Council of Academic Advisors
Thursday, July 18, 2013
10:30 AM, Union Board Room
Present: Gloria Barr (General Studies), Andy Borst (Admissions), Jane Coplan (UAASC), Sue Dagit (Registrar’s Office), Monika Eskridge (COEHS), Jennifer Grimm (Communications), Molly Homer (Honor’s College), Kim McDaniel (Study Abroad), Caryn Morgan (CAS), Julie O’Brien (UAASC), Andi Potter (CBT), Chris Ramsey (CBT), Andrea Riebling (CBT), Jennifer Sandrik‐
Rubio (Physical Sciences), Claire Smalzer (Athletics), Vicki Walters, (Biology), Tammy Wilson (COEHS), Michelle Yager (UAASC) Guests: Larry Pickett, Military Science Roger Runquist, CITR Jessica Harriger, Economics and Decision Sciences Mary Margaret Harris, Beu Health Center Jessica Harriger and Mary Margaret Harris discussed the O.A.R.S Program (Online Absence Reporting System), with Roger Runquist assisting to answer any future programming questions. A handout about the O.A.R.S. Program was distributed. It was felt that students going to Beu for a class absence documentation were taking valuable time away from students who may really need to see a doctor. Absence policies established in syllabi from each instructor are different since there is no general policy. In their absence policies, faculty is loosely referring to a need for documentation. There is a misinterpretation that when a student picks up a slip from Beu the illness is being verified by a doctor … this is not always the case. O.A.R.S. is an on‐line, self‐reporting program that attempts to mirror with students the process used by staff to notify a supervisor of an absence due to illness. It is then up to the instructor to decide whether this is an excused or unexcused absence. The instructor determines how this affects grades and the attendance policy. Instead of going to Beu, students will go to wiu.edu/oars, which have pre‐populated areas. A student needs to re‐submit the form daily for each absence, but students can’t submit it once the day has past (i.e., do it today for yesterday). The Absence Reporting Committee is trying to determine how frequently SDO wants this information. If the absence is for an extended period of time, the student still needs to work with SDO. Advisors were asked what information they would like to see included for early intervention purposes and if they want to be copied each time a student misses class. Certain populations of students cannot be identified since this information is not on IDAP (such as students with less than 30 hours). They would eventually like to incorporate a feature to pull up individual students in the program. The form will be sent weekly in an automated file to the students’ advisors. The file will not have any graphics, making it a small file. Each e‐mail will have the same subject line, “Absence Notification”. A rule/filter can be created in Zimbra by the subject line and all e‐mails with that subject line would load into a pre‐identified folder. Once in the folder, it can be sorted by student. “How to Create a Rule/Filter” will be demonstrated at the Advisor’s Workshop. The committee would like feedback about e‐mail management so adjustments can be made as needed. Faculty Senate has been receptive to this program and the committee will work with them to incorporate this as a standard statement on syllabi. There is a need for faculty to support this; however, it needs to be made clear that the committee/Faculty Senate is not telling instructors how to deal with attendances. The committee will work with the fall assembly to get the information out to instructors. U100 instructors will incorperate it into their syllabi. SDO has asked to be copied in all e‐mails. Someone from the committee would be happy to explain the report and the process to faculty/ departments who request it since deans will help reinforce this to faculty, so please let Jennifer know if you want her to attend a faculty meeting to explain the program. There is a place on the form where a student can divulge that they did go to the doctor … if faculty suspect a student has lied, there would be potential consequences if it came down to it. This form may make it easier to miss class and there is likelihood of abuse, but potential abuse has to be weighed against abuse of medical facilities. WIU has to display a certain level of trust in students. The message that Beu gives to students who are ill is, “stay home when you are sick”, but they are punished for following this direction. Instructors can still ask for a medical form, but in order to get that documentation, a doctor has to attest that a student could not go to class. This defeats the purpose. It’s saying to the student that we don’t trust you and we expect you to mistreat the system thus causing students to make up an excuse for missing class. It seems to project a climate of dishonesty. It is projected that the program would be in place for the fall 2013 semester. The program will be publicized through a press release, the web, flyers in restrooms/residence halls, and the student newsletter from Beu. SGA will write a letter of support for this and will help publicize the program. It will also be linked to student resource areas, social media, and Telestars to parents and students. Finally, it will be included in the RA orientation and training. When a student goes to STARS or Zimbra, O.A.R.S. will be available, giving an extra level of credibility to students. Jennifer will come back to a COAA meeting for comments in December or January. Roger will attend a future meeting with information on texting I.
