If you Build it-They will Come:
Building a Bridge Between
First-Year Students and
Advising
October 21, 2013
National Conference on Students in Transition
Sue Saunders – California State University Channel
Islands
Presentation Overview

Brief overview of our campus size,
advising model and staffing

Why the need for early freshman advising

Strategies utilized to increase freshman
advising during the first year

Assessment
California State University
Channel Islands
• Located in Camarillo, California
(approximately one hour from
Santa Barbara)
• 23rd Cal State
University
Growth Of The Campus

Opened doors to transfer students Fall 2002

Opened doors to freshman students Fall 2003

Approximately 5,000 students
Academic Advising Professional Staf
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Director of Academic Advising & Learning Support Services
Assistant Director of Academic Advising
5 Full-time Professional Advisors
1 Administrative Support
Coordinator
5 Peer Advisors
3 Student Assistants
1 Graduate Intern per Semester
Goal: Enhance and Increase Freshman
Advising First Year
Highly efective academic advising is critical to student
retention leading to degree completion
•Concentrated our eforts in the following areas:
 Early Communication – Prior to Orientation
 Orientation (IVO) and Summer Connections
-Professional Advisors/Peer Advisors
 Strategies to increase advising connections
during crucial first year
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Early Communication
Hobson email from Admissions
 Welcome to CI
 Intro to Advising Staf
 Explains group advisement and advising connections during
Orientation
 How registration will take place
Fall 2012

Added on-line homework assignments to Early Communication
prior to IVO
 Students came to IVO better prepared
Fall 2013

Added on-line Pre-Orientation modules - Early Communication
prior to IVO
 Students came to IVO better prepared
Island View Orientation
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Island View Orientation (IVO)
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Two-Day mandatory Orientation
2011 - Facilitated two workshops (first day)
 Students registered on the second day
2012/2013 - Build schedule and Schedule Check
 Students registered at home
Encouragement of University 100
(Student Success Seminar – 1 credit)

Promoted during Island View Orientation
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Flyer in Orientation Packet
Promoted during the Parent Session
First Semester Course Suggestions

Maps out a plan for the first semester
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Lists University 100 as a suggested course on
all major sheets

#1 tool to use in selecting first courses

Easy for students and peer advisors to follow
during schedule build session
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A key reference to take home for review before
registering on-line
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Last communication during IVO
 Make a STAR appointment
Summer Strategies (after IVO)
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Fall 2012 students registered at home for the
first time
Advisors checked schedules
 Goal: all freshmen full time and in appropriate
courses
Two Weeks during the summer students
returned to the campus to meet with Peer and
Professional Advisors one-on-one (phone/Skype
appts. available as well)
Eliminated much of the add/drop activity during
the first few weeks of the semester
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Importance Of Freshman Advising
During The First Two Terms

During Orientation Freshman students are on
information overload – How much do they really
remember about advising and requirements??

Goal established – To bring as many freshmen in
for Advising Sessions during 1 st term
 Students are more likely to retain information
 Students are more likely to stay in contact with
advising throughout the academic journey
 Students are less likely to make mistakes with
future course selections
Strategies to Increase
Connections During Academic
Year
Targeted the following:
• University 100
• STAR appointments
 Increase the Availability of
freshmen STAR Appointments
 Peer Advising
 Connection with Professional
Advisors
• Delivery of Services
Advising Collaboration with University
100
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40-50% Enroll in University 100

Professional Advisors encouraged to
teach a course
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A Peer Advisor is assigned to each
course
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Major assignment is to complete the
STAR Appointment
Star Appointment
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Set the foundation for the advising experience
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Review the Advising Syllabus (both student and
PA sign)
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Review GE/Major advising forms
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Brief explanation of the CI Academic
Requirements Report
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Begin the foundation for the educational plan
Star Appointment
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Begin the process of selecting spring schedule
Conclude with importance of
Advising Portfolio
Student completes evaluation
of session
Advisor places notes in AdvisorTrac
Consistent Advising Through Star
Appointment √ List

Academic Afairs Contract

Advising Contract
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Inform student about faculty advising – encourage
mentoring relationship with faculty

Review advising brochure
http://www.csuci.edu/academics/a
dvising/islandcompass.htm
Student Leaves STAR
APPT With Plan For Next
Semester

Documents courses suggested by advisor
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Reinforces some general planning tips & grad
requirements

