The Autistic Program for Inclusion, Representation, and Empowerment (ASPIRE) staff promises we will provide our support services to you at no cost. We will commit to expanding your learning opportunities and supporting your educational goals through individualized and small group learning. In return, we ask you take the opportunity to engage in the program seriously and commit to yourself, and our ASPIRE program, to being an engaged member of our ASPIRE community. We honor this commitment through this document, the Enrollment Agreement.
Individualized Learning
Individual learning in our program includes coaching and mentoring opportunities.
Coaching
Coaching is student-driven and goal-oriented. Coaching provides students with structure and strategies to support their chosen academic-related success. Coaches help students create, meet, and exceed their goals. Coaching is individualized and focuses on the individual passions, strengths, and opportunities for that student.
During coaching, students may set goals related to:
- Academic management skills (e.g., time management, study skills, task initiation)
- Self-awareness and self-management skills
- Social-academic skills (e.g., communicating with instructors, working in small groups)
- Managing academic and/or social-academic stress
Mentoring
Mentors are positive role models and guide students through their development as a student. During a mentor session, students may work with the mentor to:
- Engage in general support
- Get assistance completing a university process
- Learn about campus resources
- Receive academic or social-academic advice
Small Group Learning
The program also offers small group learning (e.g., workshops) and community engagement (e.g., social event) opportunities. Small group workshops focus on direct skills development. Community engagement activities are more social and activity based. Community engagement activities provide supported practice for navigating or experiencing a community event or offering.
General Expectations
Students enrolled in the program must sign the Enrollment Agreement prior to beginning any program activities. Students maintain eligibility for the program by also meeting the following:
- Attend the initial enrollment meeting.
- Maintain good academic standing with the university.
- Remain as a certificate-seeking or degree-seeking student.
- Agree to all expectations outlined in the Enrollment Agreement.
Engagement Commitment
Students enrolled in the ASPIRE program commit to attending the following meetings and events:
During the first year of enrollment:
- Attend at least two individual meetings with a coach or mentor per semester.
- Attend at least one group event per semester.
During the second year of enrollment:
- Attend at least one individual meeting with a coach or mentor per semester.
- Attend at least one group event per year.
During third year (and beyond):
- Attend at least one individual meeting with a coach or mentor OR one group event per year.
No-Show and Cancellation Expectations
Students are expected to attend their individually scheduled meetings with their coach or mentor. We request students notify their coach or mentor as soon as possible if a meeting needs to be rescheduled or canceled. If a student no-show’s two consecutive scheduled meetings in a row, the remaining scheduled appointments will be canceled and the student will need to work with their coach or mentor to determine a more appropriate time to meet. This is to ensure all students have opportunities to be supported by their coach or mentor.
Community Promises
ASPIRE is made up of a diverse group of students. To maintain safety and respect of our community:
- We believe everyone has the opportunity to be heard.
- We have respect for each other.
- We recognize everyone is in their own place of learning.
- We respect the privacy of what people share (with the exception of safety or well-being concerns).
Enrollment Plan
If any of the enrollment criteria are not met, students will have one provisional semester to create an Enrollment Plan with a coach. The Enrollment Plan will include strategies to meet the expectations and criteria that were not met.
If the Enrollment Plan is not met after the provisional semester, the student will be separated from the program. The students will have the opportunity to re-apply to the program as soon as the following semester.
If the student re-enrolls in the semester, the student will create a second Enrollment Plan that aims to meet the original reason for the separation.
If the student does not meet the expectations and criteria after re-enrolling in the program, the student will be separated from the program for a second time. After a student has been separated from the program twice, there is no option to re-enroll.
Contact Information
Students may reach out to the ASPIRE program by calling the EAC at 208-426-1583 or by emailing aspire@boisestate.edu.