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The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Advising note-sharing tool has improved communication among advisers, officials say

Gilda+Mossadegh%2C+the+director+of+undergraduate+and+pre-professional+academic+advising+for+the+Columbian+College+of+Arts+and+Sciences%2C+said+additional+tools+on+the+platform+have+also+boosted+appointment+attendance.
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Gilda Mossadegh, the director of undergraduate and pre-professional academic advising for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, said additional tools on the platform have also boosted appointment attendance.

An online note-sharing tool introduced in almost all of GW’s 10 schools has enabled advisers to communicate with each other about students more effectively, they said.

Officials developed the tool last year in an attempt to address concerns from advisers, who said they struggled to keep track of the concerns of students who have discussed their academic progress with other advisers. Officials said initial feedback from advisers has been positive, and the tool has allowed advisers to be more prepared to address students’ questions even if they have not previously met with the student.

Erika Ogedegbe – the associate vice provost for student systems, services and analytics – said the tool stores notes taken by advisers during student appointments and makes them available to other advisers. She said the platform has an automated appointment reminder email system, which advisers have noted as a reason for increased attendance at appointments.

“Staff have found it helpful to have a shared location for advising notes as this helps to ensure more continuity for discussions with students,” she said in an email.

Gilda Mossadegh, the director of undergraduate and pre-professional academic advising for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, said additional tools available through the customer relations management system, like the ability to send individual emails and “email campaigns” to multiple students, has also improved communication between advising offices and students.

“By creating a comprehensive advising history for students, that is easily accessible online, advisers are able to communicate with students and offer advice more effectively,” she said in an email.

Student Association leaders released a report in April 2018 that found that students who do not form personal connections with their advisers often cannot rely on them to answer their questions or address their concerns.

Officials have made several changes to advising services in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences since the report’s release, like assigning all CCAS students personal advisers earlier this academic year in an overhaul of the “POD” system, which allows students to meet with multiple advisers based on the first letter of their last name.

Officials also opened pre-health and pre-law advising offices on the Mount Vernon Campus to expand access to advising services for students interested in medical or law school and created a pre-law student ambassador program to improve outreach efforts.

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