1. Intrusive Academic Advising: An Effective Strategy to Increase Student Success Tom Brown Innovative Educators Webinar June 22, 2010 www.tbrownassociates.com tom@tbrownassociates.com www.tbrownassociates.com tom@tbrownassociates.com

2. 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?

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

4. Shift in emphasis…. 1970s and 80sAccess 1980s and 90s Retention TodaySuccess Alfredo de los Santos

5. The core question is not about basic “access” to higher education… It is not about persistence… It is about completion of academic credentials—the culmination of opportunity, guidance, choice, effort and commitment. Paths to Degree Completion, 2/14/2006

6. A continuing shift…. Teaching Learning Student Success Vincent Tinto, Syracuse University, 2007

7. The Challenge Enhancing student persistence is an increasing concern in higher education…

8. Higher retention rates matter to policy makers, including federal and state legislators, who have a concern about low college graduation rates…. USA Today, 10/12/05

9. National Graduation* Rates nMean% Two-year public 442 29.3 Four-year public MA166 38.8 Four-year public PhD173 48.6 Four-year private MA348 55.4 Four-year private PhD173 63.4 Overall 1661 46.2 Completion in 3 years for Associates; 5 years for BA/BS * Source: ACT Institutional Data File, 2008 Completion in 3 years for Associates; 5 years for BA/BS * Source: ACT Institutional Data File, 2008 www.act.org www.act.org www.act.org

10. Retention practices with greatest impact 1. First-year programs 2. Advising interventions for specific student populations Habley & McClanahan, WWISR 2004 3. Learning support Habley & McClanahan, WWISR 2004

11. Retention practice with greatest impact Two-year colleges: Mandatory Assessment Habley & McClanahan, WWISR 2004 Habley & McClanahan, WWISR 2004

12. 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 2006

13. What do students say? National Student Satisfaction and Priorities Report 2009 686,000 students 1000 two and four year institutions

14. National Student Satisfaction Report 2009 Four-year Private Institutions Instructional effectiveness (6.34) Academic advising (6.30) Safety and security (6.18) Student centeredness (6.18) Registration effectiveness (6.18) Recruitment and financial aid (6.18) Campus climate (6.16) Concern for the individual (6.16) Campus support services (6.04)

15. National Student Satisfaction Report 2009 Four-year Public Institutions Academic advising (6.35) Instructional effectiveness (6.33) Safety and security (6.32) Registration effectiveness (6.21) Recruitment and financial aid (6.16) Concern for the individual (6.13) Campus climate (6.12) Student centeredness (6.11) Campus support services (6.07)

16. Community College Student Priorities 2009 Instructional effectiveness6.18 Registration effectiveness6.16 Academic Advising/Counseling6.14 Concern for the individual 6.09 Academic services6.05 Admissions and financial aid6.03 Safety and security6.02 Student centeredness5.98 Campus climate5.98 Service excellence5.64 Campus Support Services5.48

17. National Adult Student Priorities Report Noel-Levitz, 2008. 1.Instructional effectiveness 2.Academic Advising/Counseling 3.Registration Effectiveness 4.Campus Climate 5.Service excellence

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

19. The context for today’s workshop: Does academic advising matter to student success?

20. 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

21. Quality interaction with faculty seems to be more important that any other single college factor in determining minority student persistence. Levin and Levin, 1991

22. Academic advisors have long known what presidents and policy makers are learning: there is a wealth of important research which has found a significant correlation between quality academic advising, student satisfaction, and enhanced persistence. John Gardner & Tom Kerr, 1995

23. Making the Most of College Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience…. Richard Light, 2001

24. For community college students, frequent interaction with faculty and advisers outside of class all had a positive impact on preventing students from dropping out…. Regina Deil Amen Chronicle of Higher Education 8/17/05

25. There is a relationship between advising and retention. (n=1594) Agree/strongly agree86% Disagree 4% Brown Survey, 2001-2008

26. 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

27. Redefining academic advising: From an event to a process that is integrally linked to student engagement and learning. Much more than a service that supports registration….

