Academic Advising News

Welcome from Mrs. Tracy Robinson

2010-06-23T10:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome from Mrs. Tracy Robinson
Originally uploaded by Karen T2008

Tracy and I are working on a course for academic advising in eCourseware. This course would be used by students who are studying at a distance. The content of the course is the same as the content you teach to each of your students. How would you advise if your student would NEVER come to the office? What considerations do you need to make so that the advising relationship is rich and meaningful to that student whom you will never have in your very comfortable chair?

VEVO - FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert

2010-06-10T13:01:00.000-05:00

VEVO - FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert

June 2010 AAN Recap

2010-06-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

Our meeting Tuesday was all about the notes...General Advising Comments in space mountain (aka SPA comment) or SPACMNT. Instructions have been emailed, but just in case you missed it, here they are. This new feature allows relevant advising comments to be shared among advisors. Please make sure that your comments are relevant, factual, and concise. We will be developing a protocol for these comments over the next few months. Discuss your ideas for this protocol with your PACAA representative. You can also contribute here.

Meeting June 8

2010-06-07T16:23:00.001-05:00

Academic Advising Network will meet on Tuesday, June 8 at 10:30 AM in Clement 219.

Dear ALEKS: Your questions about ALEKS and the answers

2010-05-24T08:04:00.003-05:00

Dear ALEKS:
I have a student that I am advising who is having trouble with registering for MATH 1710. He took MATH 1420 in the spring 2010 and made a “B” in the course. However the system is not allowing him to register for MATH 1710 for the fall semester. Please advise.

Dear Advisor:
Hi! The problem for your student is that he had an 18 MATH ACT which required him to take DSPM0800. This requirement can be satisfied by passing the MATH1420 combo (which can be taken with a DSPM3 since the Intermediate Algebra DSPM0850 is not required for them to enter MATH1420). However, that does not automatically move them to DSPM4 status since they have not taken the required intermediate algebra background.

The way the system is set he needs to take the ALEKS placement and score an MPL of 40 or higher in order to override the requirement for DSPM0850 and go into regular MATH1710 or he needs to take a Combo MATH1710 rather than the regular MATH1710. The DSPM3 will let him take the MATH1710-combo without an MPL qualifying score this Fall (but we will be removing that for Spring and an MPL will be required).

His problem is that he is trying to register for a regular MATH1710 while he still needs Intermediate Algebra.

ALEKS...should they retest?

2010-05-20T08:43:00.004-05:00

ALEKS math assessment has been introduced to help students succeed in math at The University of Memphis. The assessment will provide students with an initial "placement" based on what they know or remember about the math they have taken thus far in their academic career. What is new and exciting about ALEKS is the possibility that students can refresh their skills in order to be fully prepared to take the college level course that they need to move forward toward degree completion.

ALEKS provides a learning module customized for the student by the use of artificial intelligence. The learning module or tutorial bases content on what the student knows and builds on that knowledge. Inside the learning module, students will have various opportunities to assess their progress toward a goal, including chances to retest.

Yes, retest. But the retest is a part of a solid pedagogical scheme that helps the student build toward retaining additional mathematical concepts. The benefits of the learning module outweigh the simple benefit of a retest in isolation. At this time there is not an option for retesting outside the learning module.

The winner is...

2010-05-17T14:48:00.010-05:00

I stopped eating my lunch and placed the fork quietly on my plate. Our Region 3 Chair, Art Farlowe was walking to the podium, and I knew the big moment was about to arrive. Anticipation had been building; the awards were about to be presented. A bit of a hush came over the pavilion ballroom at the Marriott Hotel Griffin Gate Resort, even with almost 350 advisors gathered.

Last month we celebrated our advising awards with pomp and circumstance at faculty convocation. During Academic Advising Awareness week we recognized advising excellence at a reception with the president in attendance. Today's recognition of advising excellence went beyond our campus to NACADA Region 3.

Mary Brignole (Academic Counseling Center) was recognized as the 2010 Outstanding Advisor (Primary Role) from Tennessee. Rick Fischer (Journalism) was recognized as the Outstanding Advisor (Faculty) from Tennessee. Tracy Robinson (University College) and Melissa Campbell (Academic Status and Retention) cheered on Brignole and Fischer.

Before leaving the luncheon and business meeting, there was one more piece of business.

History Requirement 2010

2010-05-17T09:55:00.003-05:00

Quick update on the changes in the history requirement for general education as of Fall 2010...the catalog section on earning a second bachelor's degree has been amended to exclude the requirement to take American History as part of the second bachelor's degree program. Therefore students presenting a bachelor's degree from any regionally acredited institution of higher education, including The University of Memphis, will not be required to take American History to complete second degree. The first degree is assumed to have completed all general education requirements. Please keep in mind that the following requirement remain in place:

To earn the second bachelor’s degree, the student must:
1. Complete any additional college requirements as determined by the office of the dean of the college granting the second baccalaureate degree.
2. Complete all requirements for the major as determined by the department in which the second baccalaureate degree is sought.
3. Complete a minimum of 30 semester hours in residence.
4. Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all coursework taken at the University of Memphis.

In some cases the completion of history courses may be required to meet a requirement listed above.

