As an academic advisor working for Embry Riddle there is one
common theme that I feel represents our organization and that theme is the
success of our students. I take pride in
the role I play in my student’s experience with ERAU. I considered all of the elements that
contribute to the success of our students and how those elements directly
impact the university.
At Embry Riddle our mission is to “teach the science,
practice and business of aviation and aerospace, preparing students for
productive careers and leadership roles in service around the world.” Retrieved from http://www.erau.edu/about/mission.html
In doing so we must measure our success.
Embry Riddle is a leading college in aviation and aerospace but it is
also important to remember that the college is a business as well. And with any business its success is measured
in revenue.
I think my job first and foremost is to provide exceptional customer
service. It is important for me to
listen to the needs of my students and help them make sound decisions regarding
their education. I am only as successful
as my students. If a student has an
issue or concern it is my responsibility to assist students to arrive at a
resolution. In order to ensure that the
university is successful I am responsible with communicating to my personal
student population (a little over 400 at the moment) and encouraging them to
remain enrolled in course work with as little interruption all the way through
to graduation.
Student enrollments is the biggest measure of success in my
department. If we do not meet the goals
we are challenged with the repercussions can be felt throughout the
university. It is kind of like a ripple
effect throughout. Our leadership team
uses quantitative data from previous terms/academic years to predict what our
expectations for future enrollments should be.
Now these numbers can be affected in many ways. For instance the recent government shut down adversely
affected our student population as a majority of our students are also military
personnel. For instance the goal for my
team is to have 1800 enrollments for this current October term. If we do not meet or exceed (and we pride
ourselves with always exceeding our expectations) our goals the university can
be impacted in numerous ways. Less
students enrolled means less money for the university. Less money for the university means the
university may not able to add additional jobs.
It can also affect our instructors.
If we do not have as many students enrolled as we predict then we do not
need extra course sections which in turn means less instructors. If we do not have the required student
enrollments it can also decrease the likelihood of annual raises being
awarded. The university may cut back on
spending for equipment needed to properly train our students. These are just a few examples of how failing
to reach our enrollment goals can affect the university and cause a ripple effect
that can resonate throughout the school.
Having the opportunity to take this course is going to make
an impact on the way in which I can effectively communicate with my
students. Ultimately it is my
responsibility to represent the culture and values that Embry Riddle stands
for. My students look to me for guidance
and assistance. On the WorldWide website
http://worldwide.erau.edu/about-worldwide/worldwide-welcome/index.html
Chancellor Watret notes the following strengths
that articulate who we are and what we stand for.
- Our commitment to student success.
- Our commitment to academic quality.
- Our commitment to innovation.
- Our commitment to student service.
It is with great pride that I strive to provide my students
with the most exceptional educational experience while they attend Embry
Riddle. I am one piece of this puzzle
but I feel that I am an important piece.
If it were not for these students I would not have a job. If it were not for these students a lot of
people would be without jobs. I try to
keep this in mind. It is all about the
students. Without them there would be no
need for us.
