Special Programs, Initiatives, Collaborations
The Division of Undergraduate Studies continued to lead the field of academic advising at Penn State and across the nation—contributing to its scholarship and helping to shape and define its future. As indicated below, DUS developed innovative tools, introduced new resources, and sponsored special events in support of the advising mission.
- Academic Advising Fall Conferences
- Each year, the Division hosts a conference on academic advising at Penn State's University Park campus. In 2015 the theme of the conference was “Looking to the Future: The Importance of the Academic Adviser in Higher Education,” which examined the adviser's role in higher education and the importance of diverse and intentional measures that support, uplift, challenge, develop, and analyze the adviser's work, dreams, and growth. [more]
- Academic Advising Noon Seminars
- One way in which the Division of Undergraduate Studies serves the University community is by working to enhance the practice of academic advising. Each semester, the division hosts lunchtime seminars that focus on topics related to this mission. The presentations are open to the University community and provide opportunities for professional development, networking, and discussion. During this reporting period, the following seminars were offered: Meet the University Registrar, Faculty Senate Petitions: What Advisers Need to Know, The Path to LionPATH: Advising Updates, and ALEKS: What Have We Learned about Placement, Remediation, and Performance. [more]
- Academic Information Management and Communication
- DUS supports the University’s academic advising programs through coordination, development, and dissemination of up-to-date information about academic programs, policies, and procedures to the University community. Approved curricular changes inform updates to multiple resources and tools developed and maintained by the division to support students, administrators, and faculty and staff who work with students. Resources include MajorQuest, MinorQuest, Curricular Updates, Entrance-to-Major Requirements, Undergraduate Advising Handbook, Academic Advising Portal, and the College Information Chart. Maintaining these resources and overseeing Penn State’s academic advising information network involves assessing/interpreting University curricular changes to determine appropriate inclusion in DUS’s interactive tools as well as communicating changes to the University community at large.
- ALEKS
- In partnership with the Office for Undergraduate Education, DUS helps to coordinate a University-wide student success initiative for calculus-sequence math courses. As the only unit in the University devoted to managing academic information and to delivering academic advising, DUS is instrumental in administering the ALEKS mathematics placement test to all undergraduate students. During the 2014–2015 academic year, more than 18,000 students completed the mathematics placement assessment. DUS manages the website that instructs students how to prepare for the assessment, interpret their results, and use the review tools provided by ALEKS to improve their scores. This placement initiative is accompanied by systematic enforcement of prerequisites. DUS plays a central role in pre-requisite enforcement by communicating individually with students. Each semester, DUS advisers across the University reach out to students who do not meet course prerequisites, aiding them in enrolling in the appropriate course for their readiness. In preparation for fall 2015, DUS advisers communicated with more than 400 students who were enrolled in courses for which they had not demonstrated readiness and, through intervention steps, reduced the number of students dropped from their courses to 37.
- Discover House
- Currently in its sixteenth year, Discover House provides a special living option designed to help first-year exploratory students investigate academic majors and consider how to make the most of their Penn State experience. Discover House students attended class together in certain sections that foster collaborative learning and establish faculty connections.
In addition to learning about Penn State’s colleges and majors, Discover House students learned about study skills, education abroad, internships, minors, and how to make use of Career Services. They attended many events on campus including the MLK Banquet and events offered by the Center for the Performing Arts, University Resident Theatre, and the Distinguished Speakers Series. Discover House students participated in volunteer service through Fresh Start and the MLK Day of Service, and they had the opportunity to travel to the Newseum in Washington, D.C. where they learned from former Discover House students about the possibilities available to students who explore.
Discover House is becoming a family tradition: Four alums have younger siblings living in the house this year. Former Discover House students who are now Penn State alumni consistently report on the value of their first-year exploratory experiences. Some of their educational journeys and career paths are shared in Student Stories.
- Currently in its sixteenth year, Discover House provides a special living option designed to help first-year exploratory students investigate academic majors and consider how to make the most of their Penn State experience. Discover House students attended class together in certain sections that foster collaborative learning and establish faculty connections.
- General Education Task Force
- The General Education Planning and Oversight Task Force, co-chaired by Janet Schulenberg, Division of Undergraduate Studies associate director for curriculum and technology; Maggie Slattery, Collge of Engineering assistant professor of bioengineering; and Mary Beth Williams, Eberly College of Science professor of chemistry and associate dean of Undergraduate Education,engaged the University community in a year-long discussion of Penn State’s General Education program, examined research on General Education nationally, and made recommendations to enhance student learning in General Education at Penn State. A legislative report proposing enhancements to General Education was presented and passed without amendment at the April 28, 2015 Faculty Senate plenary meeting. The revised curriculum explicitly includes integrative thinking through an Integrative Studies component. If implemented as passed in the legislation, students will have greater flexibility to explore disciplinary interests within their General Education selections.
