Intrusive Academic Advising An Effective Strategy To Increase

Intrusive Academic Advising: An Effective Strategy To Increase Student Success Tom Brown www. tbrownassociates. com tom@tbrownassociates. com

Intrusive Academic Advising 1. What is it? 2. Why consider using it? 3. What does it involve? 4. Is it effective? 5. Can it work for your students, your work, and your campus?

The context for today’s workshop: A continued focus on student learning, engagement and success.

Increasing student persistence is a continuing concern in higher education…

U. S. Graduation* Rates Two-year public Four–year public BA/BS Four-year private BA/BS Four-year public MA Four-year private MA Four-year public Ph. D Four-year private Ph. D Highest Lowest Current 38. 8 46. 7 57. 5 46. 7 58. 4 50. 6 68. 8 25. 4 39. 6 53. 3 37. 0 53. 1 45. 0 62. 9 25. 4 39. 6 54. 7 38. 3 55. 7 48. 0 62. 9 (’ 89) (’ 86) (’ 06) (’ 88) (’ 89, ’ 90) (’ 86) (’ 12) (’ 01) (’ 00) (’ 01) (’ 12) Completion in 3 years for Associates; 5 years for BA/BS *Source: ACT Institutional Data File, 1983 -1012 http: //www. act. org/research/policymakers/pdf/12 retain_trends. pdf

Retention Matters College student retention has been the most intensely studied issue in academic over the past several decades. Ward, Siegel, & Davenport, 2012

RULE OF THE UNIVERSE The center of community college work is student learning, persistence and success. Kay Mc. Clenney, 2011

Retention practices with greatest impact

What matters to students? Next to the quality of instruction, academic advising is consistently the next most important area of the college experience to students. Five Year Trend Study. National Student Satisfaction Report Noel Levitz

National Student Satisfaction Report 2012 Four-year Private Institutions l Instructional effectiveness (6. 36) l Academic advising (6. 33) l Student centeredness (6. 21) l Recruitment and financial aid (6. 21) l Registration effectiveness (6. 20) l Safety and security (6. 19) l Concern for the individual (6. 18) l Campus climate (6. 18) l Campus support services (6. 06)

National Student Satisfaction Report 2012 Four-year Public Institutions l Academic advising (6. 38) l Instructional effectiveness (6. 37) l Safety and security (6. 32) l Registration effectiveness (6. 25) l Recruitment and financial aid (6. 21) l Concern for the individual (6. 17) l Campus climate (6. 16) l Student centeredness (6. 14) l Campus support services (6. 10)

Community & Technical Colleges Student Priorities 2012 l l l Instructional effectiveness Registration effectiveness Academic Advising/Counseling Concern for the individual Academic services Admissions and financial aid Safety and security Student centeredness Campus climate Service excellence Campus Support Services 6. 22 6. 20 6. 18 6. 12 6. 09 6. 05 6. 02 6. 01 6. 00 5. 51

National Adult Student Priorities Report Noel-Levitz, 2012 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Instructional Effectiveness Academic Advising/Counseling Campus Climate Registration Effectiveness Service Excellence

TRIAD FOR STUDENT SUCCESS High Quality Teaching Comprehensive Support Programs Developmental Academic Advising

A key question: Does academic advising matter to student success?

Research has shown that advising improves student retention rates through the establishment of relationships with faculty or staff members who help students to clarify their academic and career goals. Noel Levitz 2006

There is a relationship between advising and retention. Agree/strongly agree Disagree 86% 4% Brown Faculty Survey, 2001 -2012

Academic advising is the only structured activity on campus in which all students have the opportunity for on-going one-to-one interaction with a concerned representative of the institution. Wes Habley, ACT

Redefining academic advising:

Academic Advising is… a systematic process based on a close advisor student relationship intended to aid students in achieving their personal, educational, and career goals…. focuses on helping students to acquire skills and attitudes that promote their intellectual and personal development. assists students to make full use of campus and community resources in the process. Developmental Academic Advising Winston, Miller, Ender, Grites & Associates. 1984

HIERARCHY OF ADVISING Life goals, values, abilities, interests, limitations. Career/vocational opportunities Academic Programs/Field of Study Course selection Class scheduling Terry O'Banion, 1972, 1994

Academic Advising assists students to make full use of campus and community resources…

Academic Advising Counseling Registration Financial Aid Orientation Career Center TRIO/SSS Multicultural Affairs Faculty Learning Center Assessment

Attributes of an environment that supports student success:

What happens to students after they enroll frequently has a more powerful impact on whether they stay and achieve their goals or leave. Tinto 1987, 1993

Why do students leave college?

Transforming Students Through Validation Success appears to be contingent on whether faculty and staff can validate students in an academic or interpersonal way. Rendon, 1994, 2002

Some Institutions seem to be more effective than others in helping students from a wide range of abilities and backgrounds succeed… How College Affects Students Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005

What is intrusive academic advising? ?

Origins of Intrusive Advising “Reduction of Attrition Through Intrusive Advising” Robert Glennen & Dan Baxley NASPA Journal, v 22 n 3 p 10 -14 Win 1985

The intrusive model of advising is action-oriented in involving and motivating students to seek help when needed. Utilizing the good qualities of prescriptive advising (expertise, awareness of student needs, structured programs) and of developmental advising (relationship to a student's total needs), intrusive advising is a direct response to an identified academic crisis with a specific program of action…. Earl, 1987

Intrusive Advising?

Active Outreach Advising Does not mean “hand holding” or parenting. Rather, it does mean active concern and a willingness to assist students to explore programs and services to improve their skills and motivate them to persist toward their goals.

