NACADA_DriveInflip

New Jersey Academic Advising
Drive In Conference

Academic Advising & the Liberal
Arts: Developing Engaged and
Educated Citizens

June 1, 2017
Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ

Conference Day at a Glance

8:30-9:25AM Check-In and Breakfast
9:30AM Conference Welcome
9:45 - Keynote Address
10:45- Concurrent Session I
12:00-1:00PM Lunch
1:15-2:15PM Concurrent Session II
2:25-3:25PM Concurrent Session III
3:30PM Closing

About Montclair

Montclair State University has prepared thousands of students for a lifetime of professional and
personal success. We are unique in offering:

 Academic programs that have earned us the title of “New Jersey’s best public
university” (Forbes)

 Opportunities to develop leadership skills and achieve professional goals through a wide
range of extracurricular activities

 A vibrant, expansive campus community
 Cutting-edge technologies, such as online study opportunities, that match our students’

learning styles
 Exceptional value for both in-state and out-of-state students

Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, Montclair State University is a leading
institution of higher education in New Jersey. Designated a Research Doctoral University by the
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the University’s nine colleges and
schools serve more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300
doctoral, master's and baccalaureate level programs. Situated on a beautiful, 252-acre
suburban campus just 12 miles from New York City, Montclair State delivers the instructional
and research resources of a large public university in a supportive, sophisticated and diverse
academic environment.

 Nearly 300 majors, minors, concentrations, and certificate programs
 State-of-the-art facilities including a new 2,000-bed student residence and dining complex
 Exceptional opportunities for motivated students, regardless of ethnicity or economic

background: described by the U.S. Education Trust as a “Top Gap Closer” for increasing
graduation rates for minority students

Yet students receive the individual attention you’d expect from a much smaller institution.

 Student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1
 Average class size is 23 students
 Courses taught by professors, not graduate assistants
 Affordable tuition: one of Forbes' 25 Best Buy Colleges in the Northeast

Keynote Speaker

Brigid Callahan Harrison is Professor of Political Science and Law at
Montclair State University, where she has taught since 1994. She is the
author of American Democracy Now (McGraw-Hill Publishers, now in its
fifth edition), one of the leading introductory political science textbooks in
the United States. She is also the author of A More Perfect Union (McGraw
-Hill Publishers, 2010), Power and Society (Cengage, now in its 13th
edition) and Women in American Politics (Wadsworth, 2003), as well as
various peer-refereed journal articles.

Named to PolitickerNJ's Power List 2015 (at #20), Harrison is a frequent commentator in
print and electronic media on U.S. politics, Harrison provides regular political analysis
to ABC, NBC, and CBS, FOX News, and their local affiliates, to CBS News radio, and to
various NPR radio programs. She also is a regular commentator on NJTV. She is a
columnist for The New York Observer, PolitickerNJ, The Star Ledger, and The Bergen
Record, and her editorials have appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, and The
Press of Atlantic City. Harrison has served as a moderator or panelist for numerous
political debates, including the 2013 New Jersey Gubernatorial debate, and the New
Jersey 2012 U.S. Senate debate.

Harrison has served as president of the New Jersey Political Science Association, the
National Women’s Caucus for Political Science, a section chair of the Northeast Political
Science Association, and as president of the Midwest Women’s Caucus for Political
Science. Her research interests include Congress and the Presidency, campaigns and
elections, and American public opinion. She is an expert on the politics of the Millennial
Generation. She received her B.A. from Stockton University, her M.A. from Rutgers, The
State University of New Jersey, and her Ph.D. from Temple University, where she was a
national MENSA graduate fellow.

Inducted into the Atlantic County Women’s Hall of fame in 2009, she also was the
recipient of the “Distinguished Alumna of the Year” from the Richard Stockton College
Council of Black Faculty and Staff, and the Atlantic County Zonta’s “Women Who Make
a Difference” award.

Working within her community, Harrison serves on the boards of the Stockton
University Foundation and of Holy Spirit High School. She has volunteers with Doctors
Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers and was a charter member of the Women’s
Leadership Initiative of the Atlantic County United Way. She also has served on the
boards of the Atlantic County Women’s Center and the American Cancer Society –
Atlantic County Unit. She is a member the South Jersey chapter of Families with
Children from China, and was the membership chair of the Smithville Elementary
Parent Teacher Association for over a decade.

