Council of Academic Advisors
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
8:30 AM, Multicultural Center
Present: I.
Bryan Barker (UAASC), Laurie Black (Registrar’s Office), Andy Borst (Admissions), Jan Clough \(Art), Jane Coplan (UAASC), Sue Dagit (Registrar’s Office), Monika Eskridge (COEHS),Heather F+letcher (UAASC GA), Jennifer Grimm (Communications), Molly Homer (Honor’s College), Ehren Kuzekov (Study Abroad), Katie Mey (UAASC GA), Kathy Meyers (SAPSC and VRC), Caryn Morgan (CAS), Kelly Morris (UAASC), Julie O’Brien (UAASC), Andi Potter (CBT‐Eng Tech), Chris Ramsey (CBT), Andrea Riebling (CBT), Jennifer Sandrik‐Rubio (Physical Sciences), Linda Thomas (UAASC), Jennifer Tibbitts (BA/BGS), Tammy Wilson (COEHS), Michelle Yager (UAASC) Opening Week “Check‐In” Financial Aid The financial aid process seemed to be delayed so students had a difficult time buying books. Michelle will talk to Bob Anderson to see if this was a system problem. Advisors need to again push students in January to submit their FAFSA early. Students eligible for work study funds stem from the early application process. Building Connections Mentor It was asked if Sarah Lytle could send a list of students who registered late to their Building Connections Mentors. Please call Sarah with the names of any U100 students who don’t have a mentor. Western Online Western Online updating the second week of classes seemed to take a long time. This becomes a problem when students register late and are trying to catch up in their classes and can’t access the database. Michelle will check on this … instructors can still add students manually, but it is still an overnight process for their names to appear on the class. Miscellaneous Some students were advised to drop classes during the second week … not all departmental areas will work with students to get them caught‐up if not attending class the first week. It seemed like there were fewer late admits this semester, making it seem much less chaotic and more manageable. The extra effort advisors took over the summer to contact students who hadn’t registered was effective. II.
Sue will check to see if there can be an ending date attached to the re‐entry lists sent every week. Building Connections Check In Students seem to be confused by the term and function of “peer mentor”, “building connections mentor”, and “advisor”. One solution offered was to call the “building connections mentor” by a different name. Being able to see building connections mentors and the students assigned to that person on MVS would be helpful. Students don’t know who their mentor is so it is confusing to both students and advisors. Sarah Lytle’s phone number is 298‐1814. III.
IV.
University 100 Check‐In Even though the function of advisors and mentors is confusing, it is a lot better than last year because U100 instructors are explaining it in class, plus there is a 4th week U100 assignment centering around this. There is still a problem with mentors advising students. A few of the U100 locations are difficult for students to get to from class during the day. There has been a good job of updating U100 locations on STARS. It was suggested that next year U100 classes be located closer to residence halls in the evening. External Advising Review Ron Williams is heading up the external advising review and is trying to get Noel‐Levitz on campus in October. It isn’t known what advisors will be asked to provide but advising will be a part of the process. Advisors could be asked to meet through departments and COAA. This is still in the discussion phase, but as soon as Michelle has more information, she will pass it along. This external review could drive internal reviews. Even though advising hasn’t done an external review in the past, self‐studies have been done so there is a lot of self‐examination data. The CAS Report is available, both the one that Candy did in 2010 and the one revisited last year. Julie will put both the CAS Report and By‐Laws online as soon as she gets the date of approval for each from Michelle. The North Central Report is on file in UAASC. Michelle didn’t know why Noel Levitz was selected to do the external review. V. Campus Affairs Recruitment There are only 3 people on the Campus Affairs Committee. Outreach is the main goal culminating in student awareness about making and keeping appointments so they can register. The next meeting is on Wednesday at 8:30 AM in the Algonquin Room. If you have questions, let Caryn know since she chaired this committee last year. VI.
Professional Development This committee also needs more people and also needs to be more creative because there is no budget this year. Their first meeting is going to be on September 10th at 8:30 AM in the DuSable Room. One of the first jobs of the committee will be to build a program around a Webinar received from NACADA. They are also looking at a book study … a specific book will be studied together and everyone can be a part of that. VII.
Standing Committee Reports No committees have met yet. Professional Development and Networking Another session about safety issues (i.e,. what to do if feeling threatened, how to make an emergency plan for workplace safety, etc.) has been scheduled with OPS Lt Thomas Clark for Wednesday, Sept 25, at 8:30 AM in the Multicultural Center. This is not a COAA meeting day. Jane will try to work with the Professional Development Committee on this and will get something out on the advising listserve soon. Michelle has been contacted by the Counseling Center about a suicide prevention/awareness intervention type of workshop. It might be good for new advisors on campus to attend this. Assessment The Assessment Committee will be meeting after today’s COAA meeting Awards and Recognition The Awards and Recognition Committee will meet for the first time this semester on Tuesday at 8:30 AM in the DuSable Room. Although there are several people already on this committee ship, everyone can join it. VIII.
CAGAS Report CAGAS has met 3 times since the meeting before the start of the semester. A lot of ‘New Start’ applications have been submitted and the committee has approved all that have come before them. Several late withdrawals have been submitted but denied. This CAGAS committee seems to be very student‐friendly. The instructor of the online summer RPTA 110 class didn’t start Western Online until several weeks into the semester. Several students petitioned for a late withdrawal and asked for their money back from that class. If you have student who was in this class, they can appeal because CAGAS is aware of the situation. The Enrollment Management Committee submitted a change of status proposal to eliminate the warning status for OAS students entering Western for the first time. CAGAS approved this and it will go before Faculty Senate next week. OAS students currently coming in on warning will now come in on good standing will get the same chances as a regular admit students. IX.