Active Outreach Advising Taking a personal interest in students and approaching them with an open caring attitude. A personal relationship with a concerned member of the campus community can reduce the psychological distance that hinders academic integration.

Proactive Advising Involves n n n deliberate interventions to enhance student motivation, using strategies to show interest and involvement with students, intensive advising designed to increase the probability of student success, working to educate students on all options, approaching students before situations develop. Jennifer Varney, 2012

The theoretical framework of intrusive advising is based on these postulates:

The theoretical framework of intrusive advising is based on these postulates:

Guiding Principles of Intrusive Advising:

Some advantages of an intrusive model of advising

Advantages of intrusive advising

Does Intrusive Advising work? Intrusive advising has been shown to improve the effectiveness of advising, enhance student academic skills and increase retention. Earl, 1987

Why Intrusive Advising Works:

Promising Practices The application of principles and theories leads to effective individual and institutional practices that produce increased persistence and success.

Active Outreach Advising: People AND Programs

Colleges being more proactive… “College Move to Organize Retention Efforts” n n n More students participating in orientation 70% collect midyear grades for first-year students Even more flag courses with high rates of Ds, Fs, and withdrawals Half offer some form of Supplemental Instruction 80% require first-year students to meet with an advisor at least once a term Chronicle of Higher Education 10/25/2009

Intrusive Advising Strategies n n n n Mandated assessment and placement Required orientation programs Required advising meetings Early alert systems Mentors including peer mentors Midterm grade reports Supplemental Instruction

Intrusive Advising Strategies n n n Clear statements of responsibility Interventions for specific student cohorts Advising contracts

Academic Advising: A Shared Responsibility

In loco parentis has been replaced by the philosophy that students are responsible for their own survival and relate to their experiences in the same way that other adults relate to their environments…

While functioning relatively well for [many] services, it is not functioning well in the campus environment for the delivery of academic assistance services. Earl, 1987

While students must accept responsibility for their own success or failure, institutional actors, particularly faculty members, also bear individual and collective responsibility for student outcomes. Achieving Equitable Outcome for All Students AAC&U, 2005

A Shared Responsibility: A Model

Three Approaches to Advising n n n Prescriptive: authoritarian with students assuming little responsibility for decision making; mainly focuses on choosing courses. Developmental: close student/advisor relationship focuses on assisting students to achieve goals. Integrated: Incorporates techniques from both, with an intrusive approach for at-risk students. Emphasizes frequent early contact and a shared responsibility for goal setting, decision making and planning

Changing Environment & Changing Students 1 st Year 2 nd Year 3 rd Year 4 th, 5 th, 6 th Year Need for Information Changing Needs for Advising Need for Consultation Moving In I Moving Through I/S Moving On S/I S I = Faculty, advisors, etc. S = Student PRESCRIPTIVE DEVELOPMENTAL Lynch, 1989; Brown& Rivas, 1994; Creamer, 2000; Brown, 2006

What are some student responsibilities in academic advising?

Student Expectation of Advisors

Using Active Outreach Advising with Specific Student Cohorts

Adult students often “recycle” through developmental issues faced by younger students. Chickering and Reisser, 1993

Active Outreach Strategies

First Generation Students 40% of first-generation students leave college without a degree; they are more likely to come from low income families. US Department of Education, 2005

Active Outreach Strategies

Students with disabilities are far less likely to finish high school or college, far more likely to be unemployed, and, when they find work, to be paid less than minimum wage…. Johnson, 2006

Active Outreach Strategies

Undecided Students Undecidedness has been linked to low achievement, lack of involvement and attrition. Peterson & Mc. Donough

Active Outreach Strategies

LGBT Students, staff, professors, or administrators who identify as LGBT report significant harassment at their colleges and discomfort with the overall campus climate…. Chronicle of Higher Education, 9/14/2010

Active Outreach Strategies

Multicultural Students of color base their decisions on whether or not to persist on the quality of their interactions with faculty…. Cabrera, Terenzini, et. al. Journal of Higher Education, 1999

Active Outreach Strategies

First-year Students One-third to one-half of firstyear students do not return for the second year. ACT Data file, 2010

Students need the support of advising programs and academic advisors as they make three critical transitions: n Moving into college n Moving through college n Moving on from college

FYE Peer Mentors n n n Attend FYE classes Monitor student progress Provide study skills assistance Organize study groups Connects to campus resources Support faculty to motivate students toward academic goals

Students on Probation

Studies have shown that probationary students have higher GPAs when intrusive advising is used. Heisserer & Parette, 2002

Active Outreach Strategies

Why reach out?

Advisors should… n n truly know the school and its resources and know the staff of school programs. be available to be reached by students whenever or wherever is reasonably possible. be trained in all relevant areas (academic and non -academic) that have a direct impact on students’ well-being and success. monitor advisee progress with or without student presence. Jennifer Varney, Hesser College

Advisors should… n n n maintain clear boundaries with students: show genuine care, including a positive attitude, openness and honestly, but maintain professionalism at all times do not be afraid to contact students before they contact you e. g. , email, IM, telephone, and personalized mail. College students today have many distractions from academics: compete with those distractions!

Professional Development is Essential We should not assume that effective advisors will simply emerge without structured pre-service and in-service professional development programs.

Many key competencies are developed after educators arrive on campus. Therefore, colleges must assume the responsibility for teaching and developing their own educators to enhance student learning inside and outside the classroom by providing professional development programs. “Preparing Providers to Foster Student Success” Brown & Ward, 2007

Comments? Questions? Challenges? Successes?