Las Vegas 2015
Code 1051
Yolanda Williams, MPA and Shunverie Barrientez, M.S.
The University of Texas at San Antonio

Presenters
Shunverie Barrientez, M.S.
• Honors College
– Academic Advisor II
• Caseload: 313
• 8 Years Advising
• Adjunct Faculty
• Diversity & Minority
Retention Consultant
Yolanda Davis, MPA
• Student Placement
– Academic Advisor IV
• Caseload:215
• 15 Years Advising
• Adjunct Faculty
• Higher Education
Consultant

About UTSA
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is an emerging Tier One, research institution with nearly 29,000 students. UTSA is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region.
• Established in1969
• 25,000 Undergraduates
• Majority minority student body
• Hispanic Serving Institution
• Ranks #5 in the nation in number of degrees awarded to Hispanics
• 50% first-generation
• > 40% Pell eligible
• Evolving admission standards
• 35% 6 –year Graduation Rate

Presentation Objectives
• Identify key players responsible for retention and student success
• Define proactive advising
• Characteristics of a successful proactive advisor
• Describe the tools and strategies we utilized to develop a successful program.

Who is Responsible for Student
Success and Retention?
Key Players in Student Success
• Admissions
• Academic advising
• Student Affairs
• Faculty
• Academic Departments
• Academic support services
• Financial Aid
• Career Services
• Family support

Key Players

What is “Proactive/Intrusive Advising ”?
• Thomas & Minton (2004)
– Takes individuality & diversity into account
– Advisor & student share responsibility
• Cuseo (2003)
– Suggests that good advising is systematic and ongoing, involving a close student - advisor relationship
– - frequent interactions between the student and the advisor.

Proactive Advising

Why Implement Proactive Advising?
• Increase retention
• Improve graduation rates
• Enhance student satisfaction

What is Proactive Advising is Not!
“Micro Advising”
Hand holding
More work for advisors

Characteristics of Proactive
Advising
• Personable
– Relationship building
– Student specific
– Customizable
• Positive
– Engaging
– Valuable
– Strategic
• Productive
– Resourceful
– Retention focused
– Accountability

Proactive Advising Strategies
• Anticipate student needs and challenges
• Provide relevant and timely information
• Use data to identify “at risk students”
• Provide appropriate intervention
• Monitor and track “Gateway” courses –strong predictors of student persistence in a major
• Connect students to appropriate resources

Proactive Advising Tool Kit
• Institutional Data
• Monthly Calendars
• Registration Deadlines
• Academic Calendars
• Catalogs
• Degree plans
• Training
• Technology

Outreach Resources Utilized by
Advisors

Obstacles We Faced
• Training new advisors
• Advisor Buy-In
• Technology
• Communication and coordination between advising centers
• Constant changes

New Proactive Initiatives
• EAB (Education Advisory Board)
• Orientation
• ENGAGE

Academic Advising Calendar
December
Finals
September October
Midterm grades due
Registration Calendar available
November
Spring Registration begins
Walk-ins
Advise new freshman
(first appt)
Advise new freshman
(second appt)
Advise Continuing students
**outreach in Sept
**outreach in Aug
Advise all students
Walk-ins

Assessment Coming…

Conclusion

Advisor Feedback
“Having a caseload has made it easier to establish relationships with students. It helps that they consistently communicate with me instead of simply the first available person. I recognize names and faces much more easily, and it takes less time to get up to speed with their situations. It has also helped reduce the amount of students who intentionally try to see multiple advisors to “shop” for different answers.”
Matt D. Keneson
Academic Advisor I
The University of Texas at San Antonio
“Having an assigned caseload, enables both the student and the advisor to build a relationship of trust and freedom. This fosters a comfortable atmosphere and allows the student to have more open communication when expressing their educational concerns and issues.”
Donna R. Ware, M.A.
Academic Advisor III.
The University of Texas at San Antonio

Student Feedback
I feel very comfortable and very safe in trusting my college future with my advisor.
My advisor was awesome and everything someone could ask for in an advisor.
I love the fact that I am treated like family
My advisor is amazing and helps us so much. She really knows what to do and will give you the best advice

References
Evans,N.J., Forney, D.S., Guido-Dibrito,F. (1998) Student development in college: theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Josse-Bass.
Pascarella, E. & Terenzini, P. (1991). How college affects students: findings and insights from twenty years of research.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Office of Institutional Research, (2006). UTSA Fact Book .
Case Management Society of America. (2008). What is a case manager?
Retrieved
November 27, 2008, from http://www.cmsa.org/Home/CMSA/WhatisaCaseManager/tabid/224/Default.aspx
Cruise, C. A. (2002). Advising students on academic probation. The Mentor:
An Academic Advising Journal, 4 (4). Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME &
ATTENTION
Shunverie.Barrientez@UTSA.edu
Yolanda.Davis@UTSA.edu