Creating & Growing a Peer Advising Program

the experience of an eight year program

About the Presenter• Connie Rice – Asst. Director of Academic Services, Undergraduate Business Students

Advising for undergraduate business students•Resources and materials•Faculty advisor training•Supervision and Coordination of LSB Peer Advising Program

Agenda

• Introduction to SCU and LSB• Our university/LSB advising models•Peer Advising program• Some of the roadblocks and how we addressed them

• How to fund, organize, recruit, develop credibility

• Questions

About Santa Clara University• Located 40 miles south of San Francisco in

the Silicon Valley• Founded in 1851

•California’s oldest operating institution of higher learning

• Jesuit liberal arts education – master’s level• Educating leaders of Competence, Conscience, and Compassion

• Fall 2012 undergraduate enrollment – 5,250

About theLeavey School of Business

• Nationally ranked undergraduate and graduate programs •Graduate program

•MBA•Masters in Finance, Entrepreneurship, Information Systems

• 7 undergraduate majors - Accounting - Actg & Info Systems

- Economics - Finance - Management - Marketing - Operations MGMT & Info Systems

• Fall 2012 – 1,450 undergraduate business majors (approx

27%)

Advising for Undergrads - SCU• Undeclared Faculty Advisor

• Prescriptive and developmental advising• Major discernment

• Major Faculty Advisor• Prescriptive and developmental advising• Major, Career & Grad School mentoring

• University Advisors in the Drahmann Academic Advising and Learning Center

• Disabilities Resources• International Students• Advising across schools• Tutoring Services• Academic probation• Some undeclared advising

Advising for Undergrads - LSB• Advising is Learning

• “Academic advising is integral to fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of higher education “ (NACADA, 2006) (1)

• Prescriptive Advising• Students come to an advisor for answers to specific

questions (Crookson 1994) (2)

• Developmental Advising• “A systematic process based on a close student-advisor

relationship intended to aid students in achieving educational, career, and personal goals through the use of the full range of institutional and community resources.” (Winston, Miller, Ender & Grites, 1984) (3)

(1) National Academic Advising Association. (2006). NACADA concept of academic advising. Retrieved 2/24/10 from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Concept-Advising.htm

(2) King, M. C. (2005). Developmental academic advising. Retrieved 2/24/10 from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/dev_adv.htm

(3) NACADA. (2003). Paper presented to the Task force on defining academic advising. Retrieved 2/24/10 from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Research_Related/definitions.htm.

Our Intention•Provide incoming students with peer mentors

•Welcome•Learn about campus life; local attractions; transit•Learn how to use campus department resources•Learn how to use advising/online resources•Learn about program requirements/academic regulations•Learn how to create course plans

Our Intention

• Provide students with well-trained prescriptive advisors

•University and business core requirements•Academic regulations•How to utilize resources

•Faculty express frustration with prescriptive advising

Our Intention

• Allow more LSB faculty to be assigned as major advisors and give them more time for developmental advising

• Provide a service-learning/leadership opportunity for Peer Advisors

Advising for Undergrads - LSB

1 Assistant Director4 Peer Advising Executive Board

Members

10 Undeclared Faculty Advisors

Approx 34 students ea

23 Peer Advisors

Approx 15 students ea

354 First-Year Students

Drop-in Peer Advising

Advising for Undergrads - LSBFirst-year students

• Undeclared Faculty Advisor • Encourage and guide students as they develop realistic goals• Encourage students as they develop attainable educational plans• Assist students in gaining decision making skills and skills in assuming responsibility for their educational plans and achievements• Assist students in understanding the purposes and goals of higher education and its effects on their lives and personal goals• Be available for meeting with advisees via office hours, or email for advising• Understand and effective communicate the curriculum and graduation requirements, particularly in regard to the declared major.• Provide students with information about and strategies for using the available resources and services on campus• Maintain confidentiality

Advising for Undergrads - LSB•Assigned Peer Advisor

• Campus life at Santa Clara University • How to navigate ECampus and other online resources• Information about and strategies for using the available resources and services on campus• The program requirements for the university and business core• First year course selection and scheduling • Provide mandatory May Annual Academic Advising (see Peer Advisor first)• Resources and tools for course planning/registration• Referral to faculty with relevant academic and/or career information• Referral to campus resources available to support academic, personal and career development• Maintain confidentiality

Advising for Undergrads - LSB• Undeclared Sophomores

• Undeclared Faculty Advisor• Drop-in Peer Advising

• Continuing relationship with frosh Peer Advisor• Upon major declaration – Juniors and Seniors

• Major Faculty Advisor• Drop-in Peer Advising

LSB Peer Advising• The Peer Advising Executive Board

• Recruit Peer Advising team• Assist with training and mentoring peer advisors• Assist with organizing and running events • Assist with Peer Educator Course (BUSN 191)• Provide input for program improvement

