Advising For Retention: Meeting Your Students Where They Are

“College students face a variety of obstacles that can affect their retention and graduation. Students who do not meet minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements are generally placed on an academic warning or probationary status that is often universally applied to all students and administrated by faculty or advisors. However, each students’ reasons for missing this academic mark are unique and include non-academic issues, such as anxiety, social alienation, and low self-esteem … In order to counteract these negative reactions, advising programs must be willing to address the needs of students on probation through varied strategies to help them construct more individualized academic plans, utilize resources in order to improve their performance, and address any personal issues that may be hindering their performance.”~ Maureen R. McCoy, University of Louisville

In this interactive webinar, we will explore the characteristics of college students who go on academic probation from a variety of different perspectives. We will discuss the advising challenges inherent to this population as well as how to overcome them and provide evidence-based best practices and strategies for retaining these students to graduation. We will also explain the various roles that all members of the campus community can play in responding to the advising needs of students on academic probation as well as examine successful programs and initiatives from across the nation that are currently being used to effectively and cost-efficiently meet their advising needs – and how these programs and initiatives can be adapted to a variety of higher education environments. Equal emphasis will be placed on helping both individual students on academic probation as well as institutions achieve their mutually-complementary objective: graduation and job placement.

• Review the general characteristics of underprepared and/or unmotivated college students, with an emphasis on their advising needs
• Review the general characteristics of underachieving college students from various subpopulations such as veterans, minority, LGBTQIA, rural, urban and suburban, lower socioeconomic, transfer, international, and immigrant backgrounds
• Investigate the role of leadership in identifying and responding to the advising needs of college students who are on academic probation
• Conduct a needs analysis to determine how well their institution is doing at identifying and responding to the advising needs of college students who are on academic probation
• Assess and anticipate the evolving advising needs of college students who are on academic probation, for academic preparation, social integration, mental and emotional health considerations, and financial support
• Explore evidence-based best practices in coordinating comprehensive retention initiatives related to academic advising for college students who are on academic probation
• Examine mechanisms for keeping everyone at the institution on the same page for meeting the advising needs of college students who are on academic probation
• Critique real-life examples of effective and ineffective ways of responding to the advising needs of college students who are on academic probation

Academic probation, often defined as a cumulative GPA below 2.000, is a challenge many students encounter—even the most diligent among us, as I can personally attest. For those just entering probation, it can serve as a pivotal moment: it may ignite a newfound motivation or, conversely, cast a shadow of doubt over their academic pursuits, leading them to question if they ever belonged in higher education in the first place.

Despite the critical nature of probation, dismissal, and retention (PDR) issues, not all institutions have specialized staff to manage these cases. Consequently, it falls upon the broader community of academic advisors to be well-equipped to guide students through this difficult period and toward successful graduation.

In our upcoming webinar, we will explore the primary factors that can lead to a student being placed on probation. More importantly, we will explore effective strategies for helping students overcome this hurdle and achieve their academic goals. We will discuss various intervention techniques and necessary steps that can be taken, as well as the shift towards using language that is more encouraging and less stigmatizing with academic probation.

By the conclusion of this session, advisors at every experience level will gain a deeper understanding and increased confidence in their ability to support students on probation. Participants may also leave with innovative ideas on aligning their institution's policies with the latest best practices.

This webinar promises to provide advisors with concrete tips and diverse methodologies to not only assist students on probation but also empower them to reach the finish line of their educational journey.

Join us to enhance your skills in fostering academic recovery and success and to contribute to a more supportive and effective educational environment for all students.

• Pinpoint the prevalent reasons students find themselves on academic probation.
• Analyze standard policy elements that align with established best practices in academic probation management.
• Highlight critical issues advisors face when supporting students on academic probation.
• Refine and advance the effectiveness of local policies concerning probation, dismissal, and retention (PDR).

