Academic Advising Center
Central Washington University
2008-2009 Department Report
Mission
The mission of the Academic Advising Center (AAC) is to coordinate and support an advising program that
helps students develop and realize meaningful and responsible educational goals. By providing information and
counsel, advisors support students’ personal, academic, and professional growth and empower students to make
effective decisions regarding educational opportunities.
Vision
The vision of the Academic Advising Center is to develop an effective and innovative academic advising
program that has regional and national recognition for excellence.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Provide consistent, accurate, and timely information and referrals to students so that they may make informed academic,
personal, and professional decisions.
Cultivate beneficial connections with CWU centers, colleges, and departments and foster positive relationships with faculty
advisors to support a cohesive advising system.
Offer culturally relevant academic advising services to promote diversity within the campus community.
Empower students to be self reliant by instructing them on academic planning and the use of CWU publications,
technologies, and other resources.
Increase the visibility and accessibility of the Academic Advising Center through Advisor participation in CWU events,
activities, meetings, and programs that contribute to student success and development.
Create an environment that encourages and rewards the professional development efforts of Academic Advising Center staff.
Develop an ongoing assessment program to support advancements in services provided by the Academic Advising Center at
CWU.
Retention
This year CWU statistics on retention showed an increase of 1.5% over last years retention rate from fall to
winter quarter. This is the first time in four years that CWU’s first to second quarter retention rate went up! This
is also the first year that AAC has advised all the freshmen at least once each quarter until they are sophomore
standing. It is possible that AAC’s new mission of advising all freshmen has significantly impacted the
retention rate, however we are also well aware of the many factors that may have played a role.
Note: Student contact numbers were
gathered from AAC sign in sheets. The
above numbers do not include phone, e-mail
contacts or the Westside Centers.
Student Contacts
It is important to understand how many student contacts AAC had this year because we are a student centered
department. AAC had a total of 9078 CONTACTS. The graph below represents a comparison of student
contacts from the 2007/08 school year to our current 2008/09 school year.
Student Contacts Westside Centers, Des Moines and Lynnwood
The Lynwood and Des Moines Center’s Academic Advisors had 1579 student appointments and 4356 student
contacts through e-mail and telephone during the later part of the 2008/2009 school year. It is important to note
that the above data is only for a portion of the school year due to professional staff starting later in the fall and
lack of being asked to track student contacts until after fall quarter.
AAC Goal Attainment Report, 2008-2009
GOAL
1. Provide consistent, accurate, and
timely information and referrals to
students so that they may make
informed academic, personal, and
professional decisions.
2. Cultivate beneficial connections
with CWU centers, colleges, and
departments and foster positive
relationships with faculty advisors to
support a cohesive advising system.
3. Offer culturally relevant academic
advising services to promote diversity
within the campus community.
4. Empower students to be self reliant
by instructing them on academic
planning and the use of CWU
publications, technologies, and other
resources.
5. Increase the visibility and
accessibility of the Academic
Advising Center through Advisor
participation in CWU events,
activities, meetings, and programs
that contribute to student success and
development
6. Create an environment that
encourages and rewards the
professional development efforts of
Academic Advising Center staff.
7. Develop an ongoing assessment
program to support advancements in
services provided by the Academic
Advising Center at CWU.
GOAL COMPLETED
NOTES
YES
See Student Survey results
question 4 & 5.
ONGOING
See page 3.
ONGOING
See Student Survey results based
on Ethnicity
YES
See Student Survey results
question 6.
YES
See page 5.
YES
See page 6.
ONGOING
To be updated
during AAC’s
Annual Staff Meeting,
Summer 2009.
Assessment
Goal 1. Provide consistent, accurate, and timely information and referrals to students so that they may
make informed academic, personal, and professional decisions.
Goal 4. Empower students to be self reliant by instructing them on academic planning and the use of
CWU publications, technologies, and other resources.
The results from the AAC Student Survey indicated an overwhelming positive response from freshmen
concerning their academic advising experience. When asked, “How would you rate your experience with your
advisor?” the vast majority stated agree to strongly agree (91.1%). Although, we know the scale was
inappropriate for this question we believe you can assume that students were giving AAC a very high rating.
