The Insight First Year Advising Program When Collaboration

The Insight First Year Advising Program: When Collaboration meets Retention NACADA International Conference, Maastricht, Netherlands, June 2013 Presented By: Connie Aramento, Associate Director of Academic Advising and First Year Programs, cpeppes@wpi. edu, 508 -831 -6107

Goals of Today’s Presentation • To introduce you to WPI’s signature First Year Advising Program, Insight ─ Program Structure ─ Collaboration efforts between Academic and Student Affairs ─ Assessment methods ─ Training and accountability of Faculty and Student Advisors ─ Technology tools helping us move forward • How Insight improved our first to second year retention rate • Provide opportunity for discussion 2 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Information about WPI • Located in Worcester, MA (35 miles west of Boston) • Founded in 1865 • Primarily Engineering and Life Sciences • Private four-year institution • 3, 841 Undergraduate (32% Women, 68% Men) • 1, 734 Graduate (28% Women, 72% Men) • Project-based curriculum • Seven-week terms (A, B, C, D) • Grades of A, B, C and NR awarded 3 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

What is Insight? • College Transition Program for First Semester • Mentoring Program • Academic Advising Program 4 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Where did the Need Come From? • Student retention was at a record low • Academic advising was not widely used • Students were having difficulty with academic curriculum, connecting with faculty, and with their peers • Students not given consistent advice • Desire to bring concept of advising within Residence 5 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Goals of the Insight Program • Successful transition from high school to college • Build community at WPI • Inform students of the resources and services available • Feel connected to the institution academically and socially • Prevent students from reaching academic difficulty 6 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Insight Program Model = Building Community Resident Advisor Community Advisor 7 Faculty Advisor Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Faculty Advisor Role • Work closely with the Community Advisors and Resident Advisors to ü Plan academic programs for students ü Help students with course challenges and scheduling ü Represent the Faculty voice ü Utilize electronic advising folders ü B-term Check-ins—meet with students • Serve as Mentor to first-year students • Help students overcome the “fear factor” • Offer advice to resolve problems or refer to campus resources 8 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Community Advisor Role • Role Model • Work closely with the Faculty Advisor and the Resident Advisor • Student mentor for the first-year students • Help the students make a successful transition academically and socially • Help students resolve issues / refer to advisor or other campus resources • Build Community at WPI • Meet with Insight group a minimum of five hours per week in A term and three hours in B term • B term Check-ins 9 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Resident Advisor Role • Role Model • Develop a rapport with the residents • Assist students with their concerns and needs • Collaborate on programming with the Community Advisor and Faculty Advisor • Foster an atmosphere of respect and tolerance • Build community in the residence halls • Have the additional “eyes” on the floor 10 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Profile of an Insight Group • Based on Residence Hall floor or Commuter group ─ Housing selection completed through Residential Services • Designated Commuter group • Each Insight team (CA/RA/FA) has a team of 2530 • All female, all male, or co-ed • Staff assignments are at random • RAs may be shared by two groups 11 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Structure Prior to 2007 • No accountability, very loose structure • Little collaboration with Insight team (CA/RA/FA) • Lack of program recognition • Low attendance at events • Students slipped through the cracks 12 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Current Program Structure • The Insight team (CA/RA/FA) collaborates to generate ideas for activities and programs: ─ CAs must plan, organize, and execute four educational programs and two social programs in A term. ─ CAs must plan, organize, and execute two educational and three social programs in B term. ─ CAs must collaborate with the RAs to present two programs, educational or social, in A and B terms. ─ CAs must present an academic advising program with their Faculty Advisor during A and B terms. ─ Weekly staff meetings, summer and fall training ─ Share important and required information with students 13 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Current Program Structure • Required programs ─ Alcohol Awareness ─ Academic Advising—Hopes/fears, scheduling, major declaration ─ Collaborative programs with FA and RA • Optional programs ─ ─ ─ 14 Time Management Stress Management/Sleep Management Health and Wellness Career Development Academic Resources Diversity Programming Worcester Polytechnic Institute

What Makes Insight Unique? 15 • • • Not your typical College 101 course • • Faculty and student staff receive stipend Students do not receive academic credit Program attendance is optional Programs mostly occur within residence Faculty and student advisors have access to First year students’ group/floor Student staff receives a budget for programming Faculty receive $50 on meal card Faculty have access to academic record Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Collaboration Between Academic and Student Affairs: Bridging the Gap 16

The Insight Staff Team • Associate Director of Academic Advising, Coordinator and Manager of Program ü 42 Faculty Advisors ü 43 Community Advisors ü 4 Senior Community Advisors ü 32 Resident Advisors • Director of New Student Orientation • Associate Director and Director of Student Activities and Greek Life Programs ü Responsible for recruitment of CAs and Summer training • Residential Services Staff ü Resident Advisors and training • Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies 17 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Office Program Collaborations • Student Development Counseling Center ─ Weekly workshops, faculty and student training • Career Development Center ─ Weekly workshops • Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division ─ Explanation of project requirement • Dean of Students Office ─ Academic Integrity • Library ─ Research • Student Activities and Greek Life • Academic Resources 18 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Collaboration • Spring meetings to coordinate all training, program and evaluation review • Community Advisor and Senior Community Advisor selection • Weekly meetings during Fall with Residential Services to discuss at risk students • Insight Faculty Advisor Group 19 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Collaboration • Weekly CARE team meeting to inform necessary offices of student concerns ─ Dean of Students, Advising, Campus Police, Greek Life, Judicial Affairs, Registrar’s, Counseling, Residential Services, Health Services, Risk Management • Faculty Advisors early alert ─ E-mailed list of students identified as “at risk” during A or B terms (First semester) • Weekly meetings with staff ─ Full insight team (CA/RA/FA) ─ All Community Advisors based on Residence Hall floor (Encourages building community and programming) 20 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Training 21

