A.POLICY

Zane State College is committed to providing comprehensive support to its students throughout their academic journey. Zane State recognizes the importance of holistic, personalized advising in promoting student success and empowering students to achieve their academic, personal, and career goals. For that reason, students are required to meet with their advisor prior to registering for classes each term.

Holistic advising at Zane State College recognizes that students are multifaceted individuals with unique backgrounds, strengths, challenges, and aspirations. Our coaches and advisors are committed to understanding and addressing the whole student, fostering their academic success, personal growth, and overall well-being. Our approach integrates the use of Success Coaches/TRIO Advisors/Navigators and Faculty Advisors. Students are supported for at least one term by Success Coaches until the two momentum benchmarks are reached, and they then receive increased tailored guidance and support from Faculty Advisors in subsequent terms. Primary responsibility for proactive outreach and regular meetings is assigned first to the Success Coach/TRIO Advisor/Navigators and subsequently to the Faculty Advisor.

The two momentum benchmarks that guide the transition of students from Success Coaches to Faculty Advisors are:

• Completion of 20 credit hours
• Completion of their first college English and mathematics course requirements

Students receive a congratulatory letter from their Faculty Advisor when they transition from Success Coach support.

Additional advising services are offered for TRIO, CCP, and STEM students:

• Students actively participating in the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program receive supplementary advising services-including career, transfer, and financial aid planning as well as tutoring services-from the TRIO SSS Advisors.

• CCP students attending classes on campus are advised by CCP Advisors, and CCP students attending classes at their high schools are advised by their Guidance Counselors. With the support and oversight of CCP Advisors, students in CCP programs are co-advised by the Pathways Program Advisor and their Faculty Advisor. When students graduate from the CCP program and matriculate as Zane State students, they are assigned to a Success Coach for a minimum of one semester.

• Students in EEET and BSET degrees (and other future-specified programs) receive added mentoring and support services from a Student Success Navigator, who helps students persist in their coursework by referring students to appropriate support services and conducting sessions for customizing academic plans, setting goals, developing action plans, and assisting with placement in internships and post-graduation employment.

Advisor Responsibilities

Success Coaches/TRIO Advisors/Navigators: Success Coaches, TRIO Advisors, and Success Navigators provide personalized support to students at Zane State College. They assist students in making the transition to college, setting academic goals, and connecting with campus resources. They focus on building rapport, fostering student engagement, and addressing any barriers to success.

Faculty Advisors: In initial terms, Faculty Advisors (as well as Success Navigators) create a customized academic plan for students and assist with program questions and course sequencing exceptions. After students have achieved the two momentum markers, Faculty Advisors and Navigators serve as students’ primary advising contact and as their academic mentor. They assist students in selecting courses, continuing to plan their academic/career pathways, and exploring career options within their chosen fields of study. They also revise students’ academic plans as needed and approve students’ registration for courses. Faculty Advisors provide subject-specific guidance and mentorship based on their expertise and knowledge of academic programs and career areas. Success Coaches and TRIO Advisors continue to respond to Early Alerts for students who have transitioned to Faculty Advisors.

Student Expectations

Students must consult with their advisor before registering for classes each term and obtain approval for class registrations. In addition, students have these responsibilities:

• Engagement with Success Coaches/TRIO Advisors/Navigators: Students are required to actively engage with their Success Coaches during their first terms at Zane State College. TRIO students continue to receive mentoring and advising services for all terms in which they actively participate in the TRIO SSS program. Students should attend scheduled meetings, participate in advising sessions, and communicate openly about their academic and personal goals. They should dialogue with the Success Coaches/TRIO Advisors/Navigators and must receive approval for their registration choices.

• Transition to Faculty Advisors: After completing their initial terms, students transition to Faculty Advisors for ongoing academic guidance. They are expected

to schedule regular meetings with their Faculty Advisors, seek assistance when needed, and take ownership of their academic and career development. They must receive Faculty Advisor approval for registration choices.

Advising Syllabus

The advising syllabus is distributed to students prior to orientation for review during their first meeting with Success Coaches/TRIO Advisors and Faculty Advisors. It details advising responsibilities and provides a checklist to guide students in receiving full advising support.

1. POLICY GUIDELINES

Advising Approach

Zane State’s advising practices align with the SSIPP (Sustained, Strategic, Integrated, Proactive, and Personalized) framework developed by the Community College Research Center (CCRC), which emphasizes sustained support, strategic deployment of resources, integration with other student supports, proactive outreach, and personalized guidance.

The key features of Zane State’s approach are:

Sustained Support through Regular and Frequent Checkpoints

• Use email, text, phone calls, and in-person or virtual meetings to provide sustained support to students throughout their time at the college, ensuring that they receive ongoing guidance and assistance as they progress toward their academic and career goals.

• Provide continuous monitoring of students’ academic progress and offer interventions as needed to address challenges and promote success.

Strategic Deployment of Advising Resources

• Follow the Guided Pathways model to help students to choose a program of study, develop a plan, and stay on the path for achieving their goals.

• Strategically deploy advising resources by creating systems that differentiate support for students based on their individual needs and interests.

• Tailor advising services to meet the diverse needs of the Zane State student population, including specialized support for underserved and at-risk student groups.

Integrated with Other Student Supports and Collaboration across the College

• Integrate advising with other student support services and aspects of the college experience to provide a comprehensive and seamless support system.

• Collaborate with academic departments, TRIO SSS, the Student Success Navigator, tutoring, counseling services, and other campus and community resources to ensure that students have access to a wide range of support services.

• Collaborate with CCP Advisors to ensure a smooth transition for students matriculating from CCP programs to post-high school Zane State programs.

• Foster strong communication between Success Coaches, TRIO, Success Navigators, and Faculty Advisors to guide and support students in their programs of study.

Proactive Advising

• Use Early Alerts to provide support and encouragement to students at key points in their coursework, particularly early in their first term.

• Implement proactive advising strategies to reach all students, including those who may be hesitant to seek help on their own.

• Conduct early outreach to identify students who may be at risk of academic or personal challenges and provide proactive support and guidance.

Personalized Advising

• Customize advising to meet students’ individual needs, interests, and

motivations.

• Use a case management system to assign students to a specific Success Coach/TRIO Advisor, Success Navigator, and Faculty Advisor who will get to know them well and stay attuned to their individual needs and interests.