College of Liberal Arts Student Divisionliberalarts.utexas.edu/student-affairs/_files/pdf/Annual...STUDENT SERVICES Academic Advising 3 Peer Advising 3 University Forms 4 College Forms

College of Liberal ArtsStudent Division

Annual Report 2008-09

STUDENT SERVICES Academic Advising 3

Peer Advising 3University Forms 4

College Forms 4Miscellaneous Forms 5

EVENTS & PROGRAMSCommencement 7

Dean’s Distinguished Graduates 7Gone to Texas 8

Family Weekend 8Undergraduate Research 8

Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program 9

COMMITTEESAcademic Intervention Committee 11

FIG Committee 11Graduation Certification Committee 11

Orientation Committee 12Policy and Procedure Committee 12

Publications Committee 12Student-Athlete Certification Committee 13

SummerStart Committee 13Undeclared Student Development Committee 13

Veterans’ Affairs Certification Committee 14Web Oversight Committee 14

OUTREACH & STUDENT ORGANIZATIONSLiberal Arts Texas Interdisciplinary Plan Scholars 16

LAUNCH 16Liberal Arts Council 17

Prospective Student Committee 17Telluride Association Summer Program 17

Student Organization Funding Requests 18Short-Term Special Outreach Projects 18

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTTraining Committee and Training Coordinator 20

Other Professional Development Activities 21

STUDENT DIVISION STAFFAll Staff 23

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Message from the Associate Dean for Student AffairsOver the past year, the Student Division has continued its tradition of hard work and overall excellence in serving our students. As in years past, the Student Division staff met with students over 14,000 times, served on numerous committees, coordinated some of the college’s most important events, and maintained a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork throughout. In short, it was a good year

for the Student Division.

This year’s annual report provides a synopsis of the many activities undertaken by the division over the past year. The first part of the report provides an overview of the students seen by the division and the forms processed. Because Liberal Arts is the largest college in the university, the Student Division advisors and staff work with thousands of students every semester. This portion of the report provides more detail about those interactions.

With the high volume of student traffic seen by staff in the division, it would seem that all the advisors do is work directly with students. Yet, as discussed in the next section of the report, division advisors and staff also serve on numerous committees related to student functions. Some of the committees, such as Graduation Certification, are essential for the functioning of the college. Others focus their attention on enhancing our students’ educational experiences.

The Student Division also spends a great deal of time on other activities such as working with student organizations, meeting with prospective students, and undertaking professional development. The remainder of the report outlines these many activities and the effect they have on the college.

I am happy to provide this report to the university community and friends of the college to provide a better sense of what we do here in the Student Division. Thank you for taking the time to review the report and learn more about us.

Marc A. MusickAssociate Dean for Student Affairs

STUDENT SERVICESThe Student Division assists

undergraduate Liberal Arts students as walk-ins, by appointment, and over

the phone on a variety of issues pertaining to their academic career.

Academic Advising

The primary role of the Student Division is to advise students on course selection, graduation procedures, general appeals, and other academic and non-academic matters.

Activities over the Past Year

Given the variety of reasons that students come to Student Division advisors, it is not surprising that the advisors see so many students over the course of the academic year. In 2008-09, the advisors had about 13,000 student visits. With this volume of student traffic, it is likely that Student Division advisors in Liberal Arts see more students than any advising office on campus.

While the Student Division is primarily available to serve Liberal Arts students who have not declared majors, this group of students comprises only 33.9% of visits. The remainder of students came from a variety of different majors, most of which are in Liberal Arts. Seniors are the largest group of students the Student Division sees, making up 39% of visits, just over 5,000.

The Student Division sees a large number of students from many different academic backgrounds, necessitating a broad knowledge base and skill set. Yet, even with this large amount of traffic and variety of issues, Student Division advisors consistently advised their students well and received very positive feedback from them as a result.

Although Student Division advisors are focused on advising students, on both a walk-in and appointment basis, only about half of their time is focused on this piece of their job. The other half of the time, the advisors’ focus revolves around committee duties and programmatic obligations.

Peer Advising

The Student Division peer advisors are the first point of contact for visitors to the Gebauer Building. Although their primary duties are to assist students, their desk serves as a central point for the Liberal Arts community of current students, prospective and returning students, faculty, and alumni.

PEER ADVISORS

Kiira Bivens Michelle Lee

Miriam Chan Janette Martinez

Justyna Charytoniuk Kristin Mitchell

Sarah Herndon Dean Pham

Caitlin James Lindsey Schmidt

Jessica Kramm Meredith Zern


The peer advisors work as a team with the dean’s advising suite to screen students, schedule appointments, answer basic questions, and process college and university student documents. In addition, the peers are the starting point for an ever-evolving spectrum of inquires regarding the college and university. From assisting departmental staff and faculty with policy and procedure, to providing general university information to parents, to showing students how to use the online registration system, our peer advisors respond to a broad range of needs.

In the 2008-09 academic year, three peer advisors were hired and trained to replace others who had graduated.

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UNIVERSITY FORMS

Add-Drop for Undergraduate Students

Number processed: 2,618

Students wishing to add or drop a class during certain periods before the midsemester deadline must use this form. To add a class, students must get departmental approval as well as have the form processed in the Student Division. To drop a class, students must get the approval of the instructor, and occasionally an advisor. Once all authorizations are given, the peer advisors send the form to the Registrar’s Office.

Addition or Deletion of a Simultaneous Major within The University of Texas at Austin

Number processed: 968

Any currently enrolled students seeking to add or delete a second major must use this form. Peer advisors consult with students and review student records to determine eligibility, then they fill out this form to send to the Registrar’s Office.

Transfer from One Undergraduate College or School to Another within The University of Texas at Austin


Students wishing to transfer from another college to Liberal Arts must fill out this form. Forms are automatically processed for students who have at least a 2.0 grade point average and fewer than 60 hours or four full-time semesters at the university. Other students must consult with an advisor or appeal to have their forms processed. Once a form has been approved, peer advisors complete the form and send it to the Registrar’s Office.

Updates to Student Academic Record

Number processed: Over 2,000

These forms are submitted to the student’s college when a final grade is changed due to an error or when a student finishes the work for a course in which that student received a grade of X (incomplete). The Student Division verifies that the grade change meets university rules. If approved, the form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office for final processing. If denied, the form is returned to the instructor with an explanation as to why the grade change was denied.

Withdrawal/Cancellation of Registration


This form is used to withdraw students from the current semester or to cancel their registration for the upcoming semester. If the student initiates the paperwork by the deadline, peer advisors consult with the student and fill out this form to send to the Registrar’s Office. Students wanting to initiate the paperwork after the deadline may be directed to the appeals process.

COLLEGE FORMS

Appeals


Students who are seeking exceptions to university or Liberal Arts policies have the right to file appeals with the associate dean of student affairs.

Appeals, along with any necessary supporting documentation, are submitted at the peer advisor counter and distributed to advisors for processing. Student records and advising notes are reviewed and if the appeal clearly meets or does not meet stated policies, the advisor makes the decision as a proxy for the associate dean for student affairs. In cases that are less clear, the advisor may contact the student, instructors, or other campus offices for more information. These appeals are then taken to a weekly meeting attended by the associate dean for student affairs and the rest of the Student Division staff where they are discussed and evaluated. The associate dean for student affairs makes the final decisions on all appeals.

Of the 474 appeals filed...

160 were for students appealing their scholastic dismissal.

96 were requests for retroactive withdrawals.

73 were requests to drop a class after the midsemester

deadline.

70 were requests for a course load reduction.

21 were requests for course drops with a tuition

refund (delete drops).

16 were requests for retroactive Q-drops.

9 were requests to change the grading status of a

course (pass/fail to/from letter grade status) after the deadline.

