Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

Topic Proposal

Title of proposed QEP: Enhanced Academic Advising (revised)

Description:  How is the proposed topic transformative in terms of student learning?  What student learning outcomes are addressed?

Academic advising is the key to achieving the college’s Personal Development general education goal. The VCCS defines academic advising as a program which assists students in the evaluation and attainment of their academic, career, and personal goals. Students who participate in comprehensive academic advising will be able to understand campus and college resources and develop the skills necessary to make informed, independent decisions. In addition,

Students will explore, define, and work toward achieving their academic, career, and personal goals

Students will be familiar with and be able to use campus, college, and community resources

Students will learn and be able to use skills to explore, evaluate, and pursue career and job opportunities

Students will gain the ability to realistically self-appraise

Students will embrace and enact social responsibility

Students will collaborate and communicate effectively with others

Students will become independent and effective self-advocates

Congruence with Mission and Strategic Vision 2015:

NOVA's mission is to respond to the educational needs of its dynamic and diverse community through an array of comprehensive programs and services that facilitate learning and workforce development in an environment of open access and through lifelong educational opportunities.

Good academic advising, along with excellent instruction, would become the defining characteristic of NOVA. Academic advising in one of the major tools for achieving student success. It is directly aligned with pass rates, retention rates, persistence, and successful transfer to four-year institutions, and career success.

Method:  How do you envision NOVA carrying out your proposal?

Improved Faculty Advising:

VCCS policy for Faculty Advisors (6.4.0.1) states that “students should consult their advisors before each registration and are encouraged to confer with them frequently regarding academic matters.”   The NOVA Faculty Handbook (2.4880) designates advising as a responsibility of teaching faculty.  The role of the faculty advisor needs to be defined more clearly.  Academic advising would be recognized as a key responsibility by faculty and academic divisions. Training needs to be provided to ensure consistent advising by all teaching faculty.  New faculty must be made aware of this responsibility and receive training and access to resources.  Advising responsibilities may be reflected in the evaluation of teaching faculty.

The difference between counseling and advising needs to be made clear.  Teaching faculty, student services counselors and advising specialists need better communication, collaboration, and an understanding of each other’s roles.  The relationship between counselors and faculty advisors needs to be made more clear and consistent.  One particular area of concern is counseling regarding transfer.  Transfer counselors need to be seen as resources for teaching faculty.

Faculty advisors need a clearer picture of who their advisees are.  The current system for assigning advisees needs to be investigated at all campuses.  A process for faculty to initiate contact with advisees needs to be developed.  Students need clear and consistent directions on how to determine their faculty advisor.  Students need to be encouraged (required?) to consult with their faculty advisor once program-placed and at various intervals during their educational progress, such as midpoint of progress toward graduation.

A summer schedule of faculty advising must be developed.  Students often seek advising when their faculty advisor is not available, and rely on student services counselors and advising specialists (when they are busiest with new student orientation and registration).

Guided Program Placement:

Applicants need to make informed and guided decisions regarding their educational goals and program placement. Students need a clearly defined opportunity (or requirement) to receive guidance when making their initial program selection.  New Student Orientation programs can be used to start the advising relationship.

Targeted Advising:

Advising for high-need groups (such as developmental-level students, recent high school graduates, international students, and those with the intent to transfer, students in career-technical programs, and ELI students) should be offered in a variety of ways (i.e. formally scheduled Advising Week, advising fairs by academic divisions, teaching faculty, peer mentoring, tailored SDV courses, group sessions, virtual advising).  Implementing group advising (such as SNNAP:  Students Navigating NOVA through Advising and Planning) would provide systematic advising for all new students.  A potential strategy for transfer student advising is to provide college-wide staff support and training that is part of or clearly aligned with Transfer Services.

 Early Warning System

When a student is placed on academic warning (semester GPA < 2.0), a mandatory meeting with a counselor will be required in order to register for the next semester. If the student is program‐placed, a mandatory meeting with the faculty advisor will also be required.

If a student in a developmental math or English course receives a U grade, a mandatory meeting with a counselor will be required in order to register for the next semester. If the student is program‐placed, a mandatory meeting with the faculty advisor will also be required. If not taken already, the student should be required to take a section of SDV designed for students in developmental level courses.

Midterm reports will be required for all students on academic warning or probation.  Assignment of peer mentors in similar field of study to students who are on academic warning or probation.

A community of these students could be developed to encourage persistence and retention.

Assessment Plan:  Address the expected outcomes and how they can be measured.

Performance indicators at multiple levels (college, campus, and division) will measure student success goals. Assessment of student satisfaction with advising will be continued.

Resources:  What kind of resources (personnel, training, technology, etc.) do you anticipate will be needed?

Faculty need resources and ongoing training in order to be effective advisors. Staff support is needed, particularly with aligning current advising with Transfer Services. The use of technology to improve advising would serve a greater number of students. The use of PeopleSoft’s “3C’s” capability (Communications, Checklists, and Comments) will ensure more consistent advising. In addition, the prerequisite enforcement of PeopleSoft needs to be reviewed.

A college-wide Advising Coordinator would develop consistent training, update advising documents, and provide coordination.

References (if applicable):

Loudoun Campus Advising Task Force, NACADA, Academic Advising Proposal for the Administrative Council