ACADEMIC AFFAIRS/STUDENT
AFFAIRS ADVISING
PARTNERSHIP: NEW HEIGHTS
FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
NC State University
Carrie McLean, Academic Programs and Services
Executive Director Advising / Director of First Year College
Kimberly Cole, First Year College Academic Advisor
Kathleen Ruppe, University Housing Associate Director
NACADA October 7, 2013
SESSION GOAL
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To share how academic affairs and student
affairs partners to provide an intrusive advising
model that fosters success for under-graduate
students at NC State University
Solicit ideas and feedback for improvement of the
advising model
Share resources
N.C. STATE UNIVERSITY
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Established 1887
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Public/Research I LandGrant Institution
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34,340 students
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W/in 25 mile radius of RTP
and 7 other Higher Ed.
Institutions.
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44% female, 86% In-State
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~1200 Avg. SAT score, 4.43
avg. HS GPA
FIRST YEAR COLLEGE
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Established 1995
Designed to aid help firstyear exploratory students
transition into college and
select a major
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University mandated
program to increase retention
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Admit 650-850 students
annually
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49% female, 94 % In-state
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1200 avg. SAT score, 4.2 avg.
HS GPA
FIRST YEAR COLLEGE GOALS
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To encourage all First Year College students to collaborate with
the entire NC State community in order to enhance their own
University experience
To encourage students to make a carefully-analyzed, reflective, and
timely decision regarding an academic major and to explore related
careers.
To encourage students’ awareness of and participation in the
increasingly diverse community they have joined.
To positively impact student academic success, self-reliance, firstyear retention, and progress towards degree through one-on-one
advising and structured experiential teaching and learning
To practice the use of sound advising strategies in First Year
College programs and courses, as exemplified in the NACADA Core
Values
FYC PROGRAMS
Major Exploration
Series
 Academic Networking
 Academic Coaching
(Academic difficulty,
under resourced
students, students in
major transition)
 Cross-curricular
advising
 Alumni Career Panels
 Faculty
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Orientation Course
 Connections
 Advisory Board
 Parent Leadership
Network
 Student success online
support
 Under-resourced
student coaching
 Walk-in Advising
 Virtual Advising
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HOW WE OPERATE TOGETHER
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FYCV Council meets for two hours every other week.
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The FYC Resident Mentor Coordinator leads the meetings.
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The FYCV Council created a Mission statement, outcomes and an
assessment tool that is now used to help assess the entire First Year
College not just the Village.
Sub-committees which meet on the “off” weeks are created each year
based upon the desired outcomes for that particular year.
University Housing and FYC have different staff talents and funding
resources, and both departments are committed to sharing their resources
so that each are equally contributing to the success of the Village.
Core to the partnership success is being in close proximity with a shared
office building which lends itself to daily contact, strong communication,
and ultimately the development of a trusting relationship.
FYC and University Housing operate in a true partnership with an overall
philosophy that we are stronger together than separate.
THE ADVISING MODEL
First Year College:
Advisers-Teachers
Transition/Involvement
FYC Village:
Resident Mentors
Learning-centered
community
First Year Inquiry:
Faculty from across
curricula
inquiry/critical
reasoning
FYCV PROGRAMS
Battle of the Beach
 Outdoor Adventure Rock Climbing & Kayaking
Trips
 Dessert Discussions
 Faculty Fellow Meals
 Faculty & Student Dinner & Theater Nights
 Pizza & A Prof. Series
 Leadership Potential Retreat
 Common Reading Mural
 Pack Study, Chemistry, Math, Writing & Speaking
Tutoring
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Leadership Potential Retreat (LPR)
Battle of the Beach
Common Reading Mural Contest
Winner
Wolfpack Bound Trip
OUR FINANCIAL EVOLUTION
 Historically
departments that haven’t
worked together in the past
 Expenses:
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Resident Mentor Salary
Staff Time (In-Kind)
Marketing (In-Kind)
Programming funds
Faculty Involvement for teaching (one-time annual
$1000 stipend)
Tuition increase goes directly to increase seats in
“critical-thinking” courses
Construction money- ~$5.2 million; 30-year mortgage
OUR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS:
FYC TUCKER HALLWAY
The First Year College
was located on the
Ground Floor of
Tucker Residence Hall
 Our USC classrooms
were housed on the
ground floors of our
Village halls: Tucker
and Owen.
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FYC COMMONS
RESIDENT MENTORS (RMS)
What are RMs?
RMs are para-professionals who enhance the first year
experience for all FYC students, especially those who
live in the Village (Tucker and Owen Residence Halls).
Through mentoring, tutoring, and community building,
the RMs assist the students in their transition from
high school to the collegiate environment.
They also assist both University Housing and First
Year College in creating a seamless community between
Academic and Student Affairs
RESIDENT MENTORS CONTINUED
Who are RMs?
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Group of highly recruited, selected, and trained Student Leaders.
Mostly former FYC students who have chosen to give back to the
program.
What do they do in the residence hall?
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Build community
Programming
Serve as role models
Bulletin boards (fun & educational!)