29 were for miscellaneous requests.

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Auto Q-Drop


Between the 13th and 20th class days students may drop a class with the associate dean’s approval. Peer and academic advisors serve as dean’s proxy to approve these forms and make the change in the office.

Pass/Fail


From the 13th class day through the mid-semester deadline, students can change the grading basis on a class to/from a letter grade and pass/fail. Peer and academic advisors serve as dean’s proxy to approve these forms and make the change in the office.

Petitions for Degree Modification


Students who are seeking exceptions to degree requirements submit a Petition for Degree Modification form to the associate dean for academic affairs. If the exception pertains to general requirements (unless it is in the new university core, which is handled in another unit), the form is routed directly to the academic dean. Exceptions to major or minor requirements must also have the approval of the major’s faculty advisor.

Walk List


Seniors who wish to participate in the graduation ceremony in a semester other than the one they are certified to graduate in may alert the college and have their names put in the program by getting on the walk list. They fill out the forms with peer or academic advisors who then add them to the electronic list.

MISCELLANEOUS FORMS

Tuition Rebate


The Student Division is responsible for verifying and certifying eligibility for tuition rebates. Undergraduates may be eligible for a tuition rebate of up to $1,000 at graduation if they have attempted no more than three semester hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for their degree. Students must apply for a tuition rebate during the semester in which they plan to graduate. Once the student’s eligibility for the rebate has been researched, students are informed of their status, and the approved tuition rebate forms are forwarded to the Office of Tuition and Fee Billing for final processing.

B-On-Time Loan


The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board set up the B-On-Time loan program, which allows qualifying students to have part of their student loans forgiven. Students who qualify generally graduate from the university within four years and have an overall GPA of 3.0. The Student Division verifies that students meet the qualifications and forwards their forms to the Registrar’s Office.

Dean’s Recommendation Letters


Students frequently need certification of their academic status from the Dean’s Office for graduate and professional school applications. The basic letter informs the recipient of the student’s GPA, enrollment status, graduation status, and any academic honors the student may have received. The letter may also include any scholastic or disciplinary action taken against the student.

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Dean's Recommendation Request Form

Student Name __________________________________________UT EID ______________________

Phone _________________________________________________Date ________________________

Current Address _____________________________________________________________________

Please complete the address information and specific mailing instructions for each recommendation letter requested. You must sign the authorization part of this form before any academic information can be released. Please allow at least two weeks for processing. We can make no special exceptions to this processing date.

All requests will be processed in the order received. Thank you.

I hereby authorize The University of Texas at Austin to release any information for the Student Division of the College of Liberal Arts to prepare a dean's letter of good standing or to complete the attached recommendation form(s) for the school(s) or program(s) listed below.

Signature_______________________________________UT EID____________________________

_____Mail Direct to School _____Student will pick up _____Return to student in envelope provided

School Deadline Date:___________________Is a special recommendation form provided? Yes______No______

Addressee__________________________________________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

City____________________________________________State_______________Zip______________________ _____Mail Direct to School _____Student will pick up _____Return to student in envelope provided

School Deadline Date:___________________Is a special recommendation form provided? Yes______No______

Addressee__________________________________________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

City____________________________________________State_______________Zip______________________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY: Cumulative UT GPA________GPA Hours________Currently Enrolled? Yes/No

Major_________________ Graduate? Yes/No Date______________ Scholastic Action? Yes/No

Disciplinary Action: Yes/No DOS clearance obtained w/in 6 weeks? Yes/No Dean's List: Yes/No

If yes, list all semesters student appears on Dean's List in Liberal Arts only: _________ ________

_________ _________ __________ ________ _________ _________ ________ Notice Concerning Your Information The Texas Public Information Act, with a few exceptions, gives you the right to be informed about the information that The University of Texas at Austin collects about you. It also gives you the right to request a copy of that information and to have the University correct any of that information that is wrong. You may request to receive and review any of that information, or request corrections to it, by contacting the University's Public Information Officer, Office of Financial Affairs, PO Box 8179, Austin, Texas, 78713 (email: [email protected]).

VNK 2/5/07

PETITION FOR DEGREE MODIFICATION

The University of Texas at Austin

College of Liberal Arts, Student Division 1 University Station, GEB 2.200, G6100

Austin, Texas 78712

Name: UT EID: E-mail: Telephone: Signature & Date: Major(s)/Minor(s):

INSTRUCTIONS: • Complete Step One and Step Two below.

• Submit this petition form and accompanying items to the office/address above.

• Contact the Student Division at (512) 471-4271 or GEB 2.200 for petition decision. Please allow two weeks for

processing.

• Initial here to authorize the Student Division to release the petition decision to you via telephone: STEP ONE: To be completed by student. Attach a course description/syllabus for any substitution requests.

Course: Title:

Unique #: Semester & Year:

Request:

Remarks:

STEP TWO: Obtain a recommendation from the appropriate department. Petitions involving requirements in the

major or minor require an evaluation by your major department (Chair/Director or designated faculty advisor).

Recommended Approval or Denial:

Remarks:

Printed Name: Department:

Signature: Date: STEP THREE: Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will approve or deny the petition.

Petition Decision: Initials:

Dean's Signature: Date: Notice Concerning Your Information The Texas Public Information Act, with a few exceptions, gives you the right to be informed about the information that The University of Texas at Austin collects about you. It also gives you the right to request a copy of that information and to have the University correct any of that information that is wrong. You may request to receive and review any of that information, or request corrections to it, by contacting the University's Public Information Officer, Office of Financial Affairs, PO Box 8179, Austin, Texas, 78713 (email: [email protected]).

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN Application for Tuition Rebate

Name ________________________________________________________________________________ UTEID ___________________________

Expected date of graduation (month and year) _________ / _________

General Information

An undergraduate may be eligible for a tuition rebate of up to $1,000 at graduation if the student meets the following eligibility requirements.

The student must not have been enrolled at any institution of higher education before the fall semester 1997. 1. Did you enroll at any institution of higher education before fall 1997? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES NO

2. Have you earned a bachelor’s degree prior to this degree? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES NO

The student must have attempted* no more than three semester hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for the degree. 3. Have you attempted more than three hours beyond the minimum number of hours required to complete your degree? . . . . . . . . YES NO

If yes: 3a. Did you exceed the minimum required hours due only to a study abroad class? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES NO

The student must have graduated within four years for a four-year degree and within five years for a five-year degree.4. If you enrolled in an institute of higher education for the first time in Fall 2005 or later, did you take longer than four years to earn a

four-year degree or five years to earn a five-year degree? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES NO N/A

The student must have been a Texas resident and must have been eligible to pay resident tuition at all times while pursuing the degree. 5. At any time while you were pursuing this degree, did you hold nonresident status in Texas or pay nonresident tuition in Texas? YES NO

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not eligible for a tuition rebate according to Section 54.0065 of the Texas Education Code.

If you answered yes to question 3 but you are submitting additional documentation, you may submit an application for a rebate.

If you answered yes to question 3a., you are NOT eligible for the Tuition Rebate, however, you may be eligible for an institutional award of

$1,000. When submitting the rebate form, check the box below indicating your interest in this institutional award.

□ I am interested in the institutional award.

• If a review of your records indicates that you are eligible for a tuition rebate, your rebate will be reduced by the amount of any outstanding

student loans, including emergency loans, owed to or guaranteed by the State of Texas.

• If you paid UT Austin less than $1,000 in tuition, you may qualify for an increase in the amount of your rebate, not to exceed $1,000, by

providing proof of tuition paid to other Texas institutions of higher education. To apply for an increase, attach fee bills to this application that

show institution, semester, fee amount paid, fee payment date, and method of payment (e.g., cash, check, loan, scholarship, credit card).