“As institutions increase their attempts to diversify and expand the undergraduate college student population, there is a need to increase the academic resources and support services for their students, particularly for students of Color. Because of this, academic advisors play an integral role in the academic success and degree completion of their students. The ways in which they advise and perceive their students can impact the way their students navigate and make sense of the college environment. This relationship between faculty advisor and student is just one aspect of the academic advising experience. In addition to establishing a relationship with a faculty advisor, students of Color must also learn how their ethnic and racial identities influence these interactions and their larger college experiences.”- University of Colorado, Boulder

Many institutions have made significant progress in their efforts to recruit, retain, graduate and place students from diverse backgrounds in a position for personal and professional success after graduation. However, the truth is that many students of color face immense challenges in the academic world — many of their peers who do not identify similarly cannot understand or appreciate. Academic advisors can play a significant role in helping these students be more successful and making others more aware of the challenges they face as they help them reach their full potential. The active promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives is essential to the ultimate success of all students. Academic advisors can, and should, take a leadership role in making sure the campus environment is supportive of all students at the institution.

This webinar will provide evidence-based best practices that can be used to help academic advisors be more mindful of their inherent responsibility to integrate and reinforce the basic tenets of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the advising process at all levels. A huge part of this process involves mentoring and coaching students, not only in their respective disciplines, and educating others about the social mores and political minefields than can characterize higher education. Concrete strategies for embedding DEI concepts into the academic advising process will be presented, together with case studies, demonstrating how to maximize their effectiveness.

• Review the current situation with respect to students of color on the contemporary college campus.
• Explore the obstacles that impede students of color from reaching their full potential at many higher education institutions.
• Investigate what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean personally to all students.
• Consider the role of institutional culture in the recruitment and retention of all students — especially students of color.
• Learn how to conduct a diversity, equity and inclusion needs analysis designed to reveal the strengths and weaknesses at their particular institution.
• Discuss how to translate the findings of the DEI needs analysis into a concrete action plan.
• Investigate the role of academic advisors in developing and implementing strategies designed to enhance DEI throughout the campus community
• Examine evidence-based best practices in advising students of color.
• Critique real-life examples and case studies of effective and ineffective ways of integrating DEI into the academic advising process.
• Learn how to assess and anticipate the evolving DEI needs of the campus community.

“A lot rides on the shoulders of college advisers. They're the ones who make sure students have the right mix of courses to graduate. They help out with information and guidance about transfer credit and policy, financial aid, personal concerns, study abroad opportunities, academic petitions or special requests, complaints about instructors, dropping and adding courses and making referrals to other campus services. They're often expected to help students set life goals and explore career options. They evaluate student academic progress and help steer them toward reaching their academic goals. It's a heavy load, but when you take into consideration the fact that many advisers are responsible for hundreds of students at once, the task seems almost superhuman. As a result, institutions have turned to online systems to streamline the process, helping automate administrative tasks and giving students self-service access to decision-making tools.”-- Dian Schaffhauser (Campus Technology)

Advanced technologies are moving academic advising into the virtual world, where students can have access to the guidance they need anytime and anywhere. As financial resources have become more scarce at many institutions at the same time demands have become more acute, online advising has become more pervasive. Online advising systems offer faculty, staff and other professionals a way to do more with less while increasing retention and enhancing completion rates. The evidence is clear: when done appropriately, online advising can provide colleges and universities with significant benefits in some key areas.

This webinar will cover the essential components of a successful online academic advising program, including the pros and cons of the various platforms that are available, how to use them effectively to develop and maintain advising relationships that have all the feature of face-to-face meetings, and concrete solutions to the problems that inevitably arise in an online environment. The focus will be on both the individual academic advisor as well as those responsible for overseeing the process in general. Also included will be opportunities for participant involvement through the use of case studies and real-time feedback via chat.

