Concurrent Session 1: 10:45 am
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Tips for Efficient Communications Management
Ruthie Williamson, Advisor, Jacobs School of Music
In-person (IMU Persimmon) & Zoom
Academic advisors are writers– we’re constantly writing emails, session notes, presentations, project proposals, training documents, Teams and Skype chats– you name it, we’re writing it! During peak seasons in academic advising, advisors often experience a sudden influx of messages to their inboxes. These messages can be hard to manage, as advisors have limited time to empty our inboxes in between appointments, working groups, and professional development. In this presentation, advisors will learn and share practical tips for communications management, whether they’re messages with students, administrators, faculty, or other groups. These tips can be used with any kind of communication– email, instant messaging such as Teams and Skype, and other communication platforms such as record systems like AdRx or classroom management platforms like Canvas and Blackboard. The tips will range from beginner (using keyboard shortcuts and creating hyperlinks) to advanced (adjusting advanced settings in Outlook). The presentation will be interactive, allowing opportunities for participants to share their communication management needs and to share their own tips.
The Power of Interrogative Pronouns for Study Abroad Advising: Who, What, Where, When, How Much?
Amanda Roshan-Rawaan, Associate Director, Overseas Study
Pete Giordano, Senior Academic Advisor for International Programs, College of Arts & Sciences
IMU Sassafras
A good story incorporates “Who, what, where, when, why.” Attend this session for an exploration of using an “interrogative pronoun theory” of advising to help students craft THEIR study abroad story.
Students often report feeling overwhelmed by the myriad study abroad options at IU. Learning to ask interrogative pronouns to get at the core of what matters to a student can be a powerful way to help students sift through all the noise and focus on what matters most to them. Some students care about cost (how much), others can only study abroad during the summer (when), and others want the comfort of being abroad with an IU professor and classmates (who). Each student’s situation is unique, and the questions we ask each student should be unique, too.
Your friendly and inquisitive presenters will share an “interrogative pronoun theory” of study abroad advising. They will share case studies of how they have aligned this strategy with IU’s Coaching Questions training to help students uncover the answers to these questions. Then, attendees will practice asking questions in pairs based on a role-playing exercise, and we will debrief to explore which interrogative pronouns we gravitate toward first and where advisors can build opportunities for new lines of inquiry.
This advising approach (C4) helps students understand their options and make an informed choice that aligns with their degree progress (I2) and can be adapted to fit an advisor's personal philosophy of academic advising (R1).
Keynote Breakout Discussion with Trèon McClendon
This session is sponsored by the Professional Development Committee.
IMU Walnut
Join Trèon in continuing the discussion from his keynote address.
Cares Team Panel
This session is sponsored by the Professional Development Committee.
DeeDee Dayhoff, Assistant Dean for Student Services and Concerns
Joe Reyes, Graduate Assistant
Facilitated by Kelsey Karum
IMU Dogwood
The Student Care and Resource Center provides assistance to Indiana University students experiencing challenges that impact their ability to be safe, healthy, and successful. Outcomes of this presentation include:
- How to identify a student in distress
- How to appropriately communicate with someone about whom you are concerned
- Information about how the Care Team functions
- What resources are available to support students
Concurrent Session 2: 1:00 pm
Advising International Students / Connecting with OIS
Lindsey Goss, assistant director, Office of International Services
Kyle Thompson, senior student advisor, Office of International Services
IMU Persimmon
We will provide a brief overview of the hot topics in international education. We will touch on the international student population specifically here at IU, emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways to support international students. The majority of our time will be spent answering questions from attendees about international student issues and other questions academic advisors might wish to ask the Office of International Services. We’re excited to connect back with you all again!
“You mean I can take fun classes for credit?”: The Benefit of ‘creative classes’ for non-arts majors
Jeanne Myers, academic advisor, College of Arts & Sciences
Laurie Staring, academic advisor, College of Arts & Sciences
Jennifer Lale, faculty, College of Arts & Sciences
Doug Paul Case, faculty, College of Arts & Sciences
Anthony Guest-Scott, academic coordinator, Student Academic Center
IMU Sassafras
Many undergraduate students struggle to feel connected with other students, lack a sense of a community within a large institution, and may fear being awkward in their required academic courses. This panel will explore ways that classes which ask student to ‘make things’ – including music and performance —might address these issues and help students experience new ways of thinking, expressing themselves, and perhaps reducing their stress levels.
Drawing upon academic advising theory (including the concept of ‘self-authorship’; Baxter-Magdola. 2008), popular writers’ reflections on the creative process, and the panelists’ own experience, this discussion will highlight ‘creative classes’ available at IUB to non-arts majors and examine the question of how academic advisors might encourage students to consider taking such classes without being overly prescriptive in their approach.
Humanizing Technology in Academic Advising
Mathew Bumbalough. Associate academic advisor, University Division
In-person (IMU Oak) & Zoom
Using technology in academic advising saw a dramatic increase with COVID-19. While the pandemic is still ongoing, many student facing services have transitioned back to in-person formats. So what happens with the technology moving forward? In this presentation, I examine current literature in regard to technology use in academic advising during the last few years and the challenges faced by institutional, advisors, and students. I also take a deep dive on my own advising practices to showcase my practices during COVID, to include my CANVAS page, email communications, outreach, and other means of technology use. In particular, I pay attention to issues of access, equity, intercultural communication, and other technological inequities.