NACADA Region 3 Conference

2010-05-15T10:34:00.004-05:00

Rick Fischer (Journalism) and I traveled on Friday, May 14, to Lexington KY for the NACADA Region 3 Conference. Saturday and Sunday (May 15, 16) will be occupied with the Technology and Advising Seminar where we are discussing social networking, wikis, social bookmarking, and advising communication plans as ways to incorporate technology into advising practice. Sunday evening starts the conference itself, with various presentations and activities. Guest bloggers will join you from the conference with updates and information. If you are not able to come to the conference, check in here to get a little slice of professional development at your desk. Anmd tell you boss how much money you saved!

ENGL1010 Credit for ACT English Subscores

2010-05-12T15:06:00.004-05:00

The Undergraduate Curriculum Council has included a new option for students using the 2010 catalog/bulletin. Beginning in the 2010 academic year, students scoring 29 or higher on the ACT English Sub Score will be awarded 3 hours credit for ENGL1010. Students who are eligible to update to the 2010 catalog/bulletin may take advantage of this new option if they do not yet have a grade in ENGL1010. Students who have taken the course and earned a passing or failing grade are not eligible.

This effort is a 2-year pilot. Before the end of that period, the English department will analyze data to assess the level of success of these students in ENGL 1020, and make recommendations (about needed modifications or continuation “as is”) to the UUC.

The Office of Admissions has been contacted and will set up a process for this policy.

Please check ACT English Sub Scores on SOATEST if in doubt.

Web Seminar and AAN for May

2010-05-10T13:19:00.002-05:00

Academic Advising Web Seminar Thursday May 13 at 1 PM
Rose Theater...Here's the details on this week's seminar...

Fulfilling the Potential of Faculty Advising - At most institutions, faculty are expected to advise as part of their contractual obligation. Few if any, however, have been hired, much less been awarded tenure or promoted, because of their skill as advisors. And even at institutions which emphasize teaching and mentoring undergraduates, expectations for faculty, especially in conducting research and finding external support, have increased. Whether you're a faculty member, a professional advisor who works with faculty, or an advising administrator, this Webinar will give you practical ideas about enhancing and supporting the important work of advising done by faculty.

AAN Meeting for May

Please see the For Advisors link on the academic advising website for the schedule of AAN meetings. There is no AAN meeting scheduled for this month due to conflicts with Region 3 Conference and New Student Orientation. Please check the website often for updates on meetings this summer, including our annual ice cream social in July. Important updates and news will also be posted on the Academic Advising Blog. Please select “how to subscribe” on the right hand side of the blog to get details on receiving this information at your desktop.

BCMC: Best Coffee Mug on Campus

2010-04-22T16:01:00.002-05:00

BCMC (Best Coffee Mug on Campus) Project is about to kick off! If you would like to enter your coffee mug in this competition, invite me for coffee! You and your mug will be featured along with a very edited story of how the mug came to be your favorite/least favorite/the best. Even if you don't win you will have your 15 mb of fame! Who wants to be first?

Academic Advising Network, April 20

2010-04-20T15:29:00.010-05:00

ALEKS: Math Placement Enhanced
Academic advisors and students have a new tool to fine tune math undergraduate placement. ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course.
What this means for academic advisors is that we will have more options for helping a student decide whether they are ready for a required math (like MATH1830 for business majors). It also means we can confirm for students with no previous college math the right first course! And we can feel confident that the student is ready for the course we recommend.
At our meeting on April 20, Dr. Ray Clapsadle of the department of mathematics briefed advisors on ALEKS. Dr. Clapsadle distributed a draft of a chart to summarize placement, and a narrative explanation. He is also working on a website to help with questions that will come up.
However, because the tool is new, not all the questions are answered. Dr. Clapsadle will continue to work with the details as ALEKS is “turned on” April 24. Advisors are the front line of help to make the most of this new tool.
Here is the brief:
Students registering for a first math course after April 23 2010 at 4 PM may be prompted to take the math placement, ALEKS. Information about the instrument is now available to student on their student table.
Depending on the student’s intended major, you may want to encourage them to take ALEKS to fine tune their math placement (first math course).
ALEKS includes the option to take a tutorial after initial testing to learn more and “test higher.” Advisors may want to encourage students to exercise the option for the tutorial. The tutorial costs $35.00, and includes a retest opportunity. The payment is made directly to ALEKS online. Students may also retest without the tutorial for $3.50 per attempt.
Additional changes in the math curriculum are coming for Spring 2011.
There was a lot of discussion about scores and their meaning. These details are still emerging. Please use the chart provided until more details are available. Additional training on the interpretation of ALEKS MPL scores is being planned for May.

Some announcements/reminders were made following Dr. Clapsadle's presentation.

1. Bethany Tidball from Academic Status and Retention (ASR) reminded us that the ONLY high school deficiency being tracked by the office is Foreign Language. Students may remove this deficiency by taking 1010 and 1020 in the foreign language of their choice. They may also pursue correspondence through Gateway Christian School in Latin or Spanish. Continuing education Spanish is no longer being offered. Bethany stated that students whose academic program includes foreign language study are not being tracked or monitored.

2. Reminder: First time freshmen are required to attend New Student Orientation. This is the right opportunity for freshmen to meet with an academic advisor. At this time of year we need to ask that one more question before making student appointments for advising..."are you graduating from high school this year?"

3. The Transfer Credit Request form season is also upon us. Help students make good choices by carefully reviewing the forms that you are asked to sign. Fully matriculated students should only take equivalent courses, or courses that fulfill a general education block at another TBR institution.

