Most of us who work in housing & residence life have observed that problems with conduct in the halls, and problems with a student’s academic work go hand-in-hand. Many hearing officers will begin a hearing by asking how a student is doing in classes. Often the focus on the student’s academic success is lost beyond the simple asking of this question. At the University of Northern Colorado, we wanted to be sure hearing officers were being intentional with supporting student’s academic success during a conduct hearing.
Before creating a tool for conduct officers to use in hearings, we investigated what other campuses were doing, and examined the interventions that campus academic advisors might use with students on academic probation. A 21-question self-assessment survey was developed addressing academic skills, class attendance, adjustment to the university, and personal problems.
Examples of questions include:
I often have to read a textbook several times before I understand the material.
a.) Always b.) Often c.) Sometimes d.) Never
I am comfortable approaching my instructors in and out of class.
a.) Always b.) Often c.) Sometimes d.) Never
I am making friends in my classes.
a.) Always b.) Often c.) Sometimes d.) Never
List your courses, and indicate how many classes you have missed this semester.
What do you do to make up for missed work?
I believe that I need help in the following area(s) (check as many as apply).
____ Math Skills
____ Writing Skills
____ Reading Skills
____ Study Skills
____ Time Management
The survey is mailed out with the hearing notice, and the students are asked to bring the completed survey with them to the hearing. Hearing officers, typically hall directors, are trained how to go through the survey and make appropriate referrals when necessary. The survey questions help the hearing officer go beyond the surface conversation about how a student is doing in classes, and find specific areas where they may need additional assistance. The university has established the use of a web resource that provides students with information on a wide variety of transition and college success topics. The hearing officer could refer the student to some type of academic support service as part of the conduct process. Another option for the hearing officer is an academic agreement that is developed by the student to include individual goals and steps to achieve academic success.
The purpose of this process is to help the student understand the connection between their behavior in the residence halls and their success in the classroom. The lines of communication between residence life and the other academic support services have been improved with the use of this tool. The various departments have collaborated to support the success of the student in and out of the classroom. This relationship is particularly strong with students who have been identified as “at risk” such as first generation, or students who have been identified as being admitted with a lower index score (based on GPA, ACT, and class rank).
This is a process that could be integrated at other institutions to increase the collaborative efforts to promote student success. The assessment has also been helpful in giving young professionals a method of connecting with students not only as a hearing officer but also as a campus resource.
Submitted by Ron Hicks, Residence Life Coordinator for Student Conduct, and Jenna Finley, Residence Life Coordinator of Academic Services, University of Northern Colorado