Goal 7:

Provide responsive, efficient and cost-effective educational support programs and services

 

Helping new students excel

First-Year Advising Program

To increase student success, improve student retention and enhance advising effectiveness, UW-Stout's Advisement Center initiated the First-Year Advising Program. As a result, seven first-year advisers helped approximately 1,300 freshmen with their college transition.

Advisers worked with the students until spring advisement day, at which time the students transitioned to a faculty adviser in their academic program.

Goals for the program included:

  • increase first-year retention rates.
  • improve the quality of the first-year experience.
  • provide first-year students with consistent information.
  • develop responsible, informed students.
  • raise graduation rates.

The program also responded to increased instructor and program director workloads by taking some of the pressure to get new students up to speed off the shoulders of program advisers.

Twenty-five of UW-Stout's 27 undergraduate programs, and undecided students, were divided into logical groupings, giving each of the seven first-year advisers approximately 200 students. Each adviser worked closely with the directors of their assigned programs to learn program requirements and build partnerships that benefited the students.

The First-Year Advising Program was evaluated by both students and program directors through student Web-based assessments, and retention, probation and dismissal rates as compared to those in previous years. Ninety-six percent of freshmen felt very satisfied or satisfied with their first-year advising experience.

Block Scheduling

Block scheduling for freshmen was added to the original First-Year Advising Program during fall 2003. A working group that included the provost, the assistant vice chancellor, colleges and school associate deans, the registrar, and a first-year adviser was convened by the associate dean of students in November 2003 to develop and implement a plan. Although there were some problems with the first implementation, the process was deemed successful.

Into the Book

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer was read by first-year students participating in the "Into the Book" reading experience.First-year students also participated in a common reading experience called "Into the Book." The program is another part of the university's continuing retention efforts, giving new students a common experience before even taking one class at UW-Stout. The coordination of the program was a joint effort between the English department and the Advisement Center.

The goals of the summer reading program were to:

  • introduce students to the intellectual aims of college life.
  • create a sense of community and shared learning among students, teachers and administrators.
  • encourage cross-disciplinary thinking.

During the summer 2003, incoming freshmen read Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer in preparation for staff-student discussion groups held during fall orientation. Forty-eight staff members and 1,065 students participated in the program.

(Figure 1)

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Foundation supports excellence

Stout Foundation logoThe Stout University Foundation is a vigorous organization that plays a key role in positioning UW-Stout as a leader in higher education. The foundation's rapid growth directly relates to the loyal friends and alumni who recognize the importance of supporting UW-Stout and its talented faculty, staff and students.

The foundation has the largest endowment of the UW System comprehensive campuses, providing support for laboratory equipment, student scholarships, library resources, faculty grants and an expanded student emergency loan fund.

The foundation recognizes five endowed professorships, two endowed chairs and grants awarded to the university for diversity initiatives.

Donations to the foundation during the recent fiscal year totaled more than $1.2 million with 5,800 donors, which is positive considering the downturn in the United State's economy.

Scholarships

In 2003-04, the Stout University Foundation awarded $391,000 in scholarships to 420 students. These awards ranged from $500 to $6,000. The foundation also established five new endowed scholarships and 11 new annual scholarships in 2003–04.

A substantial gift received in the last fiscal year is noteworthy in that the donors wanted to spread the donation across campus to faculty, staff and students. These three new endowed awards go to recognize tenure track faculty, academic staff and students in their pursuit of fulfilling their personal and academic missions of research and continued study.

(Figure 2)

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Information Technology serves campus

The Technology and Information Services Department continues to provide extensive computing, data and voice services to the campus.

During 2003–04, the department completed and continued to enhance several projects:

  • improving the advising function by automating the function in the e-Scholar portal. This saves faculty members a great deal of time and puts relevant information into their hands regarding their advisees.
  • continuing e-Scholar portal development to increase the usefulness of the portal for laptop students and others.
  • continuing data warehouse development. Recent implementations included support for the e-Scholar portal, the advising module, the course delivery system and the work in department budgeting. Systems have been designed for retention studies, as well as executive information systems.
  • fully implementing the course delivery system. The system was developed and a pilot stage was completed. The module was fully available in the fall, and every class on campus now has a Web presence.

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Vocational Rehabilitation Institute awarded certification

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation FacilitieslogoA three-year accreditation was awarded to the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute Services from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities in September 2003. Areas accredited by CARF include Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Services; Community Employment Services; Job Development; Job-Site Training; Employment Assistive Technology; and Community Assistive Technology.

 

 


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