4. Summer 2010 is the last time the MIS 2755 will be offered at The University of Memphis. Catalog changes for Fall 2010 in the BBA will move this course out of the lower division core and add MIS 3210 (Critical Thinking/Project Management) to the upper division core.

5. International Baccalaureate credit is now being awarded at The University of Memphis. The table with required scores and courses awarded is available on the Admissions website.

6. May 16-18, 2010 is the date for NACADA Region 3 conference in Lexington, KY. If you are traveling to the conference, please meet the group at the opening session and keynote.

7. Mississippi Advisors Meeting (MAM) will take place on August 2, 2010 at The University of Mississippi. We have been invited to join the Mississippi Advisors as they engage in a day of professional development. The date is after all New Student Orientations. Road trip?

8. Reminder: Academic catalogs/bulletins at The University of Memphis have a 7 year life. Students choosing the 2010 Fall catalog have until 2017 Summer to graduate. In addition, students may choose any valid catalog that does not predate their intial enrollment in college (anywhere) for graduation. However, only one set of requirements may be chosen. Students may not choose general education from one valid catalog and major requirements from another valid catalog. All requirements must be chosen from the same valid catalog. If a new program is developed that is not in the catalog that the student chooses, the student must change catalogs in order to choose the program. Transfer students our not bound by requirements for the term that they entered The University of Memphis, but may choose any valid catalog that does not predate their initial college enrollment (anywhere).

Next meeting: May 13, 2010...location TBA. What about a nice spot at the new University Center!

Academic Advising Network March 16, 2010

2010-03-19T14:12:00.015-05:00

Dustin Ritchey presented an excellent update to financial aid for academic advisors. Dustin's presentation provided us with reminders and current information about what advisors need to know about financial aid. As we seek to work collaboratively with our colleagues in financial aid to help students succeed to graduate, this is always helpful content. DebraAnn Brown and April Tyson attended with Dustin.

Dr. Judson Finley, new faculty member in Earth Sciences, and Brandy Dacus, graduate student from the department of Earth Sciences addressed the group concerning a new emphasis in archaeology. Courses in Earth Sciences (some cross listed with Anthropology) are being offered to allow students to acquire skills in field methods and a basic understanding of the subdiscipline. Finley and Dacus also mentioned the possibility that the Earth Sciences degree will soon be exclusivley a BA. This change is being considered by the department. We should hear more about that as we begin the Fall 2010 semester. More information is available in their presentation.

Finally, Patsy Krech gave us a little more information about the math placement tool called ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces). A small group is organizing for a summer start of use of this module for math placement. Dr. Ray Clapsadle is our math department contact for this project. I will ask Dr. Clapsadle to bring us up to date at our next two meetings (April and May) in the hopes that as Orientation begins we will be well prepared to interpret ALEKS intent, processes, and purposes to students.

Announcements

Take a break for professional development concerning "Breaking Bad News: Delivery Techniques that Help Students Make Good Alternative Choices" Webinar scheduled for Thursday, April 8, 2010, at 1 PM in Patterson 201. Space is more limited than usual for this important topic as we were not able to reserve Rose Theater Entertainment lobby.

The NACADA Region 3 Conference is scheduled for May 16, 17, 18 in Lexington Kentucky. Registration is open for this conference.

Mississippi Advisors have invited us to their state drive in at University of Mississippi on August 2, 2010. Orientation will be completed...time for a road trip???

Our next AAN meeting is scheduled for April 20 at 10:30 AM in SM414.

Lemme Upgrade

2010-03-02T15:17:00.002-06:00

Vice President for Information Technology Doug Hurley announced today that on Friday morning, March 19, 2010 beginning at 3:00AM, the Banner Administrative system will be taken offline to apply the Banner 8 upgrade. This intensive upgrade is expected to take 3 full days (around the clock) to complete, with upgraded production services resuming the morning of Monday, March 22. During this period, staff from various offices as well as ITD will be working on the upgrade. All production administrative systems including Banner INB, Banner SSB (self service Banner), TigerBuy, TigerPay, Appworx, Workflow, Luminis (myMemphis) Channels for Banner, and Clean Address will be unavailable until the upgrade successfully completes.

If all goes well, only Friday will be impacted. If you decide to meet with students on Friday, March 19, you may want to make copies of their myMemphis transcript on Thursday and make notes concerning the Banner Upgrade in the advising file of these students, as you will not be able to access thier unofficial transcript during the upgrade processing.

Orientation Dates 2010

2010-03-02T13:22:00.003-06:00

Dates for Orientation 2010 have been published.

Time for Advising in the College of Arts and Sciences

2010-03-02T10:21:00.002-06:00

Patsy Krech sent a information about advising in the College of Arts and Sciences for Spring, Summer, and Fall 2010. In most cases for Arts and Sciences advisors, the best strategy for students is to e-mail for an appointment. See information at UofM Advising ("Here's the Latest") with the details about each department in the college.

February 2010 AAN meeting

2010-02-16T12:22:00.005-06:00

Academic Advising Network
February 16, 2010

Ben Alumbaugh, Department of Journalism

Ben talked about the online undergraduate program in public relations. More information may be found at: https://umdrive.memphis.edu/g-journalism/intro.html

ACAD Announcements and Updates for Advisors

Barbara Thompson announced that there will be no special sections of ACAD1100 for reading/study skills this coming Fall 2010. Kay Hawes has retired. ACAD faculty will monitor students in their section who must complete the reading/study skills requirements to ensure that they are aware of that the requirement may be satisfied with a grade of C or better in ACAD1100.