• Review the essential components of successful academic advising in the 21st Century
• Explore evidence-based best practices in academic advising
• Learn how to adapt those components to an online environment
• Understand the essential components of advising online
• Assess and anticipate student needs using online tools and strategies
• Learn the benefits and challenges unique to online advising
• Investigate the available platforms and applications for online advising
• Improve the ability to truly connect in a virtual advising session
• Critique real-life examples of effective and ineffective ways of interacting with students in an online environment
• Examine issues of confidentiality and security, connectivity, and clarity associated with online advising
• Discover strategies for engaging students in a meaningful, productive advising relationship in an online environment

One only has to watch the daily news to know that the world is challenging; political tribalism, inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the threat of violence in communities and schools have placed everyone on guard. Moreover, due to COVID-19 and its variants, remote learning has further depleted the resilience of many students attending colleges and universities. As a result, counseling centers are being stretched thin, and faculty members are confronting more students in the classroom who need assistance coping with life’s daily pressures.

At the same time, many colleges and universities are experiencing financial pressures leading to staff reductions and services cuts. As a result, students are arriving on campus with wide variations in academic preparation and social skills. Parents and potential students are looking for campuses that can help students achieve the type of success that will make them comfortable about investing in post-secondary education.

Dr. James Castagnera, retired Associate Provost and University Counsel, and Dr. Tony Campbell, retired Senior Student Affairs Officer, will review the current state of affairs on campus, discuss legal and political challenges and obligations of a university, examine student resiliency and review the best practices that seem to be making a difference.

• Understand your university’s duty of care
• Build a sense of competence and connection among students
• Discover how you design courses and structures to support students and help build and increase their resiliency
• Examine how changing laws concerning reproductive rights and gun safety impact your students and campus policies
• The role of faculty and staff in responding to student mental health concerns
• The impact of new laws and the pandemic on student disability requirements
• Preparing for and responding to student activism

This webinar is designed for administrators and advisors, focusing on the common causes of stress faced by advisors and effective coping strategies. Advisors often support others through a variety of challenges, including academic issues, life changes, identity questions, and employment concerns. This support extends beyond professional boundaries, as advisors also deal with their personal stresses such as weather, financial concerns, and family issues.

The webinar aims to address these challenges by offering practical tips to combat stress, incorporating humor, honesty, and real-life examples. Participants will also have the opportunity to create a personalized stress reduction plan, ensuring they can effectively manage their own stress while continuing to support others.

• Explore the common causes of advisor stress, focusing on recognizing personal triggers unique to each individual.
• Investigate how advisor stress manifests within the office environment, exploring its effects on professional interactions and productivity.
• Prioritize and address areas where work-related stress creates significant challenges, aiming for a healthier balance.
• Discover and discuss practical strategies for administrators and advisors to alleviate stress, including proactive and reactive measures.
• Develop a customized stress reduction plan, tailored to their needs and circumstances, for sustainable stress management.

Join us for an enlightening discussion on "A Multi-dimensional Peer Mentoring Model for At-Promise Students," a groundbreaking approach developed within the Thompson Scholars Learning Community (TSLC). This webinar will delve into the transformative impact of peer mentoring on students often marginalized in higher education—those from low-income, first-generation, and racially minoritized backgrounds.

Discover compelling findings from a longitudinal, mixed-methods study demonstrating how TSLC’s peer mentoring significantly enhances students' sense of belonging, academic confidence, and career self-efficacy. Learn why these outcomes are crucial today as educational landscapes evolve and demand more inclusive support mechanisms.

• Insights on Building Community: Understand how creating a supportive, empathetic mentoring environment can significantly impact students' educational journeys.
• Strategies for Implementing Peer Mentoring: Gain practical advice on how to structure a peer mentoring program that aligns with the complex needs of at-promise students, including recruitment, training, and mentor-mentee matching processes.
• Evidence of Effectiveness: Explore data and firsthand accounts that underline the effectiveness of peer mentoring in improving key success metrics such as belonging and self-efficacy.
• Guidance for Scaling Up: Learn how such programs can be scaled to benefit a broader student base, maintaining effectiveness even at larger scales.