In the spirit of collaboration, several workgroups have formed that allow university stakeholders, faculty, and other leadership to benefit from the experience and expertise of staff by making them a critical part of these discussions.

Data and Technology Workgroup

For several years, advisors have raised the critical challenge of lacking access to data, and/or of awareness of UCLA’s data sources. Awareness of and access to data enables advisors to make data-informed decisions, to gather important information for department reviews and accreditation, and to support their departments and students. 

ACE created the Data and Technology workgroup to convene monthly to share resources, ideas, and to create resources for advisors. As a result, this workgroup representing academic advising, Academic Planning and Budget (APB), College UIT, the Registrar’s Office, Student Affairs Information Technology (SAIT), and SAIRO, now have a deeper understanding of the data and technology needs of advisors, and how to best support their work. In addition, our data and technology partners have shared the factors they are managing and negotiating that can have an impact on requests from academic advisors. These discussions have fostered more effective communication and collaboration. 

Currently, this workgroup is creating multimodal resources for advisors, including short videos, info sheets, infographics, and a webpage.

The goal is to cultivate a data-driven culture at UCLA that empowers advisors to engage with data and technology, which will ultimately elevate the field of advising and support our institution.

Community Dialogues developed out of a growing need to have staff dedicated spaces in which we could reflect, express concerns, brainstorm on challenges and opportunities, acknowledge our value, build connections and a community of care and support of one another.  This has become critical in times of uncertainty and crisis and continues to serve as safe spaces for staff to come together.

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Fostering Strategic Collaboration across the Campus

On a decentralized campus such as UCLA, staff collaborate on various initiatives, projects, and programs for in- and out-of-classroom learning experiences and support engagements for students and campus partners. But what would collaboration look like if it were more strategic, intentional, and integrated into our systems, structures, operations, and culture?  Join us for a community dialogue to envision a framework to foster meaningful partnerships across the campus. The facilitators representing the Divisions of Academic and Student Affairs hope an intentional framework, philosophy, and strategic plan will cultivate belonging, nurture trust, value diversity, and enable deeper connections between staff, faculty, and students.

Discussion groups discussed Staff Sense of Belonging, Engagement inside & outside of the classroom, Campus healing & wellness, and Communication/technology & connectedness

The Value and Impact of Advising: a call for more intentional partnerships with faculty and leadership across campus

The role of academic advisors has always been integral to the mission of the University, both in its operations and in fostering student learning outside of the classroom. Academic advisors support students, faculty, and staff through their expertise in academic policy, student development, higher education, and advising approaches and strategies. During the pandemic advisors proved to be even more critical as we often served as a student’s sole connection to UCLA outside of their instructors. The complex role of advisors has become even more nuanced and transformative during- and post-pandemic, giving us an even deeper understanding of the multifaceted, diverse, and ever-changing needs and experiences of students; thus, we have great insight into potential challenges and possess a desire to contribute meaningfully to innovative solutions. Join us for a community dialogue where we aim to acknowledge our value, to discuss challenges and innovative solutions, and to brainstorm together how we may advocate for advising to create more intentional collaboration with faculty and leadership across campus. It is imperative that we are seen as equal partners to better support our Bruin community and to achieve the University’s mission.

Navigating the Hybrid Landscape

As we enter the hybrid phase of the return-to-campus, complex feelings of relief and/or uncertainty may emerge. These conflicting and sometimes competing feelings are normal during periods of transition. But you don’t have to bear them alone. We invite you to join us for a community dialogue, open to all campus professionals. We hope to share concerns, to brainstorm opportunities, to provide space to reflect on your own needs and what support looks like for you, and to identify strategies to cope with uncertainty. Our goal is to learn from and support each other.

ACE & RISE Present: Negotiating the Uncertainties of Returning to In-Person/Hybrid Work 

As we enter a promising journey toward recovery, returning to in-person work/hybrid models may lead to complex feelings of relief and/or uncertainty. Whether or not you have already begun to discuss these models with your teams and colleagues, we invite you to join us for a community dialogue, open to all campus professionals. We hope to share concerns, to brainstorm opportunities for innovation, to provide space to reflect on your own needs and what support looks like for you, and to identify strategies to advocate for the needs of your students, your department, your colleagues, and for yourself. Our goal is to learn from and support each other.

