May 15, 2015 | SharkAdmin Hopefully by now you have heard of AlamoAdvise or the new approach to advising that Alamo Colleges is moving to. If not, Jo Garcia of Student Success shared big changes happening in order to embrace a more holistic approach to advising. Instead of using the QLess system to advise students, students will now be encouraged to make appointments to get more personalized service to help them on their educational path. The AlamoADVISE vision, added Jo, is a caseload model to provide every student with an exemplary, effective and personalized pathway to success through academic and career advising to build momentum to completion. “The old advising model was 100 percent walk-in advising services which meant long lines, frustration and missed opportunities,” Jo said. “Students aren’t cattle.” She said each advisor received a group of students divided by concentration or special population. This change will help students and advisors build a relationship and accomplish the mission to build a culture of integrated practices and shared responsibilities. She added Enrollment Services will still use the QLess system and students will still be able to do “walk-ins” but those will only last for 20 minutes and students will be encouraged to set up an appointment for advising. “Please help us to spread the word of this new system and ask students if they have had a chance yet to meet with their advisor,” Jo said. “This is going to be a cultural change for us.” How can the NVC Family help? Encourage students to set up appointments with their assigned advisor. Students can find their advisor in ACES on the My Page tab. Explain the importance of students reading their ACES email. It is the official communication method from their advisor. Also, the Advising Team has a new entrance area. It's still in the Cypress Campus Center, but now on the first floor but it is down the hallway passed Financial Aid.