History Requirement for General Education

Per Dr. Kay Clark at TBR, HIST1110, 1120, 2010, 2020, and the present list of thematic courses may be used to satisfy the History requirement for general education beginning in the Fall 2010 catalog. HIST1110 and 1120 will no longer be used to satisfy humanities as of that catalog. Any two courses from the above list may be used to satisfy the six hour requirement.
Questions remain concerning College of Education requirements for particular History courses for the teacher education programs. Kim Enfield will be asked to clarify at the next AAN meeting.

Academic Status and Retention
Gerise Guy fielded questions concerning Academic Warning, Probation, and Suspension.

Second session sections added

Sections added for second spring 2010

Time to be advised Advising signs going up by March 1. Please contact Karen Thurmond if you can take a walk around campus to put these signs in the ground one day next week.

FERPA reminders

A reminder from the Registrar’s office…in putting together and distributing any report, list, or other information please consider the potential audiences of the information, and protect students. Dean’s list was mentioned as an example.

Academic Advising Awareness Week March 1-5, 2010

Sign up sheets for Student Outreach March 1 and 2 were circulated. If you were not at the meeting you may still sign up for a one hour shift in one of four location for March 1 or 2. Please add your name to the sign up list by Wednesday, February 24 so that we have time to forward instructions, materials, and your Advisor T-Shirt if needed. Other activities planned for AAAW include:

Monday March 1
Student Outreach
College of Arts and Sciences Advisor Training Meeting
Tuesday March 2
Student Outreach
College of Arts and Sciences Student Updates Meeting
Wednesday March 3
Web Seminar (Wednesday, 1 PM; Rose Theater) -Effective Academic Advising Strategies (Moderator: Jayne Drake, NACADA President)
Thursday March 4
Faculty Advisor Recognition Event
Friday March 5
Advisor Recognition Day

Virtual Conference

2009-11-20T15:51:00.005-06:00

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

2009-09-25T11:38:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-01T16:11:00.004-05:00

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

2009-07-01T12:09:00.021-05:00

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

2009-05-29T09:14:00.005-05:00

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

2009-05-29T09:01:00.002-05:00

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.

New Nursing Requirements Announced

2009-05-21T16:02:00.014-05:00

Trellis Morgan passed along the news about new University of Memphis Loewenberg School of Nursing BSN program Admissions Requirements...

Effective – Spring 2010
Revision:
Minimum Science cumulative GPA requirement – 2.66 (formerly 2.40)
New Requirement:
TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills)
· Click for information about TEAS
· Minimum Average Score – 70%
· Cost of test - $50
· Required tests
o Reading Comprehension
o Math
o Science
· Complete test will take about 2hours and 25 minutes to complete
· Satisfactory Scores must be submitted to the School of Nursing prior to application deadline dates
o October 1, 2009 for Spring 2010 entry into program
o February 15, 2010 for Fall 2010 entry into program
o Students will receive printout of test results after test is completed to submit to Nursing department
· Click for testing procedures and testing dates see the University of Memphis Testing Center

Fresh Connections

2009-05-21T06:53:00.002-05:00

Fresh Connections is provides learning communities in our first year experience.

"Fresh Connections are learning communities that use clusters of courses to connect different disciplines to a common theme. The specially selected faculty incorporate their specific theme in assignments and activities throughout the semester. Students in the learning community take these courses together to develop a deeper understanding of the material and correlation of various disciplines. Support groups for studying and collaboration in learning usually result from making these connections.Fresh Connections provides a social and academic experience that will lead to student success by providing a collaborative learning experience in which groups of students become responsible for their own learning, and enhance the educational experience of their peers as well."

Academic advisors are a huge part of the initiative to encourage students to enroll in a learning community. For this reason, the organizers of Fresh Connections have provided various forms to the academic advising community that outline the program and provide a vehicle for students to enroll. These forms may be found on the Academic Advising website and include:
1. An outline of each learning community
2. Details about the courses included in each community
3. A registration worksheet for students/advisors

Foreign Language Lab Schedule During May 2009

2009-05-12T09:56:00.003-05:00

Schedule for the month of May 2009
Foreign Language Lab open for placement tests.

Wednesday, May 13
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Monday, May 18
12:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 19
12:30-3:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 28
12:30-3:00 p.m.

Friday, May 29
12:30-3:00 p.m.

Alumni Association Distinguished Academic Advising Award!

2009-05-05T14:11:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to our 2009 Alumni Association Distinguished Academic Advising award winners, Mary Brignole (Academic Counseling Center) and Rich Fischer (Department of Journalism). Thanks to the Alumni Association for making it possible to honor the accomplishments of academic advisors each year.

Team Spirit for Advisors

2009-03-18T13:48:00.001-05:00

Our concurrent session presentation responded to the conference theme of team spirit. Our shirt of the day was the football jersey we purchased on sale (what luck!) Two of the shirts said "Tigers" on the back. The other two said "Memphis." We were decked out. A volunteer flickered the lights, the fight song was playing through the speaker system, and we were each introduced in a "are you ready to rumble" voice. We hit the high notes of PACAA's effort to build a team for advising...reorganization of AAN and PACAA, professional development, communication, DYMD, AAAW, and more. The group was asked to participate by completing an advising scorecard.
We all felt pretty good about the presentation. Off to the "experimental cheese" store we went. All in all a successful trip for Memphis Advising.

