The 2022-23 Undergraduate Advising Professional Development sessions seeks to elevate inclusive and equitable faculty and professional staff advising practices at the University of Connecticut. All sessions will occur on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m., unless otherwise indicated. Specific dates and session information can be found below.
All interested UConn faculty and staff are warmly invited to attend; however, please note that our focus is primarily undergraduate academic advising.
Please reach out with any questions or if you require an accommodation for any of our sessions to Kelly Gilbert, Assistant Director for Engagement, Learning, and Development, Office of Undergraduate Advising.
Leadership Conversations with Academic Advising
Join us for a dialogue between academic leadership and the University’s advising community to share important updates, promote open communication, and engage in critical dialogue. All members of the advising community (faculty and staff) from all UConn campuses are welcome to attend.
Nathan Fuerst, Vice President for Enrollment Planning & Management (Date change: April 20)
Nathan Fuerst, Vice President for Enrollment Planning & Management
with Mike Ormsby, Director of One Stop Student Services
Thursday, April 20, 2023, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (NOTE DATE CHANGE)
WebEx Meeting Link (registration not required)
This session is a follow up from our February 16th leadership conversation.
Please submit questions for the presenter in advance to advising@uconn.edu. All questions will be kept anonymous.
Dr. Anne D’Alleva, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (February 27)
Dr. Anne D'Alleva, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Updated: Monday, February 27, 2023, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
WebEx Meeting Link (registration not required)
Please submit questions for the presenter in advance to advising@uconn.edu. All questions will be kept anonymous.
Nathan Fuerst, Vice President for Enrollment Planning & Management (February 16)
Nathan Fuerst, Vice President for Enrollment Planning & Management
Updated: Thursday, February 16, 2023, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
WebEx Meeting Link (registration not required)
Please submit questions for the presenter in advance to advising@uconn.edu. All questions will be kept anonymous.
Michael Bradford, Vice Provost for Faculty, Staff, and Student Development (September 29)
Michael Bradford, Vice Provost for Faculty, Staff, and Student Development
Thursday, September 29, 2022, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
WebEx Meeting Link (registration not required)
Dr. Tadarrayl Starke, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success (October 20)
Dr. Tadarrayl Starke, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success
Thursday, October 20, 2022, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
WebEx Meeting Link (registration not required)
Spring 2023 Topics and Schedule
Building Your Personal Advising Philosophy (February 7)
Building Your Personal Advising Philosophy
Tuesday, February 7, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (virtual)
This interactive session will focus on developing and/or refining the framework of your advising philosophy, an essential tool to grounding and guiding the work of all advisors. Please refer to the resources from our prior sessions.
Presenters:
Shoshana Armington, Assistant Director of Advising for Student Transitions, School of Engineering
Lauren Munyard, Academic Advisor, Department of Economics (CLAS)
Kelly Gilbert, Assistant Director for Engagement, Learning, and Development, Office of Undergraduate Advising
Demystifying the Student-Athlete (February 14)
Demystifying the Student-Athlete
Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (virtual)
Student-athletes make up a small, but highly visible portion of our student-body. This workshop will look at the makeup of the UConn student-athlete body, explore a day in the life of a student-athlete both in and out of their competitive seasons, discuss NCAA rules relevant to academic performance and academic advising (fun fact: a student-athlete can have a 4.0 GPA and be academic ineligible!), and explore barriers and opportunities along the way.
Thank you for joining Ellen Tripp, Alana Butler, and a team of academic counselors from the Student-Athlete Success Program to ask questions and collaboratively discuss what it means to be a Husky student-athlete.
New Faculty Advisor Onboarding and Training (February 15)
New Faculty Advisor Training
Wednesday, February 15, 12:30-1:45 p.m. (virtual)
Participants will leave with an overview of undergraduate faculty advising at UConn as well as university and advising tools and resources.
(note that this is a repeat of the faculty advisor training offered in the Fall semester)
At this session, the following topics will be covered:
• Introduction to University Advising
• Policies and Important University Offices
• University Systems/Tools (Nexus, Student Administration System, HuskyCT)
• Resources to help you to be a successful advisor
• Connecting/growing as a faculty advisor
Presenters:
Nick Delaney, Assistant Director of Student and Faculty Engagement, School of Engineering
Erin Ciarimboli, Director of Undergraduate Advising
Kelly Gilbert, Learning and Development Specialist, Office of Undergraduate Advising
Advising Case Studies, Wednesday, (February 22nd)
Advising Case Studies (in person)
Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., OAK 408
Join us for coffee, treats and conversation as we review student advising case studies.
