Council of Academic Advisors
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
8:30 AM, Union Board Room
Present: Julie Brines (UAASC), Jane Coplan (UAASC), Sue Dagit (Registrar’s Office), Jeanne Gage
(COEHS), Heather Fletcher (UAASC), Jennifer Grimm (Communications), Molly Homer (Honor’s College),
Ehren Kuzekov (Study Abroad), Lisa Melz-Jennings (Athletics), Kathy Meyers (SAPSC ad VRC), Caryn
Morgan (CAS), Andi Potter (CBT), Estelle Plewa (UAASC), Chris Ramsey (CBT), Colin Rogness (BA/GBS),
Jennifer Sandrik-Rubio (Physical Sciences), Theo Schultz (Pre-Nursing), Michelle Terry (CBT), Jennifer
Tibbitts (BA/BGS), Vicki Walters (Biology), Phoebe Wilson (COEHS), Michelle Yager (UAASC)
Guest: Tracy Scott
I.
Tracy Scott, SDO Changes
SDO will be changing office locations, but not duties, on October 1st. They will be relocated to the
area in the Union previously used by SAPSC. They will still do crisis intervention, prolonged absence
notifications (students are encouraged to use OARS for just a day of absence), IVPE, and exit
interviews. In addition to these duties, SDO will now oversee student IDs (however, it is not known
when they will be ready for that) and supervise the VRC (the VRC will still remain in the Wright
Center).
The SAPSC provided a lot of integrated services in one area; now questions about specific areas will
be redirected to those areas (e.g. financial aid questions will be directed back to financial aid).
A representative from the Registrar’s Office will need to reset passwords during Saturday SOARs.
Students in crisis, or if there is an immediate concern, should still be referred to SDO. In the event
where Tracy is not available, send students to the Counseling Center or OPS. If it is not an immediate
concern, have students make an appointment.
A ‘Quick Reference Guide for Helping Student’, which connects university personnel with available
resources on campus to help students, was distributed. All deans and departments have a copy of
this; advisors and additional staff will receive a copy, as well. This needs to be reviewed in order to
get students to where they need to be in order to get the best possible help. If more guides are
needed, send an e-mail to SDO@wiu.edu indicating how many copies you need for your group.
The SAPSC telephone number, 298-2092, will still go to Karolynn so that she can inform anyone who
calls that the office that it is no longer in existence and then redirect them to the appropriate area.
Since Kim and Jan have retired, please be patient with new personnel changes.
There are many pockets of information on campus concerning student behavior, but there is not
enough staff in SDO to compile a concise list. Western has an Emergency Consultation Team that
meets weekly to make sure someone is following up on the referrals. There is also a Threat
Assessment Team that pulls in people from differing areas, depending on the student’s needs.
Neither is an immediate response team … they consult with the staff handling the situation to see
what they need to do to manage the situation.
The Interpersonal Violence Prevention Education grant is finished at the end of this month. Prior to
the grant, the University had a procedure in place to assist victims of interpersonal violence/sexual
assault; SDO will still work with those individuals. SDOs phone number remains the same, 298-1884,
1885 (roll over) … the IVPE number will no longer be operational after the grant is completed but
will, instead, roll over into the SDO phone number.
For any additional questions, e-mail Tracy and he can answer those on an individual basis.
II. SOAR Major Meeting Changes
This past summer’s SOAR program, there was a piloted program where COFAC OAS students
attended the major meeting with the college. Tim Johnson was the OAS advisor. He and his students
went to the COFAC major meeting and registered for classes with the college’s advisors. The pilot
program was considered to be very successful in making OAS students feel like they were part of
their major group. Next summer, the Provost wants all OAS students to be part of their major
meetings. A SOAR review committee has already begun to discuss the logistics of making this
happen. This committee will draft a SOAR schedule proposal to present to Sarah Jewell to make sure
that students’ interests and needs are met.
III. Transfer Articulation Conference
The Transfer Articulation Conference on the Quad Cities Campus on Friday, September 26th, was
discussed. Several departments are sending groups of people to represent their areas.
IV. NACADA
Michelle Yager, Tim Johnson, and Julie (O’Brien) Brines will make a poster presentation on the
tutoring mobile app at NACADA. There are a wide range of topics being presented at the
conference. Tim, Julie and Michelle will offer a presentation to the advising community of what was
learned at the Conference.
V. Major Changes Procedures
Caryn Morgan brought a concern to COAA about the long processing time for students to get their
majors changed. It has negatively affected tenth day numbers and worse, prevented students from
getting Foreign Language scholarships. Sue Dagit, from the Registrar’s Office, reports that Change of
Major forms are processed as soon as they are received.
All COAA representatives were asked to go back to their constituents and encourage them to
process the forms as quickly as possible since failure to do so can create a negative ripple effect of
implications.
The elimination of the second signature was discussed, with some type of notification needing to be
sent to the previous advisor, possibly an email notification.
There was a concern that the advisor contact list needed to be updated. Everyone was reminded
that it’s a fluid list and updated whenever a change is emailed to Julie Brines. She will send an e-mail
about this to the listserve.
If there is a question about who advises a music student, ask Yvonne Oliver; if the question is about
a theatre student, ask the new theatre chair, Tammie Killian.
VI. Update on International Student Registrationz
Caryn and Chris had a good meeting with International Programs, which opened a productive chain
of communication.
Newly-accepted students in the spring will get an acceptance letter with advisor contact information
included, with a copy of the letter going to the advisor. Advisors won’t get transcripts at that point.