- The General Education Planning and Oversight Task Force, co-chaired by Janet Schulenberg, Division of Undergraduate Studies associate director for curriculum and technology; Maggie Slattery, Collge of Engineering assistant professor of bioengineering; and Mary Beth Williams, Eberly College of Science professor of chemistry and associate dean of Undergraduate Education,engaged the University community in a year-long discussion of Penn State’s General Education program, examined research on General Education nationally, and made recommendations to enhance student learning in General Education at Penn State. A legislative report proposing enhancements to General Education was presented and passed without amendment at the April 28, 2015 Faculty Senate plenary meeting. The revised curriculum explicitly includes integrative thinking through an Integrative Studies component. If implemented as passed in the legislation, students will have greater flexibility to explore disciplinary interests within their General Education selections.
- Leadership Council
- Members of the division’s student Leadership Council served as DUS ambassadors, helping to promote a positive awareness of the exploratory educational experience and representing, reflecting, and contributing the voice of the exploratory undergraduate student. The council focused on service to DUS and the Penn State community and participated in events such as dean’s meetings, the division’s open house during Penn State’s Parents & Families Weekend, and information/resource sessions provided by DUS to assist students across colleges. [more]
- The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal
- Since January 1999 The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal has served the higher education community as an open, online body of work addressing academic advising practices, research, and discourse. Published on a continual cycle, the journal features topics relevant to the advising community and that further the discussion about advising issues and theories related to student success. Numerous academic advisers across the Penn State system as well as experts in other disciplines contribute to the peer-review, feedback, and publication process. On average, The Mentor drew more than 14,000 page views per month during this reporting period.
- Since January 1999 The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal has served the higher education community as an open, online body of work addressing academic advising practices, research, and discourse. Published on a continual cycle, the journal features topics relevant to the advising community and that further the discussion about advising issues and theories related to student success. Numerous academic advisers across the Penn State system as well as experts in other disciplines contribute to the peer-review, feedback, and publication process. On average, The Mentor drew more than 14,000 page views per month during this reporting period.
- Pre-Law Advising
- For the 2013-2014 admissions cycle, Penn State was tenth in the country for number of applicants to law school. 404 seniors and alumni applied to law school, 317 were accepted to at least one law school and 279 matriculated. The average LSAT score was 152.5 and CGPA was 3.26.
During the 2013-2014 academic year, the pre-law adviser met with 246 students and alumni in individual advising appointments to discuss exploration of law school, selection of schools, likelihood of admission, preparation of strong applications, review of personal statements and to financial aid for school. Pre-Law Advising also offered two different information sessions that ran on alternating weeks, Pre-Law Information Sessions (for first-and second year students who are starting to explore law school) and Applying to Law School Sessions (for upperclassmen who have decided to apply to law school). 148 students attended these information sessions.
In addition, Pre-Law Advising held three workshops during the academic year on Selecting a Law School, Financing Law School and Law School Personal Statement Workshop and coordinated four weekend LSAT preparation courses.
- For the 2013-2014 admissions cycle, Penn State was tenth in the country for number of applicants to law school. 404 seniors and alumni applied to law school, 317 were accepted to at least one law school and 279 matriculated. The average LSAT score was 152.5 and CGPA was 3.26.
- Starfish Enterprise Success Platform Implementation
- During remarks to University administrators on Oct. 21, Executive Vice President and Provost Nicholas P. Jones introduced the Starfish® Enterprise Success Platform™, a Hobson, Inc., suite of advising tools selected by Penn State to integrate with LionPATH and replace current ISIS and eLion advising features that deliver advising notes, early progress reports, and online scheduling of advising appointments. An implementation team under the leadership of David Smith, associate dean for advising and executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies, will plan and deliver Starfish (to include its Early Alert, Connect, and Advising solutions) as it replaces eLion and college-hosted advising system tools and complements LionPATH’s Advisor Center. [more]
- Student Programming
- Throughout the year, DUS planned and presented or collaborated with other offices/colleges to provide valuable academic-information sessions on specific topics for students enrolled in the division as well as for undergraduate students across colleges. These programs included the annual International Student Ice Cream Social; College Fair; Business Majors Night; Study Smarter, Not Harder; Ask an Adviser; and Scheduling Basics sessions. DUS continues to develop new initiatives to welcome, assist, and guide students through the exploratory process and toward academic success.
- Undergraduate Advising Handbook
- For more than forty years Penn State’s Undergraduate Advising Handbook has provided comprehensive advising information to the University community. In 2000 the hard copy was discontinued and it was fully converted to an online resource. This year in the thorough and ongoing review processes, thousands of updates have been made to reflect ever-changing policies and procedures. More than a hundred reviewers in offices throughout the University ensure the accuracy of the handbook. This year the handbook received 781,352 page views from readers around the world.