19 February 2001
3:30 pm Serna Conference Room
Present: Sharon Zuniga, Rich Pease, Roland Shook, Chris Farren, Faye Vowell, Curtis Hayes
Absent: Libby Quattromani, T.J. Betenbough, June Decker, Deb Cosper
Our next meeting is 5 March 2001 at 3:30 in Serna Conference Room
The Task Force reviewed its charge to determine where we are in meeting the goals.
- We have crafted an advising mission statement and a definition of successful advising. These will go out in hard copy and by email to every faculty member. We will ask that anyone with comments can direct them to any TF member.
Academic Advising Mission Statement
The mission of academic advising at Western New Mexico University is to assist students in relating their needs, interests, values, abilities and goals to the educational programs of the University. In support of the University’s mission statement, academic advising recognizes the need to address the diverse cultural and academic background of its students, while promoting academic excellence. Successful advising contributes to a significant goal of a college education—developing mature and self-directed students, capable of thinking, judging and making appropriate decisions.
Definition of Successful Advising
Academic advising goes beyond the clerical functions of scheduling classes and preparing degree plans. Good academic advising assists students in clarifying personal and career goals, developing consistent educational goals, and evaluating the progress toward established goals. Academic advising utilizes the resources of the University and refers students to the appropriate academic support services. It is a decision –making process in which the sharing of information between student and advisor promotes responsible and appropriate choices and facilitates a successful academic experience.
- We will hold off on a needs assessment and comprehensive training plan until we have reached consensus on the advising delivery model that we think is appropriate for WNMU.
- In discussing an appropriate delivery model, we felt we had to know what we were currently doing. Rich will create a flow chart showing the current delivery model—taking into account the ways different kinds of students are served. He will have this for us for the next meeting.
- We discussed a possible centralized delivery model staffed by professional advisors as well as faculty. Students need to be transferred to academic divisions for advising when they have declared a major. The Career Services activities need to be more closely integrated into advising services. Our students need to know more about career services earlier in their academic career—perhaps in the junior year. Career Services can play a role in helping students who are undecided.
- In regard to creating an advisor handbook or manual, Rich will get copies of a sample handbook to all committee members to look at. An advising handbook or manual needs to be web based. We discussed a number of items that need to be included in a handbook. They include the following information: academic and career planning development, planning an academic career (degree plan, schedule), career planning, and referral to support, current policies and forms. We discussed the impact of Banner on a degree audit system and a standardized degree plan. Rich will ask Tina Rippa to collect a copy of all current forms used by the Registrar and Admissions and will supply copies of the forms he uses in advising. We will have those available for the next meeting.
- Our charge is also to recommend a procedure and evaluation form to be used to evaluate advising as a part of the MBO process. Roland and Curtis agreed to take a first look at this. Faye will give them copies of expectations and activities for faculty at different ranks in regard to the M BO areas which were developed by the faculty coming up for promotion and tenure this year. They will look at the advising expectations and activities and be sure they are aligned with the definition of academic advising developed by this group.