Ed.D. program office

• Orientation held before students have committed to the program
• Making sure students understand the requirements
  • Show them again what they committed to
  • Faculty communicate expectations to students regarding writing, etc.
• Carefully select students to represent diverse experiences they can share
• Open to PhD students but dedicated to EdD
• Explain to students the support they will get from the doctoral support center
• Q: how would you establish something like this in a school with fewer students and resources?
  • 1 advisor for every 250 students
  • Cohort model-makes it easier to communicate
  • Other schools might have different support centers with better ratios than USC, even if centers are shared with other programs
• Purposely designed course sequence as the same for all students; reduces the question of what classes students should take

Activities

• If students want something different they position an acceptance process
  • Essay: explain why you don't need it, why is the class you want going to help you?
  • At this point, take it to the department chair (once arguments are in place)
• Schedule information sessions based on need
• Faculty comes to open house to talk to prospective students
  • Counselors come too
  • Faculty do not feel a burden to attend - it is planned in advance who will attend
  • Faculty are not require to attend, they attend because they want to
• Senior faculty designed the office - model has remained the same, same number of staff
  • Have added/changed advisors
  • Each have specific duties -but all can serve the students equally
• Usage pattern of the office - heavy 2 months before the 1^st month of school (faculty)
  • Plan during their 2 months of "normal" time
  • Steady questions, etc. throughout the year
• Relatively good representation
• 80% of staff time dedicated to things that affect all students
• Plan thoughtfully to communicate to students
  • Newsletter - recruiting, scholarships, job applications
    • Also administrative reminders
    • Each advisor writes a cohort column for each cohort
• Academic advisors are students in the program - not assigned to their own cohort
• Career counseling provided
• What thematic group is right for students
• Helping students identify where they want to go after graduation
  • Clinical faculty know people - allow for linkages to people in the community; make connections for the school
• Online programs are broadcast for those who cannot make in-person trainings
  • Most students prefer to do in-person trainings
  • May move to putting thematic dissertations online for students who want to attend more than three presentations during orientation
  • Students can schedule 1:1 orientation if they miss the group orientation
• Representatives from student advisory groups meet with staff 4x/year; allow them to voice their opinion
  • Bigger issues are then taken to governance committee
• Staff meetings - talk about what problems came up, if need for programmatic change
• Trojan family; in contact with alumni beyond just asking them for favors - call them for opportunities in professional development, etc.; offer them opportunities where they can get something out of it
• Coordinate with university's Office of Disabilities to identify students who need accommodations (students must register with Office of Disabilities; this office designs accommodations)
• Course designer updates syllabus each year
  • Syllabi are developed by teams, so teams must approve syllabi
  • Changes often made by team

General info

• Available M-F, 8:30 - 5
• Same building where the main faculty offices are held - where most classes are for students
• Evening classes -students in class from 4pm -10pm, so they can access the office at 3:30pm
• Can make an appointment if they can't make the 8:30-5 time, but most make the time when they need it
• Individual/part time EdD students - harder to gain information when not part of a cohort model

Discussion amongst institutions

• Fresno state - opens with a ropes course
  • Had clicks forming
  • Teach how to use Blackboard during orientation
    • Wireless access @ orientation to learn
• USC
  • Got feedback that team building is not age-appropriate
  • Participation from graduates - was there one thing you wish you would have known?
  • Funded through tuition - funds may support other programs in the School of Ed before they get to the EdD program

Bringing much more money in than they need to operate