Fort Valley State University-[node:field-date:custom:Y]-Advising

High Impact Strategy

Intrusive Advising:  Provide customized academic support services to students on academic probation and academic warning, as well as those on warning for violating Standard Academic Performance (SAP) requirements. FVSU has developed proactive and intrusive intervention strategies.

Related Goal

Goal 1:  Increase in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded by USG institutions.
Goal 4:  Provide intrusive advising to keep students on track to graduate.

Summary of Activities

New advisors are being hired along with a new Director of the Center for Retention Services. Advisement for freshmen and sophomores is done in the Academic Advising Center. Faculty representatives advise juniors and seniors. Both groups of advisors monitor all students that are assigned to them.  In addition, a limited number of faculty members were assigned to work within the Center for Retention Services to assist with advising of freshmen and sophomores students, especially during peak periods. An advisement manual was prepared; advisors are being trained with materials from NACADA (National Academic Advisement Association) and advisors have attended the national conference for professional development. October has been designated as Advising Month and advisement information sessions have been developed. Registration and Post-Registration follow-up meetings are now mandated with spring semester following a similar plan.

Also, Retention Specialists are assigned to students on Academic Probation, Academic Warning, and SAP violators. Each time these students see their Retention Specialist; they must see their Academic Advisor. Advisors will assist with assigning Tutorial Services and monitoring their attendance with tutorials. Students must attend tutorials at least 10 times during the semester. These students must develop Academic Improvement Plans and are placed on an academic contract to hold students accountable. Additionally, students meet with Retention Specialists bi-weekly to discuss improving academically and developing appropriate academic behaviors. Credit

Baseline Status

Eighty-percent (80.2%) of credits attempted were successfully completed.

Interim Measures of Progress

Increase the percentage of credits successfully completed by 5%.

Measures of Success

Increase the percentage of credits successfully completed by 5%. This direct assessment will incorporate an analysis of Passed courses (A, B, C, and S) versus attempted courses (D, F, W, WF, and U). Additionally students will continue to have an opportunity to provide their perceptions of the effectiveness of the advising center and the team of retention specialists through student satisfaction surveys. Also, Student Credit hour attainment will be tracked.

Lessons Learned

Four years ago FVSU, as a cost saving strategy, decentralized the advising process. This decentralization of these services transferred all advising duties to faculty members at FVSU. This strategy was not successful as the implementation of the strategy was not well planned and many students did not understand the new approach especially new students.  As this decentralization has now been reversed, the issue of funding has become very prevalent; however, funds have been allocated to reengineer the advisement process and a new Advising center has been established. New positions have been posted and the interviewing process has begun to fill positions.