– Ongoing

• Send welcome cards in the summer to assigned first-year students

• Quarterly Welcome Back and “touching base” emails

• Drop-in Advising

– For one quarter, 1 hours per week

LSB Peer Advising How Peer Advisors Work with Students

LSB Peer Advising– Events

• Fall Quarter Advising Introduction Meeting

– Meet advisors/introduction to advising resources/materials

• Winter Quarter Advising Info meeting

• Spring Quarter Mandatory Academic Meeting

– In preparation for fall schedule

How Peer Advisors Work with Students

LSB Peer AdvisingHow Peer Advisors Work with Students

• Drop-in Peer Advising

•Provide advising to all LSB students

•Faculty often ask students to meet with Peer Advisors first

•Utilized by freshmen through seniors

LSB Peer AdvisingHow Peer Advisors Work with Students

•Accounting Major Peer Advisors

• Begun at the request of a Peer Advising Exec Board member in 2010/11

• Work directly with the Accounting Dept Chair

• Meet with accounting majors individually

• Speak to students in accounting classes

• accounting major requirements

• accounting specific unit requirements

• internship opportunities and procedures

• recruiting tipsThanks Sarah!

Roadblocks to Starting/Growing a Peer Advising Program

Budget

Knowledge

Space

Recruitment

FERPA Concerns

Credibility of Student Advisors

Assessment

How We Managed the RoadblocksBudget

• Start small • 5 drop-in advisors - $8.00/hr.

• Current Peer Advisors are unpaid• 5 or 50 – the salary impact is the same• Recruit students who care

• Minimal budget required for materials and rewards• 2005/06 budget - $972

• 5 Peer Advisors• 2 quarters

• 2010/11 budget - $5,737 • 23 Peer Advisors + 4 Exec Board members - $7,480• $7,480/1450 students = $5 per student

• Administrative Cost • Coordinator – 48 wks – 8 - 16 hrs/wk• Student Assistant – 27 wks – 6 – 8 hrs/wk

How We Managed the Roadblocks

• Borrow wherever you can• Lauren Tate, Advising Coordinator – Villanova University• Continually get ideas from NACADA

• Clearinghouse• Conferences• Peer Advising/Mentoring Commission• Peer Advising List Serve

• Listen to students, Peer Advisors, faculty

KNOWLEDGE

How We Managed the RoadblocksSpace

• Our permutations• An office within our suite• An office with 4 advising “suites”• A cubicle within our suite

• Laptops provide means to meet anywhere

How We Managed the Roadblocks

• Specialized training• Graduation requirements• Communication skills

• Service to community• Resume Addition

• Service orientation• Detail orientation• Leadership skills

• Teamwork, coaching, planning, problem-solving

• Communication skills• Interview talking points

• Get to know you dinner• Training breakfast/lunch• Snacks • Thank you Event

• Plus for Exec Board• Team-building activity

• Melting Pot• Dinner• Bowling

Recruiting Unpaid Students - - Benefits of Peer Advising

• Cool polo• Food!!

x

How We Managed the RoadblocksOur recruiting experience

Program Year # of Positions # of Applications ReceivedWinter 05 - Fall 05 5 5

Winter 06 - Fall 06 5 6

Winter 07 – Spring 07 13 13

Fall 10 – Spring 11 19 55Fall 12 – Spring 13 23 78

How We Managed the RoadblocksWhat the Peer Advisors Say:

“It has been such an honor to work as a Leavey School of Business Peer Advisor this year. I love being a part of this University, and being a Peer Advisor has allowed me to give back and become even more involved. Taking on the role has also taught me important leadership skills that you can't find in the classroom. Hands-on experience with mentoring freshmen and helping those with questions has been extremely valuable to my communication and management skills. It has also been a lot of fun working alongside the rest of the Peer Advisor team and getting to know one another throughout the course of the year. Being a Peer Advisor is not just an activity to enhance your resume, but it also such a fun and rewarding experience that will give you a sense of pride, involvement, and accomplishment. 3-8-13”

- - Lindsey Foster, Peer Advisor 2012/13

Recruitment• Returning Peer Advisors

• 4 on Exec Board• 3 as continuing Peer Advisor

• Process• Process run and decisions made by Exec Board• Application requirements

• Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors• Minimum 3.0 GPA• Availability for key meetings• Intention to be on-campus full academic year

How We Managed the Roadblocks

How We Managed the Roadblocks

Recruitment•Group Interviews

• Introductions/Why Peer Advising?• Responsibilities/Commitment review• Group task

