Monetary Award Program (MAP) Advising Working Group

Background:  Following the recommendation of the MAP Task Force to convene a working group on the best practices in student advising, House Resolution 296 was approved during the 2013 spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.  One of the conclusions of the Task Force was that students would likely benefit from additional advising on academic and financial matters, but the group felt they lacked the expertise to define a mandatory, minimum standard that should apply to all students.  Instead, they recommended consultation with people with greater expertise on best practices in advising for low-income and first-generation students, and that the Commission consider requiring MAP-eligible institutions to provide additional support to MAP recipients. 

Purpose:  To promote retention and degree completion among MAP recipients.

Scope:  The Resolution directed the working group to catalog existing student academic advising and support programs and available information on those programs’ outcomes, and to survey existing literature on the effectiveness of similar programs within the state.  The group was to then make recommendations regarding:

• minimum standards of support that colleges should make available to MAP recipients, and
• minimum requirements for students to take advantage of such support.

Additionally, the Resolution directed that the following be taken into consideration:

• the potential benefits that an academic advising requirement may bring to MAP recipients,
• whether students would have adequate access to such advisors,
• whether current institutional advising staff could properly provide appropriate levels of support given time constraints,
• what means of documentation might be warranted to document a MAP recipient’s participation in advising, and
• any additional costs that may be incurred by colleges in implementing a new advising requirement. 

The group was required to report its findings to the Commission and the General Assembly by February 3, 2014.  Any requirements relating to academic advising and student support services were to be implemented by ISAC as soon as feasible, but no later than the 2015-16 academic year.

MAP Advising Working Group Meeting Schedule

The following meetings were open to the public.  Universities, colleges, institutions, organizations, students and stakeholders were encouraged to attend.

Click on the date to view the meeting agenda.

2014

2013