Advisor Onboarding and Offboarding
Suggested Best Practices and Timeline
Includes access to the following (supervisor approval is required):
- Navigate
- AriesWeb comments access (Student Advising Notes
- Advising@CSU listserv (advising_at_csu@mail.colostate.edu)
- advising.colostate.edu admin page
- “Advising Network” in Microsoft Teams
- Orientation Dashboard
For questions about any of these services, email advising_eab_navigate_tech_support@mail.colostate.edu
(Note: click “CSU Employee? CLICK THIS BUTTON” to login with CSU EID and access form. See image below).
2018 Onboarding Guidelines available as PDF file (This document outlines practices for new staff in an academic guidance role as they arrive at the University and transition in to their role and work on campus. It is a living document, so please share recommendations forward with your department and/or those listed below).
Drafted by Advisor Training and Development Committee members:
• Demetrios Godenitz, Undeclared Student Advising
• Jessie Stewart, College of Liberal Arts
• Kaye Holman, Warner College of Natural Resources
• Toni-Lee Viney, College of Engineering
• Cassidy McLaren, College of Natural Sciences
• Heather Matthews, Bridges to Bachelorette
• Katie Ditter, College of Business
• Erin Reichert, College Vet Med & Biomed Sciences
Before Employee Arrives (post hiring processes)
Ensure all hiring authority tasks (and human resources tasks) are complete and final
Identify a lead or point person to facilitate onboarding and training
Add new staff member to advising.colostate.edu
Communication is critical to the transition. Email prior to arrival.
Logistics – keys, building access, transportation options (costs and limits of parking). Help staff understand how they will get to campus and access their building/office for first day of work.
CSU Structure
New Employee Orientation
Department Training Schedule with training staff already scheduled to lead
o Consider providing trainers with topics to cover
o Set up opportunities for new staff to shadow (reverse shadowing?)
First Day itinerary
For first week, if hosting staff for meal, communicate when that will be
Please have them set up their eID if not already done. You need to provide the new advisor their CSUID to get their eID.
Reference Campus Advisor Training and Foundations list for topics and tours
Identify how dates for next advising sessions fit with new hire start time
Review fitting online resources (national advising resources like NACADA; CSU resources like advising.colostate.edu)
Help new hire feel welcome and important immediately
Assign a guide for first day
Consider a start time (1 hour after opening) that allows experienced/existing office staff to set up, then give new staff full attention
Identify advising colleagues to serve as mentor/point person (from larger advising community if not co-workers in dept)
Create welcome sign (other ideas include CSU pin, small welcome gift, something to signify welcome from specific department)
Schedule IT set up & overview
Schedule phone set up
Discuss process for office requests (ergonomics, lighting, comfort in your space)
Schedule a meeting with supervision/leadership
Communicate start date to co-workers
Update webpage with contact information for the advisor
Compile/Share Office Handbook/Wiki/Manual
Dress code
Culture (lunch, communication ettiquette, technology usage, etc.)
Human resource practices (leave requests, expectations for illness, how to clock in as needed)
Mission/Vision/Values
Directory/office contact list
Voicemail & Email instructions
Frequently Used Acronyms
CSU Resource Directory
Remote computer access instructions
Professional Development opportunities/support (on/off campus)
o Share grid of Prof Dev on campus (from ASC grid)
First Day
Create accounts, as appropriate, provide access, and give links to tutorials for tools and files
Consider if it is fitting to have these done prior to arrival
AriesWeb
Aries (Banner)
Navigate Platform (https://csurams.campus.eab.com)
Department/College Server files
Have employee added to appropriate listservs (Advising_at_CSU; Professional Advising Network; new ASCs should be on the Academic Success Coordinator listserv)
Welcoming
Greet new member
Make office introductions
Provide tour (department and college)
Encourage new staff to personalize their space and norms for what is possible (and professional)
Share articles/references to aid new staff transitioning to your unit/dept./college
Share Expectations and Resources
Meet to discuss job description, expectations, responsibilities, etc.
Help new staff understand how role ties in to mission/vision/goals of the organization. (We all want to know we have purpose and will make an impact and contributions to the work we do!)
Have list of essential web tools in advising at CSU (suggest new staff to bookmark)
Office Resources
Talk about norms of office culture
Review/discuss office handbook/manual/wiki
Review department orientation/training schedule
Make space for new staff to bring in items to personalize space
Logistics
Order business cards, name badge
If using name plates and/or team/staff shirts order for new hire
Identify any remaining New Employee Paperwork that is needed
Obtain sick/emergency contact info
First Few Weeks
Welcome and Community
First week, consider hosting new staff for meal (brkfast/lunch – communicate beforehand)
Meetings
Set up regular 1:1 meetings
Set up informational meetings with faculty/staff within department/college
Expose person to how Office/Department role fits in to external functions
o Give background to and/or philosophy for advising role
Bring new hire to meetings for projects they’ll be involved with in their role.
Sharing Expectations and Resources
Communicate or schedule on calendar upcoming meetings, trainings, important dates
Continue advising appointment shadowing
Support new staff as they get in to more depth with advising systems and technology
Meet contacts and important resources around campus
Attend courses that are important to curriculum
Introduce new staff to student clubs and organizations relevant to advisee population
At 30/60/90/180 Days
Community
Teambuilding – Craft intentional experiences to help build staff community
Highlight CSU “Principles of Community” (http://diversity.colostate.edu/principles-of-community)
Assess Growth and Share Resources
Mark calendar for 30/60/90 days out to follow up with questions, concerns, etc.
o Communicate interest in successful transition and helping them succeed
Assessment with New Staff
o Craft ways to assess how much new staff knows (focused on key dept concepts, practices, policies)
o Discussion of concepts learned / areas developed
o The above two should identify gaps in knowledge
Identify areas of confusion or struggle and shore up resources to help with learning
Offer resources and references that outline advising structures and skill development, such as CSU Advising Foundations Sheet, CAS Standards, development grids, or Professional Advancement Grid
Introduce campus philosophies and practices
Goal Setting
Identify tasks to be handed over (create practice for smooth transition)
At 90 and 180 days, do a pre-annual review-type meeting focused on setting/refining goals and visiting direction in advising
Other Ideas
Encourage familiarity with campus
Take campus tour through Admissions
Participate in Division/Dept and CSU New Employee Orientations
Share broader office culture and practices
Encourage involvement (Professional Advising Network, uTurn, National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), Diversity, Professional events on/off campus, Campus committees, etc.)
Debrief employee’s values to see how they align with CSU/Division/Dept/Office values.
Continue to explore other advisor training areas and opportunities.