8:24 p.m.
Hello,
Based on the feedback we have gotten from the participants of the 2015-2016 Interest
Groups, the AAC has decided to continue the program for the 2016-2017 year. As a reminder,
the Interest Groups are advisor-lead committees that seek to brainstorm and implement
ideas to improve advising. Each group has a special focus to prevent duplication of
efforts. Ultimately, the number of groups offered will depend on how many advisors sign-up
to participate. We are planning to offer the following four groups for the 2016-2017
year:
* Advisor Experience: Focuses on creating ideal conditions for advisors to improve
recruitment and retention. Potential topics include: training & professional
development, morale & recognition, and competitive compensation.
* Policies & Procedures: Focuses on clarifying policies and improving
procedures. Potential topics include: clarifying catalog or information bulletin policies,
streamlining processes to take as little time as possible and reduce confusion, and
clarifying the roles of different offices in various processes.
* Special Populations: Focuses on how to best serve various student groups.
Potential topics include: Academic Warning/Probation/Dismissal, the "Murky
Middle", 1st-year students, Undeclared students, and 1st-generation students.
* Technology: Focuses on how to best use technology to support advising. Potential
topics include: best practices that promote efficiency/effectiveness, identifying what
advising needs technology to help with, and identifying specific tools or programs that
could best help advising.
You can check the Interest Groups page<http://www.utsa.edu/aac/interestgroups.html>
on the AAC website or the Interest Groups folder (located inside the AAC folder) on the
I:drive for more information about the activities of the groups from the 2015-2016 year.
This is not a mandatory program, but we are hoping to involve as many advisors and centers
as possible. The groups meet monthly after the all-advisor meetings (the first Thursday of
each month) from 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM. Participants will be meeting from 10:30 AM - 12:00
PM after the September 1st all-advisor meeting to discuss the goals, expectations, and
organization of the groups, so please mark your calendars if you are interested in
participating.
Please read the instructions on the signup form carefully so that the form can be
completed successfully. If you are not interested in being a part of some of the groups,
you will need to mark "N/A" for those groups. Also, if you are interested in
being a Chair for a group, there will be an area for you to indicate your interest. When
assigning members to the groups, the AAC will first consider advisor preferences, but they
will also strive to balance center representation between the groups as best as possible.
For the 2015-2016 year, all advisors that participated were placed in either their first
or second choice group.
Interest Groups Signup
Form<https://academicadvisingcouncil.wufoo.com/forms/qb76qba084e3y6/>;. Advisors will
have until 5:00 PM on Friday, August 19th to complete the form.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email Matt Keneson
(matt.keneson@utsa.edu<mailto:matt.keneson@utsa.edu>).
Academic Advising Council
[logo]
Give the AAC feedback:
AAC@utsa.edu<mailto:AAC@utsa.edu>
Anonymous Suggestion
Form<https://academicadvisingcouncil.wufoo.com/forms/m1wyx5bg1vmo1qc/>
AAC Website<http://www.utsa.edu/aac/>