Region 4

View more presentations from kthurmnd.

Off to a conference...

2009-03-15T15:37:00.004-05:00

Off to a conference...
Originally uploaded by Karen T2008

Its Sunday, and we are working! Tracy, Vanessa, Karen, and Trellis are off to the NACADA Regional Conference at Mississippi State University today. We stopped for lunch on the way, and arrived just in time to sit down for a preconference workshop on "good advising" with Nancy Walburn from UAB.

Nancy points out that the foundational elements of good advising are:
be knowledgeable
understand students and learning
provide structure and a supportive environment for this ongoing process

What a challenge to provide ande support all these elements. Certainly our effort to make sure that curricular changes get communicated is a way to make sure that all advisors have equal access to know. How else do we make sure that all advisors are able to be knowledgeable?

Telling Our Story

2009-03-11T14:13:00.002-05:00

On March 15, 16, and 17 some of your colleagues are headed to the NACADA Region 4 conference in Starkeville Mississippi. Vanessa Brocks, Tracy Robinson, Trellis Morgan, and Karen Thurmond will present on the topic: "Team Spirit for Advisors: Building a Strong Campus Advising Team to Benefit Students, Advisors, and Institution." As you know, our "strong campus advising team" is a work in progress. We really are just getting started on making the academic advising organization at The University of Memphis as strong as it can be. So this is a report on a work in progress.

In preparation for the conference, we conducted a survey. We had in mind that we wanted to investigate the ways in which advisors communicate as an aspect of "team" among advisors. In the next couple of blog entries, we will share some of those survey results. Here's a start.

Faculty advisors (who responded to the survey) are more likely to feel their closest association to the advising organization at institution level

We actually had just about equal numbers of faculty advisors and professional advisors take the survey. This surprised me. The last question on the survey asked advisors to rank at what level of organizationthey feel most associated to the advising organization. The options were office, department, college, institution. There are a couple of aspects of faculty association with the institution that are revealed in the survey, and probably a few that are not. In the next post I will try to pull apart this finding a little...how do faculty advisors get their information?

It's time...

2009-03-06T11:41:00.001-06:00

It's time...
Originally uploaded by Karen T2008

Spring break is upon us...a reminder of a several things that seem to happen every semester.
1. Students won't be in class next week, but may still be thinking about questions they should be asking their academic advisor
2. The drop date is coming up soon. For full session, the deadline this Spring 2009 semester is March 20.
3. Winding down toward the end of the semester begins...for some students this means that a little extra encouragement will help them sustain their momentum to finish strong.

Advisors can play a role in student success by continually highlighting the purposes that the student has chosen for their own higher education. Keep purpose in the forefront for students; it makes those semester by semester hassles and headaches a little easier to tolerate.

Are you ready for advising?

2009-03-04T09:29:00.001-06:00

Are you ready for advising?
Originally uploaded by Karen T2008

Academic Advising Awareness Week is in full swing. Monday we gathered for a review of this year's curricular changes. Tuesday was a day of student outreach. We set up advising offices in the McWherter Library rotunda, Fogelman College of Business, Wilder Tower Lobby, Patterson Hall Lobby, and the bookstore. One hundred binders with excellent advising information were made for student who wanted to identify their academic advisor as an "advising star."

Goals for Academic Advising Awareness Week:

Students will experience an expanded sense of the role of academic advising in the college experience

Academic advisors will recognize support from the highest levels of administration (president, provost, vice provost) and camaraderie with other academic advisors, both faculty and professional

Professional Development

2009-02-27T15:16:00.001-06:00

Professional Development
Originally uploaded by Karen T2008

Kiewra propses that DIFS may be broken down further to be
Desire---internal boosters: emotional, consciousness raising, models of success
---external boosters (rewards)
---goals short and long range
Intention---plan for success
plan a foundation of success with environmental and social supports
Focus---including a launch date for goals, recording of progress, and a way to counter obstacles...things like the professor is boring or doesn't speak English well
Sustain---reward behavior that helps student to reach goals, recognition for positive lifestyle changes

Professional Development Webinar

2009-02-27T15:05:00.001-06:00

Professional Development Webinar
Originally uploaded by Karen T2008

Some of us spent time this afternoon thinking about the elements of motivation when it comes to helping students be successful. Ken Kiewra of Kansas State University was our speaker. His message was simple. Motivation is made up of DIFS: desire, intention, focus, and the ability to sustain desire, intention, and focus.

A Review of Curriculum Changes for Advisors

2009-02-24T16:11:00.002-06:00

Do you know about the changes to the teacher education major in the College of Education? Have you heard about the concentrations being terminated in University College? Do you know about the new course ACAD2200, Academic Recovery Seminar?
Each year the curricular process brings new courses, changes in course numbers, a few new programs, and changes to current programs. Get briefed on what’s new for Fall 2009 at a curriculum review especially for academic advisors.
Monday and Tuesday, March 2 and 3 (come to one or both)
9-10 AM Coffee and Snacks provided
CFA 232, Conference Room; Second Floor above the Art Museum
Take the elevator and follow the hallway around to the right.
Start your day with curriculum and be prepared to assist your students for the rest of the year!
Our resources people for this event will be:
Laurie Snyder, Curriculum Representative for CCFA
Will Thompson, Curriculum Representative for AS
Carl Chando, Director, ACC
Cathy Serex, Curriculum Planning
And all of you!
If there are changes in a program in your area, we would be so happy if you would come and answer questions about the changes. New degree sheets not posted online may be submitted to kthurmnd@memphis.edu for distribution on the academic advising website.
Sign up for the Review at http://advising.wikispaces.com

Career Services Four Year Plan

2009-02-24T11:12:00.005-06:00

A couple of years ago we made a big push to get four year plans in the catalog. We felt that a four year plan with all the courses required to get a degree would help students to see the path to graduation more clearly. These four year academic plans have become one of the tools that we use to advise students.