Act as a resources
What do the do in the classroom?
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.
Serve as TA for assigned sections of USC
Build relationships
Add a student perspective
Serve as a resources
RESIDENT MENTORS
Then 2001 - 2002
Now 2013 - 2004
2013-2014 RESIDENT MENTORS
P.A.W.S. PROGRAM
PACK ACADEMIC WORKSHOP SERIES
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The purpose of PAWS is to provide FYCV students with programs
that will enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities in their
pursuit of academic success.
FYCV Wolfpact = EXPLORE, ENGAGE, EXCEL: EMBRACE
YOUR FUTURE
Programming Categories:
 Personal Understanding (Define Yourself and Live and Learn
Together)
 Time Management/Stress Management (Achieve Academic
Excellence)
 Study Skills (Achieve Academic Excellence)
 Choosing A Major (Discover Your Options and Design Your
Future)
 On Campus Resources (Discover Your Options, Live and Learn
Together and Make Connections)
 Test Taking Skills (Achieve Academic Excellence)
USC 220: LEADERSHIP AND THE RESIDENT MENTOR
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RM leadership development course that began in Fall
2003, an adapted RA class exclusively for RM’s.
Three credit hours (class meets twice a week during
the Fall semester)
Co-taught by Resident Mentor Coordinator, Assistant
Director, and Residence Directors from the Village
Topics Included in USC 220
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Five Principles of Leadership
StrengthsQuest
Diversity
Presentation Skills
Professional Development
FIRST YEAR INQUIRY
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Initially Funded by the Hewlett Foundation
The initial First-Year Inquiry courses were offered in the fall of 1999.
The Hewlett Steering Committee tentatively set 20 as the enrollment
limit for the classes. The faculty was charged to find ways to make the
small-class size contribute both to unusually strong success in the
cognitive content of the course and also to the over-all objective of
beginning to develop a sense of, taste for, and skills in inquiry. This
objective implied three assessable outcomes:
 taking charge of one's thinking--development of the ability to think
critically
 growing beyond dualism --intellectual maturity
 taking responsibility for one's own education
ASSESSMENT
(STUDENT EXPERIENCES SURVEY)
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Student Performance
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GPA
Hours passed
Graduation rates
Diversity Discussions
Engagement (Rockclimbing, Kayaking, etc.)
PAWS
OTHER PARTNERSHIPS
Counseling Center
 Center for Leadership, Ethics, and Public Service
 Multicultural Student Affairs
 FYC Parents as Partners (P2P) Network
 FYC Advisory Board
 Student Health Center
 University Career Center
 All Academic Colleges. Liaison Relationships
 College of Engineering (growing partnership)
 Study Abroad Office
 Office of International Student Services
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ADMINISTRATIVE STRATEGIES
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Built in assessment model for continuous program
improvement (
Budgetary efficiency
Create seamless learning experience (in/out of classroom)
Values-based leadership model (top-down and bottom-up)
organizational culture (honesty, integrity, diversity, social
responsibility, compassion)
Comprehensive staff development
Environmental scanning
Collaboration, risk-taking, innovation
Program renewal
Change management
Balancing strengths and stretch (organizational/individual)
Partnerships
Accountability
SUMMARY
Common goals/interests
 True partnership—we can’t accomplish mutual
goals alone
 Bring different yet an equal amount of resources
to the table
 Fit
 Synergy through diversity
 Research to practice
 Program renewal
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PUBLICATIONS
o
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The First Year College Village: How Academic Affairs and
Students Affairs Works Together” by John Ambrose, Karen
Hauschild, and Kathleen Ruppe. Metropolitan Universities, Vol.
19, No. 2, 2008, p. 32-57.
Carrie McLean, Kim Outing, Donna Burton, and Michelle
Crossley. Major/Career Decision-making Model for Undecided
Students in Gore, P. & Phinney. L. (2010). Exploring the
Evidence: Proven Career Development Initiatives.
McLean, C. (2008) Gordon, Virginia, 2008. Academic Advising: A
Comprehensive Handbook, 2nd edition, Jossey Bass. Ch. 5, North
Carolina State University, First Year College: Advising for
Student Success, p. 477-480.
PUBLICATIONS CONTINUED
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"Strengthening First-Year Student Learning at
Doctoral/Research-Extensive Universities" article published in
2002 by the Policy Center on the First Year of College
McLean, C., Outing, K., Burton, D. & Crossley, M. (2007).
National Academic Advising Association: Advising Special
Populations. “Advising Special Populations – Exemplary
Program for Advising Undecided Students” p. 209-218.
QUESTIONS & KEEP IN TOUCH
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Carrie McLean, Academic Programs and Services
Executive Director/Director of First Year College,
carrie_mclean@ncsu.edu, 919-515-8497
Kimberly Cole, First Year College Academic
Advisor, kimberly_cole@ncsu.edu, 919-513-3539
Kathleen Ruppe, Associate Director, University
Housing, kathleen_ruppe@ncsu.edu, 919-5153078