Brazilian students are non-degree-seeking students, so transcripts aren’t evaluated since we don’t
require them. Degree-seeking students are supposed to provide a copy of the course syllabus or
course description to International Admissions, which is then sent to chairs to be evaluated. If the
transcripts are from an international school, international admissions will evaluate them. All
domestic transcripts are evaluated by the undergraduate Admission Office.
Brazilian students will now be coded with a junior/senior standing. In the past they had all been
listed as freshmen but this was inaccurate and made it hard for the students to enroll in upper level
courses.
A list of international students will be sent to advisors, listing the student’s name and ID number,
also a personal e-mail account so advisors can communicate with them.
In the past, international students have had been coded in the wrong major. Many are being listed
as UA students who should be in a specific major. Please contact International Admissions to have
the error corrected.
Because English is no longer determined through a placement test, WESL graduates didn’t have a
forced Eng 100 requirement. An automatic Eng 100 hold will now be put on degree-seeking
students as they graduate from WESL.
VII. Update Advisor Handbook Ad Hoc Committee
Michelle will ask for volunteers to work on updating the advisor handbook as an ad hoc committee.
This should be completed by the advisor training workshop next August.
VIII. Standing Committee Reports
Professional Development
Because of the assessment report, they are trying to be more intentional about picking a theme for
the year. They will coordinate brown bag lunches, brown bag breakfasts, and work on a theme to
use throughout the year so things are more connected to one another.
Campus Affairs
The committee met last week to look at their mission this year of trying to gain more positive
exposure for advisors on campus. It is their hope to communicate to students, faculty/staff, and
other campus committees the job advisors do and how important a role it plays. They are now
reaching out to students through various methods of communication to meet with their advisors
and register on time.
One new thing they are going to do is a “Be Wise, Be Advised” campaign, as used in the past. Vian
will help use that verbiage in current social media, such as the 2018 social media page that is very
active.
One of the things looked at for positive exposure is to recruit people to participate in We Care, Big
Pink Volleyball, walking for various different campaigns, and occasionally having a group of advisors
go to a dining hall, eat a meal, and interact with students. They are also looking into a low-cost,
locally-made generic t-shirt, possibly with the advisor’s name on the back, to be worn at these
events to maximize visibility.
They are moving away from the clothing drive this year since Career Development is working on
having a continual clothing closet.
Assessment Committee
Julie is committee chair.
They have talked about different ways of getting information from students, such as a student focus
group. They are also trying to determine what information is valuable, how it is helpful, and how to
use it.
They have discussed the External Reviewer’s recommendation for an advising program. Heather will
look at what other universities do as far as advising programs.
Awards and Recognition
Michele Aurand is chair.
They are looking at awards through NACADA and ILACADA to try to get more recognition.
Advisor of the Month information is out and has been updated on the website. The committee plans
to request plaques to be paid for through COAA funds. Everyone was urged to nominate advisors for
the award.
Technology
Their goals are to work on an electronic procedure for major changes and a proposal to the
Technology Governance Committee on a way to electronically indicate if a student has met with
their advisor (even if the code has been released) and why students are leaving at the end of the
semester. As other items come up, they will be addressed.
IX. CAGAS
Several student late adds were heard at the last meeting, with various reasons indicated. Students
writing CAGAS appeals should send a well-written letter with documentation and specific facts.
Appeals tend to be less successful if there is no documentation or specific facts included.
X. Registrar’s Office
• Monday, October 6 - Early Warning Grade Screen will open and be available until Monday,
10/20, at 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 21, early warning grade notices will be emailed to students.
• Advisor encumbrances are on; transfer holds are in process for students who have not yet
submitted final transcripts to our office.
• Emails will go out in the next week or so to faculty through TeleStars explaining the new FN and
FW grades. The message will also go to Deans and Department Chairs as an FYI.
• New feature on MVS regarding course permissions:
MVS
 Go to RSTR and click on a student.
 Hit F4 and it will take you to the PERM screen.
 Enter the permission.
 Hit F4 again and it will take you back to the RSTR screen.
o WIUP
 Same procedure but with buttons instead.
o You must start at the Roster (RSTR) Screen for this to work!
Reminders:
o Commencement Information
 October 6 - 10 -- Undergraduate commencement information postcard mailed
to prospective graduates
 Friday, October 24
• Deadline for graduation applications to be submitted to the Registrar's
Office in order for names to be listed in the Fall 2014 commencement
program.
• Macomb Grad Prep Day (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
 Commencement Weekend Schedule
• Friday, December 19
o 5:30 p.m. -- Honors Convocation
• Saturday, December 20
o 9:30 a.m. – Combined Graduate/Undergraduate
Commencement Ceremony #1 (General Studies Degree
Program, Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
and College of Business and Technology)
o 1:00 p.m. – Combined Graduate/Undergraduate
Commencement Ceremony #2 (College of Education and
Human Services and College of Fine Arts and Communication)
o Monday, November 3 – Advance Registration begins.
 All service members will be given priority registration appointment times
beginning with registration for the SP15 semester.
o
•
XI. College/Area News
Kathy Neumann is the new CBT interim dean. She is transitioning right now, but will still retain some
duties in the Provost Office. There will be an immediate search for a new dean.
Banner prices are approximately $60.00, including shipping.
XII. New Business
Next meeting: Wednesday, October 8 from 8:30-10:00 am in the Union Board Room
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:00 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Carithers