1. ECSE Advising
10 September 2003
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

2. From the CSE ABET Report
Program does not regularly and measurably advise students
Percentage of students who see advisors is low
Alumni evaluations of advisor value-added are extremely low.
Seniors report a 60% satisfaction rate with helpfulness or information provided by advisors
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

3. From the CSE ABET Report
Program appears not to require advisors and students to meet at all.
Offers optional, large-group meetings as the alternative.
It has not been demonstrated that this approach meets student needs or that it permits the program to adequately determine its success in meeting program objectives.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

4. From the CSE ABET Report
Program does not appear to regularly and measurably monitor students.
CAPP form is sent to all students
It is not evident that assigned advisors monitor the CAPP
or that any faculty member monitors student progress using the CAPP or other methods to determine program success in meeting program objectives.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

5. From the CSE ABET Report
Program does not appear to have or enforce an understood, repeatable, enforceable policy for the validation of courses taken for credit elsewhere.
In preparation for the review, the EAC anticipates receiving evidence that planned changes to the advising process have been implemented.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

6. Background
Feedback received from surveys of graduates (selected from classes that are 2 and 6 years from graduation) and graduating seniors suggests strong dissatisfaction with academic advising in the EE and CSE programs.
Advising in general at Rensselaer has been under stress for some time since we have moved from paper to online registration.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

7. Background Problems are recognized throughout the Institute.
Problems are more critical within ECSE and especially within the CSE program, because of our large student population and small faculty.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

8. Taskforce Report (Feb 03)
Expand resources to assist advisors
Improve training for all advisors
Add full-time advising staff to assist faculty and students in schools and departments with large numbers of students
Strengthen early warning systems for students at all levels
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

9. Taskforce Report
Develop means for students to get answers to their career related questions
Require all students to meet with their advisors at least once each year
Continue development of online resources to aid both advisor and advisee
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

10. HKN Survey How satisfied with advising services 1.7/4
Advisor knowledge 2.3/4
Advisor’s effort in personalizing advice 1.6/4
Discussed plans with advisor?
Grad school 20%
Employment 40%
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

11. HKN Survey Have you attended ECSE meetings on
Grad School 50%
Employment 50%
How often do you meet with your advisor?
50% once a semester
30% once a year
20% never
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

12. HKN Survey Advisor meeting preference Is your advisor accessible?
Phone 0%, 20%, In person 80%
Is your advisor accessible?
45% yes
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

13. HKN Survey Advice Preference One-on-one meetings with advisor
Regular advising office hours staffed by ECSE advisors
Small group meetings with advisor
Extensive advising information (FAQ) provided on a Webpage
Talking to friends
Extensive advising information provided as a printed handout
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

14. HKN Survey Advice Preference (significantly less)
Regular office hours staffed by students and advisors
Small group meetings run by students
Catalog
Regular office hours staffed by students
Large group meetings run by several faculty advisors
Large group meetings run by advisor
Large group meetings run by students
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

15. Online Advising Resources
Engineering School in RPI Catalog
Course Descriptions in Catalog
Advising and Learning Assistance Center
Academic information for ECSE (will be combined with Advising)
Advising information for ECSE
Senior Design information for ECSE
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

16. From Catalog
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

17. 4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

18. 4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

19. 4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

20. 4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

21. 4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

22. 4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

23. ECSE Advising Academic Advisor (Faculty)
Meets with advisees once each year either in small groups or individually
During the junior year, before the spring advising and registration period, meets with advisees to plan remainder of undergraduate courses using the degree templates, available on the ECSE website.
Recommends to to ECSE Chair and Undergraduate Committee changes in advising system.
Approves two course concentrations and forwards new concentrations to Undergraduate Committee for posting.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

24. ECSE Advising Academic Advisor (Staff)
Assists academic advisors with programmatic details
Maintains Undergraduate Handbook for students and resource materials for advisors.
Staffs Advising Office for 20 hours per week
Reviews all student records each term to identify potential problems with student course selection. Arranges meetings to remedy problems.
Provides readily available advice to students to supplement help from faculty advisor.
Recommends to ECSE Chair changes in job description and generally in advising system.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

25. ECSE Advising Academic Advisor (Staff)
Performs preliminary and final degree clearance
After preliminary and final degree clearance for graduating seniors, informs students of their status.
Maintains survey instruments and analyzes data from an annual survey of undergraduates
Assesses data from graduate survey relating to advising
Reports on status of advising program annually to ECSE faculty
Co-op advising
All other advising tasks formerly done by Curriculum Chair.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

26. ECSE Advising Undergraduate Committee
Develops and maintains assessment tools for the advising system with the assistance of the Undergraduate Advisor, Faculty Advisors and student groups (HKN and IEEE).
Analyzes assessment data and make recommendations based on the analysis
Develops changes in the advising system to be discussed and approved by the ECSE faculty.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

27. ECSE Advising Student Responsibilities
Meet with advisor either in small groups or individually at least once each year
During the junior year, before the spring advising and registration period, meet with a faculty advisor to plan remainder of courses using the degree templates available on the ECSE website.
Provide feedback to HKN, the IEEE Student Branch, the ECSE Undergraduate Committee, the undergraduate advisor, faculty advisor or the ECSE Chair on the quality of advising and make recommendations for changes.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

28. Graduate Advising Recommended to the Grad Committee
Require all graduate students to attend at least one seminar per month during the academic year.
Reduce the mandatory course requirements for the PhD, leaving this issue up to the advisor and student.
Differentiate the EE and CSE grad degrees, probably at the DQE
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

29. New SoE Webpage
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

30. Faculty Listing New SoE Webpage To Modify Your Info
username:ecse and password: ecse
click on "faculty"
click on your name
click on “edit”
click on “submit"
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

31. New Faculty Ad
Please check the ECSE webpage under openings for our new faculty ad.
Encourage your friends and colleagues at other institutions to apply, since we are looking for candidates at all levels.
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor

32. One Page Research Summaries
All but two of the groups have now provided the one PowerPoint slide summary of their research.
These slides will be available online
4/20/2019
Kenneth A. Connor