28. How does XYZ Tech define advising? The advising staff offers support to all XYZ Tech students in the selection of the liberal education courses required for their degrees. XYZ Tech Undergraduate Bulletin 2008 (pg. 96) XYZ Tech Undergraduate Bulletin 2008 (pg. 96)

29. How does Local CC define advising? Students meet with academic advisors to choose a major, select courses, review degree requirements…. Local CC 2007-2008 Academic Bulletin (Pg. 21)

30. 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

31. Is academic advising on your campus a process? If not, why? How might this be changed? What can you do to help make this happen?

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

33. Academic Advising Counseling Financial Aid Assessment Learning Center Faculty TRIO/SSS Orientation Registration Multicultura l Affairs Career Center

34. Retention Counseling Financial Aid Assessment Learning Center Faculty TRIO/SSS Orientation Registration Multicultural Affairs Career Center Academic AcademicAdvising The Hub of the Campus Wheel W. Habley

35. Attributes of an environment that supports student success: Intentional Structured Proactive Tinto, 2007

36. 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

37. Why do students leave college? Isolation Inability to connect with significant members of the campus community….

38. The more interaction students have with faculty and staff, the more likely they are to learn effectively and persist toward achievement of their educational goals.

39. 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

40. Why do students leave college? Incongruence What I experienced is not what I expected.

41. Academic advisors can mediate the gap between student experiences and their expectations. Habley

42. Some Institutions seem to be more effective than others in helping students from a wide range of abilities and backgrounds succeed… Pascarelli & Terenzini, 2005

43. College being more proactive… “ College Move to Organize Retention Efforts”* 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

44. Intrusive Academic Advising What is intrusive academic advising??

45. Aggressive Academic Advising?

46. Invasive Academic Advising?

47. Intrusive Advising?

49. Active Outreach Advising??

50. Origins of Intrusive Advising “Reduction of Attrition Through Intrusive Advising” Robert Glennen & Dan Baxley NASPA Journal, v22 n3 p10-14 Win 1985

51. 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

52. The theoretical framework of intrusive advising is based on three postulates: 1. Advisors can be trained to identify students who need and can benefit from this kind of intervention. 2. Students DO respond to direct contact in which a problem in their academic life is identified and a resource or assistance is offered.

53. The theoretical framework of intrusive advising is based on three postulates: 3. Deficiencies in the necessary "fit" of a student to his/her academic environment are treatable. Students can be taught and can learn the skills needed to be successful.

54. Guiding Principles of Intrusive Advising: Academic and social integration are keys to persistence. Motivation is not the cause but rather the result of intrusive intervention activities. Sharon Holmes, 2000

55. There are some distinct advantages of an intrusive mode of advising. 1. A direct contact is established with an advisor who deals openly with the student's academic situation when the student has maximum motivation to accept assistance. Earl, 1987

56. The Intrusive Advising model is valuable because it assumes that some students will not take the initiative in resolving academic concerns, therefore, assigned counselors operate intrusively. Holmes, 2000

57. At-risk students have difficulty: Recognizing that a problem exists  Recognizing that a problem exists  Asking for help once they realize that they have a problem  Asking for help in time for the assistance to be of benefit Levin & Levin, 1991

58. Advantages of intrusive advising 2. the student is intrusively placed in a position where s/he must do academic planning within the parameters of self- motivation. 3. structured advising programs are enhanced by a student's involvement in contract modules.

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

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

61. There is compelling evidence regarding the importance students place on the value of intrusive advising relationships in the context of their ability to persist. DeAnna Burt, 2009

62. Intrusive Advising Intrusive 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.

63. Intrusive Advising Intrusive advising means 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.

64. The intrusive model is proactive and seeks to address problems as they emerge, rather than being reactive. Essentially, advisors reach out to help students instead of waiting for students to seek help. University of Minnesota General College

65. Active Outreach Advising: People AND Programs

66. Intrusive Advising Strategies Assessment and placement Mandated orientation programs Required advising meetings Learning communities First-year seminar courses Early alert systems

67. Required Advising Meetings Structured content What should be discussed and when? What would be discussed at a first advising meeting? At a meeting three weeks into the first term? At a meeting following midterms? Prior to registration for the following term? At the first meeting of the following term?

