Council of Academic Advisors
Wednesday, July 16, 2012
10:30 AM, Cardinal-Oak Room
Present: Michelle Aurand (IS), Laurie Black (Registrar’s Office), Jane Coplan (UAASC), Sue Dagit (Registrar’s Office), Jennifer Gage (COEHS), Jennifer Grimm (Communications), Molly Homer (Honor’s College), Kim McDaniel (Study Abroad), Caryn Morgan (CAS), Kelly Morris (UAASC), Julie O’Brien (UAASC), Ron Pettigrew (BA/BGS), Missy Phillips (COEHS), Chris Ramsey (CBT), Jennifer Sandrik‐Rubio (Physical Sciences), Theo Schultz (Pre‐Nursing), Renee Simpson (UAASC), Michelle Terry (CBT Rep), Dana Vizdal (CBS Admin Inter/Study Abroad), Michelle Yager (UAASC) I.
Transfer New Student Registration – Michelle Yager The transfer agenda was reviewed. Boris will be unable to attend transfer registration because he teaches at that time but will ask Angela Klein to cover for him. There will be no new students added to the July 20 registration. Four thousand students who had expressed an interest in Western but who had never followed‐up were sent a letter encouraging them to attend Western. It is hoped at least 50 of these students decide to come to WIU. These students may not come in time to attend a SOAR date so the following options will be available to them: 1) Automatic placement in Eng 100 and Math 099. During the 1st week of classes, students can take the math and/or English placement exams and if they score higher they can change classes. 2) Students can elect to take the Math ACT compass test at a remote site before coming to WIU. 3) They can sign up through our office and do math/English placement at UAASC. Times must be scheduled and tests should be taken before school starts, if possible. Some registrations will probably have to be handled over the phone. The projected enrollment for fall 2012 is 1,700. We anticipate a greater than usual number of freshman students enrolling via advisor registration after SOAR is over. It was suggested that in the future, in order to be proactive in helping these late‐registering students who potentially may not be successful, a program be developed by SDO and Admissions where they come to WIU a day earlier to talk to their RAs, get their IDs, get their books, etc. in hopes of helping them in their adjustment. Michelle will talk to Tracy Scott about this and then come back to COAA with suggestions. Another suggestion was that this year SDO could send an announcement to the adv reg students that they would hold an evening program for these students in order to help them transition to college life. One problem with this is that there are many activities already scheduled in the evenings. Department major meetings were also discussed, with the possibility that individual departments could offer information about academic success to students. The following discussion occurred regarding automatic placement into Math 099 and English 100 for students who do advisor reg: Math is different from English since with math if you don’t have the pre‐req, the student will be dropped from the class. If advisors tell students to take the English placement, they need to document this in case the student does not take the placement, enrolls in English 180 anyway, and then fails the class. In this case, it is the responsibility of the student because they were not advised to take the class. Michelle will talk to the English Chair about enforced pre‐reqs in English. It was decided to do English placements as has been done in the past, and if a problem arises it will be addressed at that time. Michelle will look into a way to offer a couple of scheduled times when English placements can be given as a group during the first week of school and then will send the information to advisors. Since the last SOAR is closed, advisors are asked to call the Registrar’s Office to put students on adv reg before registering them for Fall 2012. II. SOAR Check‐in – Michelle Yager Math 100 and Stat 171 Math 100 and Stat 171 are closed and probably will not be opened. (After the meeting, another section of each class was actually added to the schedule.)Boris wants advisors to contact him if students need this class for sequencing purposes. He needs numbers and documentation to take to administration when asking for more sections to be opened. English 100 Seats are filling up in Eng 100. If we reach the point where there are no more Eng 100 seats, we will remove the English placement code to allow the student to register, then reload it after registration. A will be established for those students for whom we did this. FYE Michelle has e‐mailed Nancy Parsons asking if we could have more sections of some of the most popular FYE classes opened. When she hears back from her she will let everyone know. (After the meeting, several FYE sections were added: Music 195Y, Psy 100Y, Geol 110Y.) SOAR Follow‐Up Meetings COAA – Thursday, July 10th, from 9:00‐10:00 in the Sandburg Theatre All Campus – Thursday, July 10th, from 10:30‐noon in the Sandburg Theatre III. Council Budget In April, Ron Williams told Michelle that there would be $2,000 available for COAA professional development. This money was going to be put into the UAASC account and Michelle would oversee it. With possible budgetary cuts, it is not known if