Co-Chair
Kathryn Jervis
Co-Chair
Emily Meixner
Membership
Background
Academic advising is central to students’ timely progress toward graduation and post-graduation success. TCNJ faces a number of challenges and opportunities in undergraduate advising, including but not limited to a growing number of undeclared and open-option students, a lack of formal guidance for students who find themselves without a major, and disparities within and between programs in faculty and staff advising loads.
Charge
Steering convenes an ad hoc task force to explore, research, identify, and present to the campus community a range of different models for undergraduate academic advising (e.g., faculty-based advising; professional staff-based advising; a mix of faculty- and professional staff-based advising; school-based and institutional based approaches; etc.). The task force’s analysis should be underpinned by consideration of the dimensions of successful undergraduate academic advising (e.g., developmental elements, transactional elements, etc.) and how they are measured.
In its comparative analysis of the different models, the task force should outline the effectiveness of serving all students, resources needed, and advantages and disadvantages for each model. The college needs a model(s) that serves:
- students with declared majors;
- undeclared, open-option, and transfer students;
- students who have left or been dismissed from their original major; and
- students belonging to underrepresented and/or minoritized groups, including first-generation students.
The task force’s analysis should also consider equity in advising loads and responsibilities across offices, programs, and groups of faculty and staff members. The task force’s analysis should also consider models that exist on campus as well as at other institutions of higher education. The task force may also present new or hybrid models at its discretion.
Steering is charging the task force with producing a comparative analysis, not to recommend a model(s).
In completing its charge, the task force should consult widely across campus. At a minimum, the task force should consult with the Council of Deans, Assistant and Associate Deans, Academic Leaders, the Center for Student Success, School/Departmental staff advisors and Program Assistants; the Accessibility Resource Center; the Office of Student Transitions; and a wide variety of student groups that represent various student constituencies. In addition, the task force should consult professional higher education organizations focused on undergraduate academic advising (e.g., NACADA).
At the end of its work, the task force should submit a formal report to Steering as well as prepare a formal presentation to the campus community. The group should elect a co-chair from among the faculty members to serve with the Dean. Minutes of meetings should be submitted to Steering.
Membership: 12 total members: 1 Dean, 4 faculty, 4 staff, 3 students
Meeting Information
Meeting Dates: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, from 1:30pm to 2:50pm
Minutes