Beginning in October, first-time ACC students who do not already have a degree will be required to participate in group advising, instead of an individual advising session.
ACC Group Planning Sessions (GPS) will allow students to meet other students with similar majors or degree goals while obtaining comprehensive and up-to-date information on topics such as tutoring and support services. The sessions come after a student has taken the TSI Assessment or verified they are exempt from TSI requirements.
“Group advising will allow us to efficiently convey more information to more students,” says Kathleen Christensen, vice president of student services. “In addition to connecting with others with similar degree plans, students likely will get answers to questions they otherwise may not have thought to ask.”
GPS will be offered year-round, with additional sessions during peak enrollment times. Student Services will determine the days and times of the sessions based on student need. The two-hour sessions will accommodate up to 15 students and will be led by ACC advisors and counselors.
Students will be “moved to student” during the session and can register for classes when their registration date arrives.
Individual advising will be available to current students, as well as to those who have completed a college degree, or to new students who request individual advising after attending a GPS.
GPS schedules by campus will be listed on the Student Services webpage. Students will be able to sign up online, or at any campus Assessment Center or Welcome Center for Advising and Counseling. Updates about processes will be posted on the faculty/staff webpage as they develop.
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By Joanne Keeley September 9, 2013 - 10:28 am
Hi Kathleen and all…good news article.
Am trying to get a handle, though, on how the GPS will go:
10 min. – introductions
60 min. minimum – presentation
75 min. advising for 15 students at only 5 min each!!!
Total = 145 min.
I don’t think you can do any advising in 5 min….at least not of any value, especially for developmental or transfer (either in or out) students. Even if the students are exempt or complete, it is highly unlikely that they have ever looked at a/their degree plan. If we did only 10 min., it would take 220 min. total, or three and a half hours. While the two advisors are advising one student each, all the others are just waiting. They don’t have the advantage of seeing the next staff member (counselor/advisor) who might be available at that time. And there is certainly more than an hour’s worth of info in the presentation, even if we raced through it with no discussion.
Please help me see how this is feasible and what strategies we might use to fit all the activities into two hours. If those strategies are out there, I don’t think anyone has seen them yet. So any help is appreciated.
By Eva Thomsen September 10, 2013 - 11:37 am
Thanks for the feedback Joanne. We will be addressing questions like these in the next few weeks. Group Advising is on the Counseling Meeting agenda this week. I hope you can participate.