SOAR  2005

Advisement Recommendations for New Incoming Freshmen and

New Incoming Transfers (under 20 credits)

 

As Recommended by the Undergraduate Academic Advisement Committee

and the Center for Academic and Career Advisement, 2/4/05

 

The Undergraduate Academic Advisement Committee (UAAC) and the Center for Academic and Career Advisement (Center) recommend that a new model for advisement and registration of new incoming students be implemented.  Under this model, advisement and registration of new students will be offered through a series of ÒSOARÓ (Spring/Summer Orientation, Advisement and Registration) sessions that will be scheduled throughout the spring and summer.  All new incoming freshman and new incoming transfer students (under 20 credits) will be required to participate in a SOAR session either in person or virtually.  Advisement and registration of all new incoming students will be coordinated with the SOAR dates.  Summer SOAR advisement will be provided by faculty and staff who have summer appointments, with additional faculty/staff hired to specifically provide Òbroad areasÓ of advisement. By concentrating the advisement and registration process on a finite number of SOAR dates scheduled throughout the spring and summer (and by restricting advisement and registration at other times), UW-Superior can provide a timely and quality advisement and registration process for incoming new students in a manner that provides efficient use of university resources and faculty/staff time.

 

*         Executive Summary

1.            Jump and SMART Starts will now be referenced as Spring SOAR or Summer SOAR (Spring/Summer Orientation, Advisement and Registration).

2.            SOAR 2005 session dates are scheduled for April 26, May 5, June 14, June 16, June 20 and 22, July 20 and August 25.

3.            There will be no more walk-in/on demand advisement/registration for new incoming freshmen and transfers with less than 20 credits.

4.            New incoming freshmen and transfers with less than 20 credits will be required to sign up for either a physical SOAR session, or complete the new Virtual SOAR option (through D2L), before being provided access to an advisor. Only after completion of a SOAR option, and an academic advisement session, will the new incoming students be allowed to register.

5.            Additional advisors (numbers TBA) will be hired to assist with Summer SOAR dates. They will provide broad area advisement for students in declared majors, as well as undeclared, thus reducing advisee ratio with advisors.

6.            New transfers (over 20 credits) will be encouraged to be advised and registered on SOAR dates, when faculty are most available. SOAR times will be set for the different advisee populations. The usual practice of students making advance appointments for advisement and registration will be maintained otherwise.

7.            All new freshmen and transfers will be informed that participation in Fall Orientation is an expectation for first-time UW Superior students.

 

Additional Details for SOAR Model

 

*         SOAR

1.            Students unable to attend a Virtual SOAR (VS) due to lack of internet access, or a physical SOAR, will be given a hardcopy of the VS script and required to complete an open book quiz before being advised. The quiz results may either be mailed in, or handed in, to the Center.

2.            After the August 25th, or last SOAR date, new students will be given the hardcopy of the VS script and informed that s/he is responsible for the content before being sent to see their assigned advisors during the regularly scheduled Welcome Week advisement hours.

3.            Spring SOAR is only available in physical, on-campus option for local students (as piloted last year).

 

*         Virtual SOAR (VS)

1.            Virtual SOAR  (still under Center construction) will allow students unable to physically attend a campus SOAR program to do so via internet.

2.            D2L (now called Learn @UW) is the tool of choice for the Virtual SOAR. Learn @ UW is supported by the UW System and the UW Superior Help desk. It is web based and password protected.

3.            Virtual SOAR pilot will only be available for the summer 2005 period.

4.            The content of the VS will be similar to the physical program, with the exception that there would be components focusing on different topics, followed by a multiple choice quiz.

5.            Once VS components have been completed, an advisor will be assigned, and an advisement session scheduled via telephone or other mutually agreeable alternative determined by the student and assigned advisor. Upon completion of advisement, the advisor will give the student the PIN # for registration.

6.            Once advisement has been completed, then first-time registration of VS participants will be allowed at the earliest SOAR date opportunity – this would be the earliest registration appointment time.

7.            VS option will not be available to students residing in Wisconsin, MN or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, until after June 22nd. Every effort will be made to encourage these students to participate in the physical-on campus SOARs.