The Graduate Advising Certificate
This session is sponsored by the Professional Development Committee.
Danielle, DeSawal, Clinical Professor for Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, School of Education
IMU Walnut
Heard of the new graduate Certificate in Academic Advising and want to learn more? Join School of Education graduate faculty to learn of the 15 credit training to distinguish between characteristics, needs, and experiences of various student populations, and how to develop your own personal approach to advising. Certificate students will also study the foundational theories related to student and adult development.
Concurrent Session 3: 2:15 pm
Why is this class so hard? Talking to students about STEM courses
Carly Friedman, Chemistry Advisor, College of Arts & Sciences
Carolyn Munk, Computer Science Advisor, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, & Engineering
Serena Ostrander, Psychology Advisor, College of Arts & Sciences
Liz Smith, Math and Statistics Advisor, College of Arts & Sciences
IMU Persimmon
“I’m struggling in Math and don’t know what to do.” “Should I drop organic chemistry?” “How hard is this instructor?” - Academic advisors frequently get questions from students concerned about a STEM course. From the student’s perspective, these are simple, straightforward questions. From the advisor’s perspective, the answer can be very complicated, and nuanced.
Because all students on campus take STEM courses, not just students majoring in math and sciences, every advisor responds to these student concerns. We’ve all met with students who are struggling and aren’t sure why. Additionally, because our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each student can find these courses challenging for different reasons.
We will lead an interactive discussion about some of the challenges students face in math and science courses, and different reasons why students may struggle. We will address how advisors can help students develop a growth mindset and resiliency as they make their way through challenging courses. Finally, we will discuss strategies, resources, and how to have an open, coaching style conversation with students about their STEM courses.
Questions and Collaborations in Transfer Advising
Sharon Hay, Senior Academic Advisor, Students in Transition
Shauna Melvin, Academic Advisor, College of Arts & Sciences
In-person (IMU Sassafras) & Zoom
Transfer students are a unique population with specific advising challenges. Considering the number of new advisors on campus, we believe that many of them, as well as veteran advisors, would benefit from a session on transfer advising best practices that includes some technical tips to look out for as well as some discussion of transfer student transition and connection to campus.
During this session we plan to focus on some concrete take-aways: tips for initial review of transferred courses to make sure they are being applied to the AAR information correctly, discussion of undistributed credits and how to help students navigate the reevaluation process, and where advisors can access some data about their own transfer population. Handouts will be provided with examples and links to help advisors find this information again when they need it. We also plan to review some concepts of a transfer receptive culture and discuss how advisors can play a role in creating a positive receiving environment for this population, to develop awareness of the barriers to success that these students can face. We will review the supports that already exist at IUB for this population so they can help facilitate connections, and we will brainstorm the potential for new supports together. Lastly, we plan to open the discussion for audience feedback of the transfer issues that they have run into and the questions that they have about transfer students. We do not imagine that we will have all the answers but would collect any unanswered questions and concerns for follow up with the appropriate departments. We would like to see this conversation become a steppingstone toward increased collaboration across advising units to the benefit of these students.
Career Coaches Across Campus
This session is sponsored by the Professional Development Committee.
Lisa Hamilton, Career Development Center
Emily Cress, Career Coach, College of Arts and Sciences, Walter Center for Career Achievement
Emily McCord, Associate Director for Professional Community Programs, School of Education
Lisa Hamilton, Career Development Center
Julie James, Kelley Career Services
Joanie Spain, Jacobs School of Music Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development
Facilitated by Ruthie Williamson
IMU Dogwood
Join career coaches from across campus to learn more about how they support students and how we can help students achieve their career related goals.
Make It Make Sense: Rethinking how we communicate the hidden curriculum
Jen Berry, Assistant Director, 21st Century Scholars Program
IMU Walnut
Every August, our scholarship program, like several on campus, holds an orientation program for our incoming first-year and transfer students. After reflecting on our desired learning outcomes to have students feel prepared for starting at our institution, and our current teaching methods of lecturing for 2 hours, I could see an unfortunate mismatch with previous years’ approach of a lecture-style meeting. Despite our best efforts, we were not captivating our audience and therefore ended up doing double work when having to repeat the information later, one on one, in appointments, or drop-ins.
I thought about ways to improve our approach, break down the barriers to learning, and give students an opportunity to get to know our staff more in the process with the hopes of humanizing this process to yield more understanding from students. I came up with the idea of an orientation conference. It was here that we shared pieces of the hidden curriculum that are not only about how to study for class or take notes, but also about how to allow space for individual growth and development as emerging adults, and for learning inside and outside of the classroom to extend that learning academically and interpersonally. Ultimately, this information is broad enough for students to interpret on their own and for their own specific needs as budding professionals.
This session intends to show advisors and other higher education staff members how to develop ways to adjust current approaches to exposing students to the hidden curriculum and help students actually receive the information, connect with it, and find ways to make it work for them. This session is specifically for folks who work with students who are first-generation and/or have low/middle-income backgrounds, and/or come from historically marginalized populations but all are welcome to join and contribute.