We all know that students have all kinds of opportunities during their "four years" in addition to the academic opportunties represented in the four year plans we have in the catalog. Career Services has taken seriously some of the co-curricular opportunities from which students might benefit. The Career Services Four Year Checklist Plan has these goals.

"Making the transition from college to a career is not an easy task. However, through planning and preparation you can ensure a more satisfying college experience and a successful job search upon graduation. In order to make the most out of your college career, and to get the most benefits in your senior year of job searching, the following steps should be followed while completing your freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years."

Though the plan focuses on resources provided by or available through Career Services, referring students to this four year plan along with their academic four year plan sounds like a great way to broaden the college experience. Perhaps there is a way to make one plan...more on that later!

An invitation from Career Services...develop your skills!

2009-02-17T14:42:00.005-06:00

Join us for as many workshops as your schedule allows!
Please RSVP to Libby Lessentine in Career Services at
eshea@memphis.edu or 678-4328.

As Academic Advisors you wear many hats. Put on your “career” hat and join us to learn more
about how Career Services can help you, speak with an employer panel about the current job market and hiring trends, and follow up on the “Career Advising in Action” Workinar by joining us for a session on career and academic planning.

February 24th, 2 pm Career Services 101
March 24th, 2 pm Employer Confidential
May 13th, 2 pm Career Advising in Action: Bringing it home to the U of M!

Workshops will be held in 400 Wilder Tower, at 2 pm

PACAA and AAN February

2009-02-06T14:31:00.004-06:00

PACAA MEETING FEBRUARY 9
10:30 AM
BRISTER 219

On the agenda:
Advising Survey
Discussion
Announcements

Shannon Blanton will officiate in my absence.

AAN MEETING FEBRUARY 10
10:30 AM
ADMIN 177B

On the agenda:
Financial Aid Update –DebraAnn Brown, April Tyson
ALEKS- Patsy Krech and Ray Clapsadle
New Intent to Graduate Form Online-Vanessa Muldrow
Academic Advising Awareness Week-Courtney Fitzgerald
Discussion
Announcements

Laurie Snyder will officiate in my absence.

Success with Parent Education: Dialoguing with New Students and their Parents at the Collegiate Level

2009-02-02T12:51:00.005-06:00

How do you relate with parents on your campus? Advising personnel at the University of Oklahoma's University College decided to modify their interactions with parents not only to develop appropriate involvement at the collegiate level but to acknowledge parental importance in the lives of their students. Because of these modifications, there has been a positive difference in the overall contact after student entry into the institution.

In this Webinar broadcast, 2008 Best of Region 7 Conference Presentation winner Brian Nossaman will discuss the current practices and effective techniques used to teach the new college parent and student about their changing roles. By setting the stage of education, vocabulary and dialogue, both parents and students can make the successful transition within the appropriate boundaries. This information can be applied to any advisor at any institution.

This Webinar will explore:

Today’s parents and students
University of Oklahoma's University College structure - and how your institution compares
How Parent Orientations set the stage of education
How to dialogue between parents, students, and advisors

Participants will:

Understand the importance of educating parents and students about their new roles
Learn how to use a different “vocabulary” when speaking with parents
Explore techniques to help parents understand boundaries and expectations
Discover how to take effective control in your office with students and their parents
Acquire ideas to assist students in becoming more proactive
Obtain practical information that will assist with future involvement

University of Memphis advisors may register free. The webcast will start at 1 PM in Admin 177B.

2009-01-29T10:18:00.003-06:00

What do you need to be able to do that would make your academic advising/adminstrative work more manageable?

It seems like we run into tasks every day in academic advising that could be done a better way. It's not always about time and money, but lots of times it is. We can see that our work could be more efficient, but we don't have the time, knowledge, or money to pursue it.

Assume for a moment that time, knowledge, and resources are not at issue.

What do you do "by hand" that you can envision could be done digitally?
What do you wish you could do (digitally or by hand) that you can't do but you think can be done?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this! Use comments to participate.

Issuing Permits-Stick to Your Own Area Please!

2009-01-27T13:58:00.000-06:00

Recently it has been called to our attention that several advisors have issued permits for classes in other departments than their own. Would you share the reminder below with our advising community?

Although the Banner system allows anyone with access to the “Permit Override Form SFASRPO” to issue permits for classes in any department, the University of Memphis policy is for those with access to the form to issue permits ONLY for classes within their own department. Unless you have specifically been granted permission by the department, you are not to issue permits for classes in other departments. Violators may have their access to issue permits taken away.

Thank you,
Cathy Serex and Patsy Krech

New Intent to Graduate Form for Undergraduates

2009-01-26T16:03:00.004-06:00

Dear Advisors,
In conjunction with the graduate analysts, the Commencement Office has developed a centralized, on-line Intent to Graduate form. This process provides “one-stop shopping” for our students, it should eliminate misdirected forms (which previously were a cause of late certifications), and it will save the graduate analysts both time and paper.

