In summer 2023, the Office of the Provost launched an advising working group to assess current practices and promote collaboration.
Charged with developing guidance for Workday’s shared notes functionality and fostering an advising community of practice, the group is spearheading an initiative that aims to support inter-unit advising and ultimately enhance student experiences.
Forming the advising working group
Nominated by their respective vice deans, the 24 members on this working group represent all schools and academic levels, capturing the diverse advising support offered across the institution. The advising working group meets monthly to discuss the impact of Workday Student on the advising ecosystem.
Leading this work is Katelyn McConnell, who joined the university March 2023 from Saint Louis University, where she oversaw graduate business programs.
“I’ve observed that participation in the working group reflects the institution’s mission to support students in a robust and meaningful way,” said McConnell. “It’s inspiring to see this group prioritize creating a more equitable student experience across the university.”
The journey began with an exploration of what advising truly means within the Washington University context. Through a series of 27 meetings across campus, voices from diverse corners of the institution shared their perspectives, experiences, and practices with McConnell.
“I wanted to get a sense of when we say ‘advising,’ what does that actually mean? How do we define advisors and their relationship with the students they support?”
Katelyn McConnell, project manager, institutional initiatives
What emerged was the realization that advising at WashU is characterized by varied support frameworks, nomenclature and resourcing. These variations, while emphasizing the needs of our diverse student populations, underscore the need for consistent communal guidance and usage as we transition to Workday as our single, shared advising tool.
Why do we need an advising working group?
The group and its work will help prepare those who advise students adjust to the culture and implications of one advising system in Workday Student. The introduction of shared advising notes is an opportunity to rethink current habits and agree institutionally why and how we take notes.
“Excellence in student advising has always been a hallmark of a WashU education,” said Jen Smith, vice provost for educational initiatives. “With our students’ increased interest in interdisciplinary work and new advising functionality coming with Workday Student, this working group has an opportunity to articulate a shared vision and goals for advising at WashU.”
“The fact that this group exists is evidence that the implementation of Workday isn’t just a system implementation,” McConnell added. “It touches on other goals to use Workday Student as an opportunity to do major introspective thinking about our historical processes and practices to reduce barriers for students as they navigate the university ecosystem.”
What are the goals of the advising working group?
McConnell and the advising working group identified two primary objectives beyond generating notes guidance: cultivating cross-school advising opportunities and best practice resources. Each objective is anchored in the overarching goal of enhancing student support and academic success.
As Student Sunrise prepares for the first Workday Student go-live in Fall 2024, the group is developing recommendations on note-taking practices, standard language and recording sensitive information. Various materials, including a website, informational one-sheets, a definition guide and a flowchart of concern, will be available to support advisors ahead of when they begin using the system in spring 2025.
These resources will be in addition to the technical training materials developed by the Sunrise team, i.e. how to enter an advising note into Workday vs. how to write one.
“One of our key initiatives is the development of helpful tips and best practices to support advisors in using the new shared notes functionality effectively and in a standardized way,” said McConnell. “Additionally, we’re working towards articulating a shared vision and goals for advising that prioritize student-centricity and collaboration across departments and schools.”
What does the future of the advising working group look like?
Following the launch of Workday Student throughout AY 2024-2025, McConnell and the Office of the Provost anticipate that a similar body to the working group will carry forward these important conversations.
“The Workday transition was the impetus to form the group, but the topics and issues tangentially connected have opened pathways for future innovation and collaboration,” said McConnell. “While the goal is not to centralize advising, we do wish to provide centralized resources and opportunities for our advisors to engage in supplemental training, professional development and socialization.”
This group, or some iteration of it, and its work will evolve over time as we acclimate to the Workday and discover new opportunities to enhance advising at WashU.