ONLINE ACADEMIC ADVISING: A Pilot Project  This project was developed by Rod Agassiz, Human Development Counselor/Instructor and Ron Taplin, Associate Dean for Student Development Services

Why Online Advising Attrition Themes Academic Under preparedness Lack of Certainty in major/career choice Transition/adjustment Difficulty Dissonance/Incompatibility

Advising Definition  "Educational planning is a continuous process with an accumulation of personal contacts between advisor and student in which each student is involved in self- assessment, exploring and integrating academic and career alternatives, and making decisions that are personally relevant for the present and the future."

Successful Retention Strategy Institutions that are most successful in retaining their students are those most likely to have used improvements or redevelopment of the academic advising program as a retention strategy. AASCU

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

Why an Online Advising Pilot BCC is not serving a sizable portion of its diverse campus community. Only students who are able to be “on campus” during regular hours ( 9 – 5 ) or limited evening service are able to meet with a counselor or advisor. During “peak times” even some of these students get left out when all counselors and advisor’s schedules are full and the “drop-in” wait time is over an hour. Many students who take night classes, tele-courses, online classes, or for various life “circumstances” have difficulty getting to the campus, do not have the same access to student services as those who attend during the day. Over the past couple of years our demand for “Online” services has increased appreciably.

Project Design  Deliver academic advising in an online format via the Internet  Establish 24/7 student access to an online advisor & guarantee 24hr or less response time  Recruit majority of student participants in advance  Student evaluations performed once each quarter.  Partner with Technology Services on Hardware and Software requirements for off-site delivery of services  Develop and maintain a system to manage individual student files.

Classroom Presentation Points  Have your individual educational program closely monitored all next academic year. Utilize a Degree Audit program which will be updated each quarter. Know in advance what classes to take.  24 hour access for counseling/advising/ and Career questions. Receive a response within 24 hours – usually much faster. No waiting to see someone – Ask a question anytime.  You will be contacted several times each quarter with updates/tings to do/dates to remember/campus visitations from 4 year colleges/individual recommendations/study tips/encouraging words or quotes/who to contact on campus to get things done  Contact made primarily through (written and video), fax and phone if needed. You will be sent numbers and my address. I’m also hoping to have a web-page with “links” to various educational and career sites.

Online Sign-up Sheet  Name (print)_____________________  __________________________  Phone__________________________  Soc. Sec.________________________  Major___________________________  Time in Coll.__ Qtrs. Credits__ GPA___  I plan to attend BCC for the next academic year (01-02) Yes__ No__ Unsure__

Keys to Effective Online Advising  Fast Response Times  Accurate Understanding of Student Requests and Needs  Detailed and Thorough Responses  Assign Students to Specific Advisor  Weekly Updates to All Students (motivational quotes and comments)  Maintain Student Records/Follow Degree- Student Progress  Encourage and Teach  Maintain Respect, Caring and Honesty

Sample Student Evaluations  Rod has been a tremendous help to me. It is very hard for me to get to campus, and when I have, its been a long wait for minimal help. Rod has gone above to call to look into and provide me with helpful information, plus periodically checking my progress. His responses are incredibly fast, often within just a few minutes, never more than a few hours. Without his notices on upcoming events and deadlines, my experience at BCC would surely have been more limited than it has been. By that I mean I would have missed out on a lot. I have referred everyone in my classes to him. I surely hope this program continues, for my benefit, and others as well.

Sample Student Evaluations Having Online Advising has been a tremendous help to me. I have been able to transform my transcripts and become a better student because of it. With the help of Mr. Agassiz, my grades for the year have been As and Bs which is a far cry from what I was doing the years before. This year I am graduating and I owe a great deal of that to Mr. Agassiz and the Online Advising program. Not only is it more convenient for me to communicate with him when the need arises, but the information I get is very thorough and always useful. I am a single mother who works full time and juggles classes between the two. This program has proven to be a valuable tool for me and now because of it I am on the road to success. Thank you!

Sample Student Evaluations The online advising program helped keep me up to date on BCC events and deadlines, so in that sense it has been very helpful. I never have been inclined to go in for advising, so having my advisor available through was helpful, and I got more advice than I otherwise would have. Rod was always very available and quick to respond to any concerns I had. I would support the program being extended in to next school year. The internet is the primary communication method now for many students, and I think the program will gain popularity if it continues.

Student Evaluation Data  Quarterly Online Counseling/Advising Evaluations  Students answered Strongly Agree 90% of the time when answering the following evaluation questions.  Knowledge of Academic Requirements: –Accurately answered all of my questions. –Helped me understand AAS degree requirements/ program of study. –Review my academic status/ performed degree audit –Provided 4 year college transfer information  Goal Setting and Planning –Helped me explore career/majors and provided resources. –Discussed personal/financial concerns pertaining to academic goals. –Discussed strategies to assist me in meeting my academic goals. –Referred to appropriate campus/web-based resources.  Interpersonal Skills –Made me feel comfortable working online. –Understood my concerns and responded appropriately. –Was friendly and easy to work with. –Was realistic and honest with me.

Recommendations  Establish Online Advising Options for all Students  Incorporate Keys to Effective Online Advising into the BCC Advising Model  Allocate Necessary Resources (staff & faculty) to Support a Campus-Wide Effort  Design Marketing Plan to Promote Campus-Wide Online Advising Services