68. Early alert systems Identify students who are having difficulty and also provide recommended sources of assistance. These were originally sent to faculty through campus mail, but they are increasingly available in web-based formats.

69. Intrusive Advising Strategies Midterm grades/progress reports Supplemental Instruction Peer Support/Study groups Clear statements of responsibilities Advising “contracts” Mentor/Peer mentor programs Others??

70. Mentor Program The value of the mentoring relationship seems to be long lasting. “We have found that our mentees from two or three semesters ago are still our students. We still hear from them. It has worked beautifully….” Gale Lammers, Phillips CC (Ark.)

71. FYE Peer Mentors 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

72. Midterm Semester Evaluations (MSEs) target low SES and first year students and is one of the most successful initiatives at CSU San Marcos pertaining to identifying and assisting at-risk students before they find themselves in difficulty. Parisa Soltani, 2007

73. Professor ABCD Tutor ATutor BTutor CTutor D Supplemental Instruction Study Groups Course: Chemistry I Supplemental Instruction http://web2.umkc.edu/cad/SI/

74. Your turn to teach… What are some examples of activities on your campus that could be called intrusive or active outreach advising?

75. Why Intrusive Advising Works: Students who know that an advisor will contact them are motivated to keep up with their work. (Heisserer & Parette, 2002) Intrusive advising helps students make connections to campus services. Referrals to sources of assistance informs students that some one cares about them. Earl, 1998; Backus, 1989; Holmes, 2000

76. Academic Advising: A Shared Responsibility

77. Student Responsibilities Ohio University Contact your advisor and every instructor regularly. Read email and Blackboard postings carefully and follow instructions. Utilize instructor and advisor office hours. Make appointments in advance and keep them. Follow-up on advice and referrals

78. 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…

79. 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

80. A Shared Responsibility: A Model

81. Changing Environment & Changing Students 1 st Year2 nd Year3 rd Year4 th, 5 th, 6 th Year Creamer, 2000 Need for Information Need for Consultation Changing Needs for Advising

82. Changing Environment & Changing Students 1 st Year2 nd Year3 rd Year4 th, 5 th, 6 th Year Creamer, 2000; Lynch, 1989 Need for Information Need for Consultation Changing Needs for Advising Moving InMoving Through Moving On

83. Changing Environment & Changing Students 1 st Year2 nd Year3 rd Year4 th, 5 th, 6 th Year Lynch, 1989; Creamer, 2000; Brown, 2006 Need for Information Need for Consultation Changing Needs for Advising Moving InMoving Through Moving On I I/ S I/S S/ I S I = Faculty, advisors, etc. S = Student

84. Changing Environment & Changing Students 1 st Year2 nd Year3 rd Year4 th, 5 th, 6 th Year PRESCRIPTIVE DEVELOPMENTAL Lynch, 1989; Brown& Rivas, 1994; Creamer, 2000; Brown, 2006 Need for Information Need for Consultation Changing Needs for Advising Moving InMoving Through Moving On I I/ S I/S S/ I S I = Faculty, advisors, etc. S = Student

85. The question students should seek to answer through advising... NOT…. “What courses do I need to take?”

86. The questions students should seek to answer through advising... “How do I want to live my life?” “What can I do in college to help move me toward this vision of my future?”

87. Big enough questions… What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? The Summer Day Mary Oliver

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

89. Student Expectation of Advisors Availability/Accessibility Knowledge Care and Concern

90. Why do students leave college? Isolation Inability to connect with significant members of the campus community….

91. Caring… Early and frequent contact Comprehensive orientation Intrusive advising Buyer & Connolly, 2006

92. Cultivating Intrusive/Proactive Academic Advising Take photos of students and post in their advising folders. Follow up personally on early alerts. Postcard, email, and/or text reminders of important deadlines, meetings, etc. Attend co-curricular activities. Explore opportunities for residence hall advising. Jennifer Varney, 2007

93. Using Active Outreach Advising with Specific Student Cohorts

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

95. Active Outreach Strategies Assign an adult student advocate to identify issues, mediate problems, etc. Assign an adult student advocate to identify issues, mediate problems, etc. Facilitate formation of support groups and peer mentoring Facilitate formation of support groups and peer mentoring Interactive on-line advising system (Santa Fe CC, Florida) Interactive on-line advising system (Santa Fe CC, Florida) Proactive advising system (Friends University, KS) Proactive advising system (Friends University, KS) Others ?? Others ??

