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| No photo of the spread... instead enjoy this, 2005 champs! |
Athletic Student Services
Kat Hastings, Associate Athletics Director for Student Services
Kat Hastings announced that in June Dr. LaToya Smith was named the new Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student Services. She will assume oversight and management of student services for the 20 sports programs this fall.Kat also announced that "academic counselors” will transition to a new title of “academic coordinators.” The change is meant to signal to student-athletes that their job is to coordinate academic advice. The message from academic coordinators will be that college/department academic advisors and program coordinators are the best source of information regarding the specific academic requirements of their degree plan.
Kat took the opportunity to dispel some myths about the 500 student-athletes in 20 NCAA championship eligible sports at at UT Austin.
- Myth #1: All student-athletes are the same.
- Myth #2: All student-athletes attend UT Austin on a full scholarship.
- Myth #3: Student-athletes are content in a bubble.
- Myth #4: Student-athletes never go to Orientation.
Other things you should know about UT Austin student-athletes:
- Many student-athletes attend UT Austin year-round to allow for the necessary training time and to keep on track academically. A lot of students also travel during the summer to compete (specifically in the individual sports).
- They are VERY busy. Every day is consumed by some combination of classes, study hall, office hours, sport practice, strength and conditioning, meals, etc. Some are on the go until 10 pm only to wake up very early for practice the next day.
- September & January – Student-athletes should check-in with academic advisors.
- October & March – Student-athletes are directed to meet with their academic advisor to create a registration plan well before course schedule is even out.
- November & April – Priority access opens; Athletics Student Services will register students with proof of a meeting with their academic advisor such as toolkit note and a completed registration advising form. Athletics Student Services only lifts advising bars if student-athletes have met with advisors first.
- Academic coordinators plan to make toolkit notes with student-athletes' practice schedules, major interests, and other relevant notes to help Academic Advisors during their registration planning meetings in October and March
- Academic coordinators will partner with departments across campus to better educate student-athletes on the various internal transfer processes.
- Place more accountability on student-athletes.
The ACA Membership asked Kat Hastings some excellent advising questions related to our student-athletes:
Q: How are you ensuring student-athletes have access to study abroad, internships, and other co-curricular experiences?
A: If study abroad experiences/internships fit into their athletic plan and allow student to still compete at the level needed, then students are encouraged to participate in one of those experiences.
- How Athletics helps students to study abroad: Every four years teams travel internationally. COLA created a 1-hour class to prepare students for the experience abroad. It has helped students to better understand the culture when in country and reflect on their experiences abroad. Key limitation to other opportunities: Difficult to help students to finance study abroad experiences and fit into tight schedule.
- How Athletics helps students complete internships: Web-based classes are sometimes a way to help students to complete an internship because it builds time into schedules where students can be away from campus. Key limitation to other opportunities: Per NCAA rules students are required to have a day off which makes squeezing in everything tough already. An internship can be an extra layer.
A: The Internal Transfer process is difficult to navigate and that is why we have a difficult time fitting students into all of the majors on campus. We often run into scheduling issues for example if entry-level courses required for internal transfer are only offered in the afternoon during practice times that student cannot pursue that major. There needs to be more conversations at the provost/deans level to better address this concern.
Q: How do you document students taking courses as electives?
A: As long as the elective course counts toward a degree requirement such as the 120-hour rule or the upper-division credit hours requirement, the student will still satisfy NCAA eligibility requirements. Students need to be strategic and elective varies by degree plan.
Q: How do minors and certificates work with NCAA Certification?
A: If the students have applied to the minor/certificate program, have followed the procedure to declare the minor/certificate, and the minor shows on their record before the first class day, then it is appropriate and meets NCAA standards.
University Leadership Network (ULN)Kyle Clark, Experiential Learning Program Manager, and Cierra Campbell, Year III Program Coordinator
Kyle Clark and Cierra Campbell joined ACA to update the membership on the University Leadership Network program and a leadership opportunity for ACA members this fall.
What is ULN? ULN is a performance-based 4-year scholarship program for students demonstrating financial need and who may be unprepared for the rigors of university life at UT Austin when they step onto the 40 acres as freshman. Every year ULN admits 500 students into the program with the college-to-career goal of graduation in 4 years. Students earn a $20,000 scholarship over their 4 years in the program by meeting monthly benchmarks.
ULN also needs your help on Monday, August 28 from 2-4pm at the 2017 ULN Leadership Summit Networking Session. The Leadership Summit is a one-day professional conference for students designed to provide UT Austin juniors with additional networking and leadership skills as they prepare for their careers and graduate or professional schools after graduation.