News from the Registrar’s Office – Sue Dagit  Wednesday, 9/4 ‐Early checkout for FL13 graduation began o Advisors will be emailed the categories that their graduating advisees fall into before the letters are mailed to students, i.e., FL13, SP14, SU 14. o Notification letters apprising students that their graduation date is being moved because of deficiencies will be held for a few days in case there are adjustments to degree plans that will allow students to graduate “on time”. o If a student is moved to a future graduation term and something changes that puts them back to the original term, the advisor must let Donna know. She will not run a subsequent check after students’ terms are moved.  Monday, 9/16 – Spring 2014 schedules will be available on Course Search  Commencement Information o September 30 – October 5 ‐‐ Undergraduate commencement information postcard mailed to prospective graduates o 10/18 ‐‐ Deadline for graduation applications to be submitted to the Registrar's Office in order for names to be listed in the commencement program. o 10/4 ‐‐ Macomb Grad Prep Day (9:00 a.m. ‐ 1:00 p.m.) o Commencement Weekend Schedule 
Friday, December 13 o 5:30 p.m. ‐‐ Honors Convocation 
Saturday, December 14 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) 
1:00 p.m. – Combined Graduate/Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony #2 (College of Education and Human Services and College of Fine Arts and Communication) 
If students withdraw from all classes at this point, they will receive a prorated refund. o If a student drops one or some of his/her classes at this point, there is no refund. A student may appeal to Billing and Receivables for a refund only if s/he has not attended the class since tenth day. New law – All service members will be given priority registration appointment times beginning with registration for the SP14 semester. o Times will still be set around the student’s schedule if currently attending. Monday, 11/4 – Advance Registration begins. o
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Sue will check with Sarah about the difference in spring semester dates between the registrar website and the academic calendar. X.
College/Area News Fine Arts The CUPP party is tonight. Since students have gone to planners instead of calendars, there are many faculty members disappointed that calendars are no longer available. This is a great tool for students, but not necessarily for faculty. Michelle will send the administrative calendar out again. Honors College The Centennial Honors College will celebrate 30 years of university‐wide honors programs at WIU with an anniversary party on Monday, September 23, in conjunction with WIU Founder’s Day. There will be celebratory student reception at 3:30 PM, followed by a social on the third floor of Sherman Hall at 5:00. The evening will include refreshments, a performance by the President’s String Quartet, a “History of Honors” video, and reflections from former Directors, such as Gordon Kirk, Sterling Kernek, Eric Stiffler, Jutta Helm, John Klasner, Tom Helm, Marty Dupuis, and Bill Knox. The ASAP timetable is listed as September 16 on the Provost Website. Admissions Enrollment Update: The total enrollment is down 4%: down 600 students in Macomb and up 200 students in the Quad Cities. This equates to $12,000,000 less revenue coming to WIU. Freshmen are down 6%: 102 less freshmen. Retention is 64.7, down 3%. It is hoped to be able to turn this around next year. The university has reduced their name purchase from ACT; there will be 4 major visits from school counselors (mostly in the Chicago area from identified key schools); the format of Discover Western will change (the Student Services fair will flip locations with the academic services fair with lunch in Thompson Dining Hall). A lot of the publications and strategies have been working, with a 400% increase in those looking at WIU’s website. Three criminal disclosure questions that are violence‐focused have been added to the application … (i.e., questions such as: have you ever been expelled from an institution for violence, list your past criminal history regarding violence, list your major offenses in terms of being expelled or sitting in front of a judge, etc). College of Business Interviews in the Quad Cities for Tom Bates’ position will be held next week. Andi Potter has agreed to take part of the engineering population in Macomb since that major is growing rapidly. Andrea Riebling will be out on maternity leave for the majority of the spring semester. There will be someone in the office replacing her. Arts & Sciences Ralph Heissinger had a house fire and the History Department is taking donations. He expects to be back to work this week, but until then, all history majors can go to Caryn. Registrar’s Office Graduation Prep Dates: Quad Cities GPD is Thursday, Oct. 24 from 1‐5 p.m. at the Riverfront campus in Moline; Macomb GPD is Friday, Oct. 25 from 9‐1 in the University Union Concourse UAASC Julie is waiting on information to update tutoring on the web. She hopes to get everything on the website by Friday and then will work on the app … hopefully everything will be ready by Monday next week. Veterans Resource Center This has been the smoothest opening they have ever had and they appreciate the advising partnership. They certified as many students on the GI Bill yesterday as were certified all last semester. They are going to announce SALUTE (the Veterans National Honor society) and will send an announcement to the listserve about it. The deadline for fall 2013 applications is November 1, 2013. There were 2 Fallen Soldier Scholarships awarded in spring semester. John Marshall will be at WIU on Sept 24 in the Sandburg Lounge (he won’t recruit unless approached by students). The Health and Wellness Fair is being moved to the fall semester, where the mobile vet center will be located in the area outside the Rec Center, as well as having professionals from on and off campus available to deal with wellness issues. If you need parking information, please let Kathy know. She will get the lists out to advisors next week. Please let Kathy know if you know of anyone not on the list. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:15 AM. Respectfully submitted, Debbie Carithers