University Advising CommitteeMinutesThursday, February 12, 2015 1:30-3:00 p.m.
I. Steve Dandaneau: Introductory Remarks (e.g. spring professional development funding; goals for today’s meeting; reflection on NACADA Completion Conference, First Year Experience Conference, Gardner Institute Workshop; and Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol)
a. Spring professional development funding – now open for applications
i. K-State Today message will be out tomorrow
ii. Five $700 workshop grants
iii. Intend to provide these grants each semester
b. First Year Experience (FYE) conference/Gardner Institute Workshop
i. “Real first-year experience” – large survey courses/lectures
ii. Consider “signature courses” (as demonstrated by UT Austin)
c. NACADA Completion Conference
i. Mostly full-time advisors
ii. Topics: getting graduation rate up and completing one’s degree
iii. Takeaway: advising has a significant impact on students, from learning university functions to helping students select courses
d. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol
i. Included students from KU, Washburn, and KU Med Center
II. Daralyn Gordon Arata and Julie Hunt: iSIS Advisor Center Advising Notes Guidelines (thanks to the Advisor Forum for drafting!)
a. Can do general notes and sensitive notes simultaneously
b. Have approximately 48 hours to make changes as saved draft
c. No character length limitation
d. Rich text editor and spell check available for both sections
e. Advisors can grant and remove access to their sensitive notes by clicking the “Manage Access” button
i. Default function: only author of notes can see them; students cannot see the advisor’s notes
f. Forty eight hour clock is reset each time the draft is saved
g. Can delegate non-advisors (i.e. Student Life) to view certain parts of notes for a certain period of time
h. All notes can be subpoenaed if necessary
i. General notes (in green) are visible to anyone with the advising role in iSIS
j. Sensitive notes (in yellow) are visible to the author, plus any individuals who have been granted access by the author
III. Daralyn Gordon Arata: Pre-Law Advising update
a. Office now housed under the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies umbrella (located in 215 Fairchild)
b. Skills development workshops
c. Have Pre-Law tracks
d. Have adjunct professors come in to teach courses
i. Business
ii. Employment
iii. Family
iv. Trial Advocacy
v. Ag Law in the works
e. Working to create rural law program in conjunction with Washburn
f. In process of creating an advisory council
g. College of Architecture and Pre-Law Advising joint project in the works
h. Pre-Law Ambassadors – new; used for recruiting
IV. Kent Kerby: Pre-Health Advising Subcommittee update
a. One out of five students interested in pre-health
b. Crosses every discipline at the university
c. New mentor/coordinator accepted position
i. Dean Monteleone – will coordinate
d. Search for two pre-health advisors
i. Rebecca Bohner’s position will soon be vacant as well
e. Two upcoming/current pre-health courses
i. DAS 199 – Pre-Professional Health Application (1 credit, Thursdays, brand-new)
ii. DAS 115 – new incoming pre-health students
f. Pre-Health Ambassadors – help with recruiting events
g. New MCAT starts this summer
h. Opportunity to work at Flint Hills Community Clinic (1-3 credit hours)
i. Alpha Epsilon Delta – pre-health organization on campus
i. GPA of 3.5
ii. Only school in Kansas with this program
j. Capstone experiences
V. Work Groups Breakout
a. Policy Work Group
i. Start at the top, checking all links
ii. Hope to have changes made by March; present the information in April, then decide to kill or keep
b. Assessment Work Group
i. Mike Lynch sent out a reminder to have reactions in by tomorrow; has only received approximately five
ii. Group must meet amongst themselves to decide how to assess and provide input on this
iii. Concerns are present that there is some sort of discomfort in responding directly to Mike Lynch
c. Professional Development Work Group
i. Grant opportunities are available
ii. NACADA institutes
1. Need to have former grant awardees to either present posters and/or serve on a panel as part of agreement
2. Shane Lopez – guest speaker at summer institute
a. Preview of work – February 24
i. Workshop for students – Big XII Room
3. Topics yet to be highlighted include student athletes
4. Invite submissions through Qualtrics, similar to poster session registration
d. Online Resource Work Group
i. Need a transparent website providing information
e. Technology Work Group
i. Phase 2 – now available; Phase 3 – in the works
ii. EAB Student Success Collaborative – Provost searching for funds to support this program
Next meeting: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 – Student Union, Little Theater
Mark your calendars: The third annual K-State/NACADA Summer Advising Institute, May 20-21, 2015
Guidelines for Utilizing Advising Notes in KSIS
TheAdvising Notestool in KSIS allows faculty and staff with Advisor access to maintain an easy-to-use online record of advising notes for all students. This tool will improve advising across campus by ensuring that advisors have accurate and more complete information on their advisees, even when students move between departments, schools, and/or colleges.
