Supporting Neurodiversity in the Classroom

Why You Need This Resource As the number or size of your classes grows, you’ll likely find it increasingly difficult to meet the variability of your learners. Since research says neurodiversity is the rule (not the exception), one-off changes and accommodations will become tedious for both you and your learners. If you’re ready for a better way, use these resources to start serving many types of learners simultaneously through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). You will learn simple changes you can make today to both course materials and the overall learning experience.   You Will Learn: How to apply UDL principles to digital course materials Simple changes to make your classes more supportive of diverse learners   You Will Get: Downloadable Resources Instructional Videos Interactive Activities

Are We Measuring the Impact of Advising the Right Way?

Here are three commonly used academic advising metrics that fail to measure the impact of advising, and three qualitative measures that DO matter. Advising administrators are challenged with recruiting, training, and retaining effective advisors. They are tasked with positively impacting student success and retention, and are often held accountable for student persistence, academic performance, and graduation rates. Additionally, advising administrators must develop measures to evaluate advisor performance to ensure that they are successfully meeting student needs. Because of these demands, administrators may use quantitative measures to evaluate student success and advisor performance. However, the use of these measures may be a source of frustration and dissatisfaction for advisors and may unjustly place the burden of student success on their shoulders. As a result, advisors may experience burnout that can lead to poor performance and possible departure. 3 Academic Advising Metrics That Fail to Accurately Measure the Impact 1. Number of Contacts an Advisor Makes The logic is sound. Research has shown that the more engaged a student is with an institution and its personnel, the more likely he or she is to persist. By encouraging advisors to reach out to their students, administrators are hoping to build connections to promote […]

Enhance Your Application Process: Strategies to Measure Grit and Non-Cognitive Variables

Many application processes do not assess for persistence and grit, yet these qualities are often a better predictor of success than academic ability. Traditional admissions processes that focus solely on academics put some students at a disadvantage – especially first-generation or low-income students. Incorporating the right questions into your application processes will help you better predict success for students who might not meet traditional requirements. Join us online to learn how to enhance your own admissions processes.  This webcast will provide strategies and tools to help you assess non-cognitive variables by rethinking: The questions you ask in applications How you phrase essay prompts The reviewal process of extra-curricular activities and recommendations

Solving Retention Challenges with a Team Approach: A Case Study

Campuses continue to struggle with coordinating and solving campus-wide retention and enrollment challenges. Yet, the University of Tennessee used a problem-solving approach to pull together key partners to address an enrollment challenge. This approach worked so well that they have continued to meet to solve enrollment and retention challenges across campus, such as: Understanding why students leave Increasing low-income student success Balancing enrollment targets with financial goals. Join us to explore an alternative approach to solving enrollment and retention challenges. Using a case-study framework, this event will walk you through several different enrollment and retention challenges to demonstrate how your campus can make a case for rethinking key collaborations, success goals, and decision-making.

Katie Jeanneret

As Customer Relations Manager, Katie manages all correspondence with our customers and Subject Matter Experts, and coordinates various internal procedures for our Operations Team. She enjoys problem solving and finding a way to meet the needs of everyone we work with. Katie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from Washington University in St. Louis. Before making the move to Denver and Academic Impressions, she spent the last few years in the Washington, DC area working in performing arts and arts education. She is excited to explore all that Denver has to offer! When she isn’t working, you can usually find Katie on a hike, doing yoga, going to a concert, or trying a new recipe or restaurant.