Reach out to Kelly Gilbert if you are interested in presenting for this session.
Presenters:
Whitney Losapio, Director of Advising, School of Engineering
Lauren Munyard, Academic Advisor, Economics Department
TBD
Dean of Students Office Presentation: Partnering with Academic Advising to Enhance Student Success (March 7)
Dean of Students Office Presentation: Partnering with Academic Advising to Enhance Student Success
Tuesday, March 7, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (virtual)
The Dean of Students Office would like to partner with you, the Advising Community to address each school/college specific concerns/needs/things you want to learn more about.
Presenters:
Kimberly Duby, Assistant Dean of Students
Luz Burgos Lopez, Assistant Dean of Students
What Does Talking about Career During Advising Have to do with Equity? (March 29)
What Does Talking about Career During Advising Have to do with Equity?
Wednesday, March 29, 2023, 10:00-11:00am
Presenter: Nancy Bilmes - Center for Career Development
Video recording of session (3/29)
During this session, professional staff and faculty advisors will learn about career inequity, the implications for marginalized and first-generation students, and how to help by incorporating career development content via advising appointments and course selection.
After this session, attendees will be able to:
- Define and understand what career inequity is and how it affects students at UConn
- Explain what the Career Center is doing around career inequity as well as provide resources for advisors
- Determine strategies to integrate career readiness content into the advising conversations to help alleviate career inequity at UConn
Responding to an Active Threat: A Survival Mindset (March 29, in person)
Responding to an Active Threat: A Survival Mindset
Tuesday, March 29, 2023, 2:00pm-4:00pm (in person)
Location: PBB 131
This session includes identifying commonalities in active threat situations, pre-attack indicators, instilling a survival mindset, survival options (Run, Hide, Fight), law enforcement responses, and reporting behaviors of concern.
Staff and faculty advisors are strongly encouraged to attend.
Presented by Sergeant Justin Cheney, Division of University Safety, Police Department
Registration Link
De-Escalation Strategies for the Workplace (April 4, in person)
De-Escalation Strategies for the Workplace
Tuesday, April 4, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (in person)
Gant North (GN), Room 20
Staff and faculty advisors are strongly encouraged to attend.
Advisors participating in this workshop will develop an understanding of the following de-escalation concepts, through group discussion, lecture and role-playing exercises: simple and effective techniques to de-escalate conflict, recognize when de-escalation strategies will be ineffective and when to call for help, and understand the involuntary physiological responses to conflict and techniques to combat those responses. This program has been specifically adapted for the community by our own UCPD instructors who train officers in de-escalation strategies. These time-tested and proven strategies will definitely enhance the safety and confidence of your group.
Presented by Sergeant Justin Cheney, Division of University Safety, Police Department
CANCELLED – Building Cultural Humility in Advising Workshop: Supporting Our LatinX Students
CANCELLED: Creating Cultural Humility in Advising Spring 2023 Workshop: Supporting our LatinX Students
Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (virtual)
Staff and faculty advisors are strongly encouraged to attend.
PRLACC has been the home away from home for self-identified Latinx/a/o students at the University of Connecticut for the past 50 years. In this session, you will learn about why a cultural center is essential in the lives of Latinx/a/o students to foster a sense of belonging in a predominately White institution. Advisers will also learn about current best practices to support our Latinx/a/o students.
Presented by Fany Hannon, Interim Dean of Students
**This event has been cancelled; we hope to reschedule for a future semester!**
Leveraging Data in Advising to Support Student Success (April 25)
Leveraging Data in Advising to Support Student Success
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. (virtual)
In this session, we will define the best available UConn tools and sources for both data and assessment for advisors. Learn how to create meaningful surveys, track trends and draw conclusions to inform advising policies and best practices.
