Council of Academic Advisors
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
8:30 AM, Multicultural Center
Present: Bryan Barker (UAASC), Gloria Barr (BGS), Laurie Black (Registrar’s Office), Jane Coplan (UAASC), Sue Dagit (Registrar’s Office), Erik Dalmasso (Admissions), Monica Eskridge (COEHS), Niall Hartnett (UAASC), Jennifer Grimm (Communications), Molly Homer (Honor’s College), Kim McDaniel (Study Abroad), Caryn Morgan (CAS), Kelly Morris (UAASC), Julie O’Brien (UAASC), Andi Potter (CBT), Andrea Riebling (CBT), Jennifer Sandrik‐Rubio (Physical Sciences), Renee Simpson (UAASC), Claire Smalzer (Athletics), Michelle Terry (CBT), Linda Thomas (UAASC), Michelle Yager (UAASC) Guests: Angie Veith, International Admissions Megan Bennett, International Admissions Vian Neally, Admissions I.
Uversity School App; Presented by Vian Neally This is an app launched by the Office of Admissions which works with Facebook. There are a number of applications coming into the university comprising the bottom tier of students who are waiting for acceptance from another university but want to apply here in case they aren’t accepted somewhere else and around the same number of students at the opposite end the spectrum who definitely want to come to WIU. Whom the Admission Office is targeting through Uversity are those students in the middle who have not yet decided what university to attend. It is hoped that this app will increase student excitement about WIU. When a student is accepted, they are sent an acceptance packet. One week after that, they are sent an electronic e‐vite to Uversity, which is a private and exclusive community for 2014 summer and fall freshmen and transfer matrics. In January, international and graduate students will be invited, so the pool will become larger. A handout was distributed listing features of Uversity. Vian will send Michelle an e‐mail Power Point which she will then forward to the Council, who can share the information with their colleagues. Communities This page shows all registered students at Western. Students can become engaged with each other depending on their major or club interest. At this time, Uversity can’t be interfaced with Purple Post. Only new students can access Uversity. Student Ambassadors are doing a great job informing prospective student about available clubs. This site will remain open to the students after they come to Western and at that time it could possibly be combined with students who are already on campus in clubs. Admissions is having student Ambassadors answer questions because students want interaction with upper classmen. U100 instructors are hearing from their students that they want to talk to other students already at Western. They are asking them how to become involved and they also want to see pictures of the campus. Student Finder This is where students can find common interests with other students … major, hometown, residence, interest. For example, this is where a student could find another student who is interested in a soccer club Enrollment Engagement The adoption rate is currently 15%. This page shows how many students have and have not joined. Vian has been told that Western is on target compared to other schools and the adoption rate will increase during spring semester. Enrollment Intelligence These are students in the middle of the funnel who Western wants to entice to come. Announcements The Announcement page is where students can be contacted. Any type of student can be targeted by major, area, or offered event. When students are new, they have a blue ribbon across their profile picture indicating that they have just joined. This is the page where a link can be inserted reminding students to fill out their Placement Information Form prior to SOAR. Once students are on campus, this app remains active so they can be contacted with a reminder to see their advisor. Student Engagement Page This page is only open to Admissions administration and student ambassadors. If you want something included on this page, contact Vian Neally in Admissions. Students can post pictures. This site is closely monitored by Admissions. II.