By volunteering as an expert professional at the Networking Session you will help to make networking less intimidating for ULN juniors and help students define the value of networks across identities, interests, and ideologies. All you need to bring is your awesome personality (and some business cards)! Interested? Learn more here and RSVP for the Leadership Summit here.
ACA Updates
Kayla Ford, ACA President 2016-2017, Ana Dison, ACA President 2017-2018, and Tepera Holman, 2016-2017 Awards and Recognition Committee Chair
Kayla provided an update on the committee work she contributed to on behalf of the ACA Membership during the 2016-2017 academic year. Kayla served on the Educational Policy Committee as a Consultant Without a Vote where the committee discussed transfer courses, Cockrell School of Engineering study abroad programs, catalog language related to minors and certificates and other changes still in the works. As ACA President, she also attended the Academic and Student Affairs Committee for campus-wide updates that she brought back to the membership and the Provost's Council of Student Advocates (PCSA).Kayla then recognized the accomplishments of the 2016-2017 ACA Executive Board and thanked the board members for their contributions to the organization.
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| Thank you, Ana! 2016-17 President-Elect |
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| Thank you, Daniel & Jillian! 2016-17 Vice Presidents and Program Co-Chairs |
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| Thank you, Blake & Sara! 2016-17 Communications Coordinator & Treasurer |
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| Thank you, Alexis & Katie! 2016-17 Treasurer-Elect & Historian |
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| Thank you, Kayla!! 2016-17 President (she got a standing ovation for her work) |
New Officer Oath
Kayla Ford swore in Ana Dison as the 2017-2018 ACA President and Ana swore in the following elected board member for the 2017-2018 academic year:
Congratulations to the 2017-2018 Executive Board:
o President-Elect: Jay Guevara
o Vice President/Program Co-Chairs: Mary De Sopo and Eric Carter
o Treasurer: Alexis George
o Treasurer-Elect: Cassie Burton
o Historian: Joshua Barham
o Communications Coordinator: Brittney Cox
o Secretary: Briana Weiland (not able to attend July ACA meeting)
ACA Staff Awards
Tepera Holman, Awards and Recognition Committee chair
Tepera awarded the 2016-2017 ACA Staff Awards to the following deserving ACA
members for their service to the advising community.
Creating Positive Change and Innovation Award: Sara Sanchez
Dedication to Students Award: Jinane Sounny-Slitine
Beyond her regular advising duties, Jinane created and facilitates the Econ Peer Mentor Program. This program helps students develop skills to master their academics but also their leadership skills. Mentees learn about time management, resources on campus, study skills, career opportunities, and more. Mentors learn how to expand their leadership skills and receive continuous supervision and extensive training.
Service to Advising Profession Award: Kayla Ford
Kayla's Nominator described Kayla's commitment to advisors as follows: Kayla Ford demonstrates passion for the advising profession by repeatedly volunteering to take on additional roles and responsibilities such as ACA President, POD program facilitator, Working Moms group organizer, and various team-building/professional development roles. She is always working to improve the advising experience for advisors so that they, in turn, can improve advising services for students. By facilitating various team-building activities, Kayla helps advisors build their network across campus so every advisor knows who to call when they encounter student questions that go beyond their own knowledge or competencies. Beyond the networking opportunities, she realizes the value of the Academic Counselors Association in developing each advisor’s knowledge and skills, which is why she ran for ACA President Elect even while on maternity leave. (The fact that she was even thinking about ACA, advising, and her fellow advisors while on leave to care for her newborn, is just another indication of her passion for the work she does and her colleagues.) Her willingness to volunteer for extra work and tasks which others might pass up or overlook, demonstrates her commitment to the advising profession.
Congratulations to all!!
ACA Committee Recruitment
Thinking about ways to get more involved in ACA during the 2017-2018 academic year? Consider contributing your time to an ACA committee. 2016-2017 Committee chairs and members shared their experiences from the past year at the end of the July ACA meeting and provided the ACA membership a chance to sign-up for more information.
Didn't get a chance to sign-up? Don't worry! You can add your name to this Google Doc to indicate your interest as a committee member or committee chair.
Click here for ACA Committee Descriptions
Didn't get a chance to sign-up? Don't worry! You can add your name to this Google Doc to indicate your interest as a committee member or committee chair.
Click here for ACA Committee Descriptions
ACA KUDOS and Member Spotlights - check them out!! Thanks again to Erica Matos-Lindsey and Chris Montes for being good sports :)
