Going Online An Example of a Web-based Transfer Orientation Alternative

Outline  Arts & Sciences Overview  Traditional Orientation Model  Concerns with Traditional Model  Development of Web-based Transfer Alternative  UT Transfer Orientation Portal  Feedback & Data  What’s Next  Q&A

UT College of Arts & Sciences  More than 7,500 undergraduate students  22 departments and schools  13 interdisciplinary programs  Over 100 majors / concentrations  Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences  Over 75% of the University’s General Education Requirements

Our Transfer Population  882 fall transfers  446 were Arts and Sciences  156 “undecided”  Students denied entry into nursing and engineering  Tennessee Pathways (specifically A.S. and A.A.)

Traditional Orientation  One day event  Small group advising  Grouped by interest  Arts and Sciences Curriculum info  Discussion about course selection  Lasts anywhere from 2 – 5 hours (depending on groups)

Concerns  General Education policy for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees  Course selections for pre-health interest  Need for individual discussions with denied students  Need for more individual attention and flexibility

Solution: Web-based Service  All transfer students review material, answer quiz questions (general education)  For Arts and Sciences students, additional information is required  Upon completion, students schedule an appointment with advisor

Transfer Advising Website

Steps UniversityArts & Sciences

Student Feedback  “Very well organized and informative”  “The quizzes were not difficult, nor were they too easy.”  Liked the flexibility of making an appointment

Demographics  31 students met with A&S advisor one- on-one – 13 attended traditional orientation – 11 out of state students – 9 TN 4-year institutions – 10 TN Community Colleges – 23 transferred in as Sophomores – 6 AS/AA from TN Institutions

What’s Next  Promoting the Site – 470 students accessed between Oct-Jan – 139 completed through Step Five  Focus groups  Survey

Questions?

References  Camtasia – sia/index.htm sia/index.htm  Pre-Advising website – transfers transfers  Contact information – Shanna Pendergrast, Division of Biology Advisor – – Office number