Guidelines for using KSIS Advising Notes
· Any faculty or staff with advisor access can create general or sensitive notes.
· General notes can be viewed by otherfaculty and staff with authorized Advisor access.
· Sensitive notes can only be viewed by the author or those who have been granted access by the author. How to grant access to sensitive notes (link)
· Focus on observation and reaction rather than accusation. For example, refer to Examples for General and Sensitive Notes (link).
· Notes are not private; they become part of a student’s educational record and are protected by FERPA. Although students do not have instant access, they do have the right to inspect, review, and amend their educational records.
· Once a note has been published, it can no longer be edited. Additional notes must be entered for further comments.
· Drafts must be edited, saved as a new draft, or published within two business days or the draft will be automatically published.
Recording a General Note
Keep notes as brief and succinct as possible. Content and information to include in contact notes could include:
• Information that will aid advisors and colleagues in helping a student on a degree or career path including but not limited to withdrawal, medical leave, or military service. Good notes help support transitions.
• A focus on facts and events. Use descriptive comments to summarize conversations and interactions.
• A list of recommended courses, along with alternatives.
• When and why exceptions have been made, or note if a form documenting/approving such exceptions has been filed.
• Possible student consequences of not following advice given by advisor.
• Referrals to campus or community offices or services or names of staff.
• Action items requested/required of the student and the follow-up timeline.
• Notes that will facilitate a personal relationship with the student or help with reference letters or scholarship applications. This might include personal interests, hobbies, travel, etc.
• Notes or emails if they have a bearing on career or degree progress.
• If a student raises a personal issuerelevant to an advising matter, it may be appropriate to refer to such a matter as a private issue rather than providing specific/detailed information. More detailed information could be recorded in the sensitive note section.
How to enter a general note (link)
Recording a Sensitive Note
• When noting something of a personal nature, preface the remark with student confidentially reported… or student prefers to explain in-person the nature of this issue.
• Support subjective judgments with fact based observations.
How to enter a sensitive note (link)
Professional & Ethical Responsibility
The professional and ethical responsibilities for viewing, entering, changing, and sharing academic information about a student are described in the National Academic Advising Association'sStatement of Core Values of Academic Advising:
• Advisors respect the rights of students to have information about themselves kept confidential. Advisors share information with others about students and their programs only when both advisor and student believe that information is relevant and will result in increased information or assistance, assessment, and provision of appropriate services to the student.
• Advisors gain access to and use computerized information about students only when that information is relevant to the advising they are doing with that particular student. Advisors enter or change information on students' records only when legitimately authorized to do so.
• Advisors need to document advising contacts adequately to aid subsequent advising interactions.
Information adapted from Missouri State University, University of Massachusetts, and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Examples for General and Sensitive Notes
General / SensitiveStudent has not had a math class in five years and is concerned about ability to succeed. Discussed importance of starting math sequence ASAP. I suggested s/he obtain a tutor right from the beginning of the semester. / Student said s/he is not proficient at math and is avoiding it.
Student dropped DAS 100. / Student reported s/he dropped DAS 100 due to perceived unfair grading policies of instructor.
Referred to financial aid counselor. / First generation college student. Widowed mother. No financial support from family.
Student wanted it noted that he missed two weeks of classes as a result of hospitalization. Referred s/he to Office of Student Life. / Student missed two weeks of classes because of hospitalization for cancer treatment.
Student may be overextended with classes, work, and activities. Suggested s/he reduce work/activity hours and if stress continues, suggested making an appointment at Counseling Services. / Student is working 30-40 hours a week and said s/he is feeling overwhelmed.
Student requested tutoring support. Referred to Academic Assistance Center and www.k-state.edu/tutoring. / Student said s/he was in financial and academic distress. Referred student to financial aid to speak with his financial aid advisor, reviewed tutoring site and suggested the student go to the Academic Assistance Center.
Reminded student to make appointment well in advance of her registration date for Summer and Fall. / Student calls to schedule advising appointments long after enrollment date each semester which causes problems when picking classes. Suggested student call for an appointment at least two weeks before enrollment.
Student wants to enroll in 18 hours. Cautioned regarding heavy academic load. / Student wanted to enroll in 18 hours. I suggested s/he enroll in fewer hours to improve GPA, but if s/he chose to enroll in 18 hours, I informed s/he of 100% refund dates.
Referred student to Student Access Center. / Student revealed s/he has ADHD and a learning disability. Referred to Student Access Center.