• Your rebate, less amounts credited to outstanding student loans, will be mailed within sixty days following graduation to your permanent

address as maintained by the Office of the Registrar. You may update your permanent address at http://www.registrar.utexas.edu/services/

or by writing or coming in person to the Office of the Registrar. If you have a direct deposit authorization on file with Student Accounts

Receivable, the rebate will be deposited into your bank account.

• This application for a rebate of tuition will apply to the degree and graduation date indicated on this form. If your proposed degree or date

of graduation changes, you must file a new application for a rebate.

* “Hours attempted” means all the courses you have undertaken, including courses you took at another college or university; courses you failed; courses you repeated; courses you dropped or withdrew from after the official enrollment count for the term was taken; developmental courses that you took for credit; and internship and cooperative education courses. If you earned credit by exam, the first nine hours are not counted toward your hours attempted, but hours beyond the first nine are counted. If you took a course to meet an ROTC requirement and the course was not also required for your degree, the course is not included in hours attempted.

If you dropped or withdrew from a course after the twelfth class day in the fall or spring or the fourth class day in the summer for reasons that were totally beyond your control, the course will not be included in hours attempted. To ask that a course be excluded from hours attempted, explain the reasons that you dropped or withdrew from it on a separate page; you must also attach documentation to support your reasons.Notice Concerning Your Information

The Texas Public Information Act, with a few exceptions, gives you the right to be informed about the information that The University of Texas at Austin collects about you. It also gives you the right to request a copy of that information and to have the university correct any of that information that is wrong. You may request to receive and review any of that information, or request corrections to it, by contacting the university’s Public Information Officer, Office of Financial Affairs, PO Box 8179, Austin, TX 78713 (e-mail: [email protected]). MC 11/17/09

College of Liberal Arts APPEAL TO RETURN FROM SECOND DISMISSAL

Name: UT EID:

E-mail: Telephone:

Returning Semester: Fall Spring Summer Year:

Students should use this form when they have sat out the entire term of their second scholastic dismissal or when they have sat out at least two long semesters and raised their GPA to a 2.0. If the appeal is approved, the dismissal will remain on record; students will return to the university on scholastic probation regardless of current GPA. INSTRUCTIONS

For students returning after the entire term of the dismissal:

• In an attached document, please describe what contributed to your academic situation leading up to the seconddismissal and how you have resolved these issues.

• Describe what you have been doing since you last attended the university, why you want to return, what your intended major is, and how you plan to complete your degree.

For students appealing to return early after having met the conditions stated in the box above:

• In an attached document, please explain what led to your success in raising your GPA and how you intend to maintain or improve upon the 2.0.

For all students:

• Submit this appeal form and your statement to the Student Division. Appeals may be hand delivered to GEB 2.200, faxed to 512-471-5393, or mailed to

The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts, Student Division 1 University Station, G6100 Austin, TX 78712-0580

• You will be notified of the decision online via a Secure Academic Note. Please allow two weeks for processing.

• If your appeal is approved, you must also complete the Application for Undergraduate Readmission by the deadline listed on bealonghorn.utexas.edu. In addition, you will be required to meet with the college’s associate dean for student affairs prior to your return.

CONDITIONS

Please check the boxes to indicate that you understand and agree to the terms.

I understand that approval of this appeal will not remove the dismissal from my record.

I understand that I will return to the university on scholastic probation, regardless of my current GPA, and will be subject to a third and final dismissal if I do not meet the terms of my SUCCESS agreement.

Signature: Date:

By my signature, I affirm that all statements and documents I submit in support of my appeal are true and correct.

Appeal Decision: Advisor’s Initials: Eligibility:

Dean’s Signature: Date:

EVENTS & PROGRAMSThe Student Division is responsible for

the development, planning, and execution of many college-wide student events

and programs. Most Liberal Arts events are part of larger university events and

therefore require a great deal of preparation and coordination.

Commencement

The fall Liberal Arts commencement ceremony includes all Liberal Arts majors, of which there are over 50. In the spring, the main Liberal Arts commencement is held in addition to seven major specific ceremonies.


Each long semester, the Student Division processes graduation applications and walk list requests (for students who want to participate in the ceremony, but aren’t actually graduating that semester). These students make up the potential commencement ceremony participants in Liberal Arts; and while every student can participate in the ceremony, about

half do.

Although the college works with undergraduates, for the second year in a row, Liberal Arts agreed to absorb the graduate student ceremony into its fall commencement ceremony while Graduate Studies’ usual commencement location was under construction. This

added a challenge to the commencement committee as they needed to review what they had learned the previous year about the traditions and expectations around the awarding of master’s and doctoral degrees. The committee reevaluated the changes made in the previous year and improved upon the hooding ceremony, changed the stage setup, and created separate check-in rooms for graduates and undergraduates.

In the fall...

819 undergraduates applied to graduate57 undergraduates were added to the walk list15 graduate students requested to participate in the ceremony 891 total possible participants

The Student Division mailed 1,767 letters to participants and their families regarding official commencement information.

In the spring...

1,777 undergraduates applied to graduate386 undergraduates were added to the walk list2,163 total possible participants in all eight Liberal Arts commencement ceremonies

The Student Division mailed 4,326 letters to participants and their families regarding official commencement information.

It takes a high level of support from Liberal Arts staff, faculty, and administration to create a successful commencement. The dean, all three associate deans, and one assistant dean attended both fall and spring ceremonies. In addition, 112 faculty members participated in the fall commencement ceremony and 74 in the spring main Liberal Arts commencement ceremony.

And finally, it is the staff behind the scenes that coordinate the details and logistics necessary to make commencement a success. Twenty-three Dean’s Office and seven departmental staff members volunteered to work at the fall commencement ceremony; nineteen Dean’s Office and ten departmental staff members volunteered to work at the spring main Liberal Arts commencement ceremony.

Dean’s Distinguished Graduates

The Dean’s Distinguished Graduates program was established in 1980. Each May since then, 12 graduates are selected on the basis of high achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service to the college. Students are nominated by their departments. A committee made up of faculty and staff reviews each nomination. After the committee gives its recommendations, the dean chooses the 12 students who will be designated Dean’s Distinguished Graduates for that year.


A dedicated committee was assembled to review and recommend the Dean’s Distinguished Graduates for May 2009:

Hector Dominguez-Ruvalcaba, Professor, Spanish and • Portuguese

Allen MacDuffie, Professor, English•

Cynthia Gladstone, Academic Advisor, Latin American • Studies

Marc Musick, Associate Dean for Student Affairs•

J.E. St. Lawrence, Information Analyst, Office of the • Dean

Robert Josephs, Professor, Psychology•

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In the spring, Liberal Arts hosted a luncheon for the Dean’s Distinguished Graduates to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments. It was attended by students and families, faculty, committee members, and deans. The college invited two Dean’s Distinguished Graduate alumni, Howard Nirken and Bianca Flores, to be the featured speakers. During the luncheon Dean Diehl presented each student with a Dean’s Distinguished Graduates’ medallion and a framed certificate.

Each student was also recognized at the Honor’s Day reception and during the May commencement ceremony.

Gone to Texas

Gone to Texas is an annual student welcome event occurring the evening before fall classes commence. Each college hosts a specific event early in the evening followed by the centrally located university event.


Attendance at Gone to Texas has been ballooning in previous years but has finally reached an even balance with attendance routinely hovering at a little over 1,000 students. Guests enjoyed a barbecue dinner and listened to live music provided by classic country band Run of the Mill. Liberal Arts Council helped out with 12 of their members in attendance to assist with setup and mingle with new students; 41 volunteers from the Dean’s Office and Liberal Arts departments helped with a variety of tasks, including handing out t-shirts, visiting with students, running check-in, and taking photographs. The Student Division Advising Office, Liberal Arts Career Services, UTeach-Liberal Arts, and ROTC hosted information tables for the students. In addition, the college invited student organizations to host their own information tables at the event; the Texas Economics Association, German Club, Phi Chi Theta, LAUNCH, and Liberal Arts Council all participated.