money will ultimately be transferred in or transferred in at a lower amount. IV. Professional Development Form – Michelle Yager This form is for pre‐approval of COAA professional development sessions before the event occurs so that it can be clear as to whether that event qualifies as a way for advisors to receive points. This doesn’t mean advisors can’t receive PAA points from other entities (i.e.: CITR sessions). This form would be filled out by the event organizer and not the person who attends the event. The intent is to come up with a list ahead of time so that people know what events count toward PAA points. This form only qualifies for COAA events. Molly thought that as long as Michelle approves the event, it does not have to go to the Provost’s Office. The supervisor, advisor, and dean approve the points; the Provost does not approve PAA points. Step 4 should be changed to “form submitted to the Provost’s Office for informational purposes only.” The approval of points stays at the supervisor level; the provost is only part of the appeal process, should there be a problem. Only after 30 points are earned does the Provost see it and at that point no points can be removed. The process for appeals grievance would start at the Chair’s level followed by the Dean, then going to the Provost’s Office. Step 3 should be changed to read: “Submit completed form to COAA chair to be vetted through the advisor’s supervising group”. V. By‐Laws Vote – Michelle Yager PROXIES: Jennifer Grimm was proxy for Lisa Melz Jeanne Gage and Missy were proxies for Tammy Wilson and Stacey Dorsett A motion was made by C. Ramsey, seconded by R. Pettigrew, to accept all the changes as a package. Motion passed. A motion was made by Jane Coplan, seconded by C. Ramsey, to accept the changes in the by‐laws. Motion passed. VI. Standing Committees Professional Development A meeting has been scheduled for Friday morning to begin the planning stages for fall semester. August 13 is the new advisor’s training session, with all new advisors and advising graduate assistants encouraged to attend. The Advisor’s Workshop will be on August 15. These events are not a part of the Professional Development Committee but are part of Jane’s job description. Agendas for both will be sent out in a few weeks. Assessment Committee The committee is trying to put together the results from the advisor and student surveys so that the data can be used to student’s advantage. The Committee will get back to the Council with information as it is gathered. Campus Affairs Last year there was some bad press from SGA in the Courier. Theo has been in contact with their reps to come to one of our meetings but they have not gotten back in touch with him. SGA has a seat on COAA and maybe they should be asked to be a part of the discussion. Contacting Michelle Janisz in OAS to ask which CSP GA is going to oversee SGA and make communicate with that person at the beginning of the year might be a good way to get representation. The Courier could also be encouraged to do an article on an advisor. That might be good at the first of the year to encourage students to utilize resources. ‘Ask an Advisor’ was formerly part of the Courier. Maybe an advisor could put an article in the Courier on a regular basis. VII. CAGAS There will be a meeting on Thursday at 9:00, with a Friday deadline for all appeals and documentation to be submitted. There will be a daylong CAGAS meeting on August 14, which will be Julie’s last meeting. Jean Bird will attend all meetings starting August 14. Please make sure students have all documentation submitted by the deadline date. VIII. News from the Registrar New Staff Member – Jessica Ruppert (Front Desk/Phone) 
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Monday, July 16, 2012 – CAGAS Appeals are due for Thursday, 7/19, meeting Wednesday, July 18, 2012 – Final Grade Reporting available on GRRP Thursday, July 19, 2012 o Tenth Day Freeze – Files of currently enrolled students frozen for reporting purposes o CAGAS Friday, July 20, 2012 – Freeze Over notification will be sent by Registrar’s Office Friday, July 27, 2012 – Summer Session ends Tuesday, July 31, 2012 – GRRP screen closed at noon Wednesday, August 1 – Grades available; academic status letters go out Tuesday, August 14 ‐ Summer degrees will be conferred overnight Wednesday, August 15 – Summer degrees will be visible IX. College/Area News – Council Members Fine Arts Billy Clough is the new dean. The Provost has cut 4 sections of Comm 241 for fall semester. There will be 10 sections spring semester. Encourage students who need this class to satisfy graduation requirements to register for it as soon as possible. If there is funding for online courses, instructors may be available for that. Education Clair Smalzer is a new athletic advisor in Intercollegiate Athletics, taking the place of Sue Danner. Business Rather than sending e‐mails, call Michelle Terry for overload in business classes. Starting August 1st, Dr. Greg Woodruff will be the chair of Accounting and Finance. Craig Conrad will be the acting chair for Marketing/Management. New Business: None There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:00 noon. Respectfully Submitted Debbie Carithers