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Academic Advising

A-State of Success 

 

Student Success Initiative: Academic Advising AY24-25 

 

 Fostering Student Success through Excellence and Equity in Academic Advising 

 

Goal: Redesign the academic advising model at Arkansas State from decentralized to a standardized shared model with a primary focus on undergraduate student success, increased retention, and timely graduation. 

 

Contents 

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I. Strategic Priorities 

 

Priority 1 

Implement a shared academic advising/registration model under the coordination and framework of Student Success 

Priority 2 

Promote excellence and equitable academic advising experiences for all undergraduates through a four-year comprehensive and holistic approach 

Priority 3 

Seek to mitigate and dismantle systemic barriers that negatively impact student persistence, degree completion, and well-being 

Priority 4 

Foster accountability to students through timely, accurate and intentional advising practices via an assigned full-time professional academic advisor who is accessible year-round 

Priority 5 

Engage in data informed and student success/support solutions 

 

II. Introduction 

Shared Academic Advising Model 

The shared advising model approach fosters standardized, intentional, and centralized high-quality academic advising, mentorship, and student support to create a comprehensive holistic culture of student success. This model fosters an enhanced academic advising culture for professional academic advisors, faculty, and student support specialists to play a critical role in student retention and timely graduation. All undergraduate students will have a Student Success Team (SST) which consists of one Professional Academic Advisor, one Faculty Mentor, and one Student Support Specialist. With clearly defined roles for each, students will be empowered to engage in meaningful and equitable academic advising experiences as they persist in their academic journeys to graduation. 

Student Success Team 

  1. Professional Academic Advisors: Full-time staff member who serves as the academic advisor for an undergraduate student. Lead professional expert on general education requirements, curriculum, registration procedures, academic policy, degree progression, nuances of A-State, barriers to academic success, etc. 

Note: These professionals may be knowledgeable of curricula across all colleges or may be assigned to a specific college. All will report directly to the dean of University College (UC). 

  1. Faculty Mentor: Faculty mentoring is both formal and informal. Faculty mentors provide critical guidance and positive mentorship to help enhance undergraduate students’ professional and personal developments through the scope of (but not limited to) academic research and scholarship, creativity activities, internships, career and real-world application, etc. 

Note: Faculty do not act or serve in the role of professional advisors. 

 

  1. Student Support Specialist: Provides additional support to assist undergraduate students throughout their academic experience. (i.e. Honors, Student Support Services, Athletics, International Programs, Beck Center for Veterans, generalized student success specialists, etc.) 

Note: Student support specialists do not act or serve in the role of professional advisors. 

 

Oversight 

The campus wide coordination and oversight of undergraduate academic advising will be the responsibility of the dean of University College under the framework of Student Success. All professional academic advisors will report directly to the dean of UC. 

 

Timeline 

This model will be implemented in two phases during the 2024-2025 academic year. 

Phase I (beginning fall 2024 & continuing spring 2025) 

Completed 

  • Present redesign to deans and collaborate to garner insight. 
  • Meet with colleges to discuss how the shared advising model will be implemented in each college and at what timeframe. 
  • Clarify the roles of professional academic advisors, faculty mentors, and student support specialists. 
  • Collaborate with colleges to establish an effective and seamless transition process of advisees from faculty advisors to professional academic advisors. 
  • Move oversight of professional advisors to the dean of University College. 
  • Removed registration hold for all returning students. 

To Be Completed in Spring 2025 

  • Review caseload of professional academic advisors and redistribute support where needed. 
  • Assign all incoming new freshman to a professional academic advisor to establish a more coherent, equitable, and targeted advising experience for first-year students. 
  • Establish new protocols in academic advising under the framework of student success and research/best practices in academic advising and retention. 
  • Create an interconnected and coordinated network of support for every undergraduate student through Student Success Teams 
  • Develop a faculty mentorship program for students by college. 

 

Ongoing Actions 

  • Leverage technology to support student success and academic advising through real time insights. 
  • Assess 8-semester degree plans and ensure accuracy in Degree Works. 
  • Provide flexibility for deans and chairs to update PRT criteria and reframe mentorship as service. 
  • Create a culture where academic advising moves from transactional to holistic, comprehensive, and equitable which fosters a sustained, supportive, and personalized approach for students. 

Phase II 

Official full-scale launch of A-State of Success, the shared academic advising model at Arkansas State University, beginning with registration for the fall 2025 semester. 

This document provides a set of recommended guidelines to operationalize A-State of Success at Arkansas State University. 

Professional Advisor – Role 

  1. Professional Academic Advisors are full-time (12-month) staff members who serve as the academic advisor for an undergraduate student. They are the lead professional expert on general education requirements, curriculum, registration procedures, academic policy, degree progression, nuances of A-State, barriers to academic success, etc. 
  2. Professional Academic Advisors will report to the dean of University College and will serve as a liaison to the respective college to which they are assigned. 
    1. Further details regarding reporting and evaluations can be found below. 

     

    Professional Advisor – Responsibilities 

    1. Advising, onboarding/recruitment, retention 
      1. Provide quality academic advising for all undergraduate students 
      2. Participate in onboarding processes (recruitment events & New Student Orientation) 
      3. Provide Support for student success and retention 
    2. May teach one section of First Year Experience as part of regular workload (approval required) 
    3. Participate in Academic Advising Professional Developmental Opportunities 

     

    Professional Advisor – Salaries 

    1. The college in which the line is budgeted will provide 100% of the funding for the salary. 
    2. All new professional advisors will start at entry level. 
    3. Any salary savings generated remains with the college generating the savings. (At the Provost’s Discretion.) 

    Professional Advisor – Access to Resources 

    1. Colleges to which the professional advisor is assigned will provide office space, associated office equipment and setup needs, administrative support, funding for college specific travel, etc. 

    Professional Advisor – Leave Requests/Approvals 

    1. Professional academic advisors will submit all planned leave requests via email to the dean of University College for review and initial approval, with a copy to their assigned college dean. 
    2. Special consideration should be taken for extenuating circumstances. 
    3. Upon initial approval, professional advisors will submit time appropriately in Banner. After pre-approval and submission, the supervisor will officially approve time in Banner. 

     

    Professional Advisor – Performance & Conflict Resolution 

    1. If there are concerns about a professional advisor’s performance or professionalism, the administrator most knowledgeable about the concern will notify the other and the concern/conflict should be resolved by the dean of University College.
      1. Special consideration should be taken to ensure overall professionalism. 

     

    Professional Advisor – Evaluations 

    1. Each dean will submit an evaluation for each professional academic advisor whose line resides in their college through the standardized annual process with a letter from the dean of University College. If the professional advisor’s line resides in UC, the assigned dean will submit the letter. 
    2. Ensure feedback provided is detailed and provided in written form. Evaluations will be adequately addressed in written form as well as conveyed verbally. 
        1. The evaluation process will occur as a joint appointment between University College and the assigned college. 

      Current as of [Month Day, Year]. This PDF contains the most up-to-date version of the Department Chair Resource Guide.  Download the current guide (PDF) For future updates, consult the online Department Chair Resource Guide at [insert-URL-here].

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