The majority (94.6 – 84.5%) of students who returned the AAC Student Survey also reported agreement to
strong agreement with the following statements (see table below):
o
o
o
o
My advisor is knowledgeable of general education requirements (94.6%).
My advisor helped me to learn more about academic policies and procedures (84.5%).
My advisor helped me to become more self-reliant in making decisions at CWU (87.2%).
My advisor listened to my concerns (86%).
AAC Student Survey Report, 2008-2009
The Student Survey (see appendix) was sent via e-mail to all freshmen that were advised by the CWU
Academic Advising Center during the 2008/09 school year. The survey was distributed spring quarter of 2009.
148 volunteer responses were received (33.8% male and 66.2% female). The students who participated in this
survey identified as Native American (2.1%), Pacific Islander (2.9%) Asian-American (5%), HispanicAmerican (10%), European-American (55.7%), and Other (27.1%).
140
120
Strongly Agree
100
Agree
80
Neutral
60
Disagree
40
Strongly Disagree
20
No Opinion
0
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8
Question 4:
My advisor is knowledgeable of general education requirements.
Question 5:
My advisor helped me to learn more about academic policies and procedures.
Question 6:
My advisor helped me to become more self-reliant in making decisions at CWU.
Question 7:
My advisor listened to my concerns.
Question 8:
My advisor was accessible by appointment if the appointment was made 1-3 business days in advance.
Goal 2: Cultivate beneficial connections with CWU centers, colleges, and departments and foster positive
relationships with faculty advisors to support a cohesive advising system.
o
o
o
o
o
o
Advisors attended at least one department meeting for each college that they were assigned.
The Director of Advising organized and led four campus wide advisor meetings, which included extensive
presentations from various academic departments about their programs.
We had a table at the Majors fair that served a variety of students and allowed advisors to meet and
discuss major requirements with various departments on campus.
Attend the Summer Orientations at the branch campuses.
Had a table at the New Faculty Orientation.
AAC currently has an advisor at the Des Moines and Lynnwood Centers. This has given us more visibility
and the ability to be connected to those areas.
Goal 3: Offer culturally relevant academic advising services to promote diversity within the campus
community.
The Academic Advising Center has four advisors who focus on “diverse” student groups in addition to their
regular advising caseload. Advisors specialize in non-traditional student advising, advising students with
disabilities, multi-cultural advising, and advising students on scholarships from the College Success
Foundation. (The majority of the College Success Foundation scholarship students are students of color.)
Additionally, two academic advisors volunteer as student organization advisors for GALA (CWU’s Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally organization) and one advisor is a member of the President’s
Diversity Council.
In addition to working with diverse students during individual advising sessions and including themes of
diversity in UNIV 101 and 102 courses, advisors attended and participated in many university wide meetings
and events that promote diversity within the campus community, including but not limited to:
o
Non-Traditional Student
Welcome Carnival
o
Bias Response Meetings
o
Able Meetings (Student
Group)
o
Center For Disability Meetings
and Open Houses
o
Co-Advisor Of GALA
o
The Diversity Summit
o
Equity And Services Council
Meetings
o
Center For Disability Services
Open Houses
o
The Black Student Union
Graduation Ceremony
o
CWU Black Student
Recruitment Event At
Eisenhower High School
o
The College Assistance
Migrant Program End Of The
Year Celebration
End of the Year Celebration
for “Students for the Dream.”
Advisors have also taken advantage of professional development opportunities in areas of diversity. Trainings
and workshops included topics such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in College Students, Multi-Cultural
Advising (NACADA), Transgender Advising (NACADA), and Safe Space training.
Advisors not only focus on providing culturally relevant advising to individuals, they consistently support the
efforts of other offices and organizations working to promote diversity within the campus community.
Furthermore, the Student Survey data indicates that the majority of minorities rate their experiences with their
advisor(s) as high (strongly agree or agree).
Goal 4: Empower students to be self reliant by instructing them on academic planning and the use of
CWU publications, technologies, and other resources.
Refer to page 3 and the AAC Student Survey.