• Find the answer utilizing resources/communicate answer clearly

• Individual task• Skills assessment for detail orientation

• Questions from applicants

How We Managed the Roadblocks

How We Managed the RoadblocksFERPA Concerns

• Students who request assistance pull up their own records• Discuss FERPA in training - - but

• Peer Advisors are instructed not to share information with anyone

• No different than any other confidentiality concerns in any other position

How We Managed the Roadblocks Credibility of Student Advisors

•Small group allows better training•Meet every other week•Lack of paycheck draws particularly motivated students•Constant Email Updates•My availability•“Let me find out….”•Everything is double-checked

• Assessment/Evaluation– Peer Advisor Meeting form– Feedback forms for Drop-in Advising– Freshman survey in Spring Quarter

• Zoomerang/Qualtrics

– Peer Advisor survey in Spring Quarter• Zoomerang

How We Managed the RoadblocksCredibility of Student Advisors

How We Managed the RoadblocksCredibility of Student Advisors

• Students report above average to excellent perception of advising services.

Year Drop-in Average Assigned Peer Advisor Avg.

2007-08 4.9 4.3

2008-09 4.8 4.3

2009-10 4.8 4.1

2010-11 4.8 4.2

2011-12 4.9 4.0

1-not satisfied5-extremely satisfied

1-extremely poor quality2-below average3-average4-above average5-excellent quality

How We Managed the Roadblocks

Credibility of Student Advisors

• Peer Advisor reputation is strong in the univeristy community• Peer advisors authorized to release advising holds for their first-year students. • Drahmann Advising Center refers students to Peer Advisors• Faculty refer students to Peer Advisors first• Peer Advisors are asked to represent the university/school/departments at various events• The School of A&S is starting to use Peer Advisors in some of their departments• Peer Advisors are passionate about the Program and continue to shape it.

How We Managed the RoadblocksCredibility of Student Advisors

• Peer Advisors are knowledgeable and well-trained• Full-day training prior to start of School

• Get better acquainted• Participate in team-building and communication exercises• Understand their role and responsibilities and why do peer advising• Learn what it means to be a good advisor and all the advising resources available to them• Meet with faculty advisors• Practical experience filling out an advising forms and course plans and learning how to find the answers to common questions

How We Managed the RoadblocksCredibility of Student Advisors

• Peer Advisors receive continuing training• Constant email updates• Connie and Exec Board’s availability to answer questions• Peer Advising Practicum (BUSN 191)

• Review pertinent and timely SCU and LSB advising information• Participate in team-building activities and develop as a team• Share and learn from everyone’s advising experiences• Participate in activities to build communication, leadership and mentoring skills• Facilitate conversations to improve the LSB Peer Advising Program

How We Managed the Roadblocks

Peer Advising Practicum – Fall 20129/24 - Syllabus Review

- Team Building exercise - Garrett Jensen – Connecting with your Advisees- Review of exercises completed at Training- Advising Question of the Week

10/8 - Garrison Dyer and Jeremy Wang, Pathways and RLC Advisors - Fall Quarter Meeting Review – Practice before class – come prepared to make presentation as if it was the actual meeting on 10/16.

10/22 - Andrea Brewster, Curriculum Manager, Experiential Learning for Social Justice - Team Building Activity - Review of Group Advising meetings - Building a Mission Statement (part 1)- How to Make a 2-year Course Plan (Frosh/Soph)- Advising Question of the Week

11/5 - Building a Mission Statement (part 2)- Communication exercise – Story Panel- “Double-Dipping” review- Registration advising tips and FAQs – Strategies for freshmen- LSB Permission number policy review - Compose an advising email to advisees- Advising Question of the Week

11/26 - Communication exercise – Communication Eye Opener- Building a Mission Statement (part 3)- How to Review a Course Plan Exercise- Graduation procedures and policies- Advising Question of the Week 

Create a Mission Statement

• Encourages ownership• Allows opportunity to reflect on why the peer advising is important to them, the students and the university

Peer Advisor Mission StatementAs Leavey School of Business Peer Advisors, we serve as mentors to business students. Our goal is to assist students with the knowledge and resources to become better acclimated to Santa Clara University and their program requirements. We teach students how to utilize advising and other university resources, improving students’ knowledge and experience while gaining a better understanding for ourselves. From these focuses, we envision a more efficient and effective advising process for Leavey School of Business students, faculty, and staff. Created by the 2012-13 LSB Peer Advisors

How We Managed the Roadblocks

New for 2013-14• Group Hike prior to start of Fall Quarter

• Winter quarter meeting will shift emphasis to Course Planning Workshop

• Executive Board members will be responsible for PA practicum course content – exercises in

• Team building

• Communication

• Mentoring

Thank You

Connie RiceLeavey School of BusinessSanta Clara University408-554-4512crice@scu.edu