 

*         Faculty/Advisors

1.            All summer faculty appointments are to include advisement responsibilities.

2.            Departments who would like to hire faculty within their own department, who are not already on summer contract, to assist with summer SOAR sessions will be provided an opportunity to submit a request to the Provost for this consideration.

3.            The Center and UAAC will develop the expectations for the broad area advisors, as well as selection criteria to be submitted to the Provost for final approval.

4.            It is recommended that compensation for the broad area advisors be a stipend for each summer SOAR day worked, including one dayÕs worth of compensation for ÒorientationÓ and general preparation. Suggested amount to be determined by the Provost. In the event we donÕt get enough faculty volunteers to serve in this capacity, then an open invitation to academic staff could be initiated. Last resort would be to hire graduate students, as the intent of the program is to get the students connected to faculty first – whenever possible.

5.            Preparation - It is recommended that broad area advisors participate in a spring semester ÒorientationÓ facilitated by the Center, and including department chair involvement. This prep time should be factored into the stipend or summer contract conditions.

6.            Academic staff that work with undeclareds, will continue this role. The broad area advisors will be faculty, whenever possible. The intent of this program is not to move undeclared advisors to broad areas of advisement, as the need is high for both areas of advisement.

7.            Should graduate students be hired to serve as broad area advisors, they would work under faculty/staff supervision to advise in broad areas.

8.            Broad area advisors hired specifically to work SOAR dates will be expected to work the entire days, as they may also be needed to remotely advise students unable to physically attend SOAR that day, as well as transfers with more than 20 credits not eligible for SOAR. Times will be established for the different advisement populations.

9.            Advisee files would not be made for SOAR sessions – however the students will have their packets with personal information, which should then be shared with the advisors as needed. The regular advisee files will be provided to the assigned advisors, at the earliest date possible.

10.          Spring SOAR advisees to be advised by available department advisors. If broad area advisors have been identified by this time, they too will be able to assist.

 

*         Registration

1.            New students will be eligible to be registered after advisement has been completed. Only then will they be given a registration appointment time.

2.            New students, regardless of credit status, will be allowed first-time registration appointment time only on the date of their reserved SOAR session.

3.            Students unable to physically participate in a SOAR session will be provided a registration appointment time spot (once they have completed a Virtual SOAR program, and been advised) to be registered remotely – on the earliest date of a SOAR session.

4.            In order to be eligible for a registration appointment time, appropriate ACT English placement scores must be in PeopleSoft for incoming freshmen and transfers (under 20 credits).

5.            Before any advisement or registration takes place, transfer students must have their transfer analysis complete, (but not necessarily official, as the analysis should include at least a handwritten list of courses still in progress).

 

*         Student Advisees

1.            Both new freshmen and transfers with less than 20 credits may be advised by broad area advisors/grads

2.            Transfers (with over 20 credits) may be advised on SOAR dates, during the non-SOAR advisement periods, otherwise they will need to pre-arrange a time to meet with the appropriate departmental advisors for advisement and registration.

3.            Transfers (with over 20 credits) would be encouraged to make arrangements to meet with either the broad area advisors, or department advisors, on the established SOAR dates, when faculty would be most available. These meetings may be arranged when SOAR advisement of new freshmen and transfers with less than 20 credits are not in progress.

 

*         Assessment

1.            Model should be assessed at the end of the SOAR pilots. Retention comparisons of students who participated in the physical SOAR, VS, or post SOAR date period will be conducted.

2.            A longitudinal study, tracking retention of SOAR participants in the various levels of involvement (physical, virtual, hardcopy) is in the plans.

 

*         Other Recommendation

1.            The Center has a full-time director and a part-time advisor (graduate student assist) during the summer, as well as two full-time PAÕs. The Center staff is expected to provide academic departmental advisement assistance upon their request, as well as cover all the needs of three university-wide service areas: academic advisement, career services and disability support.

2.            Due to the fact the Center director is the only academic staff member covering the three areas during the summer months, one or more of the specially hired SOAR advisors is needed to provide May 23 through August 29, 2005 coverage for the Center on a day-to-day basis.