Prioritizing student success outcomes as part of the University’s ongoing Academic Transformation efforts, the Office of the Provost has named Joy Carr as the first director of University Advising, effective today (Aug. 1).
In this role, Carr will work with advising experts across campus to identify and adopt best practices in academic advising and unify processes across the WVU system to help improve student retention, persistence and graduation rates.
“Our academic advisers have such a high touch, high impact role when engaging with our students,” said Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Evan Widders, who will oversee the new position. “That is why we are transitioning to a more coordinated, data-driven approach to advising. Now, we can be more intentional about not only supporting our advisers, but also our students who need extra support to meet their academic performance benchmarks.
“We are excited to welcome Joy to the Provost’s Office as she begins to innovate and advance academic advising policy and practices system-wide to better serve our advisers and our students,” Widders added.
A WVU veteran, Carr has 14 years of experience working directly with students, advisers and University leadership as an instructor, advising specialist and, most recently, the director of undergraduate studies in Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. She also has served in an advisory capacity on issues ranging from academic integrity to student retention and completion.
“Good advising is at the heart of a student’s academic experience,” Carr said. “I am excited by the ways in which this position can advocate for adviser needs in addition to strengthening WVU’s advising culture.”
Carr’s early goals include creating consistency in adviser training and onboarding, data collection and assessment of advising across the University. She also aims to support newly emerging advising units and structures while strengthening communications and advising relationships among colleges and units.
Carr was selected following an extensive national search to fill the position.