Faculty Advisor Training • For past five years: 76% retention of faculty advisors ─ Recruit in Spring from departments • Spring meet and greet • Day long training during Summer with Resident Advisors and Community Advisors ─ ─ General advising Orientation meeting planning/review student schedules New information/handouts/materials Motivational interviewing • Two fall trainings • Weekly e-mail contact 22 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Community and Resident Advisor Trainings • CA and RA group trainings • Community Advisor: One week curriculum based training with staff and Senior Community Advisors ─ Focused on the Relational Model of Leadership (Komives), and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model • Three day joint trainings: teambuilding and Insight roles/expectations • Three formal Fall training meetings 23 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Establishing Accountability 24

Accountability of Students (CAs) • Weekly staff meetings • Weekly meetings with Faculty and Resident Advisor • Program plans • Weekly timesheets • Five hours per week in A, three in B (CA’s) • Attending trainings • Contract • B term Check-ins • Budget • Stipend 25 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Accountability of Faculty (FAs) • Attending the trainings • Academic advising with students ─ Student grades ─ Course selections ─ Meet at least twice per term • Academic programming • Meet with Resident Advisors and Community Advisors weekly • B term Check-ins • Evaluation 26 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Accountability and Technology • Tech. Sync (Orgsync) ─ CAs and RAs submit program plans, weekly reports and timesheets/evaluations and reimbursements ─ On average hold 400 programs total per semester ─ Each Insight team has its own portal to use for their Insight group ─ Senior Community Advisors manage this process • B term Check-ins ─ ─ ─ Similar to a mid-semester check-in Opportunity to have one-on-one connection with students To learn more about a student’s individual needs 15 minutes in length Faculty Advisor meets with students who are having academic issues ─ Community Advisor and Resident split the rest ─ All expected to document conversation 27 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

28 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Assessment 29

Assessment Methods During Insight • Summer training evaluation • Mid-term reviews with CAs, RAs, and FAs • Individual evaluations conducted by Senior Community Advisors with CAs • Annual Survey Monkey evaluations • End of year “thank you event” ─ Feedback opportunities • Individual meetings, if needed • Other on campus assessments such as student satisfactions surveys • Focus groups when necessary 30 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Insight Focus Groups— 2010, 2012 • 2010 Results (Staff focus group) ─ ─ ─ Further definition of roles needed More faculty responsibility More integrated programming Less paperwork Less hour requirement during B term • 2012 Results (Student focus group, 130 students) ─ Students do not have expectations of faculty advisors other than to help with course selection ─ Educational programs not interactive, social most beneficial 31 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Surveys Reveal…(2007 -2012) • CA and RA survey results ─ Collaboration and Communication are essential to the success of the Insight team, and of the Insight group 32 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

First Year Students Speak about Insight Team Impact • 375 of 910 responded Fall 2010, and 207 of 948 in 2012: ü Successfully adjusting from high school to college § CA: 85. 8%, 91. 9% § RA: 83. 4%, 81. 1% § FA: 32. 0%, 27. 6% ü Major declaration § CA: 55. 3%, 53. 8% § RA: 56. 4%, 50. 8% § FA: 59. 1%, 59. 9% ü 78. 9% felt they could share concerns with anyone from their Insight team (2010) 33 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Student Comments… • “My Faculty Advisor was always welcoming and could direct me to the right contact person if I had questions” • “My whole team helped out with the course selection process” • “My Community Advisor is now one of my good friends” • “Time Management and learning how to study were my biggest challenges” 34 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Student Comments • “My insight group and floor are all very close. I could not imagine coming to school and not having this many friendly faces greet me everyday. This exists because we’re forced to get to know each other and the insight team encouraged this relationship” 35 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staff Comments • “Being a member of Insight has been the best thing I have done since coming to WPI. I know I made a difference for my students and they made a huge impact on my life as well” • “Insight is a great program, I really enjoyed getting to know the students as their faculty advisor” 36 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

National Survey on Student Engagement Data (NSSE) • Conducted Fall 2012 • 93% of First Year students feel that WPI provides substantial support for their academic success • 93% of First Year students rate their overall educational experience as good or excellent • 61% of First Year students spend at least 5 hours a week participating in co-curricular activities • 52% of First Year students occasionally spend time with Faculty members on activities other than coursework 37 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

First Year Retention Information 38 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Continued Challenges • Faculty attendance at trainings ─ Creation of Insight Faculty Advisor Group Faculty recruitment from all departments Funding for programming Required vs. optional Reaching ALL students Adding more features to program = more time Students are looking for more support in understanding degree requirements and academic course planning • C/D terms and Sophomore year • • • ─ Springsight attempt 39 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Implementation at your Institution? Insight works for us, can it work for you? What aspects of this program can you take back to your college or university? 40 Worcester Polytechnic Institute