Brigid’s hobbies include running, paddleboarding, kayaking, yoga, traveling, and
reading. She lives in Longport, New Jersey with daughters Caroline, 20 and Alexandra,
14, and son, John, 12. She is married to Paul Meilak, a retired New York City Police
detective.

Concurrent Session I 10:45AM - 11:45 AM

Advising Student Athletes: It Takes a Village
Janice Stapley, PhD., Monmouth University
Thomas Bieber, Monmouth University
UN 2004

Student athletes can be supported in their quest for a meaningful liberal arts education
through collaborations on their behalf across the university including support for their
pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in their chosen field by the Director of Athletics, Athletic
Department Advising, academic advisors in their major and minor departments, and faculty
who are cognizant of their schedules. All of this takes good communication between academic
entities that may otherwise be in their own “silos”. We will discuss how we do this at
Monmouth as a case example and use data from the Applied Psychology lab to support our
points. The value placed on students being supported in their choice of major needs to be
voiced at the top – by the Athletic Director so that everyone involved gets the message.
Although past literature has shown a tendency for “major clustering” in student athletes
(Schneider, Ross, & Fisher, 2010), this does not have to be the case. Our recent interviews of
18 female athletes included students from 8 different majors – including Psychology and
Biology that both have many lab courses. Besides the tone being set at the top, the
communication between the different departments allows Department Chairs to schedule
classes that fit within the time constraints of student athlete schedules, advisors to be aware
of the time constraints of sports participation, and faculty to understand that events
scheduled outside of regular class time might not always be possible for student athletes.
Working together to provide the best possible educational setting, we can create a culture in
which a Division I student athlete can double major in sociology and psychology as is the case
in our sample of male DI athletes we are beginning to collect. Handouts will be provided.

Is the Seminar Right? Developing Exploratory Students through Curricular Engagement
Gavin Farber, Temple University
UN 2009

This session will highlight the collaboration between academic advisors at the Fox School of
Business and administrative staff from the Temple University Office of the Senior Vice Provost
for Undergraduate Studies (OVPUS) developed a business specific seminar. Temple OVPUS
worked with university personnel to create targeted seminars specific to different populations,
to include transfer, international and undeclared students. Fox advisors, who were already
working on ways to engage advisees to bridge gaps between their academic and
extracurricular activities, seized the opportunity to establish a more robust seminar
experience. After a successful pilot in spring 2013, the course was offered each semester. The
rewards of developing a seminar course allow academic advisors to build stronger
relationships with students. Advisors gain new opportunities to enhance their professional
persona on campus. Students gain confidence through discovering how their strengths and
values line up to specific career pathways. Students are more intentional as they collaborate
to find their ideal majors, creating new connections throughout the university with the
ultimate goal of graduation. Teaching seminar courses are great ways to help your advising
community actively engage with your students to learn and prosper! The session will
encourage participants to think about how teaching a course can assist in their professional
development. These new opportunities can open new doors to success for both advisors and
students.

Concurrent Session I 10:45AM - 11:45 AM

Creating Champions: Building Strength, Confidence and Courage in Minority First
Generation College Students
Stephanie Ramsey, City College of New York—CUNY
Ainsworth Brown, Borough of Manhattan Community College
UN 2006

