Ozarks Technical Community College’s Academic Advising
Michelle Ciesielski, Chelsea Clark, Whitley Denson, Zachery Holder,
David Lind, Riley O’Dell, & Johna Walsh
Functional Area Report
Academic advising at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) Guiding students through their college careers as they
prepare to enter the job market, advisors take on an important role on the campus
Why we chose advising? Report Developed through
Relying on interviews with the Director of Advising, Ginger Luke
Documents and materials produced by OTC Literature
Functional Area
Student affairs takes on a strong service component aimed at assisting students navigate and interpret their college experience
Advisors Assist students with :
Education plans Academic Probation Registration Referrals to Campus wide resources
Collaborate with faculty and staff
Relationship to Student Affairs Profession
Local residents of Springfield, MO Age Range: 18-60 years old
Many students have other obligations Degrees:
Associate of Arts Transfer Degrees Technical Degrees Allied Health Degrees
A+ Bridge to Success
OTC
Student advising is largely an American Phenomenon Dating back to Colonial American college presidents
acted in loco parentis (on behalf of absentee parents) 1820’s, Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio developed
a formal system of advising that assigned students to specific faculty who served as student advisors
Morrill Act of 1862 allowed greater numbers of students and a more diverse student population to attend college prompting a greater need for student advising. By 1882 more women and lady assistants were hired to
oversee female students at co-educational colleges
History of Advising
1890’s colleges began hiring Deans of Men and Women
1919 the function known as student affairs became a mainstay on American campuses
That same year NASPA was formed ACPA in 1931 ACE followed in 1937 National Association of Academic Advising
Association (NACADA) evolved during a 1977 conference and was chartered in 1979
History of Advising
Founded in April 1990, OTC has provided a comprehensive community college education for the residents of Springfield and 13 surrounding school districts Initial enrollment 1,198 (1991)
In 1991, the Higher Learning Commission granted OTC a five-year initial accreditation
Following a self-study and comprehensive visit in 2001, OTC was granted a ten-year accreditation
Beginning in 2007, established education centers in Lebanon, Richwood Valley , Waynesville, and Branson
Recent enrollment 15,000 (2011)
History of OTC
The first challenge to OTC by the HLC was to have a better understanding and implementation of the Student Academic Achievement Assessment Plan by faculty and staff.
The second was to examine the college’s retention rates of its technical programs to determine their viability (Hidgen, 2011).
To meet the challenges OTC implemented a four-part student assessment to assist student placement, academic achievement, degree completion, and workplace success after graduation
HLC Challenges of OTC
OTC established four advising objectives understanding of required courses and
sequencing, an understanding of placement test scores, an ability to create education plan using E-
Advisor, and an ability to schedule classes online using
MyOTC
History of OTC Advising
Advisors exspectations (a) clarify personal values and goals (b) participate proactively in the decision-making process (c) communicate with assigned advisor on a regular basis (d) prepare a list of questions and concerns before each
advising meeting (e) follow through on suggested actions, resources, and
referrals (f) they should maintain a personal record of academic
progress (g) understand college programs, policies, procedures,
and deadlines
History of OTC AdvisingStudent Responsibility
(a) provide guidance (b) encourage and make referrals to
resources to empower students to meet their own goals
(c) listen carefully (d) maintain confidentiality (e) provide students’ strategies and options (f) monitor students’ progress (g) be accessible by appointment as needed
History of OTC AdvisingAdvisor Responsibility
Welcomes new and transfer students to the college. Our professional advisors will assist you in making informed course decisions as you begin or continue your college career at OTC. In collaboration with faculty and staff, we will help you develop an educational plan that meets your personal goals. So, whether you are a new student or a transfer student, the Academic Advising staff is here to help you get started at Ozarks Technical Community College. (OTC Academic Advising, 2012)
Role and Purpose of Academic Advising on Campus
Mission Statement of OTC “Promote student learning through accessible,
high quality, affordable workforce training, and technical and general education that is responsive to the educational needs of the community and its diverse constituencies.” Be the community’s college by providing quality
learning experiences that support community, workforce and personal development.
Academic Advising “Assists students to define, plan and achieve
their educational and career goals.”
Mission Statements
1. Provide exceptional customer service by delivering services in a respectful, courteous and professional manner, exceeding expectations at all times.
2. Create a strong foundational skill set for incoming students. 3. Disseminate accurate and timely information concerning OTC,
its resources, the transfer process, educational and career planning in a variety of formats to all constituents.
4. Administer entrance and exit assessment services in a variety of formats and disseminate assessment result interpretive data (collected from ACT) to appropriate college constituents.
5. Conduct advising training to faculty and staff. 6. Serve as a central referral and information access point for
the entire campus community. 7. Provide the most innovative/cutting edge services possible. 8. Evaluate services regularly through a variety of means (G.
Luke, personal communication, November 26 2012).