Family Weekend

Family Weekend is an annual fall event hosted by the Parents’ Association of The University of Texas at Austin in partnership with the colleges on campus. Parents and family members of all students are invited to visit campus for a weekend and

learn about their student’s academic life, college resources, and Austin.


The weekend’s events began Friday evening with a reception hosted by the Liberal Arts Parents’ League. The reception was held at the historic Littlefield House and attended by families, students, faculty members, and Liberal Arts Council members.

The next morning, the college hosted a casual breakfast where families enjoyed tacos and fruit while visiting with each other. Throughout the morning, families could attend classes taught by distinguished Liberal Arts faculty.

Families were also invited to learn about various Liberal Arts services and offices through presentations on study abroad opportunities, Liberal Arts Honors, Liberal Arts Career Services, and UTeach-Liberal Arts. Information tables were available throughout the morning on advising, study abroad, and career services.

Some of the classes offered at Family Weekend 2008:

The Vampire in Slavic CulturesThomas Garza, Associate Professor, Slavic and Eurasian StudiesOver 800 years before Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, the word “vampire” first appears in a medieval Russian text. Through a discussion of Slavic literature and film, we will trace the place of the vampire in Russian and Eastern European cultures, and how it connects to our own vampire stories today.

How Americans Choose Presidents Bruce Buchanan, Professor, GovernmentWe will discuss the issues that have been most important in explaining whether John McCain or Barack Obama is ahead on November 1, just three days before the election. Among the potential explanations: campaign strategies, candidate qualifications, and unexpected “momentum shifters” like panic on Wall Street or foreign policy crises.

When Absolutes Collide Sheldon Ekland-Olson, Professor, SociologyTwo imperatives claim to be universally accepted: 1) Life is sacred and should be protected; 2) Suffering once detected should be alleviated. No society has ever been found where these principles have been absent. So then, how do communities go about justifying the violation of these imperatives thought to be universally binding?

Undergraduate Research

Liberal Arts students may participate in research as undergraduates in two ways: they can pursue their own research or they can assist a faculty member with his/her ongoing research. Thus, a student may approach research independently without any formal supervision or a student may conduct research for class credit under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

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In its ongoing effort to centralize and organize information on undergraduate research, the Student Division continued to investigate undergraduate research opportunities college-wide to better understand how these opportunities are offered. A student worker was hired to collect information on how each department operates and what they offer to undergraduate researchers. The student also looked into other colleges at the university to evaluate how other systems work on campus. In addition, the student investigated the undergraduate research program structures at other peer institutions. One of the most interesting results of her inquiries was that the unstructured, and often unorganized, nature of undergraduate research programming is not a problem unique to Liberal Arts or indeed, the university.

As a result of the student’s findings on undergraduate research, she was able to point out areas that the college could immediately improve upon and gave feedback on areas that are already established. Seeing everything from this student’s point of view helped us stay focused on our students’ perspectives throughout the process.

The student worker also focused on creating some rough text based on undergraduate research areas established by a staff member for expanding our Web page to a Web site. Ideally the Liberal Arts undergraduate research Web site will provide search tools for students to find research opportunities, as well as information about how to get involved, course credit, financial support, faculty perspectives, and many other things that students should consider before diving into a project.

The main undergraduate research event of the year, Undergraduate Research Week, takes place each April. Liberal Arts hosted an oral research symposium in house and one session of poster presentations at Honor’s Day. Ten poster presenters displayed their research at the annual Honor’s Day reception; of those ten, two were selected to represent the college at the university reception held in the tower one week later. Liberal Arts is usually asked to choose only one

student to represent the college at the reception, but due to the diversity and high quality represented in Liberal Arts, two were invited.

The oral research symposium included 32 student presentations with a multitude of faculty, staff, and students in attendance. The presentations

represented 15 different departments in Liberal Arts by both honors and non-honors students. The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Chapter for Research (LAUNCH), an official student organization of the college, also gave a presentation

midday about how to get involved with the organization. (For more information about LAUNCH, please see page 16.)

Liberal Arts undergraduate research staff also attended the campus-wide Research Bazaar midweek. The college hosted an information table and answered student questions in an open, walk-up setting.

Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program

The Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship (UGRA) Program, which began in 2007, provides a structured opportunity for faculty to receive assistance with research projects while giving students exposure to and experience in conducting research in various disciplines within Liberal Arts.


As apprentices, students work a certain number of hours per week as assigned by the faculty member, and in return receive course credit. Students are not expected to do their own research in the program; rather, students assist in ongoing faculty research projects. Upon successful completion of the course and the meeting of other criteria, students receive a $300 scholarship in the semester following their apprenticeship. Faculty receive $2,000 to support their research the semester in which the apprenticeship takes place.

The Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program had 57 faculty applicants for the 2008-09 year; six faculty members were accepted for the fall semester and seven were accepted for the spring. Research projects covered a wide range of topics, including, how Americans judge presidents, Jane Austen, and primate quadrupedal locomotion.

The UGRA Committee consisted of five Liberal Arts faculty members and one associate dean who served as an ex officio member.

Elizabeth Scala, Associate Professor, English, Committee • Chair

Charles Hale, Director, Latin American Studies•

Martin Kevorkian, Associate Professor, English•

Julia Mickenberg, Associate Professor, American Studies•

Timothy Moore, Professor, Classics•

Robert Moser, Associate Professor, Government•

Marc Musick, Associate Dean for Student Affairs•

The committee was responsible for reviewing applications and voting on which proposals to accept.

At the end of each semester, apprentices and faculty mentors filled out a survey about their experience with the UGRA Program. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive: every faculty member has stated the most valuable part of the experience was working closely with the student.

9

COMMITTEESThe Student Division uses committees

to organize work beyond day-to-day operations. The committee chairs

are responsible for managing their projects throughout the academic year.

This structure allow Student Division staff to work on projects for which they

have a particular talent or interest.

Academic Intervention Committee

The Academic Intervention Committee is responsible for the management of all students within the College of Liberal Arts who are on scholastic probation, scholastic dismissal, or are at-risk.


During the 2008-09 year the Academic Intervention Committee created and implemented the UTurn Program, an academic intervention program for undeclared students on scholastic probation. UTurn matched each student to a faculty mentor and an academic advisor to create a support network to help students realistically assess their academic goals, study habits, and time management skills and then implement an effective plan for improvement. By creating this network, UTurn helped students learn to utilize university resources in their effort to become academically successful. The mentoring aspect of UTurn provided students with a positive role model whose knowledge and insight they respected. In addition, UTurn partnered with the UT Learning Center to encourage students to utilize the resources provided by the university.

SUCCESS agreements, are electronic forms used in consultation with students on scholastic probation, were also continued. Throughout the academic year, 778 SUCCESS agreements were completed college-wide, with 202 in the Student Division. Based on information gathered in spring 2009, approximately 63% of students who completed SUCCESS agreements were able to continue at the university.

FIG Committee

This committee oversees the college’s First-year Interest Group (FIG) program. The committee creates course clusters; selects student mentors; recruits students during orientation; matches their applications to available spots; and supervises the FIGs. Each FIG offers a balanced three-course cluster as well as a seminar that addresses academic, developmental, and social issues of importance to freshmen.

Activities during the Past Year

The college FIG program moved from the traditional one advisor/one cluster model to a model featuring one committee member supervising two or three clusters. One FIG-trained mentor and one student leader, generally from LAC, facilitated each week’s seminar; advisors oversaw the planning of the seminars and provided registration advising.

