Student Success Advising/Undeclared Majors: (Target Start Date: Spring 2013)

Academic advising is widely recognized as playing a pivotal role in student retention. Numerous studies on institutional characteristics contributing to attrition and retention cite academic advising as one of three retention practices responsible for the greatest contributions to retention in four-year public colleges. The Student Success Advisor will address and provide the technical aspects of advisement to undeclared student by providing one-on-one assistance to students to develop an overall academic plan that will include goals related to both academic instruction and overall student success. The advisor will collaborate with departmental faculty and staff to work closely with students in establishing academic majors and exploring potential career options during the freshman year instead of delaying this exploration until closer to matriculation. The overall goals of Academic Advising are:

• Foster a positive educational experience for all students that leads to declaring a major and ultimately to matriculation
• Facilitate high quality advising throughout University departments
  
• Provide advising training resources and programs faculty and staff and participate in new faculty orientations
• Create an advising handbook to serve as a primary campus resource that would provide advising guidelines, policies, and establish advisor/advisee expectations

Game Plan for Life (Target Start Date: Spring 2013)

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. The Student Success Center will develop a “Game Plan for Life” that enables students to map out their future, including defining interests, deciding on what to major and determining where they see themselves in 5-10 years. The game plan begins with the end in mind. Goals include:

• Aid students in creating a ‘game plan’ for success
• Support students in identifying short term and long-term goal
• Assist students in determining achievable steps for success