Improving Student Success: A Conversation with the Incoming President of WICHE

Being based in Colorado, we were excited to hear that our current Lt. Governor, Joseph Garcia, was named the new President of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), which works to expand access and opportunity across its 16 member states and territories. Garcia will begin his new role in July. Previously, Garcia served as the president of Pikes Peak Community College and the president of Colorado State University – Pueblo. Having served across such a diversity of roles, Garcia has a unique and multifaceted perspective on higher education. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with the Lt. Governor and gather his insights on the ongoing shift in focus to student outcomes and how higher-ed institutions will need to adapt in the years ahead. An Interview with Joseph Garcia Amit Mrig. You’re in a unique position, having served as the president of a community college, the leader of a 4-year institution, having run the Higher Education department for the State, and having served also as Lt. Governor. Given these multiple viewpoints, what do you see as the biggest challenges confronting higher education? Joseph Garcia. When we started community colleges–when we first started talking about the Higher Education Act–the focus […]

Establishing a Data Governance Committee in Advancement

Most advancement shops struggle with data governance, especially when it comes to data that is: duplicated across multiple fields or shadow databases erroneously put into one field versus another inputted in open text fields instead of predefined dropdowns These data challenges often affect the integrity of critical alumni and donor information that the entire operation depends on. You can significantly improve the quality of your data and solve problems across your shop by establishing a committee that is representative of all departments within advancement. Join us for this webcast to hear our expert walk through the steps of establishing an effective data governance committee. You will leave this training with a collection of practical resources, such as a sample committee charter, an example of written data quality standards, tips for auditing your database, and a sample agenda for a committee meeting.

Getting Performance Appraisals Right in College Admissions

In an era in which half the post-secondary institutions in the U.S. are facing enrollment declines, performance assessment and continuous improvement in admissions has never been more critical. Even those institutions with strong enrollments, experienced staff, and strong market position need to take the performance assessment process seriously. Why You Need to Do it Right Many of those who have worked with me over the course of the past 20 years will tell you I take performance assessment seriously. I believe one of the most important roles of a leader is to honestly, constructively and actively assesses performance of those who form the team. However, like most leaders, I had to learn how to assess performance, think carefully and adapt. Everyone has a different approach to performance assessment, and some will reject the notion that such assessments even have value. Those who cannot find value in this process,—or choose a superficial method like simply judging by the numbers, or having an annual conversation to ask “how’s it going”—are missing out on what can be a rewarding and integral part of effective talent development. It’s a leader’s job to mentor and develop talent. My master’s thesis focused on the performance assessment […]

The Consultative Approach to Mentoring: Building a Network of Support

With the apprentice model of mentoring, a mentee is assigned one mentor, usually someone senior in the organization, to provide guidance in all aspects of their career. Although this is a powerful model that typically serves mentees well, this approach to mentoring does require intensive commitments of time and energy from both individuals. And mentors may not always have all of the expertise a mentee needs. As an alternative, however, the consultative approach to mentoring can be used to replace or supplement the more traditional apprentice model of mentoring. The consultative approach encourages mentees to identify those discrete skills and focused areas of support in which they need mentorship, and to then identify multiple mentors to specifically meet those needs. In addition to being flexible enough to support individuals throughout their careers, the consultative approach can help departments promote greater equity and inclusion by empowering everyone to share their expertise with one another. In this course, you’ll be introduced to the consultative approach to mentoring, you’ll be able to build your network of potential mentors, and you’ll gain valuable tools to help manage sticking points in mentorship relationships. This course is appropriate for all higher ed professionals, both at the […]

Establishing a Culture of Philanthropy as an Academic Dean

Philanthropic work in higher education is as important as ever, as the cost of delivering a high-quality education continues to increase. Academic deans are situated in an important role that allows them to guide the strategic direction of their school or college to help meet the academic mission of their institution. But to achieve their strategic vision, deans must embrace their responsibility to foster a culture of philanthropy within their academic unit to ensure success for years to come. This video course will be beneficial to any academic dean—new or experienced—or those aspiring to the role who are seeking to develop or refine a plan to achieve philanthropic goals for their institution. This course is designed to help you understand what a culture of philanthropy is, why it is important, what your responsibility is as a dean in establishing a culture of philanthropy, and how to approach fundraising as a part of this culture. Our expert instructor, Dr. Wade Weast, will help you to understand how your roles as a visionary, collaborator, role model, and fundraiser come together to help alumni, donors, and friends of your academic unit leave a lasting impact. Accompanying this course is a workbook designed to […]