University Academic
Advising Committee

West Chester University

Contact Info
Dr. Joanne Conlon, Chair
610-436-3505
advising@wcupa.edu


Academic Advising at WCU: An Overview

Mandate: the CBA agreed upon by APSCUF and PASSHE indicates that:

  • academic advising is the role of the faculty
  • it may be appropriate for the universities to assign other personnel (non-faculty) to perform some tasks often associated with academic advising (in cooperation with the faculty advisors and dept. chair)
    • student course scheduling and registration
    • informing students of degree, major field, distribution and track requirements
    • assisting in the implementation of academic advisor's recommendations
    • problem solving in scheduling conflicts
    • assisting students in gaining access to recommended courses

CBA page 83 (PDF)

       University Academic Advising Committee Responsibilities

  

     1.  Promote a mission, vision, and values statement for academic advising at West

          Chester University seeking input from various campus constituencies and

          developing ways to build support for effective advising across the University.

      2.  Develop, coordinate, and implement data collection tools for academic advising

           that would include an assessment of: effectiveness of infrastructures and delivery

           systems at the College/Department level; student needs, expectations, and

           satifaction with services; advising processes for first-year students (during

           summer/August and into the first-year) and Advisor effectiveness.

      3. To close the loop of collecting data and actually using the results, the Committee

           will review academic advising assessment information on an ongoing basis to

           make recommendations to senior-level administrators (e.g. Provost, Associate

           Provost, College Deans, President) and appropriate campus groups (e.g. Retention

           Committee, CAPC,  APSCUF, F aculty Senate) on best practices and strategies to

           improve academic advising.

     4.  Provide professional development opportunities for faculty on academic advising

          with an emphasis on best practices.

Goals for 2011-2012

     1.  In consultation with the Office of Institutional Research, conduct data collection of

          student needs, expectations, and satisfaction of advising, in addition to examining if

          students have preference of advising processes and how these services are provided.

     2.  Review the Advisor Effectiveness Survey pilot program for this year and develop

          ideas/strategies that might be communicated to APSCUF for consideration in making

          this an ongoing activity.

     3.  Continue to offer faculty professional development opportunities through workshops,

          distribution of resources, and working directly with Departmental Academic Advising

          Liaisons who have been appointed as a linkage to the Committee.  

     4. Develop and implement a student led Advisor Recognition program.

        

Advising Resources

  1. UAAC
  2. Primer for New Faculty Advisors
  3. Campus Referral Sources
  4. Advising Resources
  5. Advising Syllabus Template
  6. Advising Transfer Students