Reinforces faculty advising

No need for student to return for advising once
the schedule is out
Professional Advisors VS Peer Advisors…
That is the ?
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IVO– Professional Advisors lead workshops to
assist students with basic understanding of
degree requirements and schedule building

Once the semester begins – Professional
advisors spend more time with transfer
students and continuing students with more
complex advising issues

Peer Advising came on board to meet the
demands for additional freshman advising
Strong Dependence on Peer Advising for
the First Year
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Peer Advising is compatible with all advising delivery models
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Tight Budgets – expansion of advising units
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Peer advisors working with appropriate advising tasks free up
professional advisors for more complex advising appointments

Provides students with professional growth and leadership
opportunities
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Students informally advise students –
Why leave it to chance?
(formalize the program)

CI Freshmen population growing each year

Freshmen connect briefly with professional advisors
during orientation

Outcome:
Freshmen losing connection with Professional
Advisors once term starts
STAR Week Workshop Plan
Fall 2011 a plan was developed to engage
professional advisors with freshmen during the
first semester
 Decision
was made to ofer group
workshops for Freshmen
 Cover all information in one-on-one
advising session
STAR Week Fall 2011
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Professional Advisors facilitated 6 workshops a
day for a week
Limited to 10 students
Held in Conference Room with laptops
Peer Advisors on–hand to assist with course
selections for Spring semester
STAR Weeks
Fall 2012/2013
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Now ofering sessions in our own workshop
room located in the Advising Center
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Most sessions are not specific to major
 Piloting 5 most popular major sessions
Promotion of STAR
Weeks
• Email sent to all
freshmen
• Posters
• All TV Screens on
campus
• University 100
assignment
STAR Week Evaluation
STAR Week Results
 185
students attended
 163 Evaluations completed
I understand the advising structure at CI and know what is
expected of me as the student in the advising process (52%
strongly agree and 45% agree)
The
advising portfolio I received will be useful in
understanding CI major and graduation requirements (64%
strongly agree 33% agree)
After
completing the STAR session, I know how to select my
Spring 2012 classes (58% strongly agree and 37% agree)
My
overall impression of the academic advising I received
during this STAR session was a positive one (61% strongly
agree and 37% agree)
STAR Appointment Format for
the Remaining Year

Professional Advisors facilitate Transfer
STAR appointments for the rest of the
semester

Peer Advisors continue to meet with
freshmen students for one-on-one
STAR appointments for the remaining
academic year
Peer Advisor Assessment Results (238
Surveys)
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My Peer Advisor was willing to spend sufficient time with
my issues and concerns. (95% strongly agree and 5% agree)
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My Peer Advisor was well informed of other campus
services and referred me to the appropriate
Department/Office. (If applicable) (86% strongly agree and
7% agree)
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My Peer Advisor was approachable and easy to talk to (95%
strongly agree and 4% agree)
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My overall impression of the Advising Center is positive.
(92% strongly agree and 8% agree)
Peer Advisor Assessment
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“My appointment was very helpful! I have a strong idea
as to how I will plan my next few years at CSUCI.”
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“My Peer Advisor was very friendly and helped me with
the information I required and much more. The
advising she gave me was overall very efective.”

“Gave me so much information! Reassured me I made
the right choice for my education by picking Channel
Islands. ”

“Ellen was very easy to talk to and a great resource for
me to figure out my path for the future. It was a great
experience! Thank you!”
Advising Not Mandatory – Proactive Strategy
To Bring In The Remaining Freshmen!

Fall semester email campaign to all
students not enrolled in University 100

Second semester –Email campaign
 Peer Advisor – Focus on this strategy
Spring Semester
STAR Appointment Assessment

End of the Fall Semester – 73% of Freshmen
completed a STAR appointment
•
57% of the Freshmen met one-on-one with
Peer Advisors
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41% attended our first “STAR WEEK” group
Star Appointment
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2% of the freshmen met one-on-one with a
Professional Advisor
Staffing and
Delivery of Services
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Fo d v i s i
all a
STAR Appointments –
One Hour
General Appointments
– half-hour
Walk-in Tuesday and
Wednesdays – Two
Advisors
Question And Answer Session

Contact Information:
 Sue Saunders, Director of Academic
Advising and Learning Support Services
 [email protected]
 805-437-8514