96. 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

97. Active Outreach Strategies First-year programs: summer bridge, orientation programs, FYE courses, Freshman Interest groups (FIGs) First-year programs: summer bridge, orientation programs, FYE courses, Freshman Interest groups (FIGs) Learning communities Learning communities Integrated courses clusters (e.g., Psych course linked with English and tutoring or SI) Integrated courses clusters (e.g., Psych course linked with English and tutoring or SI) Others? Others?

98. 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

99. Active Outreach Strategies Encourage full participation Encourage full participation Encourage appropriate disclosure Encourage appropriate disclosure Connect with campus and community resources Connect with campus and community resources Be willing to act as an advocate. Be willing to act as an advocate. Others? Others?

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

101. Undecided but don’t know it… 13% of first-year students expect to change their major. first-year students expect to change their major. 12.6% of first-year students expect to change their career choice. 2008 CIRP Survey

102. You are not alone… Sources of Support Academic advisor Faculty and department chairs Career Services Counseling Center Internship,s work experience, job shadowing

103. An Advising Model for Undecided Students Peggy King, 2008 Help students analyze and understand their situation. Help students analyze and understand their situation. Support them to develop a plan for exploration Support them to develop a plan for exploration Refer students to key resources (e.g., Career Services, academic departments, faculty, internships) Refer students to key resources (e.g., Career Services, academic departments, faculty, internships)

104. An Advising Model for Undecided Students Peggy King, 2008 Assist students to develop action plans Assist students to develop action plans Support students while they are engaged in exploration and decision making. Support students while they are engaged in exploration and decision making. Follow-up Follow-up

105. LGBT Students 31% of LGBT students left college for a semester or longer and 33% dropped out altogether (Hardesty, 1994)

106. Active Outreach Strategies  First-year Transition Programs  Mentoring  Creating “Safe Zones” and developing Allies  Links to Career Development Jennifer Joslin, 2007

107. Multicultural Students 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

108. Some minority students and first-year students have not established behavioral patterns that would motivate them to seek assistance Sharon Holmes, 2000 Sharon Holmes, 2000

109. Active Outreach Strategies Peer mentoring programs Peer mentoring programs Faculty and staff mentor programs Faculty and staff mentor programs Active outreach to connect with campus and community resources Active outreach to connect with campus and community resources Intrusive academic advising program Intrusive academic advising program

110. First-year Students Many students who leave college do so as the result of experiences they have during the first six weeks. Astin, Tinto, Crockett

111. National Drop Out Rates Freshman to Sophomore Year nMean% Two-year public 824 46.3 Four-year public MA220 30.0 Four-year public PhD227 27.1 Four-year private MA502 27.7 Four-year private PhD220 19.6 Overall 2582 32.7 * Source: ACT Institutional Data File, 2008 www.act.org

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

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

114. Helping students move into college is far and away the most important task for academic advisors. Professor Arthur Chickering, 1994

115. Students usually have a realistic understanding about the demands of academic work and what is required to be successful in their classes. (n = 1587) Strongly agree/agree13% Disagree/strongly disagree69% Brown Survey of Faculty, 2001-2008

116. Do students understand what is required to be successful in college? Most of them don’t have a clue! They see college work as an extension of high school, and for most of them high school involved little effort. BrownAdvisingSurvey, 2001-2008 Most of them don’t have a clue! They see college work as an extension of high school, and for most of them high school involved little effort. Brown Advising Survey, 2001-2008

117. 58% reported A/A- as their average high school grade. 93% earned a B average or higher. 65% expect to earn at least a B average in college. 2008 CIRP Survey Public Universities

118. Do students understand what is required to be “successful”? How many hours did you study during a typical week in your last year of high school? 36%More than 10 hours 36%More than 10 hours 51% Five hours or less 51% Five hours or less 44% Less than two hours a week!! CIRP Freshmen Survey Public Universities, 2008 44% Less than two hours a week!! CIRP Freshmen Survey Public Universities, 2008

119. In 1961, the average student spent 40 hours a week engaged in her/his studies—attending class and studying. By 2003, this had declined by nearly one- third… Philip Babcock & Mindy Marks National Bureau of Economic Research Chronicle of Higher Education 6/21/2010 27 hours weekly.