Admissions Process for International Students; Presented by Megan Bennett & Angie Veith International recruitment is growing, both those looking for degree completion and visiting students with different requirements. There are some visiting Brazilian students who are taking a few WIU classes and then will go home to complete their degrees. WIU has signed a contact with the Brazilian government that they will be allowed to take classes in their major. That contract must be honored. Visiting students (such as those from Brazil) do not have to submit a transcript to WIU. This has caused some challenges do to appropriate course placement. For those who have submitted a transcript, WIU is not always able to evaluate the course equivalency due to the difficulty in getting a syllabus or other supporting documentation from their home university/college. If course equivalency is not determined, the class is categorized as a general elective. The current group is currently in WESL and once they have completed WESL will go into academics. In the summer these students will do a non‐credit internship. If the program is successful, there will be a continual flow of visiting Brazilian students at Western. Pre‐reqs are a stumbling block for this first group of students and International Admissions is working on a solution. If available, International Admissions is sending transcripts ahead of time so advisors can see what classes these students need to take. Since they are non‐degree, they select a major area and then work within that area. Currently, out of those who have completed WESL, there are 5 in the Computer Science area, 1 in math, and 1 in physics. There is currently a group of 15 on campus … 8 have completed sufficient WESL training and will be taking classes this spring (2014). There are 3 different levels of WESL; all new international students have to take at least 1 semester and are placed into an appropriate level. They have to complete appropriate WESL steps before going into academics. It was suggested that transferring or visiting international students may need to meet with a faculty member or department chair to dialog about prior knowledge levels in order for the advisor to enroll the student in the most appropriate courses. Brazilian students are all undergrads who have to meet certain qualifications in Brazil before entering the program. There are no minimum English standards that need to be met. However, they do have to meet WESL standards and pass; if they don’t they will have to repeat that level or return home if they do not show progress. A question was asked about when WESL holds will be released so advisors can work with students. After the grade report is run, students can be switched from WESL to their majors, probably the Thursday of finals week. WESL should know sometime before Thursday who is graduating from the program. If a student goes to an advisor for registration and they still have a WESL status in MVS, but say they are graduating, call WESL and confirm so that advising holds can be removed and students can register. International students can’t register until the coding is changed by WESL. Contact Megan at 8‐3741 with any questions. It was requested that students not be sent to advisors until the switch from WESL is completed in MVS. This will allow advisors to help the student with the registration process at the same time as their advising appointment. III. Student Abroad: Who Signs for OAS Students It was decided that the major area advisor will sign the Study Abroad form, but advisors in the Honors program, advisors of students seeking a double major, and OAS advisors may do a double signature on the form. Study Abroad will look at including a comment box where advisor notes can be documented. IV. Transfer & Freshman November 22 Program Debriefing Those involved in the Academic Fair liked their location in the hallway outside the Ballroom, since it created a better traffic flow for them. Someone from UAASC will bring a no‐show and changed major list to the registration labs in Stipes so advisors will know what students are actually in attendance in their program/s. V. External Review Update The external review is set for February 24‐25, 2014, conducted by Dr. Patricia Griffin from Fort Hayes State University, Kansas. Advisors were urged to go on the Fort Hayes State University website and see how they serve their students through academic advising. Dr. Griffin has gone through the week‐long NACADA training program and is now a mentor, so she is coming with a lot of experience and good leadership practice. Once the itinerary is finalized, Michelle will send it out to all advisors. Dr. Griffin will meet with COAA, all advising supervisors, the Dean’s Council, and individual advising departments. Those people on the self‐assessment team will meet all day tomorrow for a work session. Michelle would like to have the self‐assessment completed by late January or early February so it can be sent to Dr. Griffin prior to her campus visit. VI. Holly Bowl UAASC will again host a Holly Bowl on December 16 from 10:00‐2:00. Wii bowling and a bag toss game will be set‐up and refreshments served. It is hoped that advisors would stop over during their noon hour or break period. This date was chosen because students are no longer on campus and it’s prior to Fall grades being published. VII. Housing and Dining Report by Niall Hartnett A Webinar produced by the faculty at South Dakota State University was shown last month. It dealt with collaboration between