1. Automatic Advisor Assignments
Colleen Morishita, Dynamic Campus
Autumn Brackley, College of Western Idaho
7/30/15 Enrollment and Student Services
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

2. Session Rules of etiquette
Please turn off you cell phone/pager
If you must leave the session early, please do so as discreetly as possible
Please avoid side conversation during the session
Thank you for your cooperation!
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

3. Introduction
Our presentation is a story about how batch processing advisor assignments just did not meet the needs of our institution, staffing, or our advising model.
We initiated change for the next thing we want to be, and the next next thing we want to be.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

4. Our Status quo (in 2012) Faculty Advising Model
45 students per full-time faculty
85% of our instructors adjunct status
Four professional advisors
Growth from 1700 students (2009) to 8500 (2012)
Solution: Assign general advisor codes which meant NOTHING
Use the Section Header Master Slide for topic transitions.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

5. Observation 1
“Good advising may be the single most underrated characteristic of a successful college experience.”
--Richard Light
How do generic codes and most students lacking a specific advisor emphasis the importance of Advising Services?
The math won out
Doubled the staff
Assignments were made
Use this area to elaborate on each talking point.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

6. observation 2 How do we assign advisors supporting the faculty model?
Relying only on Colleague delivered reports
Balance the loads for faculty
“Leftovers” went to professional advisors
Process started after census and took FOUR weeks in the fall and TWO in the spring
Use this area to elaborate on each talking point.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

7. Observation 3
No intentional communication to students about advising (just registration)
In the mean time. . .
Administration supported moving to a mandatory Advising & Registration Session for new students
Two faculty advisory groups meeting to revisit advising model for our college
Use this area to elaborate on each talking point.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

8. Please help us automate!
Charter written
Admissions process considered
Communication planning considered
Programs, advisor loads, locations considered
Support gained from administration
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

9. Automating Advisor Assignment
Create custom table and custom form for updating the table
Automating the advisor assignment for new students and major changes
Communications created for new student and major changes
New reports created for tracking advisor assignment
Use the Section Header Master Slide for topic transitions.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

10. Create a Custom Table and Form
Create a custom table for Advisors by Program (and Counties)
W35.Programs.Advisors Custom Table
Key
County
Start Date
Academic Program* Advisor ID* End Date
(End Date is null for current Advisors)
Counties Key when applicable
Entered by System when link is created
Use this area to elaborate on each talking point.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

11. Custom Form for program Advisor Relationship
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

12. Automating the Assignment of Advisors for New Students and Program Changes:
Four options for the automated advisor assignment process
All applications with the move to student process as of today’s date
Specify a date (or range of dates) of the move to student process
Specify a start term associate with current move to student application
Reset advisor when student has changed program with in a specified date range
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

13. Custom form for student advisor assignment process
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

14. Reports created by Assignment Process
Assignment results in an excel format
Exceptions report in text format
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

15. Reports created by Assignment Process (Cont.)
Program change results in excel format
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

16. Communications Can be triggered from the advisor assignment form
Notifying students of Advisor assignment
Can be triggered from the advisor assignment form
Used Ellucian process
Have two separate s, one for new students, and one for Major Changes.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

17. Custom form for student advisor assignment process
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

18. The @MIO.Mail Process Two Step Process
Find all applications with a move to student date in last 30 days
Find STUDENT.ADVISMENT record created in the last 30 days with type of major
Search MAILING record for outstanding com codes that were previously assigned
Once found, all parameters required for process are assigned.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

19. Emails to students Email to New Students
to Program change students
Dear First name Last name, Congratulations on your acceptance to College of Western Idaho! An important element to student success is meeting regularly with you academic advisor. You advisor is committed to helping you reach your academic goals while attending CWI. Prior to registration, students must attend a new student Orientation, Advising and Registration (OAR) session. Attending the OAR session is your first official interaction with academic advising. As you progress through your degree at CWI, I recommend you meet with your advisor at least once a semester, prior to registration. Your Advisor: Josee Ward Contact I wish you great success in your future. Autumn Brackley, M.A. Director, Advising & New Student Services OAR Information: advising-registration-oar
Dear First Name,
In response to your recent Major Change Form, your advisor assignment has also changed. Your Advisor has been change to Kurtis King. You will find your advisor's contact information by logging in to your myCWI, clicking on Toolkit for Students, and then clicking on My Profile.
The CWI advising team recommends you meet with your advisor at least once a semester to ensure you are on track to meet your goals.
Best of luck,
Autumn Brackley, M.A.
Director, Advising & New Student Services
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

20. Advisor assignment Reports
Inactive Advisees: Students with active advisement record, but have been inactive in specified term
Advisor Advisees: Listing of all advisees by advisor
Program Changes
No Advisor: Listing of active students with no advisor assigned
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

21. Advisor assignment Report form
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

22. Inactive advisee report
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

23. Advisor Advisee Report
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

24. Program change report
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

25. No advisor Report
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

26. Results!
Advisors assigned when the student is ACCEPTED to the institution
Communication Plan!
Congrats on your admission; advisor assigned (5 days)
Advisor introduction with “fun facts” (14 days)
Postcard with message about academic success opportunities (1x month)
Students are reaching out to us!
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

27. Session Summary
The batch advisor assignment process was not working for our advising model
With some customizations, we automated the advisor assignment process
We increased communications to students about advising
Created more robust reporting for advising department
Results are already being felt, students are reaching out to advisors sooner, and we are excited to see the impact on persistence.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

28. Questions & answers ?
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

29. Thank You! Colleen Morishita colleenmorishita@cwidaho.cc
Autumn Brackley
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho