of Scholars Non-Learning Community Cluster FYRST

Seminars – “free standing”

Annual FYRST Seminar Trip to London,

UK, during Winter Break

FYRST

Seminar sections for at-risk students (including those who are eligible for TRIO or state grant programs)

Peer Helping in Orientation & Peer Helping in Orientation & FYRST Seminar FYRST Seminar

Upper-class peer helpers/leaders facilitate

discussions and guide activities.

Peer helpers do not teach or advise. They

mentor and model.

Students studying in the academic major are

the most relevant and successful role models.

Peer helping involves careful selection and

thorough training.

Local Evaluation of FYRST Seminar & Local Evaluation of FYRST Seminar & Academic Advisement Academic Advisement

Student Survey of Course Effectiveness Student Opinion of Academic Advising Annual survey of FYRST Seminar faculty Experimental and longitudinal research on

student outcomes like persistence and achievement

Focus groups of FYRST Seminar students

and FYRST Seminar faculty instructors

Use of National Instruments in Use of National Instruments in Evaluation & Assessment Evaluation & Assessment

National Survey of Student Engagement

(NSSE)

Faculty Survey of Student Engagement

(FSSE)

Cooperative Institutional Research Program

(CIRP)

First Year Initiative Survey (FYI)

FYRST Seminar & Learning Community FYRST Seminar & Learning Community Evaluation Results Evaluation Results

 Statistically significant increases in student

persistence – especially 1st to 2nd year

 Statistically significant increases in quality point

averages and credit hours earned

 Increases in student satisfaction with academic

advisement

 Increases in student usage of campus services and

participation in organizations

Factors Enhancing the Academic Factors Enhancing the Academic Advisement/FYRST Seminar Link Advisement/FYRST Seminar Link

 Strong administrative support  Availability of auxiliary budget to augment

institutional commitment

 Full-time

faculty directors

• f

Academic Advisement & FYRST Seminar AND Orientation & Learning Community Clusters

 Allowing others to “own” FYRST Seminar  Collaboration with Division of Student Life

Future Directions for Future Directions for Advisement/FYRST Seminar/LCC Advisement/FYRST Seminar/LCC

Non-faculty as academic advisors and

instructors of FYRST Seminar

Increasing academic focus for Orientation

and FYRST Seminar

Encouraging greater collaboration among

Learning Community Cluster faculty

Incorporating “summer reading

assignment” into programming

National Evaluation Instruments Cited National Evaluation Instruments Cited

 National Survey of Student Engagement – NSSE

http://www.indiana.edu/~nsse/

 Faculty Survey of Student Engagement – FSSE

http://www.indiana.edu/~nsse/fsse/index.htm

 Cooperative Institutional Research Program – CIRP

http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/cirp.html

 First Year Initiative Survey – FYI

http://www.brevard.edu/fyc/fyi/

Contact Information Contact Information

• Dr. Mark L. Campbell – Chair

Academic Services Department B-106 Bailey Library Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA 16057-1326 Phone: (724) 738-4410 FAX: (724) 738-4497 E-mail mark.campbell@sru.edu