Presentation for Kentucky Counseling Association Conference, November 6, 2015, Louisville, KY

1. Empowering and Equipping
Academic Recovery Students for
Academic and Career Success
Elizabeth Cole, M.A., LPCC
Jeffrey T. Hicks, M.A.
Counselors/Professors
Big Sandy Community and Technical College

2. Academic Recovery:
Suspension Reinstatement
■ Probation = cum GPA <2.00
■ Three semesters  suspension
■ First suspension = 1 semester
■ Resuspension or after Second Chance admission = 2 semesters
■ Summer is not a semester
■ Persistent underperformance

3. Academic Recovery:
Second Chance Transfer Students
■ Transfer or readmit transfer with combined college GPA <2.00
■ Must sit out one 16-week semester
■ Or write an appeal for immediate admission to President
■ Admitted as second semester probation/subject to dismissal
■ Must get term GPA of 2.00 or higher to remain enrolled

4. Financial Aid Limits:
Maximum Time Frame
■ 150% of program credit hours
■ “Slack” allowance of 50% of program credit hours
■ Developmental, W, failing, electives that don’t count in program
■ Particular issue for those who change their major/program
■ Academic Plan of Action, commit to major and graduation date
■ Cannot fail or withdraw—must pass all attempted courses
■ Must stick to checksheet

5. Counselor Attitude and Approach
■ No “shaking a finger,” hiding behind administrative bureaucratic
language and position, or being the “disappointed parent”
■ Ally – partner – cheerleader
■ Unconditional positive regard
■ We are on your side!
■ Trust in the person and their ability to rise to the challenge

6. Desire
■ Fire in the belly – how bad do you want it?
■ Contrast current life situation and desired future
– Career
– Lifestyle
– Social position
– Meaning
– Satisfaction

7. Change for Success
■ The same changes in attitude and behavior required to become
successful as a student are the SAME as those required for career
success
■ Emphasize career connections throughout the conversation
■ “You don’t suddenly graduate and wake up with a professional
level work ethic.”
■ From this point forward is an opportunity to learn, practice, and
develop this level of professionalism

8. Commitment
■ 110% Committed
■ Gut level decision – I am doing this!
■ Translate that decision to daily behaviors
■ Emphasize producing results

9. Treat Being a Student as Your Job
■ If being a student was your job, what would your boss say about
your performance?
■ Performance Review
■ Would you qualify for a raise?

10. Strategies for “Bumps in the Road”
■ Because they will most likely happen!
■ If they don’t, great!
■ If they do, it makes a great story for a job interview and you can tell
an employer that how you dealt with the challenge and delivered
results anyway would make you a terrific employee

11. Compartmentalizing
■ Keeping different parts of your life in different boxes
■ Not getting swamped or overwhelmed if something goes awry in
one box
■ Manage your transitions between boxes
– Playlist of upbeat, positive songs
– The commute between locations
■ Be where you are – focus
■ Men tend to be better at this

12. Problem Solving
■ Think about what needs to work well for your life and activities to
work
■ What can go wrong?
■ Pre-plan: Plan A, B, and C
■ Emergencies will happen
■ Stress response: breathe, reach out and connect, then think
■ Brainstorm solutions
■ Implement and evaluate and try again

13. Ask for Help
■ Don’t suffer in silence
■ Need others to brainstorm with, or people who are knowledgeable
about accessing resources?
■ ASK!
■ Not a sign of weakness.
■ Women tend to be better at this.

14. Visualize
■ Even Olympic athletes get nervous and stressed
■ Visualize success
– Graduation Day
– A day in your future life doing that desired career

15. Offer Help
■ I am here to help you
■ We all want you to succeed
■ But you have to do the work, day by day—we can’t do it for you
■ List resources of what’s available to help
■ If time, walk them around and introduce them
■ Finish with humor and cheer
– Cheerlead spell their name
– Rocky theme music
– Victory pose (arms up)

16. Questions?
■ Thank you for attending our session!
■ Jeff Hicks
– 606/889-4841
– Jeffrey.Hicks@kctcs.edu
■ Elizabeth Cole
– 606/218-1215
– Elizabeth.Cole@kctcs.edu
■ This presentation will be uploaded to http://www.slideshare.net/ElizabethCole