Sharlene Toney, Academic & Probation Advisor

Amanda Karls, Academic & Probation Advisor

A Mentorship Model

Meeting the Needs of Upper Class Students

on Academic Probation

Workshop Overview

Background on the Kelley School of Business probation program

Developing your own

faculty or staff mentoring

program

Mentoring curriculum development and implementation

Overview of current research on academic success courses and

mentoring programs

Student and mentor course evaluation results

Impact of course on student retention

Identifying needs &

gaps

Protagonists,

antagonists and first

steps

Identifying & recruiting

mentors

Wrap-up

Continuing the

development process

Kelley Undergraduate Probation Program Background

Semester GPA below 2.0 out of 4.0:

1st time: General Probation

2nd time: Critical Probation

3rd time: Academic Dismissal

Support in place:

• 2 required meetings with academic

advisor

• Beginning Spring 2011, up to 38

students could be assigned to take,

EDUC-X158 The Culture of College, a

course specifically for students on

academic probation.

January 2007-August 2012

Semester GPA below 2.0 out of

4.0:

1st time: General Probation

2nd time: Academic Dismissal

Support in place:

• 2 required meetings with academic

advisor

• Enrollment in either EDUC-X158 The

Culture of College (class of 18) OR

BUS-X355 Academic Success

Mentoring (one on one professional

staff mentor pairing OR the student

may seek regular counseling to

meet course requirements, taking

the class pass/fail)

August 2012- Present

Academic

Probation

Students

Research Overview

Mentoring/ Companioning

Upper Class Students

Discipline

Specific BUS-X355

Why a mentoring course for upper class students on academic probation?

Generally, first time placement of junior/senior year students on academic probation

stems from a greater variety of influencing factors than our freshmen/sophomore

students; this makes it difficult to meet the needs of these students in a classroom

setting. While not all are limited to our upper class students, we see:

- Lack of motivation due to unknowns: “What type of internship/job will I like?” “I’m this far

along, but I don’t know what I want to do.”

- Pressure or requirement from family to major in a particular area of business

- Burn out from intense curriculum

- Mental Health or Alcohol/Drug Use

- “If I can’t be the best, what’s the point?”

- Work/school balance

- Living off-campus, away from easy access

to resources

Considerations for Curriculum Development

• Everyday Leadership • Ethics in Business School & the

Business World • Using Your Liberal Arts Education • Career Exploration

• Strengths Assessment • Setting Goals • Embracing Change • Time Management • Stress Management • Using Campus Resources • Characteristics of a Successful

Student • Motivation

Topics with unique considerations for our business students

Topics helpful for all students on academic probation

BUS-X355 Course Format

Course Credit: BUS-X355 Academic Success Mentoring is a 2 credit hour course.

The credit does count toward the total credits needed to graduate.

Course Duration: 14 weeks (begins in Week 2 of classes and ends the week

before final exam week)

Course Mentors: 11 professional staff mentors, with 1-3 mentees per mentor

Course Meetings: Mentors/mentees meet for 1 hour per week following the

outlined curriculum.

Outside of Class Requirement: Students must attend one Student Academic

Center Workshop, go to office hours, attend a review

session or help session provided by a professor or AI

once per week. (other options available with prior

Mentor approval – Ex. Counseling session)

Assignments: Written reflections and assignments

are due each week, as in a regular course.

What are your students’ needs?

Within your assigned discipline cluster:

1. What unique general needs do your upper

class students on academic probation have?

2. What discipline specific needs do your upper

class students on academic probation have?

3. How are these needs currently being met, if

at all?

Considering your needs lists and how these

needs are currently being met at your

institution:

What current gaps exist that might be best filled

through one on one mentoring?

Preparing to Propose a Mentoring Model

Who are your protagonists?

- At the departmental level?

- At the interdepartmental level?

- At the college/university level?

- Why are they protagonists?

What support might they

offer?

Who are your antagonists?

- Why do you consider these

individuals antagonists?

- Where might their resistance to a

new mentoring program of this

type come from?

What would the first step be to:

1. Harness the support of your

protagonists?

2. Address the concerns of your

antagonists?

Course Evaluation Results: Learning Outcomes

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

I have a betterunderstanding of therole of ethics in the

Kelley School ofBusiness.

I have a betterunderstanding of the

role of everydayleadership in the Kelley

School of Business.

I have a clearer vision ofthe skills required to be

a successful collegestudents and future

employee.

I am better able toidentify appropropriate

university services tosuit my needs.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree or Disagree

Disagree or Strongly Disagree

Course Evaluation Results: Learning Outcomes (cont.)

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

I have a cleargoal/plan for

personalsuccess in

college and inmy career.

I have a betterunderstanding

of current issuesfacing college

students.

I have identifiedkey areas of

strength that Ipossess.

I have identifiedhow to use my

key areas ofstrength to

supportacademic and

careersuccesses.

I am moreconfident in my

ability toembrace change

in order tosucceed in

college and inmy career.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree or Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

If I had the option again, I would choose a one on one

mentoring class over a traditional class with many students.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree or Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

67.7% (21 students)

12.9% (4 students)

12.9% (4 students)

3.2% (1 student)

3.2% (1 student)

What students had to say about their experience…

“Having a mentor was a wonderful experience. I was able to be more reflective and conscious of my thoughts.”