Goals of OTC Academic Advising
Full Time Staff/Benefits = $388,000Part Time Staff = $110,000Professional Devel-opment = $1,200Food/Travel = $6,000Postage = $25Printing, Software, Equipment, etc. = $153,775
Budget for 2012-2013 Academic Year
$659,000 total
2003 Lacked structure in advising 2006 Change in administration
New faculty advising by full-time instructors Trained by advising Challenge: Not all faculty want to advise
Allowed closer connections with incoming students and departments
2008 Group advising model was adapted - STAR Challenge: less personal interaction with students Faculty and advising have similar roles
Faculty more direct connection within field E-Advising
Development of OTC Advising
Five year review process for the mission and goals lacked the commitment and follow-through that was
needed to improve on the services provided 2013 changes to an annual review process
layout the mission and goals for the following 3-5 years STAR: advisors help students define a program
that suits their interests and goals, and then works to formulate an education plan
Blackboard advising for online student population Bridge to Success: English, math, and reading Educational Center Advisors
Future of Advising at OTC
(G. Luke, Personal Communication, November 26, 2012).
Space Offices for advisors and STAR program
Limited budget Limits staffing Limits available resources
Diversity Student population more diverse than Springfield Lack resources for diverse population
Student Procrastination Registration Students get overwhelmed
Challenges
New annual review process STAR Survey College Student Satisfaction survey
More focused on the faculty advising Staff evaluation
Used to improve and set professional goals for the next year
Assessments in Place
Academic placement can be discouraging if the student is placed in classes lower than they expect.
Merging academics and student affairs with advising Still a gap between the two, especially with faculty
not wanting to advise beyond the requirement Financial aid and academic advising colliding
Financial aid and responsibility
Higher Education Issues
Technology multi-user based scheduling system Smart phone application
Facilitate training for faculty advisors Addressing faculty buy-in
Assessment and evaluation OTC’s continuing strengths
Continued collaborative efforts Innovative Programs
Recommendations
Through our interviews, literature reviews, and materials from OTC, the functional area of academic advising is better understood. The history of the institution, operational procedures, vision and goals, all play a role in academic advising. The values student affairs as a profession compliments OTC’s academic advising. With collaboration, assessment, technology, and student development, academic advising can continue to grow in new ways at OTC.
Conclusion
2010 institutional snapshot revised. (2010). Ozarks Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/Documents_Self_Study/HLC-Snapshot-Revised-1_28_11.pdf
Academic advising. (2012). Ozarks Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/currentstudents/advising.php
American College Personnel Association. (1996). The student learning imperative: Implications for student affairs. Retrieved from http://www.acpa.nche.edu/sli/sli.htm
ACPA, & NASPA. (2010). ACPA/NASPA professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners. Retrieved from http://www.naspa.org/about/boarddocs/710/ competencies.pdf
Bridge to Success. (2012). Ozark Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/advising/bridgetosuccess.php
Brown, R. (2011, July 18). Community-college students perform worse online than face to face. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/ Community-College-Students/128281/
Cook, S. (1999). A chronology of academic advising in America. Mentor,1(2) retrieved from http://dus.psu.edu/mentor/old/articles/990528sc.htm
Cowley, W. H. (1937). The disappearing dean of men. Occupation: The Vocational Guidance Journal, 16(2) 147-154. Doi:10.001j2164-5892.1937.tb02218.x
Fusch, D. (2012, July 6). Improving faculty advising. Academic Impressions. Retrieved from http://www.academicimpressions.com/news/improving-faculty-advising?qq=
13240q430987mW Gillispie, B. (2003). History of academic advising. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Retrieved from
http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/ AdvisingIssues/History.htm Hidgen, H., (2011). Ozarks Technical Community College 2011 self-study report. Retrieved from
http://www.otc.edu/Documents_Self_Study/HLC-2011_Self-Study_Web.pdf
References
Hidgen, H. L. (2012). Chancellor’s welcome. Ozarks Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/about/chancellor.php
Kellogg, K. (1999). Collaboration: Student affairs and academic affairs working together to promote student learning. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
MacArthur, R. C. (2005) Faculty-based advising: An important factor in community college retention. Community College Review, 32(4) 1-18. doi: 10.1177/009155210503200402
Ozarks Technical Community College administration. (2012). Ozark Technical Community College Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/administration/administration.php
Ozarks Technical Community College mission, values, and core goals. (2012). Ozarks Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/about/mission-vision.php
Student services. (2012) Ozark Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://www.otc.edu/currentstudents/studentservices.php
Supiano, B. (2012, July 25). When academic advising and financial aid collide. [Web log post]/ Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blogs/headcount/when-academic-advising-and- financial-aid-collide/30647
Talbert, R. (2007, March 6). Creating an interactive advising schedule using Google Calendar [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blognetwork/ castingoutnines/2007/03/06/creating-an-interactive-advising-schedule-using-google- calendar/
Thurmond, K. C. & Miller, M. A. (2006). The history of National Academic Advising Association: An update. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resource. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/NACADA- History.htm
References