Virtual Conference

We just saved the University of Memphis a lot of money...

Travel to Greenville, NC for 3-5 advisors FREE
Conference cost two day conference for 3-5 advisors FREE
Food, hotel, incidentals FREE
Attending a Virtual Conference...wait for it...PRICELESS!

We did pay $20.00 total institutional registration cost, and the leftover Chex Mix and Tootsie Roll Pops in my office were a nice plus, but we attended this great two day conference for FREE. If you didn't hear about the East Carolina University sponsored event, you may find out more about it at the social networking site, Ning, and by visiting the conference website in Ning. Many of the presentations consisted of a video podcast and a discussion area, and these were made available early on Thursday November 19. Friday November 20 was a morning of live presentations in a mediasite enabled classroom at East Carolina University. The presenters and panels were on camera live. What we saw on our end, at our desks, was the live video (like TV) and a content window. One presentation ran a power point in that window; another one just had the names of the panel participants. Questions came in from the online audience throughout the presentations.

This was a rich opportunity to participate in professional development that fit this busy time of year. We didn't have time to travel even if we did have the money. Taking a two hour break from appointments, while still being able to work at the desk and listen/watch turned out to be a great way to spend a morning.

Sure we all love the networking and the opportunity to get away from the office when we go to a conference. I get it. Believe me I am the first to have my rolling suitcase packed. But we can do more if we diversify the ways in which we consume/receive professional development.

Visit the site and see what you missed. The video podcasts, discussions, and powerpoint slides will be available until May 2010.

Annual Advising Kick Off Redux

Academic advisors from around our campus met Friday, September 19 for breakfast and a kick off of our annual theme for academic advising, "Best Practices for Quality Academic Advising." Several best practices were discussed and presented. Information about residence life and dining services, admissions, and internships was helpful to advisors.

Please find the handouts from this event at:
http://umdrive.memphis.edu/kthurmnd/aan

Does It Count? Advising Transfer Students from TBR Institutions

Tennessee Board of Regents General Education Core
Using transfer courses to satisfy General Education Core
Information for Advisors

As of the Fall semester 2004, all Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions entered into a common general education agreement. The heart of the agreement is that if a general education course block is taken at a TBR institution, it may be transferred to another TBR institution and used to satisfy the same course block.
Advisors have a great deal of responsibility in this process, especially when the student is considering transfer, or newly transferred without a transfer evaluation. This packet has been constructed to help advisors provide sound advice concerning the transferability and use of courses from other TBR institutions. The principles listed below apply exclusively to courses transferred prior to initial enrollment at our institution. Students taking courses at another TBR institution through the TCR process should take an equivalent course.
In order to use this guide effectively, it is necessary to know the original course number. When in doubt about the course, follow these guidelines.

General principles for TBR General Education Core transfer courses:

1. If the course satisfies a General Education core requirement at another TBR institution, it satisfies the requirement at our institution. (Example: MATH1010 [Math for General Studies] is an approved General Education Course for MTSU. This course transfers to our institution as MATH with no specific equivalent. The course may be used to satisfy the General Education core requirement at our institution.
2. If the student is required to have a particular course in a general education category, this is a major requirement. Students transferring a different course in that category have satisfied the General Education Core requirement, and may take the major requirement at our institution. (Example: Student is a business major and transfers MATH1710. This student must take MATH1830 to satisfy Lower Division Business Core, but has satisfied the General Education Core requirement for Math with MATH1710.)
3. In all cases, the spirit of the TBR General Education core is to facilitate transfer among the TBR institutions. Use good judgment and ask for assistance before declining a TBR General Education core course. You may contact The General Education Office at 901-678-2783 if you have any questions about TBR General Education Core.

July 7 AAN Meeting 3 PM

If you missed this meeting, click the blogpost title above to access all the handouts.

Our July meeting will be at a different time and in a new place! We wander over to Ball Hall, home of the College of Education, for a meeting in the auditorium Room 124. Hope you are able to join us. The following handouts will be available:

Syllabus for ACAD2200, the Student Success Seminar organized by Academic Status and Retention. More information is a available about academic probation on the ASR website.

Advising Notebook Pages-Approved courses for all 19 Tennessee Board of Regents institutions. The lists have been updated and checked against the lists in each institution's catalog, and may be different than the TBR website.

C-SEA (Campus Survey of the Effectivness of Advising) The survey, developed by PACAA and approved by Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs Dr. Shannon Blanton, has been tested with student leaders and reviewed by the Student Government Association.

AAN/PACAA professional development calendar (draft) for 2009-2010 which includes al l the meeting dates for both groups.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Transfer Students and Fully Matriculated Students

There seems to be some confusion about the use of the Advisor's Authorization spreadsheet when completing the transfer credit request form (TCR). This form has been created to help advisor understand the automatic substitutions made through the general education program from transfer credit.

Transfer credit is coursework taken before a student's initial enrollment at our institution. Students who have been enrolled at our institution after enrolling at another institution are trasnfer students only until they enroll here. Fully matriculated students may take courses at another institution with permission via the transfer credit request form (TCR). Fully matriculated students are not transfer students. Transfer credit substitutions outlined in the Advisor's Authorization for General Education Program Transfer Work do not apply to fully matriculated students and coursework they might take, but rather to students who come to our institution for first time enrollment with prior credit.

As most of you know, the Advisor's Authorization for General Education Program Transfer Work form was created many years ago by Dr. David Sigsbee, then director of General Education Program. It has been updated to conform to the new general education requirements twice, but has always been a form to help advisors with transfer work.

I hope this helps clear up the confusion about using the Advisor's Authorization for transfer work only.

Fall Classes Start on Saturday August 29

August 29 starts our Fall 2009 semester, and yes, it is a Saturday. Students who enroll in a Saturday course will have their first class meeting on that day. For more information about the fall schedule and all of the different term start dates, click the title of this blog post to go to the registrar's posted information.

Memphis Advising on facebook

Recently Memphis Advising created a facebook page (not profile). Facebook is popular with our students, with 50% of those surveyed indicating that they check it daily, and another 20% indicating that they check it several times a week. This tool may be particularly useful as we help freshmen transition to The University of Memphis. In our city, Facebook is also popular with high school students.