Starting with Admission, the first day that the prospect student visit our facility, we introduce them to the career service, financial aid, faculty staff, directors. At orientation day they will get to know all the staff, we welcome the student and we let them know that our doors are open all the time for any question they may have. We also have a meeting evry week to talk about the new students. If the instructors notice something wrong with student will come to the office and we get together to find a solution. We really care about our student starting from the maintenance employees to the Director of the Campus.
Hopefully students quickly get the message about attendance and the need for calls goes down to zero by the time they graduate, Shanika.
Jennifer, do you have any trouble recruiting Lamp Lighters? How much time per week does a student volunteer put in?
Our school has mentor program, student feedback surveys, suggestion boxes, tutoring and office hours dedicated to students and we have student success coordinator dedicated to helping students find jobs
I agree Ralph. One of the principles that we as educators should be instilling in our students is personal responsibility. Most of these are going directly into the workforce and need to understand that employers are not required, and most likely will not, call to find out why you didn't show up on the first day.
We establish Lamp Lighters in which students who have demonstrated an understanding of particular subjects volunteer to be available for other students within the program who may be struggling in this particular subject area. This helps facilitate a community or connectedness within the program as well as helps the student with higher education.
When they are in their final weeks of school, before they go to clinicals, they are encouraged to take advantage of open lab time before and after class. Quite often 2-3 come before and 2-4 more stay after for practice.
Angela, how often do students actually take advantage of this? Do you suggest students come early or stay late? If so, how do they respond?
Our instructors are available and willing to meet with students to practice lab skills before or after class.
They are primarily part of student services, but all departments are expected to do their share. I have no input on who is selected.
Jeannette, have you found the calls to be effective in impacting behavior?
How much time does admissions team spend with an individual student during the first four weeks, Kristine? Is the point of contact their rep or someone else from the team? Has this been effective? Does the faculty appreciate the efforts?
Thank you for the extra background information, Brian. Unfortunately, even though this information has been around for decades, it isn't widely understood and applied.
Erin, are these people part of the student services department or imbedded within the academic departments? What qualifications do you look for in the advocates?
A phone cal lis also made to our students to follow through. I stronlgy feel it is the responsibility of the student but that we also need to be able to help our students learning this importance. Also making these calls to find out why they are not showing up , helps us in helping future students.
Our school practices many layers of commitment from the Admissions Team. For example, each new student has a 28 day provisional period during which they must maintain an 80% attendance rate in each course. During this period, the student is extensively monitored and coached by his admissions rep, the Director of Student Services, and his program director. The program director meets personally with the student during week 1 and then does an in-depth advising session with the student during week 3. As for the remainder of the student population, attendance is checked daily by the Director of Student Services and program directors and each student is contacted.
Good section on the impact of stress. FYI: Hans Selye first published his findings on GAS for public consumption in the 1950s "The Stress of Life" while his research on the subject began in the 1930s.
Our institution is excellent with school commitment. We have liasons between the faculty and students who act as student advocates. They ensure the students are taken care of emotionally and physically. For example, if there is a need for job interview clothes, they make sure they have what they need to make a good impression.
Scott, is the academic dean the one responsible for making the calls?
Whose responsibility is it to initiate the counseling, Alexandra? Do you keep notes about the discussions?