According to 2012 U.S. Department of Education data, low-income, FGCS make up 24% of
the undergraduate population. Unfortunately, only 11% of these students will earn a Bache-
lor degree six years after graduating from high school. First Generation College Students
drop out of college at four times the rate of their peers whose parents hold a Bachelor de-
gree. As Advisors it is extremely important that we establish consistent support services to
assist Minority First Generation College Students through the college completion process.
This student population is often confronted with many challenges that, despite their
strengths can impede the journey to degree completion. Barriers like difficulty making the
transition into college, lack of a support system, demands of family, stereotypes, difficulty in
establishing a campus connection and financial burden are common obstacles for students
who see a college degree as a pathway to professional success, rise in social status and most
importantly a way to advance their circumstances. According to a UCLA study, only 27% of
FGCS graduate college in four years opposed to 42% of their peers whose parents hold Bach-
elor degrees. The numbers are even lower for minority students. However, Minority First
Generation College Students do overcome barriers to attend college and see themselves as
influential to their families, friends and communities. Unfortunately Minority FGCS do not
realize that being ready for college means more than expanding content knowledge and aca-
demic skills. It also means fostering the non-cognitive factors that are essential to student
academic performance and persistence in higher education. This presentation will explore
skills and interventions that Academic Advisors can utilize to help Minority FGCS develop
their strengths, establish campus and community connections and acquire leadership skills.
Attendees will be provided with tools needed to help Minority First Generation College Stu-
dents thrive in academia to ensure their academic success and graduation so that they may
continue to see themselves as influential.

Rewriting the Runaround
Michele Applegate, Rowan College at Burlington County College
Rosemarie Loughlin, Rowan College at Burlington County College
Chris Crean, Rowan College at Burlington County College
UN 2010

Can you think of a time when you felt like you were being passed from one person to the
next without ever really receiving an answer? Sometimes college can feel like an endless,
frustrating maze, consisting of going from one department to the next. Finding ways to com-
bat this runaround is essential. This presentation will discuss the role of a Student Services
Generalist, practices to support and empower advisors in having broader conversations with
students, the need to balance encouraging self-sufficiency while also providing answers, the
benefits of a holistic advising approach, and next steps in combating the runaround for stu-
dents.

Concurrent Session II 1:15PM - 2:15PM

Engaging Future Teachers in Social and Political Democracy
Charity Dacey, Montclair State University
Tina Jacobowitz, Montclair State University
UN 2004

The big question: Are we meet our goal, and how do we know? Montclair State University
select students with dispositions congruent with our commitment to prepare candidates to
assume the responsibilities necessary to educate students to be engaged participants in a
social and political democracy (Jacobowitz, 1994). This session explores how advising
students plays an important role in this work and the implications of national, state and
local policies when preparing teachers in a democracy.

The Best of Both Worlds: The Value in Adding a STEM Minor to a Liberal Arts Major
Octavia Nash, Rowan University
Susan Schmidt, Rowan University
UN 2009

Is it possible to pair a STEM minor with a Liberal Arts degree? Yes, it is! Liberal Arts majors
with a passion for sciences are encouraged to pursue STEM minors to enhance their
analytical logic and technical skills. Students who embrace the skills, techniques, and
involvement with STEM education are well rounded individuals with excellent skill sets.
Students who pair their Liberal Arts Degree with STEM minors can develop techniques such
as scientific thinking, analytical logic, concept of sequencing, technical writing skills, and
teamwork. Students are trained to think, act, and do what scientists do. Merging the worlds
of Liberal Arts and STEM must involve planning, communication, and preparation for arising
challenges. That’s where you come in! Professional Advisors encourage their students to
branch out, pursue their science passion, and gain desired skills to enhance their abilities
as they prepare for their future. Join us to learn more about can assist your advisees with
getting the best of both worlds.

Renaissance Man or Specialist: Advising Students with Direction

Round Table Discussion
Andrew Millin, Mercer County Community College
UN 2006

Richard N. Pitt, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies of the Sociology
Department at Vanderbilt University, studied the rise of of double majors on nine campuses
through his research on identity. As of 2013, four out of ten students at Vanderbilt have two
majors, and at the University of California, Davis, the number of double majors has doubled
in five years (Selingo, 2013). Looking at current students and alumni, 10% of students at
the University of Tennessee, Chattanoga, report that they do not want to work in the field(s)
they are currently studying, and that about one third college-educated American workers
age 35 and older are never employed within their degree field (Phillips, 2014). There is more
value to pursuing degrees versus just the worth that will be applied in a vocation.
Considering the cost of a college education, it is imperative that students have even the
slightest bit of direction as they plan out their programs of study, and determine the levels of

