Advising Responsibilities, Methodologies, and Materials

Advising

When advising, I maintain a consistent and sufficient schedule of availability for students posted in EAB Navigate. I provide comprehensive, one-on-one academic guidance tailored to both new and continuing undergraduate students from specific academic disciplines. My approach to "comprehensive academic advisement" is holistic, focusing on the complete development of the student. This means that I not only detail curricular requirements through prescriptive advising but also introduce students to co-curricular opportunities via developmental advising. I employ appreciative advising techniques to recognize and build on each student's strengths and potential.

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Technology

For every interaction or appointment with a student, it is essential to capture the essence of our discussions and any recommendations I made. I input advised course suggestions directly into DegreeWorks, utilizing either the Notes or Planner sections, contingent on my college's preference. Furthermore, I am diligent about summarizing advising interactions, logging these summaries in the Navigate system. Navigate is also my go-to for adding auxiliary notes, uploading pertinent documents, or chronicling email dialogues with students.

 

One of my pivotal duties is to conduct degree audits using DegreeWorks for every student after their initial registration. This essential task ensures that all students possess a current and precise degree audit, illuminating their academic trajectory and any outstanding prerequisites. DegreeWorks provides a streamlined interface that allows me to review and assess each student's coursework in relation to their specific degree program's requirements. It highlights completed courses, in-progress courses, and courses that are still needed. This visual representation is invaluable, as it allows both me and the student to understand where they stand in their academic journey.

 

Beyond simply reviewing the automated audit, I take a proactive role in ensuring its accuracy. If there are discrepancies or if courses have been taken that don't automatically fit into the predefined categories, I intervene. Recognizing that each student's academic journey is unique, I sometimes make course exceptions within DegreeWorks. These exceptions are not arbitrary; rather, they are thoughtful adjustments made to better align with a student's specific needs or preferences, all the while ensuring compliance with the college's established policies and practices.

The overarching goal of these degree audits is to provide students with a clear roadmap of their academic progress, ensuring they're on track to graduate and making informed decisions about their course selections in upcoming semesters.

Intervention

When necessary, I engage in intrusive advising to proactively address concerns and intervene for the student's success, referring to appropriate campus services as necessary. I am positioned to offer individualized and proactive interventions to the students in my caseload, ensuring they receive the support they need within their respective colleges and departments. I also meticulously review the course registrations of my advisees in what we term the "Caseload Scrub." This initiative ensures that students are not only enrolling in courses relevant to their degree (termed "Degree-Applicable Credit") but also that they're meeting prerequisites and registering for an adequate number of credit hours. Such a review helps me ascertain that students are on the right path to graduate as intended and are adhering to any progression prerequisites.

 

When faculty initiate progress reports and alerts, especially concerning class absences or indications that a student might not pass their course, I take immediate action. My response to such reports and alerts is multifaceted: I prioritize checking in on the student's wellbeing, emphasizing the importance of class engagement, and guiding the student to relevant resources tailored to their unique needs.

 

Another critical responsibility I undertake is the Non-Registered Initiative. A few weeks post the registration deadline for the upcoming semester, I reach out to those students who, despite being academically eligible, have not registered. My communication is concise, aiming to either motivate the student to register or to understand any obstacles they're encountering. This proactive outreach allows me to pinpoint potential barriers to registration and offer targeted assistance. Lastly, in collaboration with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, I am involved in the Scholarship Risk Intervention. This initiative targets students at risk of losing scholarships like the LIFE Scholarship, Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, or General University Scholarships. After examining the student records, I evaluate if enrolling in summer classes could help them retain their scholarship. While I don't claim to be an expert in financial aid, I leverage information from the Financial Aid office to make informed decisions about a student's eligibility. My overarching goal here is to ensure students can continue benefitting from their scholarships and remain on track for graduation.