Hi Lisa, Good point. yes, that happens a lot. Students enroll at the last minute and miss orientation. However they don't have to miss the benefits. We suggest that they be required to attend the next orientation session even though they are already into the program. Also that they be assigned a coach from the very beginning who gives them a one on one orientation of all the things they missed. A student who enrolls and attends class at the last minute is going to always feel they missed something important that everyone else got. So the personal coach can help to overcome this. Thanks, Susan
I agree. Our campus is small and has a student services staff of one. Our students services director is amazing at generating an enjoyable atmosphere. Our students love the events and activities she plans. But, it requires all the employees on campus to make it work and we all pitch in knowing that it contributes to the success of the campus.
HI Melanie, Sounds like you have a great team. Everyone is having fun and is productive. So this happiness factor is spreading to your students. And that's a good thing. And your staff like working together to make things happen. They will probably go the extra mile. You did a great job of hiring and maintaining a happy workplace. Thanks, Susan
We notice through the years that graduation is a huge deal for our students. For quite a few of them, this is the first time that they have graduated from any type of schooling. Therefore, we have a cap & gown ceremony for the graduates. It is so much fun for everyone especially the beaming graduates.
You are so right. We feel that there should be many graduation celebrations. The big one and one in class and lots of recognition. We have seen where the junior students make a party for the graduates. Then they can pre live graduation and have a goal to reach it. Thanks
We have our Student Service representative meet with students early and often. Our Career Service team members are engaged in orientation and in every module until graduation. Even with our promotion of Student and Career Services, a lot of our students and graduates would reveal in their exit interviews that they had no idea these services were available.
We are currently doing more training with our staff & faculty to promote these services more effectively.
Interesting situation Dwayne. You can learn a lot about your school and make significant changes if you can determine how some students fall through the cracks. The solution might be as easy as making career services projects and assignments required. And in your staff training be sure that everyone on staff knows about your services and is encouraged to send students to you. An Alumni Community helps to stay in touch too. Susan
We already made some changes that do require the completion of interactive projects by our students. We also made changes to the personnel that deliver the message. In the past, faculty delivered the Student and Career Sevices messages. Now representatives from their associated departments make the delivery. So far, so good!
Maybe an effective approach is to have everyone on staff engaged in the career services and employment training process. It's amazing that many school personnel have no clue about the role of career services. And everyone needs to be promoting it. Susan
That is what we currently do. We have begun cross-training across many of the department lines.
Since our school operates under a highly distributed business model and students are located throughout the United States, we seek to assign a Point of Contact (POC) to serve as a liaison for each cohort. This provides the school as well as a cohort a way of communicating with the students. In addition, Student Services representatives are always ready and available to assist the students.
Sounds like a good plan. Does each Student Service representative report on their interaction and findings. Are any changes made as a result of these updates and any metrics derived? Thanks, Susan
Yes, each representative report on their interaction and findings. If it would benefit the school changes are made and surveys are sent to students specifically to determine how the school is progressing.
Sounds great. There is also lots of information to make decisions. We all have to remember to use it! Thanks, Susan
Some creatvie things that I have done is to ensure that we all have the same goal in mind...the student and their success....so we have crossed trained and joined departments together for added support. For example, Student Services and Education so that there is a joined effort on the success of students. Because our Student Services department is so small and the resources are limited (financially and human) by adding the support of more people in the Education department, and getting them trained on how to better support the students, there is now a higher degree of Student Services available to the student population.
By instilling a teamwork attitude on the campus and concentrating on the student, we are able to meet the needs of the students better and more effectively.
Janet,
Great to keep student satisfaction as the main goal. Can't go wrong with that. Also cross training is an excellent idea as well. That means everyone can fill in when needed and also appreciate the challenges of the other person's job. Team work is always a great benchmark. Many schools find that Alumni are a great source of free talent. Ask them to assist with enrollment, in the classroom, with students, and coach grads so they can enter the workplace successfully. Great ideas. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
We have to understand when the institution work with limited operating resource like a personnel, is possible affect the student services. But when group work as a teamwork the result was better. Is important create a strategic to obtain the business goals.
MIRIAM,
You make a good point. What if you have limited personnel because of budget limitations? The goal is to get everyone working towards the same goals. And motivate your staff to perform multiple tasks and become cross trained. If all personnel are excited and motivated they will be able to see that their efforts can yield great results. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
We have a very small school and have no dedicated staff member to student services. We have 2 people who work with students on resumes and interviewing skills. We have recently set up an area with a student computer so our students can work on their resumes and complete online applications. I was reading some of the replies and am very interested in the "career corner" that was mentioned that has pre-loaded programs to help the students in various areas. That is an area I am going to explore. Our students are almost all male and other services we offer are referrals to clinics, bus routes, day care, etc.
Jan,
Sounds like a challenge with only two people who are probably doing a few full time job tasks. This is where am Alumni community might be very beneficial. If you engage and involve Alumni they can assist with resume reviews, interviews, confidence building, and lots more. Alumni can handle a lot of responsibilities that overworked staff now have. Placement and employment skills training really isn't an option. Students MUST be prepared to gain employment. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
