Wright State University is planning organizational changes to its Career Services Program. The changes are divided into two aspects: centralization and expansion, according to Tim Littell, executive director of Student Success.
“Centralization,” said Littell, “helps us increase the efficiency of all of our career-related services campus wide.” After the changes take place, both Career Services and Academic Advising will be placed under the administrative umbrella of Student Success.
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“These changes to centralization very intentionally placed the career center and all affiliated staff for Career Services within the division of Student Success to promote synergies between career staff and academic advising staff,” said Cheryl Stuart, director of Career Services.
A career consultant will be added to each area where there is already an academic advising hub. By doing this, Student Success hopes that they will be better able to advise all types of students, from seniors ready to graduate to undeclared students who have not yet matriculated to a particular college or major.
Expansion, the other aspect of the changes, is broader. “The expansion includes early intervention career development and an emphasis on expanding employer-student engagement opportunities,” Stuart said. “They will be adding tools to assess career development, which will help students look at both their career-life goals and their academic interests, as well as comparing those goals and interests with career financial potential.”
Information on the new tools are available on Wright State’s Student Success website on the “Career Center” tab at the top.
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The organization adjustments to Career Services were made possible by the introduction of a new fee to students. The Department of Higher Education has recently allowed universities to charge what is called an Enhanced Career Services fee.
The Ohio Department of Education has become keenly interested not only in student’s academic success, but also, “in recognizing that those student’s degrees translate into careers,” Littell said. “Colleges and universities were not really resourced to do that effectively.” Hence, the new fee. At Wright State, the Enhanced Career Services fee will only be $25. Other colleges are charging upwards of $100 -$150 to students, according to Littell.
These changes are targeting what is called in the field of Career Services and Academic Advising students who do well academically but drop out after their second and third year, Littell said.
“All of this,” said Littell, “is about increasing student persistence at the university and decreasing time to degree.” Student Success is “here for the students,” Littell said.