With timely and useful collaboration between the College of Liberal Arts and the central FIG office, the new model, whilechallenging, preserved a positive experience for the students. Members selected and helped train all mentors and leaders.

Fifteen clusters were offered initially; one was cancelled, • three others were reduced.

Summer recruitment filled 195 of 213 available spots • (92%).

Final enrollment reached 198 (93%) of available spots by • the start of classes.

All mentors were Liberal Arts students.•

Graduation Certification Committee

This committee supervises graduation application procedures and degree and honors certification.


The Graduation Certification Committee oversaw everything related to graduation applications throughout the year. It ensured that the advising staff processed them fully and in a timely manner, contacted students who began Web applications but did not submit them, and worked with other offices and staff to collaborate on the practical aspects of commencement.

At the end of each semester, the committee managed certification of the college’s graduates. This process entails overseeing the other advisors in the office during the first two checks of certified audits as well as performing checks three and four, all to ensure that students are clear to graduate. It verified all honors, prepared second major forms, and submitted the master lists of graduates to the Office of the Registrar.

The committee also worked with IT staff over the past year to allow academic advisors and peer advisors more flexibility with data entry related to graduation.

In the fall... The committee reviewed 819 graduation applications and certified 731 graduates.

In the spring...The committee reviewed 1,777 graduation applications and certified 1,665 graduates.

In the summer... The committee reviewed 381 graduation applications and certified 373 graduates.

In the 2008-09 academic year... The committee certified a total of 2,769 Liberal Arts graduates.

11

Orientation Committee

The Orientation Committee coordinates the Liberal Arts portion of the university’s new student orientation programs. It plans and participates in college meetings, creates and coordinates all college materials given to orientees, trains student orientation advisors, and schedules pre-advising appointments.


The college participates in all of the university’s orientation sessions: the major summer orientations comprised of six four-day freshmen sessions; three one-day transfer sessions; and the pre-semester sessions in August, January, and May. More than 900 freshmen registered for the four-day sessions and 775 students for the transfer sessions. While students are not required to register for the pre-semester sessions, over 500 opted to do so, bringing the total for all sessions to 2,200.

At orientation, students first attended a welcome session, where they were greeted by the associate dean for student affairs and learned about college and campus resources from advisors. Then, students attended a small group meeting based on their choice of major, where they learned about their departments, degree requirements, and the registration process. The committee also worked closely with the Publications Committee to develop a more comprehensive student handbook, which includes information such as degree requirements, course descriptions, and university and college resources.

New Student Services provides students to assist with orientation—Orientation Advisors (OAs). The OA’s primary functions for the college are to pre-advise students, record test scores and dual credit, and to make course suggestions based on academic interests. The committee chair and a

departmental advisor led the OA training class of 20 students. During training, the OAs learned about degree requirements for Liberal Arts, as well as the other colleges

and schools on campus. They also learned about credit-by-exam, transfer and dual credit, and campus programs like First-year Interest Groups, the Texas Interdisciplinary Program, and Longhorn Scholars.

Policy and Procedure Committee

The Policy and Procedure Committee strives to address policy matters that are the purview of the college rather than the university and to formalize Student Division procedures related to college and university policies.


The committee finalized three student affairs policies:

The Six-drop Limit Appeal Policy outlined the procedure • for how to drop a class between the 13th class day and the midsemester deadline as well as the criteria for a nonacademic drop.

The College of Liberal Arts Internal Transfer Policy clarified • the requirements for deadlines and credit hours by GPA.

The Undergraduates Taking Graduate Courses Policy • defined the conditions, exceptions, and procedures required of any undergraduate wishing to take a graduate level course.

Publications Committee

The Publications Committee creates or edits all Student Division written materials. These include official print and electronic correspondence, and student and family handbooks.


The committee oversees distribution of semesterly e-mail, which inform students of deadlines, registration advising periods, and various academic topics. It also sends mass Secure Academic Notes (SANs), to notify students of a change in academic status, such as being placed on or removed from scholastic probation or dismissal. SANs are also used to request that students participate in the SUCCESS process (see Academic Intervention Committee on page 11).

In addition to sending e-mail and SANs, the committee worked on projects on an as-needed basis. The committee

i can’t believe you don’t know how to use waitlists...it’s over,

victoria!

college of liberal arts

2009-10 handbook

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created a handbook for families of new students, which included information on majors, the Parents’ League, Career Services, honors, research opportunities, and other college-specific programs as well as an academic calendar. This year’s new student handbook was a collaboration among the Publications, Orientation, and First-year Interest Group committees. Rather than printing three separate publications, the previous new student handbook, registration guide, and FIG booklet were updated and merged into a single, more substantial, new student handbook. The committee has also begun work on a wiki to serve

as a faculty guide for student affairs. This guide is intended for all faculty in the college and will touch on topics such as syllabus requirements, final retest policy, grade change forms, and other areas where faculty and the Student Division functions intersect. Each Monday the committee proofread and e-mailed a newsweekly to undeclared students that included items of interest from across campus.

Student-Athlete Certification Committee

The Student-Athlete Certification Committee’s members serve as the primary contacts for student-athlete academic advising concerns in the college, especially regarding degree progress.


Committee members completed 130 forms for student-athletes. There are two types of forms that may be required of a student-athlete throughout the year:

The Academic Progress forms verify whether student-• athletes’ semester credit hours count towards their remaining degree requirements and whether a minimum grade is required for a given course.

Percentage forms assess the percentage of a student-• athlete’s degree requirements that have been met.

At times, committee members are also asked to evaluate prospective students’ records for Athletics.

SummerStart Committee

In the 2008-09 year, the College of Liberal Arts developed SummerStart, a new program for increasing undergraduate summer enrollment in academically meaningful ways.


The SummerStart program is structured so that a student may choose a themed track relevant to them and focused on

an issue they want to pursue. Each track is made up of two summer classes that are paired to complement each other and a weekly meeting session which enhances the overall theme of that track. In its inaugural year, SummerStart offered three tracks, one for incoming first-year students, one for incoming transfer students, and one for pre-law current students.

In the SummerStart program tracks for incoming first-year and transfer students, students took two course-clusters based on their core requirements and attended a co-curricular seminar led by an advisor. Seminars featured speakers and activities designed to ease transition to the university, on topics such as

Undergraduate research.•

Scholarships.•

Study abroad. •

UT traditions. •

The third track was for continuing students, titled “Pre-Law Boot Camp.” Students interested in careers in law took ethics and logic classes together, and were visited by UT Austin’s Law School director of admissions in a seminar session. They also prepared for the LSAT, created a rough draft of their personal statements, and were given unlimited admissions coaching sessions with the pre-law advisor.

In summer 2009, SummerStart served more than 30 students. Their GPA for SummerStart coursework exceeded the overall GPA for Liberal Arts students.

Undeclared Student Development Committee

This committee develops and implements initiatives specifically for the college’s undeclared population.


The Undeclared Student Development Committee hosted two 90-minute “Explore your Future” workshops in the spring semester for undeclared Liberal Arts students, with 5-15 students per session. A Liberal Arts Career Services representative facilitated the session with assistance from a Student Division advisor who also provided handouts.

The committee also produces the Undeclared Newsweekly, a weekly compilation of university events, notices about dates and deadlines, and advising tips. Fourteen or fifteen newsweeklies go out each semester.

A Facebook group was created for Liberal Arts undeclared students in attempt to reach students who don’t read

College of Liberal Arts Family Handbook

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WELCOME NEW LONGHORN!Congratulations on entering the College of Liberal Arts!

You are one of the �rst students eligible to participate in SummerStart.

