Lean Cell Advising Model NACADA 39 th Annual Conference Las Vegas, Nevada Lead Presenter, Jana Jacobs, Associate Director of Advising Co-Presenter, Brandon Crow, Senior Academic Counselor Image used with permission from

Abstract A solid advising process for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and other fields is critical for student academic success and effective mentoring; however, it can also be very time and labor intensive. The core idea of the Lean Cell Advising Model is to maximize the quality and efficiency of the advising experience, while minimizing errors and wasted time. Our model involves a blend of individual & group advising techniques, making it possible to advise over 75% of your students within 6-12 hours of total sessions (spaced out over 3-5 days). These are based on advising totals between in a college of over 2700 undergraduates. Although originally created for engineering majors, it can and has easily been adapted for other disciplines.

Objectives As a result of this presentation, participants will be able to: 1.Define the core idea of the Lean Cell Advising Model. 2.Identify the benefits of Lean Cells in the advising process. 3.Outline the process of creating a model that is suitable for their advising needs. 4.Identify areas of wasted time and areas of value within the advising process. 5.Design a more flexible advising process.

What is Lean? Maximizing value with fewer resources. Speed &efficiency with minimal waste & error. What is a Lean Cell? A process that creates “continuous flow” via: –Organization (5S) –Standardization (5S) –Eliminating forms of “waste” –Enhanced Teamwork –Reliability –And Increased Satisfaction Some Terms: Throughput-The rate of work (students/hours) Flow time- Average time to advise each student Bottlenecks- A point of congestion; lack of faculty & staff availability can affect throughput.

University and College Numbers The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. 28,966 enrollment as of ,450 undergraduate students (1918 men/532 women) in the College of Engineering.* Organized into 6 schools with each consisting of one or more programs. ABET accreditation Both Faculty and Central College Advisors are assigned to each student. Lean Cell Advising started *Based on academic year fact book.

Expected Advising Percentages Lean Cell Advising Model

The Basics Lean Cell Advising Model 3-5 days of Lean Cell sessions from 2-3 hours each Faculty, College Advisors, and Departmental Staff present as standard. Process: –Departments students the session times/dates approx. two weeks in advance. –4-8 faculty present in one large space to advise; 2-4 college advisors present –Students attend session (first come-first serve);Students may see the first available faculty member or wait for a specific faculty member –Students are required to complete a FLOWCHART before advising session. –After faculty advising, student visits with college advisor to review advising notes, any potential enrollment issues, and remove holds

Visual Setup of Session Lean Cell Advising Model View a Lean Cell Advising SessionLean Cell Advising Session 1.Students check-in with Staff to verify that a flowchart has been completed (or other requested advising materials) indicating completed and planned courses. 2.Student meets with Faculty Advisor for semester advising. Advising notes uploaded to online audit system. 3.Before leaving session, meet with College Advisor to remove any holds and review advising notes. ***Additional staff may be present to meet with students (i.e. Pre-Law, Pre-Med, Honors Advisors, etc.)

Advising Tools: Flowcharts

Advising Tools: Online Audit Tool Advising notes are entered into an online advising and degree audit tool that allows students to track their progress towards a particular degree. A similar audit tool would be necessary for faculty advisors to view completed coursework and provide semester advising notes.

Lean Cell Advising Model School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Lean Cell Advising session for spring 2015 enrollment: 232 total students to be advised in 4 major programs. 195 students advised 84% advised during 6-hours total of Lean Cell: Days 1-3 (89/51/55) ~6 Faculty present per session. 3 sessions at 2-hours each (6 hours total) Throughput Averages –32.5 students were advised per hour 195 students/6 hours Advising Flow Time –On average, one student was advised every 11 minutes during the 6-hour total session. 32.5/6 faculty=5.42 students advised each hour/per faculty 60 minutes/5.42= minutes per student Lean Cell Advising session fall 2015 enrollment: 217 total students to be advised in 4 major programs. 173 students advised 80% advised during 6-hours total of Lean Cell: Days 1-3 (72/41/60) ~6 Faculty present per session. 3 sessions at 2-hours each (6 hours total) Throughput Averages –29 students were advised per hour 173 students/ 6hours Advising Flow Time –On average, one student was advised every 12 minutes during the 6-hour total session. 29/6 faculty=4..8 students advised each hour/per faculty 60 minutes/4.8= 12.5 minutes per student

Lean Cell Advising Model School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science

Realized Benefits of the Lean Cell Advising Model Creates learning communities that contribute to retention. Encourages student and faculty understanding of degree requirements. Promotes positives of both the individual & group advising experience. Improved faculty, departmental staff, student, and advisor interaction. Reduction in potential advising errors. Efficient for faculty/advisors/students. Creates continuous flow & standardization. Allows for early detection of enrollment issues.

Addressing Potential Concerns and Ongoing Improvements Bottlenecks – Lack of faculty and college advisors can cause congestion and backups during advising sessions. – Possible solution: We’ve incorporated an online sign up for 30-minute time slots (15-25 student limits), which keep student flow more even. Privacy/Confidentiality – Only student and faculty advising combos allowed into the advising room. Other students wait in another area. Students that have concerns can schedule an additional appointment to discuss sensitive issues. Advising Space/Computers – Can be a room with laptops in the department or a larger reserved space in the university Faculty/Staff Availability – Numbers will depend on student population numbers to be advised. Faculty and Student Buy-In – Presentation to faculty – Initial Lean Cell Advising sessions with surveys

Student Satisfaction Lean Cell Advising Model *based on fall 2015 survey from School of AME