We have worked with the graduate analysts on updating their websites and have encouraged them to get the word out to students. Please assist us in our efforts to inform students graduating in August 2009 or later about this new process. The form can be accessed directly at
https://saweb.memphis.edu/commencement/intenttograduate/.

Of course, as with any new system there will be a bit of a learning curve for staff, and change is never as easy. If you should hear of any students having difficulty with the new format please let us know.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Blaisdell, Ph.D.
Director, Student Learning and Assessment
Commencement Office

College of Arts and Sciences Spring 2009 Advising Assignments

2009-01-16T09:37:00.001-06:00

Biology Advising and Resource Center – as of last Fall, Biology advisees can access one of two advisors, Anna Bess Sorin and Stephen German, between 8:30 and 4:00 Monday through Friday in the BARC, Life Sciences 237, ext. 1312, bioadvise@memphis.edu.

Chemistry advisor – Dick Petersen will be primary advisor this spring, with Mark Freilich as back-up. Dick can be reached at ext. 4416, rlpetrsn@memphis.edu, Smith 221

English advisor – Jim McClain will be serving as interim English advisor this spring – ext. 4500, jmcclain@memphis.edu, Patterson 435

Physics advisor – Don Franceschetti will be serving for a while as Physics advisor, ext. 2410, dfrncsch@memphis.edu, Manning 216

Pre-Allied Health – Patsy Krech will be contact until the pre-health advisor position has been hired- ext. 3374, pakrech@memphis.edu, Scates 107

(Pre-Law or other Pre-Health students who want to discuss possible majors can contact Patsy as well, but they will be advised in the major they select or as undecided students in the Academic Counseling Center if they are not ready to declare a major. For questions regarding their composites or admission to professional school, Pre-Health students should contact Will Thompson- wjthmpsn@memphis.edu)

Social Work – Three social work advisors assist their majors, assigned by alphabet:
Kathy Whitted, A-D, ext. 4722, kwhitted@memphis.edu, McCord 115
Emer Broadbent, E-M, ext. 3515, ebrodbnt@memphis.edu, McCord 114
Gary Schneider, N-Z, ext. 4503, gschneid@memphis.edu, McCord 110

All Arts and Sciences advisors can be seen at the website: http://www.memphis.edu/cas/advisors.htm
I try to keep the information on this site correct and up-to-date!

Late Registration

2009-01-15T15:14:00.004-06:00

MEMO

To: Offices Responsible for Late Registrations

From: Kismet Winkelmann, Assistant Registrar

Subject: Late Registrations or Late Adds for Spring 2009

Please provide the attached document to the college representatives in your area who are authorized to approve students to register or add after the official late registration period. Any student requesting permission to register after the last day of late registration will be referred to the appropriate office to begin the process.

Students who request a late registration or a late add after the end date on the attached document should NOT be processed for a late registration or a late add. The amount of class time missed increases the probability that the student will not successfully complete the course(s).

Approvals:
· Graduate students must have approval of the Director of Graduate Studies in the college of their major or an authorized representative. All requests for Graduate Students will also be routed to the Graduate School for review.
· Undergraduate students advised in Academic Counseling Center must have approval of the coordinator or an authorized representative.
· Undergraduate students who have declared a major must have approval of the undergraduate dean in the college of their major or an authorized representative.

The “Request for Approval to Register after Late Registration” form must be signed by the appropriate official or authorized representative and then given to the student.

· Students should see their academic advisor if this is their initial registration for the term.
· If required, electronic permits must be issued by the department.
· Students should be prepared to satisfy fees and clear all outstanding financial obligations before registering for classes. Fee payment questions should be directed to the Bursar’s Office at 678-2712.
· The request is processed in Student and Faculty Services, 003 Wilder Tower, 678-2810. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
ALL undergraduate or graduate level students who request to register or to add courses after the part-of-term’s official “Last Day to Add” must have approval from their college representative and, if registering late, from Financial Aid and/or the Bursar’s Office.

The College Approval processing for late registrations/late adds for this term begins and ends on the following dates January 22 for the Full Session (other sessions have other dates; see http://www.memphis.edu/registrar/calendars/dates/09s_dates.htm for details).

The student must begin the process in his/her college (or ACC/CAT for undecided and prenursing). If helping a student to find the right college, ask for their advisor's name, and check their SGAADVR advisor identification, but use current academic program to direct the student. If possible, use SGAADVR to document advisor if not already listed.

The college must verify that the current date is within the acceptable range for the pertinent part of term. If the current date is after the College Approval End Date listed above for the part of term, the student will be required to have instructors for the requested classes sign the Instructor Approval Form http://www.memphis.edu/registrar/pdf_docs/forms/late_instructor.pdf to indicate that the student will be allowed to make up any assignments, tests, projects, etc. which have been missed. If an instructor does NOT sign the form, the student will NOT be registered into the class.

The college must also perform the following to determine if the student 1) is attempting to register late, 2) is attempting to add a course late, or 3) requires reinstatement.

1. Request to see the student’s ID or driver’s license.

2. Check SGASTDN to be sure the student is admitted. If the student has applied but has not been cleared, send the student to the Admission’s Office. If the student has not applied, it is too late to begin the process.