As a participant of the SummerStart program, you will start taking classes in July during the second summer session. SummerStart o�ers several advantages for you:

Get ahead with six hours of course credit.Enjoy smaller classes.Save 20% in tuition.Participate in special social events with fellow students.Adjust to Longhorn life before fall crowds arrive.Work with academic advisors regarding scholarship, internship, and leadership opportunities.Experience Austin a month early!

SummerStart classes run Monday, July 13, through Monday, August 17 (the last day of �nals).

To sign up for SummerStart and �nd out more information, including on-campus housing and admission procedures, please visit us online at:

www.utexas.edu/cola/summer-start/

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e-mail and also to provide a more customizable space for disseminating information than can be had on the college’s Web site. The group was used to post major information and to link to events such as the “Explore your Future” workshops.

Veterans’ Affairs Certification Committee

This committee ensures that students in the College of Liberal Arts who receive Veterans’ Affairs (VA) benefits make progress toward their degrees.


Two advisors on the committee saw students to verify that their current schedules met VA guidelines and ensure that their coursework would be paid for. The chair of the committee addressed concerns of the Registrar’s Office when that office was unsure of a course; in 2008-09 over 200 verifications were completed for the Registrar’s Office.

Web Oversight Committee

The Web Oversight Committee maintains the quality of the college’s Web pages pertaining to students, and develops useful information, resources, and tools for its users.


In 2008-09, Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services (ITS) began to redesign the Liberal Arts Web site. In partnership with this change, the Web oversight committee completed phase I of the new Liberal Arts student affairs Web redesign. Phase I constituted a complete overhaul of the old Web site and included the reorganization of menus and navigation items, creation of new content, implementation of new design elements, new search and operational functionalities, and a student-friendly user focus. The implementation of two content management systems (one for news/events/calendar, one for all other content) will allow the Web oversight team to make updates and add new content directly to the Web site without having to go through

an intermediary. In creating a student-friendly user experience, the committee has developed a site that is livelier and features numerous resources for our prospective and current undergraduate students.

The redesigned student affairs Web site also features an integrated, new-look Ask Libby FAQ. Just this past year, the committee estimates that hundreds of

new questions were submitted by students through Ask Libby. The site had well over 100,000 topic views, over 10,000 typed searches for new material, and thousands of answers printed using the Print Q&A feature. The attractive new homepage for Ask Libby FAQ should draw even more students to utilize it during the upcoming calendar year. The launch of Phase I for the student affairs Web site went live on August 1, 2009.

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OUTREACH & STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Some of the Student Division staff serve as liaisons and mentors to student organizations or special programs. Their involvement with these programs ranges from a few hours a semester to a full-time job.

Liberal Arts Texas Interdisciplinary Plan Scholars

The Texas Interdisciplinary Plan (TIP) Scholars program provides a small-college experience to approximately 600 students each year. Accepting 300 incoming first-year students (150 each from the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Liberal Arts), TIP exposes students to a balance of large and small classes, a first-year signature course, linked classes, dedicated advising, and peer mentoring. The TIP Scholars program targets students that have one or more significant risk factors, including low socioeconomic status, first-generation status, or membership in an underrepresented population.


The Liberal Arts TIP Scholars advisor works closely with all Liberal Arts TIP Scholars and various departments, centers, and colleges in order to meet student needs.

The advisor also coordinates the TIP student organization (TIPSO) and co-coordinates the TIP Ambassador program. TIPSO is the service organization for all students in the TIP program. TIP Ambassadors are first- and second-year TIP Scholars, appointed to serve a two-year position as the public face of the Texas Interdisciplinary Plan, in which they speak to prospective parents and students at various university and public relations events.

LAUNCH

The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Chapter for Research (LAUNCH) was formed so all Liberal Arts undergraduate students who are currently participating in research, plan on doing research, or are interested in research have an organization to go to for information and support.


LAUNCH hosted a series of information sessions in the early fall and spring semesters in which they were able to register 18 new students in the organization. Some of the highlights from the meetings include

A panel discussion with three Liberal Arts students • currently doing research.

An in-depth look at how to start research and plan • presentations at poster sessions.

Presentations, including defense, of a few members’ • original research or creative work to a forum of peers.

LAUNCH had information tables several times throughout the year on the West Mall, a prime recruiting location for university organizations. LAUNCH also participated in Party on the Plaza as well as Gone to Texas, and hosted several meet-n-greets in each long semester. During Undergraduate Research Week, the organization participated in the Longhorn Research Bazaar, presented at various events all week, and volunteered to assist with Liberal Arts events.

After two years, 78% of the TIP Scholars were retained in the College of Liberal Arts, compared to 64% of a control group.

TIP Retention

Control Group Retention

The 2008 TIP Liberal Arts freshmen with at least one target factor

(e.g., underrepresented, low SATs, first generation)

earned an average GPA of 3.08 by the

end of their freshman year, compared to an

average GPA of 2.72 for controls.

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Only 6% of the 2008 TIP Liberal Arts freshman went on probation or were dismissed by the end of their freshman year, compared to 11% of controls.

Students dismissed or on probation

TIP ControlStudents Group

TIP received 5 of the 12 Rapoport Service Scholarships awarded in 2009; over

the past three years TIP has received 36% of all Rapoport Service Scholarships awarded.

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Liberal Arts Council

Liberal Arts Council (LAC) is the official student organization of the College of Liberal Arts. The organization serves as a link between students and the college administration, college faculty, and professional world. As a member of the Senate of College Councils, LAC works towards enhancing the student experience from an academic standpoint. Through programs, lectures, and other events, LAC works to build community within the college and create a small college experience at a large university.


In 2008-09, LAC voted to restructure its leadership to better meet the needs of the organization, its members,

and the college. It eliminated the administrative director and public relations chair positions and formed the new communication director position. It also added the programs director position to the Executive Board (an elected position). With this change, each member of

the LAC board will be able to effectively assist its chairs and members while producing efficient, beneficial, and memorable events for the council, college, and university.

During the 2008-09 academic year, LAC

Recruited over 60 new members.•

Awarded $30,000 in scholarships to Liberal Arts students • for study abroad.

Hosted monthly Focus Lunches for 15-20 students to eat • lunch with various deans to discuss academic concerns.

Hosted a forum with faculty from the Department of • Economics to highlight the status of the global economy.

Hosted the first ever Student Government Liberal Arts • candidate forum.

Awarded four $3,000 teaching awards in the revival of • the Liberal Arts Council Teaching Award.

Hosted Liberal Arts Week to promote the college and • highlight various departments.

Hosted monthly departmental representative meetings • with various deans to discuss issues within the departments.

Hosted monthly council meeting with various deans to • discuss general college issues.

Participated in various community service projects, such • as Habitat for Humanity, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and Coats for Kids.

Hosted an event titled “What the Heck’s Next” in • conjunction with Liberal Arts Career Services to highlight Liberal Arts degree options post-undergraduate.

Prospective Student Committee

The Prospective Student Committee provides outreach materials for prospective students and serves as a liaison to the Office of Admissions to arrange information sessions for prospective students.


The committee’s most significant achievement this year was the publication of the brochure for prospective students. The brochure was considered a great improvement over the photocopied handouts that had been previously used for prospective student sessions.

The number of events held for prospective students increased this year, both by efforts from Admissions and the chair. The college participated in the Admitted Longhorn Roundup, four Longhorn Saturdays, Discover UT, two Longhorn For a Day sessions, and held monthly Meet the Dean sessions. For the first time, Meet the Dean sessions continued in the summer months, and a total of 11 will be held for the 2008-09 year.