Concurrent Session II 1:15PM - 2:15PM

attainment they would like to achieve per their disciplines of interest. About 80% of
academic advisors affirm the obligation of helping their advisees make career decisions

(McCalla-Wriggins, 2009). The following critical questions will guide the discussion, along
with additional questions that participants ask: 1) How would you define a renaissance man
and specialist in the context of an undergraduate student? 2) Which disciplines should be
majored in by themselves, and which majors should be combined? Why or why not? 3) What
are the warning signs when a student is too over-focused in one discipline, or too over-

extended in multiple disciplines? 4) What are the consequences of indecision and inflexible
decision of curriculum in the contexts of graduation, student satisfaction, and retention
rates? 5) How as academic advisors and administrators can we collaborate with career
counselors, and other higher education professionals, to help students establish, feel

confident in, and have direction regarding their curricular identities?

Exploration Before Declaration: Helping Our Students Find Their Calling While
Improving Institutional Outcomes
Michele Campagna,EdD Montclair State University
Jim Davison, Montclair State University
UN 2010

The rapidity of technological and global developments require that first-year advising
programs take an integrated approach to major and career exploration. As many of the
professions that will be available upon graduation do not yet exist, advisors need to guide
students toward exploring their skills, values, and interests rather than declaring a major.
Comprehensive advising initiatives that include self-assessment activities, integrated
curricular and co-curricular experiences, and highlight the value of the liberal arts can help
students select majors that are the right fit, promote graduation and retention rates, and
better prepare students for the prospects that await them as graduates. In this session,
attendees will explore the factors associated with major and career exploration during the
first year of college and the associated theories and research recommending best practices
for promoting “major affinity.” Attendees will learn about ways to integrate developmental
and intrusive academic and career advising practices, high-impact programs such as
learning communities, first-year seminar, and peer programs, and the tenets of their liberal
arts curriculum to build comprehensive campus-wide programs to help students discover
majors that best align with their values, interests, and abilities. Additionally, data attesting
to the success and transferability of these approaches will be shared and discussed.

Concurrent Session III 2:25 - 3:25PM

Advising Generation Z: Characteristics of our Post-Millennial Students
Deborah Sheffield, William Paterson University
Lynne Or, William Paterson University
Tashia Burton, William Paterson University
UN 2004

The advisees we thought we understood have entered into a new age, called Generation Z.
Born after 1995, the unique characteristics of our post-millennial students may be
surprising yet refreshing. In this interactive session, we will learn how it may be time to
develop a new advisement toolkit designed to meet Generation Z's expectations of college.
Based on extensive research, the presenters will mash myths, show short video clips, and
look at case studies with the participants. Together we will develop new advisement
strategies based on current trends to embrace the qualities of Generation Z.

STEER - Identifying Academic Factors that Yield “Higher Risk” Student Performance
Mahfuza Kochi, Montclair State University
Sean Heller, Montclair State University
UN 2009

This presentation will look to identify the academic factors outside of cumulative GPA that
would cause a student to become “at-risk”. Factors will include curriculum and content
specific areas that yield higher percentages of at-risk students, and identify goals going
forward for targeted intervention regarding those specified factors. This presentation will
focus primarily on Upper-Class (60 or more credits) students, or students in specific special
populations, whose GPA fall between a 2.000 and a 2.249.

Where are you Going? How Academic Advisors Can Create Engaged Students
Megan Fry, Rowan University
Rachel Budman, Rowan University
UN 2010

Professors often say that students won’t do anything that’s not for a grade – and
unfortunately, they’re often right. One way institutions can increase student engagement is
by building it in to a graded curriculum such as a first year seminar program. At Rowan
University, the Rowan Passport Program requires students in our Rowan Seminar and
Rowan 101 programs to attend a variety of on-campus events throughout the semester. This
presentation explores the effectiveness of such engagement programs and ways in which
academic advisors can take a leading role within their colleges to increase student
involvement during their first academic year.

