Day 1 - Concurrent Session 3
Re-engage using the Appreciative Advising framework
Presented by: Sarah Ready, Dalhousie
Appreciative Advising is a constructivist way of thinking that provides a theoretical infrastructure and practical framework for advisors to optimize their interaction with students and colleagues in individual and group settings (Bloom, Hutson, & He, 2008). Student Success Advisors at Dalhousie University use this framework in their practice and since the start of the pandemic, advisors have noticed this approach has re-engaged students, as well as supported students in more intentional ways. While advising is in the title, Appreciative Advising is a framework that can be used for anyone who meets with students (or even staff). Through information sharing and small group discussions, this session will allow participants the opportunity to gain a foundational knowledge of Appreciative Advising (which will explore the 6 phases) and identify at least 2 ways they can implement Appreciative Advising into their work.
Canadian Senior Student Affairs Officers Competencies, Issues, Trends & Demographics 2022 Edition
Presented by: Jennifer Browne, Memorial University & Michelle Pidgeon, Simon Fraser University
The findings of a study conducted in 2022 exploring trends, challenges, competencies, and demographics of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) across Canada will be shared. As the Student Affairs profession and students on our campuses evolve, trends and challenges also change. An overview of findings from the professional field, important issues, trends, and changing demographics of SSAOs will be highlighted. With contributions from SSAOs representing both private and public universities and colleges in Canada, the findings provide vital insight into our Student Affairs & Services past, present, and future. Providing a national picture provides an opportunity for SSAOs and all student affairs staff to be aware of critical information that will assist in planning and preparing post-secondary campuses to meet a variety of needs in a diverse portfolio. This research also provides insight into the evolution of the field of Student Affairs in Canada. This project received the AACUSS Research Grant in 2021.
Memorial's Online Record of Experience (MORE): The Student Experience Office and Career Development collaboration
Presented by: Julia Halfyard and Danielle Jackson, Memorial University
Memorial’s Career Development Office (CD) and the Student Experience Office (SEO) are deeply committed to student success. Recognizing the importance of co-curricular campus activities, the CD and the SEO have united to ensure that students who are involved are also meaningfully recognized. Central to the work at the SEO is student leadership, experience, and involvement. Concurrently, CD helps define the interpretation of these valuable experiences. Working closely together, the two units provide students a vehicle through which they can capture their various co-curricular experiences and relevant competencies through programming, reflection, and the online record of experience, MORE. This collaboration between the CD and the SEO help students acknowledge competencies, build confidence, foster success, deepen learning, and reward engagement. Participants of this session will increase their awareness of Memorial’s student experience and Memorial’s Online Record of Engagement (MORE), while discovering, through individual stories, Memorial’s student success.
Pushing Unmute: Listening to CRM Data to Improve Student Success
Presented by: Adam Daniels, Saint Mary’s University & Holly MacDonald, Cape Breton University
During the COVID-19 pandemic, both Cape Breton University (CBU) and Saint Mary’s University (SMU) adopted new customer relationship management (CRM) systems. During this presentation, both institutions will explain the process of onboarding Ellucian CRM Advise and the goals of each for these new systems.
With limited resources and capacity, student affairs professionals must determine where their efforts will have the greatest impact on student success. CBU and SMU will showcase the ways they have used CRM Advise to enhance student engagement, streamline an early assist program, and identify key student populations for proactive outreach. All these activities are designed to improve retention rates by enhancing the student experience. This is not a sales pitch - this session will show both the opportunities and challenges of adopting a new digital tool. This session will be useful for those involved in considering a CRM, those involved in using a CRM, or those interested in exploring the ways student affairs professionals can use student engagement data.