120. Academic services may be available, but if we wait for students to come for assistance, attrition may be the result. Students inexperienced in the ways of college—and certainly most first-year students—need to be reached out to with intrusive programs and services. Levitz and Noel, 1989(!!)

121. Students on Probation

122. Factors contributing to academic difficulty Peer culture Peer culture Academic major/program Academic major/program Lack of interaction with faculty Lack of interaction with faculty Organization and time management Organization and time management Inadequate investment of time Inadequate investment of time Self-efficacy and perceived lack of control Self-efficacy and perceived lack of control Pascarelli & Terenzini, 2005

123. Helping students get back on track Assess GPA deficit Assess GPA deficit Help develop a plan to return to good standing--concrete, tangible, doable Help develop a plan to return to good standing--concrete, tangible, doable Reflect on factors contributing to unsuccessful academic performance Reflect on factors contributing to unsuccessful academic performance Accept responsibility for choices Accept responsibility for choices Examine and [re]assess academic, career, and personal goals Examine and [re]assess academic, career, and personal goals Acknowledge that the past does not necessarily equal the future Acknowledge that the past does not necessarily equal the future

124. Programs vary widely… Required weekly workshops Required weekly workshops Regular meetings with advisor and/or mentor Regular meetings with advisor and/or mentor Group activities/Study groups Group activities/Study groups Tutorial Services Tutorial Services Supplemental Instruction Supplemental Instruction Contracts for Academic Success Contracts for Academic Success

125. PROBATION CONTRACTS Examples Abiline Christian University http://www.acu.edu/academics/cas/documents/Proba tion_Contract.pdf http://www.acu.edu/academics/cas/documents/Proba tion_Contract.pdf Morehead State University http://www.moreheadstate.edu/files/units/acs/probati on/Academic_Probation_Contract_Fall_2009.pdf http://www.moreheadstate.edu/files/units/acs/probati on/Academic_Probation_Contract_Fall_2009.pdf University of North Carolina Chapel Hill http://studentsuccess.unc.edu/docs/updated%20cont ract.pdf http://studentsuccess.unc.edu/docs/updated%20cont ract.pdf Rio Hondo Community College http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Getting%20On% 20Course008.htm http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Getting%20On% 20Course008.htm

126. Active outreach to students Advisors should be available at times when, and in places where, students make educational decisions Habley

127. Why reach out? An academic advisor is unlike any role model the new student has encountered. Students receive advice from all sorts of people and much of that advice is inaccurate, incomplete, or inappropriately value laden.

128. Why reach out? The use of technology may supplant rather than support the advising process. The first six weeks of transition are critical to the institution’s retention efforts. It is easier to anticipate a problem than it is to solve one.

129. 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

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

131. 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. Brown & Ward, 2007

132. Faculty members are left to sink or swim when it comes to effective student advising—they are blamed for something they lack the professional training to do. Dr. Yolanda Moses President, AAHE Faculty Advising Examined, 2003

133. When I first began to advise, I had adequate preparation and training. (n=1570) Strongly agree/agree 30% Disagree/strongly disagree 53% Brown Survey of Faculty, 2001-2008

134. Strategy for Success Professional development for faculty in pedagogies and practices aimed at improving retention and success…. Bunker Hill CC

135. Derek Bok stresses the importance of ensuring that adjunct faculty are also properly trained in order for the university to attain its educational goals… Our Underachieving Colleges Derek Bok, 2006

136. There are within each of us the seeds of who we might become. Thich Nhat Hanh

137. Comments? Questions? Challenges? Successes?

138. Intrusive Academic Advising: An Effective Strategy to Increase Student Success Tom Brown Innovative Educators Webinar June 22. 2010 www.tbrownassociates.com tom@tbrownassociates.com www.tbrownassociates.com tom@tbrownassociates.com