College of Arts & Science
Review of Academic Advising and Student Services
Terms of Reference
Purpose:
To
review
the
adequacy,
quality,
and
effectiveness of the academic advising and
student service offerings of the College of Arts &
Science.
Background:
As the college with the largest undergraduate
population, the College of Arts and Science faces
additional and wide-ranging challenges in
providing advising and academic services to its
student population. This review builds on the
College’s 2005 Workplace Assessment which
resulted in the formation of the Undergraduate
Office as a distinct planning unit of the College of
Arts & Science under the leadership of the
Associate Dean (Undergraduate). Subsequently,
the College invested in a new space for the
Undergraduate Office to establish a modern, highquality, and welcoming student service space.
Funding:
The Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning
(PCIP) has approved funding for a review of the
academic advising services as provided by the
College of Arts & Science Undergraduate Office,
as identified in the College of Arts & Science
Second Integrated Plan, and under the rubric of
an authorized Enrolment Action Plan project.
Nature of the Study:
A recognized and impartial third party will be
contracted to conduct a comprehensive self-study
of student academic services and advising
practices in the College. The study will include a
qualitative scan of advising which takes place in
departments, and quantitative analysis of
Undergraduate Office services to understand the
activity levels, current student demographic
population being served, and student perceptions
of service quality.
Services to be reviewed:
The review will address the following:
1. Determination of service activity, quality,
strengths and gaps
2. Establishment of service priorities and
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targets
3. Identification of service redundancies and
synergies with external student service and
support units (e.g., SESD)
4. Discussion of resources and identification of
resource savings or needs
5. Development of new service delivery models
6. Development of scenarios for restructuring
to reflect College governance and structure
7. Refinement of the student service vision and
strategy
8. Identification of academic policies and
processes for revision
9. Comparison with known national and
international best practices
Outcomes of the Study:
A qualified external agency (e.g. National
Academic Advising Association) will be retained to
conduct a review which will include on-site visits
and peer institution comparisons in order to
prepare a report that will be delivered to the Dean
and Associate Dean of Arts & Science. This report
will summarize strengths and / or concerns
associated with the College’s advising and student
services, and provide recommendations on how to
appropriately implement best practices related to
these services within the College. At the Dean’s
discretion, the report will be shared with the
Enrolment Action Plan project team and other
College/University stakeholders. The review may
also serve as a pilot for the same type of review
in other University of Saskatchewan colleges.
Timeline:
As the incumbent Associate Dean’s term
concludes on 30 June 2010, and as this review
provides a planning framework for the successor,
the conclusion of this review should occur on or
before April 30, 2010 to permit reflective analysis
by the Dean and incumbent Associate Dean.
The Student Academic Affairs Committee of the College of Arts & Science, in accordance with its
mandate, has reviewed the above Terms for the College of Arts & Science Review of Academic
Advising and Student Services, an Enrolment Action Plan project.
REVIEWED: December 8, 2009
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