The Advising Express
Volume 5, Issue 9, February 22, 2016
In this Issue...
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The 21st Century Academic Advisor
Supplemental Instruction for Difficult Courses
Gaps in the First-Year Experience
Important Dates and Deadlines
Announcements!
• Welcome to the February 22, 2016
issue.
• We encourage any feedback regarding
content and design. Please email
david.marchesani@uni.edu with suggestions.
• Look for the link symbols
to
indicate text hyperlinks that will lead you
outside the publication.
The 21st Century Academic Advisor: Interpersonal Skills
Susan Ohrablo (Nova Southeastern University) has analyzed the multitude of skills the
contemporary academic advisor must employ to be successful. This issue we will look at
her recommendations for interpersonal skills:
•Demonstrate Caring Every Time: Ask how the student is, new events they may be
participating in, successes, challenges, adjustments, etc.
•Inquire and Validate: Ask the student about their experiences rather than relying on a
theory or your own experiences. Ask open-ended questions to better understand what your
advisee is trying to tell you.
•Provide support and encouragement: Students
may experience doubt, anxiety, or fear about the
academic journey, regardless of demographic. Advisors can help alleviate those fears to help advisees
succeed by offering support and
encouragement throughout the semester.
See the full article here!
In the Next Issue: Operational Skills
By: Latricia Hylton
Supplemental Instruction for Difficult Courses
In Fall 2016 the Academic Learning Center will offer Supplemental Instruction
(SI), a non-remedial academic assistance program that targets historically difficult
courses through peer-assisted study sessions. Courses are identified from UNI’s Top
100 Most Difficult Courses list. SI has three major purposes:
1.
Increase retention within targeted historically difficult courses
2.
Improve student grades in targeted historically difficult courses
3.
Increase the graduation rates of students
SI sessions are designed to help students become more actively involved in their
learning. At each session, the trained SI leader guides the students through the
course concepts while utilizing a variety of study strategies and group facilitation
methods. SI leaders do not re-lecture, give out copies of their notes, complete
students’ assignments, or encourage last minute cramming. SI sessions help
students apply, analyze, and synthesize course content.
Supplemental Instruction will be offered for specific sections of:
•Anatomy and Physiology I
•Calculus I
•Calculus II
•Introduction to Statistical Methods
Study Abroad
•Principles of Macroeconomics.
To obtain the list of SI courses, click “Search” in
My Student Center and then select the appropriate
term. Under “Course Career” select
“Undergraduate”. For “Course Attributes” select
“Supplemental Instruction”.
When students register for an SI course section, their class schedule will show their
regular class meeting information and the days, times and locations of the each SI
session. The exception is Anatomy and Physiology I which can be found in the Class
Notes section on the Class Detail page. To view the Class Detail page, simply click
on the class number or section number associated with the course.
If advisors have any questions pertaining to Supplemental Instruction, please contact Latricia Hylton in the Academic Learning Center at 319-273-2361 or via email
at Latricia.Hylton@uni.edu.
To learn more about the impact of Supplemental Instruction visit the
International Center for Supplemental Instruction’s website:
www.info.umkc.edu/si/.
Reference:
What is Supplemental Instruction? (n.d.). Retrieved from www.info.umkc.edu/si/.
Gaps in the First Year Experience
A recent article from Dr. Mari Normyle has illustrated that many students
experience a change in needs at about the halfway point in an academic
year, particularly freshman. Specifically, students showed either an unfulfilled or changing interest in being helped with financial guidance,
career services, and academic support. The chart below details the
needs that students feel are not being met:
Source: Ruffalo Noel Levitz (2014). 2014 report: changes in freshman attitudes following a semester
of classes and interventions. Coralville, Iowa. Retrieved from www.ruffalonl.com.
Normyle suggests that we need to use the Progression +
Persistence = Retention formula to address the need for structured,
targeted support services beyond the first semester for freshman. UNI
offers several services that can help address the needs our our students!
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships has their Live Like a Student
program with free financial literacy classes. Career Services has career
counselors to help students plan their job and internship searches. The
Academic Learning Center has a number of programs designed to help
students work their way through the courseload successfully. Check out
the article to learn more about how you can help students succeed!
Important Dates
2/23 “Lecture Me Please”: A Panel Discussion about the Lecture.
3:30-4:30 p.m., Lib. 378
3/4 End of First Half Semester Courses
3/14- 3/18 Spring Break Week
3/21 Summer and Fall Registration begins for Graduate Students and Seniors
3/23 Summer and Fall Registration begins for Juniors
3/28 Summer and Fall Registration begins for Sophomores
4/1 Summer and Fall Registration begins for Freshman
4/6 Summer and Fall Registration begins for Unclassified Students
Deadlines
3/10
3/18
3/25
Last Day to Add a Second Half-Semester Course by 5 p.m.
Last Day to Drop a Second Half-Semester Course Without an “W” by 5 p.m.
Last Day to Drop a Full Semester Course without a “F” by 5 p.m.
Contact Us
Office of Academic Advising
102 Gilchrist
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0389
Phone: 319-273-3406
Fax: 319-273-7515
Email: advising-services@uni.edu
Advisor Contacts by College
Stay up-to-date on everything advising by
visiting the Advisor Handbook at:
http://www.uni.edu/advisorhandbook/
Content by Ashley Jones, Graduate Assistant