Motivating Students to Follow Through on Campus Referrals Bridges to Success Motivating Students to Follow Through on Campus Referrals Heather Luth, MPhil

Professional Background Academic Advisor UC Riverside School of Business 2013-2015 Assistant Director University of Redlands Office of Professional Development 2015-Present

Alexander Astin’s Theory of Involvement Involvement is Positively Correlated With: General abilities and critical thinking Retention and persistence Academic Success Sense of Belonging is Positively Correlated With: Greater sense of self-worth Perceived professor caring Lower levels of externalizing problems Student involvement in co-curricular activities such as student organizations, leadership positions, and activity in campus residence halls has a positive correlation with retention and academics (Kuh and Pike,  2005) Higher education professionals know the importance of development outside of the classroom during college, but how aware are we making students of this? http://whitneykjones.weebly.com/knowledge-and-understanding-of-student-populations-and-student-development.html

n= 600 Source: Griffin, W. et. Al., (2014). Starting the conversation: An exploratory study of factors that influence student office hour use. College Teaching, 62 (3), 94-99

Corporation for National and Community Service On average, 30% of college students volunteered each year between 2011 and 2013 Corporation for National and Community Service

Which Factor Has the Greatest Influence On Student Engagement? Gender Ethnicity Entering Ability Levels Size of Institution Previous record of involvement in high school/CC Institutional Policy Mission of Institution Advisor/Student Ratio Pike, Gary & Kuh, George “Typology of Student Engagement For American Colleges and Universities” Research in Higher Education, Vol. 46, No. 2, March 2005

The Exception to the Rule: 90% of Students Visited Their Academic Advisor Last Year n=50 – Consistent with findings from National Survey of Student Engagement (2007)

What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. “Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard”

Other Student Success Offices A Unique Advantage Student Academic Advisor Other Student Success Offices Because student personnel workers frequently operate on a one-to-one basis with students, they are in a unique position to monitor the involvement of their clients in the academic process and to work with individual clients in an attempt to increase that involvement. One of the challenges confronting student personnel SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1999 ◆ VOL 40 NO 5 527 Developmental Theory workers these days is to find a “hook” that will stimulate students to get more involved in the college experience: taking a different array of courses, changing residential situations, joining student organizations, participating in various kinds of extracurricular activities

Student Perceptions of Academic Advising

Changing Perceptions: Advisors as Connectors Training Knowledge Partnerships Partnerships: Don’t just have one person in the office acting as a “liaison”, but have annual or bi-annual professional development meetings where both offices get together and share information. Also, invite representatives from those offices in to speak to your students. While grappling with a more challenging student situation, call someone from that office and ask them for recommendations – put them on speaker so the student can begin a relationship with this office on the spot. Utilize student workers and ambassadors to collect information about student organizations, Greek Life, and residence halls at the beginning of the year. Social Media: Use it to connect students with faculty, financial aid, and other offices around campus Knowledge: Through campus partnerships, develop an effective “hook” to use for different university agents, and use this information to promote their organization/office. For example: if a student is not managing their time well

Changing Perceptions: Positive Psychology Make a note about positive psychology – students often operate on “fear of failure” rather than “achieving full potential” – they will focus on what is necessary to graduate and complete their degree, rather than what they could do to maximize their college experience.

When Do Students Follow Through on Referrals? If they feel it is necessary for degree completion: 86% If they feel that it is useful: 48% If they feel it is not useful but their advisor tells them to go: 22%

“I did not feel that they were relevant to me at the time.” “Unless necessary, I don’t seek out help.” “I don’t need them.” “I do not need to yet but I will.” “There was no need to at this time.” Resources and referrals are for people who are doing poorly and need help OR Resources and referrals are for everybody because we are lifelong learners

Mastery vs. Performance Orientation Goal Orientation Theory “Students with mastery orientation seek to improve their competence. Those with performance orientations seek to prove their competence.” School operates on performance orientation, the world operates on mastery orientation Schraw, G. (1998). Promoting general metacognitive awareness. Instructional Science, 26, 113-125.

Redefining College Completion An appreciation for lifelong learning and a desire for constant progress Confidence in reaching out and establishing relationships, even when you don’t “need” them A sense of curiosity and exploration THESE GOALS APPLY TO ALL STUDENTS, no matter what their GPA or performance record is. It puts all students on the same level. Advisors need to believe this too – and should incorporate this during each appointment if time allows

Redefining “Successful” College Completion: Diet vs. Lifestyle Metaphor THESE GOALS APPLY TO ALL STUDENTS, no matter what their GPA or performance record is. It puts all students on the same level. Constant progress Teach that faculty office hours and resource centers are not there just for students who struggle, but for students to enhance their current knowledge and network with other peers and faculty members.

Leon Festinger’s Theory of Cognitive Dissonance Change our behavior.  2. Justify our behavior by changing the conflicting cognition.  3. Justify our behavior by adding new cognitions. Example: Students judge cheating less harshly after being induced to cheating behavior. Journal of Personality Volume 26, Issue 4, pages 517–531, December 1958 Image Source: http://www.truthonthenet.com/cognitive_dissonance.htm

Redefining “Successful” Degree Completion and Creating Cognitive Dissonance Student Beliefs: “Degree Completion = Success” Facts that Challenge Beliefs: 44% of recent college graduates are in jobs that do not require a bachelor’s degree 16% of recent college graduates are looking for work or are only employed part time Only 11% of employers feel that college grads are prepared for the workforce College students rank ‘better employment opportunities’ as their primary motivation for going to college, but only 20% of graduates feel prepared for the workforce and only 11% of employers feel that college grads are prepared.

Effective Referrals Ask students about their developmental goals to guide your referral Discuss the student’s role and responsibility in maximizing and directing their own learning experience Initiate a relationship with the third party during the appointment

“The Assumptive Close” “I will give you a call at the end of this week to see if faculty office hours were more helpful to you now that you are writing a list of questions beforehand.” “The career center allows you to make appointments online, so how about we set one up for you while you are here?”

Heather Luth Heather_Luth@redlands.edu 909-748-8031 Questions? Heather Luth Heather_Luth@redlands.edu 909-748-8031