Telluride Association Summer Program

The Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP) is a six-week educational experience for highly motivated high school juniors that offers academic challenges they usually do not encounter in secondary school. The college funds approximately half of TASP, which covers the faculty and student worker stipends, ID cards, Recreational Sports access, and any requested office supplies.


The administrative contact in the Student Division handles the many details of hosting this group on campus, including

Arranging faculty, classrooms, and technology for the • group.

Obtaining ID cards for the visiting students and arranging • for them to have access to campus services such as

17

TheCollege of

Liberal Arts

www.utexas.edu/cola

Learning that

Lasts a Lifetime

libraries, the Recreational Sports Center, and the Student Health Center.

Conducting campus tours and providing bus schedules, • a guide to the city, and a schedule of upcoming local events.

Arranging speakers from departments and the Dean’s • Office.

Student Organization Funding Requests

Student organizations, whether affiliated or unaffiliated with the college, can apply for assistance with events and programs through Student Funding Requests.


In the past academic year, the Student Division processed 19 funding requests—12 approved, one incomplete, and six denied. Almost $4,000 in support was granted through these requests to 12 different organizations for activities ranging from the sharing of cultural events to student conferences on Latin America.

The Student Division created an information page on its Web site that details the requirements for submitting a funding request for student organizations. Having the funding request requirements posted on the Liberal Arts Web site will reduce the number of incomplete and incorrectly submitted requests, and will create better communication regarding the overall process.

Short-Term Special Outreach Projects

Individual staff members have special interests and talents they utilize to provide service to the university and the community.


Three advisors volunteered to serve as TIP academic • coaches. This commitment involved weekly meetings with one to two students to review their academic progress and discuss strategies for success.

Three advisors volunteered to review TIP applications and • make recommendations on admission to the program.

Two advisors represented Liberal Arts at the Academic • Counselors Association (ACA) Advising Day.

One advisor represented the college on the ACC to UT • Committee, a joint venture of UT Austin and Austin Community College advisors designed to facilitate students’ transition from community college to UT Austin.

This same advisor presented and participated at both fall • and spring campus visits to ACC and presented a college

information session as part of ACC to UT Open House in the fall and spring for ACC students. He also represented the college at the Office of Admissions Annual Junior/Community College Conference.

Two advisors participated in the ACC to UT Networking • Forum.

One advisor served as the staff advisor for the National • Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Four advisors volunteered to meet with new students at • Camp Texas in Marble Falls.

One advisor contributed to a report to inform the Texas • Senate Committee on Higher Education.

Two advisors participated in Honors Colloquium.•

One advisor served as a member of the Student Activity • Center Ad Hoc Committee.

One advisor served as a panelist for an Office of • Admissions counselor information session.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

All Student Division staff are encouraged to pursue professional development opportunities both in and out of the college.

Training Committee and Training Coordinator

Liberal Arts has a full-time advising training coordinator. The coordinator chairs the Training Committee and is responsible for creating and coordinating new advisor training. She also provides continuing education for advisors throughout the college and disseminates new information on curriculum, degree plans, and university and college rules and regulations as it becomes available.

Activities over the Past Year (committee)

During the past year, the Training Committee trained seven new advisors. Currently, the new advisor training process involves a series of face-to-face meetings supplemented by online training through Blackboard. The initial training covers the essentials of advising: general degree requirements (core and Liberal Arts); advisor tools (such as mainframe and Web-based applications); university policies and procedures; running and reading audits; conducting advising sessions; university resources; and the petition process. Some members of the training committee assisted the training coordinator in writing scenarios for case-based training.

Activities over the Past Year (training coordinator)

The training coordinator accomplished three major goals this year:

Created a wiki to serve as a searchable online College of • Liberal Arts Advising Handbook, which thus far has over 100 documents.

Put together a team to create a Web-based lesson on • degree audits for which she served as the instructional designer. The coordinator worked with three graduate students in Instructional Technology who were enrolled in Dr. Min Liu’s Multimedia Design and Production class. The Web site can be accessed through this link: www.utexas.edu/cola/advisor-training/degree-audits/introduction.html

Completely redesigned the initial training curriculum • for advisors and has posted over two-thirds of it on Blackboard. She plans to finish the remainder during fall 2009. These training modules include more interactivity with quizzes and homework assignments involving applied learning and scenarios.

The training coordinator facilitated the following workshops and presentations:

“Fun with GPAs” workshop on determining GPAs and • grade point deficits for students on scholastic probation and/or facing dismissal.

“Strengths” workshop for the Student Division retreat.•

“NACADA Share” Brown Bag discussion for the Academic • Counselor Association’s R.O.A.D. committee.

Presentation/discussion on NACADA’s “Scenes for • Learning and Reflection” for the college advisors retreat.

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Other Professional Development Activities

In addition to training offered within the college, staff attended local, state, and national conferences, seminars, workshops and graduate classes. They are members of various professional organizations.


National and state conferences attended by staff

National Academic Advisor Association (NACADA) • National Conference in Chicago. Six advisors attended the conference and one of our advisors presented.

Winner of NACADA award for Innovative Use of • Technology in Advising.

American Counseling Association training online.•

Local and on-campus conferences and training attended by staff

Academic Counselor Association (ACA) Professional • Development Day. Three advisors either presented or participated in a panel discussion.

ACA monthly meetings. One advisor served as an officer • in this organization.

ASPA monthly meetings.•

Provost Council on Academic Assessment monthly • meetings.

College of Liberal Arts monthly advisor meetings.•

American Society of Trainers and Developers in Austin • workshops.

Department of Information Resources eLearning Forum.•

ACA R.O.A.D. Committee presentations and webinars. • One advisor chaired the ACA R.O.A.D. committee on Advising Research

Office of the Registrar Veterans Service Committee • meetings.

Office of the Registrar training on mainframe.•

Office of the Registrar room scheduling training.•

Office of the Registrar training on NRRECS.•

Photography class offered through Informal Classes.•

Editing and Proofreading class offered through Informal • Classes.

News and Database Media training through LAITS.•

Cascade management training through LAITS.•

Advisor cross training in Liberal Arts departments.•

Training on using the campus Blackboard system.•

Graduate level college classes including: EDC 384p • Instructional System Design, EDC 385g Multimedia Production and Design, EDA 395 Race and Ethnic Relations in Schools, EDP 384 Data Analysis Using SAS, and EDA 396T Directed Research in Education Administration.

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STUDENT DIVISION STAFFThe Student Division is made up of a

diverse staff from different backgrounds and experiences. On a basic level,

there are advisors, administrative staff, and administrators; however, everyone

does a little of everything, culminating in cohesive team that works together

to support students.

Othell Ballage Jr.Academic Advising Coordinator

B.A. in English, University of Colorado at BoulderM.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction, UT Austin

Othell has been in the Student Division for almost 11 years and prior to that he worked in University of Texas Athletics for six years.

Othell is a member of the Student-Athlete Certification Committee and Policy and Procedure Committee.

Shelley Bowers Associate Academic Advisor

B.A. in Anthropology, Texas State UniversityM.S. in Higher Education in progress, Indiana State University

Shelley has been with the Student Division for almost two years. Prior to working at UT Austin, she worked at both Austin Community College and Texas State University in student affairs.

Shelley is a member of the FIG Committee, Undeclared Student Development Committee, and Orientation Committee. She is also the advisor for LAUNCH, working closely with its members as they expand in their second year.

Benjamin R. Burnett Senior Academic Advisor

B.A. in History M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, UT Austin

Benjamin has worked for the College of Liberal Arts for five years working with both the Student Division and the Texas Interdisciplinary Plan (TIP). Before joining Liberal Arts, he worked for nine years in the Distance Education Center and the Office of the Dean of Students.

Benjamin is a member of the Academic Intervention Committee, FIG Committee, and Undeclared Student Development Committee. He also heads the UTurn program.