Creating More Welcoming Spaces in Advising (April 25)
Creating More Welcoming Spaces in Advising
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, noon-1:00 p.m. (virtual)
Please join a group of UConn students as they present their experiences in advising spaces on the Storrs campus. This presentation stems from a study utilizing photovoice research method on the perceptions and experiences of advising spaces among UConn Black students through images taken by the students. The students will present what they saw from their perspectives, how advising spaces can be more welcoming, and dialogue with the advising community. The goal of this presentation is to create more welcoming advising spaces on campus.
Contact: Micah Heumann, micah.heumann@uconn.edu
Link (no registration required)
NACADA Conferences
NACADA is an association of professional advisors, counselors, faculty, administrators, and students working to enhance the educational development of students. Advisors are encouraged to explore the events below. For more information, visit the NACADA website.
NACADA 2023 Region 1 Conference (March 8-10)
NACADA's 2023 Region 1 Conference: "Wicked Revolutionary Advising"
March 8-10, 2023
Boston Park Plaza
Boston, Massachusetts
Registration Link (opens on November 1st)
NACADA 2022 Annual Conference (October 23-26)
NACADA's 2022 Annual Conference
Building Bridges: Honoring our Past, Celebrating the Present, and Preparing for the Future
October 23-26, 2022
Oregon Convention Center; Portland, Oregon
The conference theme encourages all of us to reflect on where we started and honor those who built the foundation for our academic advising careers in higher education. Furthermore, it gives us the opportunity to recognize the perseverance and dedication that advisors have given to this profession while also looking ahead to where our paths lead in furthering academic excellence.
Link to registration, schedule and other important information.
Fall 2022 Topics and Schedule
New Faculty Advisor Onboarding and Training (October 13th)
New Faculty Advisor Training (held in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023)
Fall 2022 Session: Thursday, October 13, 2022, 12:30-1:45 p.m.
Participants will leave with an overview of undergraduate faculty advising at UConn as well as university and advising tools and resources.
At this session, the following topics will be covered:
• Introduction to University Advising
• Policies and Important University Offices
• University Systems/Tools (Nexus, Student Administration System, HuskyCT)
• Resources to help you to be a successful advisor
• Connecting/growing as a faculty advisor
Presenters:
Nick Delaney, Assistant Director of Student and Faculty Engagement, School of Engineering
Erin Ciarimboli, Director of Undergraduate Advising
Kelly Gilbert, Learning and Development Specialist, Office of Undergraduate Advising
Effectively Using College Scheduler for Registration & Advising (September 27)
Effectively Using College Scheduler for Registration & Advising
Tuesday, September 27, 2022, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
All faculty/staff advisors and relevant campus partners are encouraged to attend a presentation on the College Scheduler which will include recent updates that will enable you to support students more effectively.
Presented by the Office of the Registrar:
Jennifer Tibbetts, Assistant Registrar, Records and Enrollment Services
Stacy Hayes, Manager of Technical Projects
Sarah Cooper, Administrative Services Assistant
Allyson Barron, Registrar Specialist
New Date! Building Cultural Humility in Academic Advising (November 8)
Cultural Humility in Academic Advising (rescheduled from November 1st)
Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Staff and faculty advisors are strongly encouraged to attend.
This session will be facilitated by UConn's Cultural Centers and will focus on continuing to build cultural humility in academic advising.
Presented by Fany Hannon, Director of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center
Degree Audit Presentation: Audit Be Your Guide (November 16)
Degree Audit Presentation: Audit Be Your Guide
Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
The Degree Audit Office will hold an interactive session on important information and updates for advisors as well as a tutorial on how to use the advisement report in the most meaningful way.
Presented by the Office of the Registrar:
Carl Rivers, Associate Registrar of Degree Audit, NCAA Compliance, Records and Enrollment Services
Jennifer Tibbetts, Assistant Registrar of Records and Enrollment Services
Laura Mlyniec-Beam, Assistant Registrar of Degree Audit
Fall 2022 Nexus Workshop: Tips, Tricks and Best Practices (November 29)
Join us for a session by Nexus expert users for tips and tricks, updates and best practices using Nexus in support of student success.
Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 10:00-11:00a.m.
Presenters:
Lauren Munyard, Academic Advisor, Department of Economics
Kelly Gilbert, Assistant Director for Engagement, Learning, and Development, Office of Undergraduate Advising
Previous Content: Undergraduate Advising Professional Development Series
Most past professional development sessions have been recorded and/or include important resources that you may reference below.