Goal 5: Increase the visibility and accessibility of the Academic Advising Center through Advisor
participation in CWU events, activities, meetings, and programs that contribute to student success and
development.
Throughout the year advisors and the director of advising attended various CWU events, activities, meetings
and programs to increase the visibility and accessibility of the AAC, including but not limited to the following:
o
Center for Disability Support
Meetings
o
Non-Traditional Student
Welcome Carnival
o
Co-Advisor GALA (student
group)
o
Diversity Council
o
ASCWU-BOD Meetings
o
Academic Recovery Program
o
Presentation to Kittitas High
School
o
One-Book-One-Campus
Committee
o
Presentation to CWU Centers
on Academic Success
o
First Year Experience
Committee
o
Diversity Summit
o
University Centers
Orientations
o
Collaborative workshops with
the Empowerment Center
o
University Center
Interdivisional Committee
o
Lynnwood Center Open House
o
ABLE Meetings (student
group)
o
Admissions Appeals
Committee
o
University Retention
Committee
o
Table at Majors Fair
o
Equity and Services Council
o
Orientations
o
Degree Checkout Meetings
o
General Education Committee
o
Various Search Committees
o
Academic Advising Committee
o
Summer Session Committee
o
Commencement
o
Des Moines Center Open
House
o
Admissions Perspective
Student Open House
o
Admissions Accepted Student
Open House
Running Start, 2008-2009
Prepared by Laura Katunich, Running Start Coordinator
2008-2009 Academic Year
Total Quarter Credits Full-Time Equivalent
1030
22.888
Ellensburg High School, Ellensburg Homeschool, Kittitas High School, Thorp High School and Easton High
School all participated in the Running Start Program. There was a total of 37 participants from these various
schools last year. AAC’s advisor for Running Start students, Laura Katunich, completed the following during
the 2008-2009 academic year:
o A Report of Running Start Enrollment was completed every month for the Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction.
o Running Start Orientation for new students was held on Monday, July 21, 2008.
o Quarterly individual advising appointments were required for all Running Start Students. All students
met with an advisor (Laura Katunich or Dawn McReynolds) at least three times during the academic
year. Students also met with advisors when facing difficulty in classes, scheduling conflicts, and other
academic challenges.
o Quarterly transcripts were sent to high schools.
o Running Start Advisors attended fall statewide Running Start meeting on October 17, 2008 at Eastern
Washington University.
o Running Start Advisors held a meeting with all area high school counselors to discuss proposed
admissions suggestions and changes.
o Revision of CWU Running Start Admissions procedures and promotional materials was completed.
o Running Start Coordinator attended Parent Night at Ellensburg High School on March 12, 2009.
o Running Start Information Session was held on April 11, 2009 for prospective students.
o 2009/2010 Running Start applications are being processed. As of June 29, 2009, 30 new students have
been admitted to the Running start program. 24 students will be continuing, for a total of 54 students
currently eligible for the next academic year. We are waiting to receive test scores for an additional
24 applicants. Application numbers indicate significant growth in the CWU Running Start program for
the next academic year.
Goal 6: Create an environment that encourages and rewards the professional development efforts of
Academic Advising Center staff.
Each AAC staff member attended at least one professional conference during the 2008-09 school year. These
conferences included the regional conference for the National Academic Advising Association, The Teaching
Academic Survival Skills Conference, and The Washington Association of Registrars and Admissions Officers
Annual Conference.
Goal 7: Develop an ongoing assessment program to support advancements in services provided by the
Academic Advising Center at CWU.
We are currently planning a staff retreat to realign our Mission, Vision, Goals, Objectives and Assessment
(MVGOA) to match our new duties of advising all incoming and current freshmen and teaching the majority of
all UNIV 101 classes. Along with realigning our MVGOA AAC will also be updating the current Student
Survey to reflect our updated MVGOA that will be administered to current freshmen advisees to assess services
and advisors. AAC will also be creating a student survey for non-assigned advisees to assess our Centers.
Lastly, there will be a University wide survey tool to assess student’s Pre-major advising experience starting
2009-2010.