Summer Cacciotti Senior Academic Advisor

B.A. in Psychology M.Ed. in Counselor Education, UT Austin

Summer has worked in the Student Division for over three years, advising current students,

conducting orientation sessions, and working with prospective students. She is a licensed professional counselor.

Summer is the chair of the Prospective Student Committee and Student-Athlete Certification Committee; she is a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Certification Committee and Academic Intervention Committee.

Joni Carpenter Training Coordinator

B.A. in English M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction, UT Austin

Prior to becoming the Training Coordinator for advisors in the College, Joni worked as an academic advisor in the Student Division and the department of Religious Studies.

Joni is both the training coordinator for all advising in the college and the chair of the Training Committee.

Megan ConnerSenior Academic Advisor

B.J. in Public RelationsM.Ed. in Educational Psychology, UT Austin

Megan has been an advisor in the Student Division for eight years in which time she has

worked on several different committees, specializing in print publications and various design projects.

Megan is the chair of the Publications Committee and Undeclared Student Development Committee.

Monica Horvat Administrative Associate

A.A. in Business Administration, Joliet Junior CollegeCurrently pursuing a B.A. in Sociology, UT Austin

Monica joined the Student Division in September 2008. She works on student events and oversees general office and financial tasks.

Monica works on commencement, the Dean’s Distinguished Graduates Program, Gone to Texas, Family Weekend, and Undergraduate Research Week. She is a member of the Orientation Committee and coordinates Student Organization Funding Requests.

Tepera HolmanAssociate Academic Advisor

B.A. in Government and African American StudiesM.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, UT Austin

Tepera has been the Liberal Arts Texas Interdisciplinary Plan (TIP) advisor for one year. He especially enjoys participating in the learning community and the personal relationships he can build with students through the focus of the TIP program.

Tepera is the appointed to the TIP Program full-time.

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Kim KriegAssistant Dean for Student Affairs

B.S. in Secondary Science Education, UT Austin

Kim has worked at The University of Texas at Austin for 19 years and for the Student Division

for the last 12. Kim began her career in the Student Division as an Academic Advisor I.

Kim supervises 16 staff members and is the primary overseer of routines and processes in the Student Division. She is a member of the Policy and Procedure Committee and SummerStart Committee.

Delisa V. LeeSenior Academic Advisor

B.S. in Child Development & Family Relationships, UT Austin

Delisa has worked for the College of Liberal Arts since May 2002. She has worked on

campus since 1994, starting out as a student worker.

Delisa is the chair of both the Graduation Certification Committee and Veterans’ Affairs Certification Committee. She is a member of the SummerStart Committee and Training Committee.

Gabe LopezSenior Academic Advisor

B.A. in English and History, UT Austin

Gabe has worked as an academic advisor for nine years and came to UT Austin in 2005. He is passionate about advising probation

students and has worked on orientation the last four years.

Gabe is chair of the Academic Intervention Committee. He is a member of the Graduation Certification Committee, Undeclared Student Development Committee, and Orientation Committee.

Jessica Mahoney Senior Administrative Associate, Assistant to the Associate Dean

B.A. in English and Anthropology, UT Austin

Jessica joined the Student Division three years ago and works on events, administrative

functions, and the financial dealings of the office.

Jessica works on Commencement, Family Weekend, Undergraduate Research, and the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program. She is a member of the Policy and Procedure Committee, Publications Committee, SummerStart Committee and Web Oversight Committee.

Linda NemecAdministrative Associate

Worked at UT Austin for 25 years and in the Student Division for 19 years.

Linda’s job has changed greatly over the years and she is a constant resource for the

staff. She currently handles grade changes, appeals, dean’s recommendation letters, online declarations of major and minor, tuition rebate applications, and Be-On-Time Loan forms.

Linda is the primary coordinator of all university, college, and miscellaneous forms that come through the Student Division.

Richard RibbSenior Academic Advisor

B.A., M.A., Ph.D. in American Studies, UT Austin

Richard joined the Student Division five years ago. He moved to advising from teaching in

the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Richard is the chair of the FIG Committee and a member of the Publications Committee, SummerStart Committee, and Student-Athlete Certification Committee.

Amy StineAssociate Academic Advisor

B.A. in International Studies, Trinity University, San Antonio

Amy joined the Student Division two years ago and works with a variety of student

populations. Before working at UT Austin, she worked as a trainer with an educational assessment software company and as an admissions counselor for a culinary school.

Amy is a member of the Graduation Certification Committee, Publications Committee, and Training Committee.

Kelly StraitSenior Academic Advisor

B.S. in Economics, Texas A&M University

M.Ed. in Adult & Higher Education - Student Personnel Services, University of Oklahoma

Kelly has been in the Student Division for three years. Before working at UT, she worked with the orientation programs at Oklahoma City Community College and The University of Oklahoma.

Kelly is the chair of the Orientation Committee and a member of the SummerStart Committee, Veterans’ Affairs Certification Committee, and Web Oversight Committee. She is the staff advisor for LAC.

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Maggie WilhiteAdministrative Associate

B.F.A. in Musical Theater, Sam Houston State University

The newest member of the Student Division, Maggie was hired in 2009. Before working at

UT Austin she worked for a local nonprofit.

Maggie oversees the peer advisors, front desk, and assisting with student records. She also works on Orientation and coordinates the Telluride Association Summer Program.

Stephen D. WongSenior Academic Advisor

B.A. in Psychology

M.Ed. in Student Personnel Administration; Ph.D. program (ABD) - Higher Ed. Administration, UT Austin

Stephen has been in the Student Division for almost five years. Prior to UT Austin, he worked as regional director for a semiconductor technology firm in Houston and China.

Stephen is the chair of the Web Oversight Committee and a member of the Student-Athlete Certification Committee.

Hollyann WoodAdministrative Associate

B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy, UT Austin

Holly has been in the Student Division for almost three years working to support the

advising staff from the front desk. Prior to coming to the Student Division she worked in University Health Services.

Holly works on college forms and is a member of the Publications Committee and Web Oversight Committee.

In addition to the Student Division staff members, there are other Liberal Arts staff members who serve on committees and help plan events.

Jana Cole Program Coordinator, Department of Economics

Jana is a member of the Web Oversight Committee. She is also the artist behind Ask Libby.

Christine FisherAssociate Academic Advisor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Christine is a member of the FIG Committee.

Andrea GiachettiAssociate Academic Advisor, Department of English

Andrea is a member of the Orientation Committee.

Tom GriffithSenior Academic Advisor, Department of History

Tom is a member of the Training Committee.

Matt HarveySenior Academic Advisor, Department of English

Matt is a member of the Academic Intervention Committee.

Jean JohnsonDevelopment Specialist, Liberal Arts Development

Jean works on Commencement, Dean’s Distinguished Graduates, and Family Weekend.

Courtney LockhartSenior Academic Advisor, Department of Anthropology

Courtney is a member of the FIG Committee.

Tatem OldhamStudent Development Specialist, Liberal Arts Career Services

Tatem is a member of the SummerStart Committee.

Valeri Nichols-Keller Associate Academic Advisor, Department of American Studies

Valeri is a member of the Orientation Committee.

Anna TapsakSenior Academic Advisor, Department of Psychology

Anna is a member of the FIG Committee.

Lisa VeraSenior Administrative Associate, Academic Affairs

Lisa is a member of the SummerStart Committee.

Nathan VickersSenior Academic Advisor, Department of Government

Nathan is a member of the Orientation Committee.

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Documents

College of Liberal Arts Student Divisionliberalarts.utexas.edu/student-affairs/_files/pdf/Annual...STUDENT SERVICES Academic Advising 3 Peer Advising 3 University Forms 4 College Forms