student services and other departments. The premise of the Webinar was good, but if administration doesn’t believe that everyone has a voice, the premise behind this Webinar collapses. As long as ideas are listened to, respected, and taken into consideration, it will work. Next week there will be an in‐service training on academic concerns for all housing staff. Niall will help supervise and give feedback. If there is anything that should be emphasized or shared, please let him know. This will be the last meeting of the semester. VIII. Standing Committees Professional Development and Networking There will be a Webinar next Wednesday, Dec 11, from 1:00‐3:00. The Webinar will be held from 1:00‐2:00 with a discussion following from 2:00‐3:00. There will be 3 people in attendance from SRC. An invitation has been extended to the Quad Cities advisors, but they haven’t responded yet. Campus Affairs and Public Relations There has been a good response to the clothing drive. The boxes are out and are filling rapidly. Assessment Committee The committee is looking at assessment data from last spring’s student survey. Raw data indicating a particular person or area will be sent to advising areas. The committee will be going over student surveys in early spring and sending them out from early February through early April, so advisors can tell students to fill it out during their appointment times. Surveys will be sent through e‐mail so students will have their code early spring. Awards and Recognition No one from the committee was in attendance, but it was thought that the November ‘Advisor of the Month’ had been selected. Hopefully, an email notice will be sent out soon. IX. CAGAS There was no meeting last week so no report. Andi Potter advises a student who is a military vet who wants to take an internship plus 15 hours (24 hours) in the spring. She was advised to tell the student to have his advisor and dept chair sign the appeal to show support, along with anyone else connected with the internship. It’s also important to make sure the student wrote an articulate letter. X. News from the Registrar’s Office FYE Requirement Changing a student’s catalogue year does not automatically update the FYE requirement. For someone who is going to change to another catalogue, if they came in under the old catalogue, they are still being forced into 2 FYE classes. When this happens, and you are changing from an older to newer catalogue, please contact the Registrar’s Office and they will see that it is manually changed in the system so the student is not forced into a 2nd FYE class. Notify the Registrar’s office if you are changing the catalogue year if it involves FYE and they will do what needs to be done. Nothing in that area is automated. The new catalogue says U100 is required, not 2 FYE. Eventually students will not come in under 2 FYE and Univ 100 so that will be a moot point. U‐Select According to Patty Mason, advisors should not be using the Transfer Articulation WARD Report. Even though the report shows classes needed, the information may not be accurate. Advisors should only be using U‐Select since U‐Select and the Transfer Articulation WARD Report are not syncing together and can’t be depended on to be accurate. The Articulation Guide which used to be on the website is no longer available. Students can create an account on U‐Select. Aims haven’t taken the Transfer Articulation Ward Report off MVS, as there are other projects with a higher priority. Eric will talk with Patty about this. If Patty wants to respond, Michelle will send the response out to the advisors. It might be helpful to have Patty come and talk about this at a brown bag discussion since there may be a way to use U‐Select more efficiently. Students should be encouraged to keep a copy of their syllabus when taking non‐WIU classes so they will have it if needed. Alternately, most departments keep a copy of syllabi in their department office. Students can contact the department chair and they can send it. If a class has been reviewed and put on U‐Select, it isn’t retroactive and doesn’t automatically go back and put it on for other students who have already been evaluated. Granting Degrees Donna Williams is hoping to grant degrees early. Students who have everything done and are not waiting for anything else to come through can theoretically have their degrees confirmed on December 18th; however, Donna and AIMS are still testing this. If this is in place this semester and if there is nothing in the works to stop it, degrees will be conferred. Students need to file a revised graduation app before December 18th if changing their graduation application and don’t want their degree confirmed. 1. Grades
a. GRRP (grading screen) opened Monday, 12/2 and will close at noon on Monday,
12/16.
b. Final grades will be available on Tuesday, 12/17.
2. Graduation
a. 1/03/2014 (Friday) is the deadline for degree requirements to be met for 2013FL.
b. 1/07/2014 (Tuesday) Fall degrees will be conferred.
3. CAGAS
a. Next Thursday,12/05/2013, is the next meeting and the last regular meeting of
FL13
b. Tuesday, 1/07/2014, is the meeting during which special appeals will be heard.
i. 1/02/2014 (Thursday) is the deadline for appeals to be submitted for the
January 7 meeting.
4. Early Warning Grade reports are being tested for formatting. The additional sortable
spreadsheet format will be ready for SP14.
XI. College/Area News XII. New Business There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05. Respectfully submitted, Debbie Carithers