Introduction
The Colorado Online @ Student Services subcommittee was charged with recommending a support model for advising and general student support for students who are utilizing Colorado Online @ (CO@) courses. Examples of areas in which students may need additional guidance between colleges include financial aid, course materials, pre-requisites, care and conduct, contact information for service/staff/instructor, etc.
In development of this recommendation, the CO@ Student Services Subcommittee consulted advising directors during multiple state advising group meetings and distributed materials to the CCCS advising distribution list for ideas and feedback on two separate occasions.
Advising Support Model for Students
Recommendation 1 – Advising happens at the colleges
The Colorado Online Student Services Subcommittee, in consultation with the State Advising Director’s Functional Group, recommends that academic advising happens at the colleges as it does currently for online students. Note: when referencing “academic advising” in this document we are primarily referring to program selection, as well as academic and career plan development.
Rationale
Currently, colleges already advise their students who take online classes and complete online programs. To give the student a consistent and quality experience, having our currently trained advising experts do the required academic advising is the ideal model to achieve the best experience for our students.
Factors to Consider
Benefits
- Students receive standardized advising support regarding the programs listed in the home college catalog.
- Allows for less confusion by students as to how to get support.
- Consistent experience for students at the home college.
- Lessens the possibility of students getting incorrect program information/graduation requirements.
Challenges
- Difficulty estimating the amount of time required for coordination during initial rollout.
- Existing advisors may require additional training regarding student success in online courses and programs, as well as CO@ processes.
Resource and Training Needs
- Current advising staff will continue to advise online students.
- Advisors, and all Student Affairs staff system-wide will need to gain a clear understanding of CO@ processes. This training will need to happen well in advance of registration for the CO@ launch semester.
- Faculty and instructors will also need training regarding how support services will be handled.
Next Steps
- Continue to communicate with Advising Directors Functional Group regarding CO@.
- Develop any needed training and communicate with advising staff at the colleges.
- Notify other leadership at the colleges about the recommendation.
Recommendation 2 – Hire Colorado Online Success Liaisons
While academic advising should generally remain as is, there will be a need for students in CO@ classes to have someone at their home college who can help them connect with appropriate home college support and navigate between multiple schools in the system if needed. Therefore we recommend identifying a Colorado Online Success Liaison to serve as a resource for students, as well as faculty and staff who may need help navigating across colleges to better serve online students.
The Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions would be funded through an internal grant process for the first three years to allow flexibility in determining the amount of support needed to serve online students at each college. Each college will be responsible for requesting funding for this position from the system, including rationale on whether the position is part-time or full-time. Colleges may also propose sharing positions across colleges, which may better meet the needs of rural colleges. Each college will be responsible for hiring, training, and maintaining a designated Colorado Online @ Success Liaison at their college, with support from a system-wide Colorado Online @ Success Liaison Coordinator (see Recommendation 3). During year two of the three year grant cycle, colleges and the system office will review the effectiveness of the Colorado Online @ Success Liaisons and develop the ongoing plan around the continuation of these roles.
The Colorado Online @ Success Liaisons will be housed in advising at each college and will be supervised by the college advising director/lead. The liaisons will participate in a functional work group led by a Colorado Online @ Success Coordinator who will be responsible for coordinating work across colleges, assuring that grant requirements are met, and communicating on behalf of CO@.
Rationale
CO@ will be most successful if students are easily able to navigate our systems and processes. As Colorado Online gets rolled out, there may be some confusion among students taking online courses taught by different colleges. Having a point of contact for students to help them navigate across colleges will be essential, as will having staff at each college who can support each other as they work with students to make the appropriate connections.
Factors to Consider
Benefits
- The proposed grant model allows the Colorado Online @ Success Liaison to be fully integrated into the home college community, while assuring the needs of the consortium are met through the grant requirements and related reporting.
- Students receive coordinated support across colleges, minimizing confusion that could otherwise result from taking courses taught by different schools.
- Increases equity in the level of support services available across rural and metro colleges.
- Strong use of resources overall with less confusion while allowing colleges flexibility to fit the liaison role to the needs of the college.
- Issues with common business processes can be identified and resolved more accurately and efficiently.
- Best practices developed and shared as CO@ rolls out will make the whole system better at serving online students.
Challenges
- Coordination among 13 colleges could be difficult.
- Funding, hiring, and training will require time and resources.
- The amount of staffing needed is unknown and difficult to project.
Potential Impact/Effect on Other Decisions
- Each of the thirteen colleges will need to have an identified liaison, but the liaison may be part-time or shared between colleges. During the grant application process each college will need to identify whether a full-time liaison or part-time liaison is most appropriate for their college.
- At rural colleges, it may makes sense for the Colorado Online Success Liaison to also support students taking remote courses through other colleges in the Rural College Consortium.
Resource and Training Needs
- Internal grant funding for Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions will assure that this added responsibility does not fall on staff with already full plates.
- The Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions will need to meet and communicate with each other on a regular basis.
- The Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions will need training on how to operate within the new student CO@ model.
- The Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions will need training on all business processes and unique functionalities of CO@.
Next Steps
- Request funding for Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions.
- Formalize job description. Establish hiring plan, timeline, and process for each college.
- Create training plan for Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions.
- Maintain communication with State Advising Directors. Clarify expectations regarding reporting and supervision, as well as requirements for regular meetings and communications among all Colorado Online @ Success Liaisions.
- Notify support staff of the addition of the The Colorado Online @ Success Liaison positions. Explain the benefits of the role and what to expect.
- Notify other leadership at the colleges about the change and expectations.
Recommendation 3 – Hire a Centralized Colorado Online @ Success Liaison Coordinator Reporting to the CCCS office
Rationale
This role would help train Colorado Online @ Success Liaisons, coordinate regular Colorado Online @ Success Liaison meetings, share best practices, and serve as the receiver of the required data provided from Colorado Online @ Success Liaisons.
Factors to Consider
Benefits
- Coordination system wide.
- Assure best practices are shared and adopted.
Challenges
- Funding, hiring, and training will require time and resources.
Potential Impact/Effect on Other Decisions
- The success of the Colorado Online @ Success Liaisons, and the project as a whole, will be highly dependent on this position.
Resource and Training Needs
- 1 FTE funding for Colorado Online @ Success Liaison Coordinator
- The Colorado Online @ Liaison Coordinator position will need to meet and communicate with liaisons on a regular basis.
- The Colorado Online @ Liaison Coordinator position will need training on how to operate within the new student CO@ model.
- The Colorado Online @ Liaison Coordinator position will need training on all business processes and unique functionalities of CO@.
Next Steps
- Request funding for Colorado Online @ Liaison Coordinator.
- Discuss expectations of reporting and supervision with State Advising Directors. Explain the requirement of regular meetings and communication among all liaisons.
- Formalize job description. Establish hiring plan, timeline, and process for each college.
- Notify other leadership at the colleges about the change and expectations.
- Notify support staff of the addition of the Colorado Online Liaison Coordinator position. Explain the benefits of the role and what to expect.
- Create training plan for Colorado Online Success Liaisons positions.