“The one on one help was very beneficial because it forced me to open up and participate. Also, it was very active and I looked forward to meetings with my mentor.”

“I really enjoyed meeting with my mentor every week. We had thoughtful and helpful conversations.”

“My mentor-mentee relationship was by far the most beneficial part of this course. By providing me with support, adapting to my limitations/strengths, and maintaining flexibility and continuity, my mentor compelled me to grow as a person, student, and future professional.”

“[My mentor] helped me to get back on track and begin to realize my potential again, as well as the strategies to help get aid in the realization.”

• Soliciting Mentors

– Professional

Development

– Different Student

Interactions

– Outside of typical duties

– Finding “time” to use

– Providing support

Who could be mentors?

• Advisors

• Admissions

• Graduate Program

Students

• Supervisors

• Other Professional Staff

Recruitment & Training of Mentors

BUS-X355 Mentors ARE… BUS-X355 Mentors ARE NOT…

…a resource for general guidance on

academic success.

(ex. Mentors might ask how a semester is

going for a student and offer referrals to

appropriate resources.)

…the academic advisor for the student.

(ex. Mentors will not looks up their

assigned students in databases during the

mentorship semester.)

...responsible for holding students

accountable for class related assignments

and readings.

…responsible for holding students

accountable for meeting other probation

requirements outside of the class.

…a safe, professional person for students

to discuss their challenges, strengths and

goals with.

..friends, counselors or therapists.

…encouraged to share thoughts questions,

concerns regarding their student mentees

with the BUS-X355 mentor group.

…allowed to share any information

gathered from their mentorship meetings

with anyone outside of the BUS-X355

mentor group.

Mentors

Characteristics of an Effective Mentor

Empathy: The ability to accurately understand the feelings and thoughts of the

student. With active listening, a mentor is able to understand the surface as well as the

underlying messages and themes from the student.

Genuineness: The willingness to be authentic, open, and honest with the student.

Someone who can genuinely care for the student will be more effective than someone

who has to act caring. This also includes the ability to recognize your own emotional and

cognitive reactions to what the student says and be congruent.

Acceptance: This can also be called unconditional positive regard. You would accept

the student as they are and your care for them is not based on conditions. This does not

mean you have to accept his/her behavior and actions. His/her behavior is separate from

the person.

Open-Mindedness: Mentors should be receptive to multiple perspectives.

Sometimes students will have different attitudes on subjects that are different from yours.

Acknowledge that more than one attitude can exist. As mentors, you are working within

the framework of the student.

• Mentor Guide

– Policies

• Attendance, Late Work,

Promptness, Privacy

– Grading

• Points breakdown

– Syllabus

– Facilitator Prep

• Theories of Change,

Motivational Interviewing,

Communication Methods,

Reflection, Leading

Questions

• Weekly Meetings

– Student Situations

• How to talk about

changing behavior

• Dealing with areas of

concerns

– Assignments

• Weekly mentee

feedback with topics

• Plans for the upcoming

week

Training for Consistency

What mentors had to say about their experience…

“The most beneficial part was making the connection with a student. Being able to build rapport and then challenging the student was rewarding.”

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with students beyond the advising appointment. We were able to learn about their experience and life at a more substantial level.”

“I learned a lot about myself as a person and professional. The videos and readings

weren't just helpful to student development, they were also beneficial in learning or

reminding myself of proactive life skills.”

“It was helpful to learn more about working

with at-risk students and to continue to

develop interpersonal skills.”

“[The most beneficial part was] getting to know students one-on-one and seeing the breakthrough moments.”

Identifying and recruiting mentors…

Who are your resources and stakeholders who might also serve as mentors?

- Faculty?

- Professional Staff?

- Graduate Assistants?

- Other campus offices? What incentives or trades can be offered for

their involvement?

Example: Our advisors who mentor are able to

use the time that would have been two 30

minute advising appointments to accommodate

seeing 1 mentee; therefore, they don’t have to

make extra time in their schedule.

Other possibilities:

- Stipend?

- Academic credit for GAs?

- Reduced load of other duties?

What does this mean for student academic recovery?

82 students were left without the support of an academic probation course in Spring 2011, Fall 2011 &

Spring 2012.

42 of these students (51%) would have been dismissed under current

probation policy.

Of those 42 students, 25 were juniors and seniors (59%).

48 students completed BUS-X355 during the Fall 2012 and Spring

2013 semesters.

13 of these students (27%) were dismissed under current probation

policy.

Of those 48 Students, 41 were juniors and seniors (85%) – 10 of the 13 dismissed students were

juniors or seniors.

We will continue to track these students each semester to determine their long

term persistence to graduation.

Wrap-up: Continuing the Development Process

Additional key questions to consider: Who will develop the curriculum? What is your implementation timeline? Will students earn credit? What will the duration of the mentorship be? How will you measure effectiveness?

…to name a few.

Remember: Development of new programs takes time. For us, it was an 8 month process from idea to the first semester offering of BUS-X355. While the included development guide will take you through the process we went through, your process will likely look different as you work to meet the needs of your department/school/students.