Blurred Boundaries: Balancing Home- and Work-Life

Are you finding it challenging to work from home during a global pandemic? Do you feel that the boundary between home and work has been so blurred that it is impacting your well-being? If you answered yes, then you are not alone. Please join us in a community dialogue to share your experiences, and the strategies you have tried or plan to implement in order to balance home- and work-life during these difficult times. Together, we will also reflect upon our own needs and how to express those needs to those around us. Your community is here to support you.

Virtual Advising Best Practices during a Global Pandemic

Join us for a community dialogue about the sudden shift to virtual advising during this global pandemic. Even though we may not have planned for this shift, we have each other, and we will move through this together. Through a framework of compassion and support, we will unpack best practices, celebrate our accomplishments, consider what has worked and what hasn’t, and reflect upon the potential for the future of advising.

Supporting Parenting Staff during a Global Pandemic

Are you finding it challenging to work from home and parent during a global pandemic? Do you feel so overwhelmed that it is impacting your well-being? Would you like to learn how to be an ally to our parenting colleagues? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are not alone. Please join us in a community dialogue to support our parenting colleagues. This will be a safe and brave space to listen, and to share your experiences, and the strategies you have tried or plan to implement in order to negotiate the challenges of parenting and working from home during these difficult times. Together, we will also reflect upon our own needs and how to express those needs to those around us. Your community is here to support you.

Opportunities to come together, share our stories, ask questions, and learn from each others experiences.

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ACE Panel: Building Effective Advisor-Faculty Collaboration

Discussion: The roles of academic advisors and faculty have always been meaningful and complex in their contributions to student learning and development both inside and outside the classroom. Yet, the past few years have presented great challenges–from a global pandemic, to natural disasters, to racial and political violence–that have made our roles even more complicated and nuanced. Our current landscape requires more intentional and cohesive collaboration to support students, staff, and faculty. We invite staff and faculty to join us for this panel discussion, where you will hear from academic advisors and faculty who have fostered effective collaboration built on trust and mutual respect. Panelists will demonstrate a deep understanding of the value of academic advising to facilitate effective teaching and learning and the success of the department. We hope attendees leave this panel discussion inspired to initiate and nurture intentional collaborations with other faculty/advisors. We will share concrete examples to foster collaboration by leaning on each other and by learning how to work as a team. Intentional collaboration nurtures a more sustainable infrastructure of support and teamwork across the campus.

Panelists:

• David Kim, Associate Vice Provost and Sandy Valdivieso, Associate Director of Advising and Engagement, International Institute
• Barbara Knowlton, UG Vice Chair and Lori Okimoto-Wheatley, Director of Student and Instructional Services, Psychology Department
• Christopher Mott, Senior Continuing Lecturer & TA Trainer/Coordinator and Janel Munguia, Academic Advisor, English Department

ACE Fireside Chat: Addressing Staff Retention

Discussion: Given the challenges our campus has experienced with the Great Resignation in higher education and the lack of staff retention leading to greater employee turnover, it is critical to cultivate community and belonging for staff. Join us for a moderated chat with some supervisors on campus.

Panelists:

• Shahla Moreno, Director of Advising Staff and Administration, Center for Academic Advising in the College
• Spencer Scruggs, Director, Center for Accessible Education
• Eboni Shaw, Chief Administrative Officer and Academic Advisor, African American Studies Department

Moderator

• Kelsey Duff, Professional & Career Development Portfolio Manager, Campus Human Resources

A Round Table Discussion: OUR VOICE IS OUR FUTURE

Discussion: Fostering Better Communication, Addressing Workload and Burnout, Development Within your Current Role, Promotion and Reclassification

Discussion Facilitators:

• Asiroh Cham, Chief Administrative Officer, History Department
• Janel Munguia, Academic Advisor, English Department
• Melina Solomon-Dorian, Undergraduate Advising Supervisor, Psychology Department
• Sandy Valdivieso, Associate Director of Advising and Engagement, International Institute