In this issue:
- Letter from the Editors: This Month’s Theme
- Webinar: Producing a Communications Map
- Virtual Table Talk: Fighting Initiative Fatigue
- Reminders & News: Learning Logs
Letter from the Editors
This month we shift from digital learning to advising and initiative fatigue. During this month’s webinar you and your colleagues can work together to produce an effective communications plan leveraging the key approaches of communication mapping and auditing. These approaches are key to reducing the “noise” for students and helping them focus on the key messages that will drive their success.
Also, this month’s table talk is the perfect antidote for busy Frontier Set Site teams – Heidi Leming from Tennessee Board of Regents will share an approach called “mutual mentoring” that she uses to effectively fight initiative fatigue.
The Student Success Technology working groups will be returning in the Fall. Stay tuned for instructions for how to register and feel free to email us for more details!
All the best,
Victoria, Gila, and Lisa
frontierset@venturewell.org
Webinar
Producing a Communications Map: The Student Experience from College Acceptance Through the End of Semester 1
Date: Thursday, June 28, 2018; 1:00pm-2:00pm ET
Host: Achieving the Dream
Speakers: Julia Lawton, Achieving the Dream; Monica Bai, Northern Arizona University; Joanna Zimmermann, San Jacinto College; and Gabriel Bermea, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Target Audience: This webinar will cover topical content from the March 20, 2018 Advising-Student Communications workshop that was held during the Frontier Set Annual Convening. It is intended for those who were not able to attend the workshop, or those who would like a refresher course on the material. The information covered in this webinar is designed to lead to peer working groups over the summer and fall months so that sites can work on their own process and communication maps.
Description: The research is clear: the first semester of college – and the time leading up to it – is an overwhelming and powerfully formative time for students. If colleges can work across departments to develop a college-wide communication plan with strategic and unified messaging, students can be guided to adopt the skills and practices that will lead to better connection and success. This webinar will introduce the theory and steps for each site to produce their own process and communication map and perform a communication audit, with a focus on the period from college acceptance to the end of the first semester. After the webinar, continue working on your communication audits and process maps in peer working groups.
Peer Working Groups: After the webinar we will be hosting virtual peer working groups so that site teams can continue to work on their communication audits and build their process maps. Groups will comprise two or three site teams. These working groups will be facilitated by Julia Lawton from Achieving the Dream. More info to follow after the webinar.
Register here
Virtual Table Talks
Fighting Initiative Fatigue
Date: Tuesday, June 12 at 1:00pm ET
Host: Heidi Leming, Tennessee Board of Regents
Target Audience: Perfect for busy administrators juggling many projects
Description: June’s Table Talk, led by Heidi Leming from the Tennessee Board of Regents, will address “Fighting Initiative Fatigue.” As the academic year closes, it’s easy to feel gratified by what has been accomplished and also overwhelmed by the extent of the work yet to be done. Join this Table Talk to recharge your batteries with choral support from your peers and some concrete strategies to consider as you move ahead.
Frontier Set Table Talks are designed to catalyze “mutual mentoring conversations” – the opportunity to safely discuss your frustrations and your victories, and cross-pollinate ideas to spark new growth. The host frames the issue, and attendees and facilitators decide together where the conversation goes next.
Register here
Reminders & News
Learning Logs
Now that the annual reflections have been submitted, we will return to our regular Learning Log Submission schedule.
To review past newsletters in the future, click here.