SOAR Update – Michelle Yager There will potentially be a large group at the last SOAR. The All Advisor Debriefing Session will be held on July 25, 2013, 2:00‐4:00 PM, in the Lincoln Room. A worksheet to help facilitate the discussion was sent via e‐mail, along with this meeting’s agenda. From the discussion, Michelle will make a SOAR advising report for Andy and Ron about how this year went, successes, things needing improvement, and things that need to be changed. The July 25 meeting has been targeted for advisors only. If you can’t attend the meeting, please e‐mail suggestions to Michelle. No date has been set for the all campus SOAR evaluation. Once an Assistant SOAR Director is hired, it is anticipated that person will do focus group meetings with those involved in SOAR There are 157 FYE seats, 110 gen ed, open for the next SOAR. No new sections will be opened, but caps may be raised in some of the more popular FYE classes. Michelle will contact Nancy and Jim about this and will let Molly know. There are certain requirements in some FYE classes where the caps can’t be raised. If you see there is a conflict in raising the cap in a certain section, please let Nancy know. There are 14 ENG 100 seats available. Magdelyn has indicated that there may not be any new sections opening … advisors may have to take the English forced requirement off so students can register for fall classes. The advisor will then need to re‐enter the placement so students are forced enrolled in the spring. Check‐in tomorrow for the last SOAR will be held in Simpkins Hall. II. NSR Transfer Registration Day – Michelle Yager The transfer registration schedule was attached to the agenda e‐mail. The schedule was adjusted to let Molly talk prior to the Student Services fair III. Changes to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program 0 Jennifer Tibbitts Changes to the ISP are still being adjusted. Jenn Tibbitts will present the changes once they are finalized. IV. All Advisor Workshop – Jane Coplan The afternoon session on August 12 will be targeted for new advisors, GAs, and anyone else who wants to come. MVS, placements, CAGAS, and advisor information will be discussed. Please let Jane Coplan know if your college/program has someone attending the workshop. The workshop will be held in the library main floor classroom. The all advisor workshop will be held on Wednesday, August 14, in the MCC. Once the agenda has been set, Jane will send it out. Please let Jane know if you have something you want to have covered. One advisor suggested that the switch from SDO to OSD and the services covered be discussed however, Andy said there was nothing different than before the change. OSD is just SDO without SOAR. All services with SDO are covered through OSD and Tracy will be handling them. Web information will be changed after SOAR … transition will be in September or October. There are vending machines in the MCC. It is hoped people would stay there for lunch and socialize. Since there is no money in the budget this year for food, everyone might want to bring snacks to share. Jane will send an e‐mail asking for interest in bringing food. V. COAA Budget Update There will be no COAA budget this year. The Professional Development Committee is going to have to be more grassroots and will have to do things differently. This is an opportunity to be creative. Sometimes being faced with obstacles will bring out the creativity in people. VI. Standing Committee Reports Professional Development and Networking Please attend the fall assembly in August Assessment The Committee is working diligently to get the advisor survey completed. They went over changes today in hopes of making it a more positive survey. They are hoping the survey will go out next week, allowing a month to return it. Included will be a place for comments. The results from the student survey will be reviewed at the advisor workshop. Fall meetings will be held on Wednesdays after the COAA meeting. A goal for next year is to submit a report from both the student and advisor surveys, utilizing the valuable information garnered from answers in hopes of helping retention. Lori Baker‐Sperry will speak to the committee in the fall. It was disappointing that there was a less than 10% return rate on the student survey since it was opened up it up to every student to get varied perceptions. Both surveys have undergone major revisions. The committee will try to get it on a better schedule in hopes of getting a better response rate. VII. CAGAS No CAGAS report VIII. News from the Registrar’s Office 










Wednesday, July 17 – Grading screen (GRRP) opened for summer instructors
Thursday, July 18
 Tenth Day Freeze – Files of currently enrolled students frozen for reporting purposes
 CAGAS meets
Friday, July 20 - “ Freeze Over” notification will be sent by Registrar’s Office
Friday, July 26 - Summer Session ends
Tuesday, July 30 – GRRP screen closed at noon
Wednesday, July 31 – Grades available; academic status letters go out
Thursday, August 8 – Deadline for special CAGAS appeals by 4 p.m. (Appeals must be
complete, i.e., with all documentation.)
Tuesday, August 13
 CAGAS Meeting (Special Appeals heard)
 Summer degrees conferred overnight
Monday, August 19 – Fall classes begin
Friday, August 23 – Open Registration for FL13 ends
Friday, August 30 – Restricted Registration for FL13 ends IX. College/Area News Arts and Sciences Starting in the fall, Dr. Miller will be a new faculty member teaching microbiology Starting September 1, Emma Trone will be a new GA in biology Business Over 90 applicants for the Quad Cities advisor position have been received. It is hoped that the position will be filled by mid‐September FYE is based on matric date rather than catalogue date Math 099 lists 2 books. Caryn thought students did not have to actually buy both books, but had to buy one book and then got a code, but she will check with Angie next week. There are not going to be anymore IQs in the spring. UAASC Julie thanked everyone for submitting information for the advisor directory. It will be uploaded soon and then will be the most recent version of the advising list The new OAS wait list procedure has worked well. Athletics Claire will see about special sections of a specific course for specific sports Admissions The fall freshmen class will be smaller than last year. New transfer students will probably be down 5%. This is similar to what is happening in other parts of the state. The competition for students will continue to be great until 2015, when students graduating from high schools go up. The average GPA for students is currently 21.3. The Commitment Scholarship will continue for at least 2 more years. WIU will continue to offer it as long as it continues to yield results. Miscellaneous Career Services is now the Career Development Center There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:45 AM. Respectfully submitted, Debbie Carithers