Concurrent Session III 2:25PM - 3:25PM

Reprogramming the Liberal Arts: Linking Computer Science with Liberal Arts degrees
as an Algorithm for Success
Michael Schillo, Jr., Rowan University
Kimberly Poolos, Rowan University
UN 2006

Students majoring in the Liberal Arts may often be “underconfident” in the marketability of
their majors, while STEM students may often be overconfident that their degrees will be
sought-after. Liberal Arts students can feel they lack the technical skills wanted by
employers and STEM students often lack the communication and “soft” skills necessary for
long-term success. Meaningful coursework in both disciplines accomplished through
intentional and collaborative advising is the solution that allows professional success for
both populations. Rowan University allows students the opportunity to pair any Liberal Arts
Degree with the new B.A. in Computing & Informatics. Through partnerships among
academics advisors, students have the ability to gain both the intrinsic critical thinking
skills of the Liberal Arts with the applicable and highly-desirable tech skills through
cooperative advising. Academic Advisors from Rowan’s Computer Science Department and
College of Humanities & Social Sciences have jointly developed advising plans, working
within the preexisting curricula, that illustrate how a student could easily double major in
C&I and any Liberal Arts Major. The advising plans have been marketed to students in a
variety of ways including freshman orientations and Learning Communities. To inform and
accommodate first-semester freshman, second-semester start options are presented. In
addition, career possibilities of C&I and Liberal Arts combinations are explored. The
collaboration provides mutual benefits, as it gives Liberal Arts students additional
marketability and encourages Computer Science students to develop necessary soft skills.
This interdisciplinary approach helps to create a well-educated, well-rounded, engaged
graduate.

Getting Around

The conference will be held in the University Hall Conference Center located on the 7th floor
of University Hall. Visitors should park in Car Park Diem, the parking garage located on Yogi
Berra Drive. Please use the maps below to help you plan your trip.

An interactive campus map can be found here:

h p://www.montclair.edu/campus‐map/ 

A print map can be downloaded here:

http://www.montclair.edu/media/montclairedu/map/campus-map.pdf

Public Transportation

The Montclair State University campus is located right next to two train stations. The
Montclair Heights train station, located at the south end of campus, is just a few steps away
from the main body of the campus. The Montclair State University train station, located at
the northwest end of campus, has a campus shuttle service to the main campus area. The
Montclair-Boonton line does make stops at both stations.

For a listing of available train service from your location to the Montclair train stations go to:
- NJTransit's Train Station (Station to Station) Web service.
- For a PDF of the Montclair-Boonton (MidTown Direct) Line Schedule.
- For NJ Transit Service information for student discount passes.

New York City MidTown Direct - New Service to Midtown Manhattan
MidTOWN DIRECT-Montclair service operates between Montclair Heights Station and Penn
Station New York from early morning until late evening, Monday through Friday. Peak period
service will also run to and from Hoboken Heights and Newark Broad Street stations, plus
you can use either MidTOWN DIRECT-Montclair or Hoboken-bound trains to reach Newark
Broad Street Station. Call 1-800-626-RIDE or visit http://www.njtransit.com for complete
NJTransit information and schedules.

New York City (by bus): DeCamp Bus No. 66 leaves from the Port Authority Bus Terminal
and drops you off on campus near College Hall. If the bus is not going all the way to campus,
get off at Mt. Hebron and Valley roads, turn right (north) on Valley, and walk one block to
the Normal Avenue traffic light, then turn left to campus entrance. For a detailed schedule,

Newark: NJ Transit Bus No. 28 originates at Macy's, Washington and Hill streets, and termi-
nates its run on campus.

Paterson: NJ Transit Bus No. 705 travels from Main Street and Broadway in Paterson. Or,
NJ Transit Bus No. 72 originates at Broadway Terminal, Paterson, and goes to Broad Street,
Bloomfield. Change to No. 28 at Bloomfield Center.

The Oranges: Take One Bus Co. No. 44 to Main and Day streets in Orange. Connect to NJ
Transit Bus No. 92 to Glenwood and Bloomfield avenues. Change to NJ Transit Bus No. 28

Passaic: NJ Transit Bus No. 705 originates at Main Street and Passaic Avenue in Passaic
and travels through Clifton to Montclair State University.

Wayne: NJ Transit Bus 705 originates at Willowbrook Mall and ends its run on campus.