3. If the current date is prior to the part of term’s first purge date, which is noted in the box above, go to step 4. If the current date is later than the first purge date, go to e-Print and check SYGU516d – Comprehensive List of Purged Students.

If the student’s name is on the Comprehensive List of Purged Students, the student cannot be processed for a late add or a late registration. Send the student to the Registrar’s Office to process a reinstatement.

If the student’s name is not on the list, go to step 4.

4. Check SFAREGS 1) to be sure the student has no holds, and so is eligible to register, and 2) to determine if the student has courses on his/her record. If the student has holds, advise the student to log into Banner Self Service to determine the office to be contacted about his/her registration holds. If there are no holds on the student’s record, go to step 5.
5. If there are courses on the student’s record, the student is processing a late add; use the “Schedule Adjustment” Form found at http://www.memphis.edu/registrar/pdf_docs/forms/sched_adj.pdf
If there are no courses on the student’s record—and the student has not been purged based on your review of the purge list in step 3—the student is processing a late registration; use the “Request for Approval to Register after Late Registration” Form which is found on the registrar’s website at http://www.memphis.edu/registrar/pdf_docs/forms/late_reg.pdf
6. Once you have determined the proper form, follow your college’s procedures for completing the form. Make sure the proper College signatures and the student’s signature are included on the form. (The form will NOT be processed without the student’s signature.) Send the student with the form to Student and Faculty Services in the Registrar’s Office, WT003 for processing, or fax the form to the Registrar’s Office at 678-1425

NOTE: Submission of the form is no guarantee that it will be processed. Processing the form depends on the student’s ability to pay.

Java problems

2009-01-15T09:06:00.001-06:00

We have received a few calls with the following scenario. Faculty were able to clear pins and approve classes for students before the holiday break, but are now unable to access the SPECTRUM screen to clear the pins. The faculty are able to access the VPN and INB Banner. We have found that the JAVA cache needs to be cleared as a result of the upgrade completed over the holiday break. The link below has the instructions for clearing the JAVA cache on PCs and on MACs. Note that the steps are different for the two operating systems.

https://umdrive.memphis.edu/g-banner/training_and_documentation/General%20topics/clearing_Java_cache.pdf

Note that clearing the pins from off-campus only requires accessing SPECTRUM via the VPN. We have received no reports of issues of clearing pins when using computers in campus offices.

Cancelled Courses

2009-01-08T13:39:00.002-06:00

Departments are in the process of making final decisions about course sections in their departments. If a course is cancelled, an email is generated to any student registered in the cancelled section. In addition, the student would see the cancellation on their schedule if they looked at in Spectrum.

Students often miss these notification and go to the class anyway. This makes for a very confusing first day of school.

Advising News 2009-3 English Advisor

2009-01-06T16:20:00.003-06:00

Instructor James McClain has agreed to serve as Interim Advisor until a permanent assignment is made. His official start date is Monday the 5th and he can be reached via email at jmcclain@memphis.edu. Permit requests should be sent to the Assistant to the Chair and Department Registrar, Susan Fitzgerald at sftzgrld@memphis.edu. As a reminder, the English Department Policy prevents us from granting permits for closed courses (notably lower division).

Advising News 2009-2/Subscribe, Follow, Bookmark, or Check

2009-01-06T15:32:00.009-06:00

You may be wondering how best to make regular contact with the Academic Advising News Blog. Afterall, you want to know all the news and critical updates. There are several ways to keep up with this blog.

1. Subscribe-if you choose to subscribe you will be choosing to read the blog in an "aggregator" such as google or yahoo. If you regularly use google or yahoo to read news this may be the right option for you. Start on the blog itself and click subscribe "posts."

Subscribe To Blog
Posts (pull down the menu to see the options...if you already use one of these, click it and add the blogposts).
All Comments (if you want to subscribe to comments too (this is where the discussion and reply all type follow up will be) pull down the menu to see the options...if you already use one of these, click it and add the comments.)

2. Follow-near the bottom on the page there is an option to "follow." If you choose this method, you must have a google account. You will be given the option to "Start following Academic Advising News" either using your Google ID or anonymously. Click "follow" and you will be notified that "You are now following Academic Advising News ." Click "close." Now the blog will show up in your google home page. To read the newsfeed from the blog, you would sign in to your google account and go to "My Account." Then look for the blog content at Google Reader. Make google your home page and this content will pop up when you open your browser.

3. Bookmark the blog-use your browser settings to make a bookmark so that you can visit the blog regularly. The downside to this method is that you have remember to look at the blog.

4. Go to the link on the Memphis Academic Advising website at http://www.memphis.edu/advising/faculty_information.php on the right information menu. Its highlighted blue right now. This will take you directly to the blog.

These are at least four ways to keep new and critical updates coming to your desktop without clogging up your inbox. I hope you will follow the blog!

Critical Update 2009-1

2009-01-06T13:25:00.004-06:00

Degree Evaluation in Spectrum in experiencing some problems related to the upgrade to Banner (done over the weekend). Please report any errors to Karen Thurmond at kthurmnd@memphis.edu

Problem appears to be cosmetic (there are parentheses in the wrong place) but let me know if you see something more serious.

Advising News 2009-1

2009-01-06T12:22:00.003-06:00

Academic Advising Network (AAN) scheduled for January13, is cancelled. Admissions has been working hard to admit as many degree seeking candidates as possible, so our offices will be busy with walk in advising during the days before classes begin. We will meet on February 10.