Student Affairs Strategic Directions

 

 

VICE CHANCELLOR ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT

 

Strategic Direction 1

Enhance the university’s reputation, visibility, and influence.

  • Computer Support Services
    • Coordinate Student Affairs department web pages to make them consistent and informative.
  • UPD
    • Develop a plan in conjunction with the Department of Criminology, Sociology and Geography to provide police officer training opportunities for this region of the state.
    • Place a special logo on police vehicles signifying the Centennial celebration.
    • Enhance and retain quality police officers by offering an incentive for degree program completion and remaining at ASU.
  • Parking Services
    • Develop and implement a visitor and invited guest parking strategy that encourages the public to utilize and benefit from ASU’s educational resources and to invest in the teaching, research, and service activities on campus.
    • Enhance the appearance and function of the ASU-Jonesboro parking infrastructure by developing and implementing a full-scale maintenance program.

 

 Strategic Direction 2

Enhance learning by focusing on the institution’s priorities – teaching, research, and service.

  • Administration
    • Work with private foundations, state and municipal entities and grassroots organizations to determine the services needed in Delta communities that can be provided by our Student Affairs staff and students.
  • Computer Support Services
    • Offer specific training opportunity for staff members on the latest technology, such as, digital cameras, web cameras, document imaging, file storage on CD or DVD, web conferencing and virtual meetings.
  • UPD
    • Integration of the police department into the university environment will enhance the feeling of safety and create a more user friendly campus making our services more available to faculty, staff and students.

 

Strategic Direction 3
Develop a cohesive campus community based on strong shared governance, excellent communication, and mutual respect.

  • UPD
    • Introduce police personnel into the daily life of the university by increasing physical presence, enhancing communication with faculty, staff and students to develop partnerships.
  • Parking Services
    • Provide interactive online services that allow the campus community and general public to access parking functions, maps, and time-sensitive information.

 

Strategic Direction 4
Develop a culture of assessment to enhance educational institutional outcomes.

  • UPD
    • Develop better relationships with members of the student judiciary to better assess the judiciary process to work fairly with all who come into contact with the system throughout the process, from first contact with a police officer on to the discipline/punitive/education phase.
  • Parking Services
    • Develop and implement an ongoing assessment procedure to identify needed improvements and enhancements in the campus parking infrastructure, customer services, and communications.

 

Strategic Direction 5

Increase enrollment, retention rate, and graduation rate of both undergraduate and graduate students.

  • Computer Support Services
    • Residence Hall Area: Setup a Tech Day training session for students living in the residence halls. 
    • Provide information on the types of services provided by Student Affairs Computer Support possibly at New Student Orientation
  • UPD
    • Develop a series of training classes for parents of currently enrolled students and parents of prospective students. Training sessions will cover several aspects of safety on campus and what they and their child can do to assist in making this the safest campus in the country.

 

Strategic Direction 6
Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum.

  • UPD
    • Actively recruit minority candidates for police officer and staff positions by using our current minority officers as recruitment liaisons.

 

 

 

  • Administration
    • Provide divisional training to supervisors and staff on hiring, evaluations, motivation and management techniques that foster an inclusive work environment.

 

Strategic Direction 7

Increase resources to the university.

  • Administration
    • Seek alternative funding sources through private foundations, federal and state grants and private contracts.
    • Seek out partnerships with businesses, other educational institutions and organizations with similar/complementary goals to maximize economies of scale and pool resources.
  • Computer Support Services
    • Develop a fee based computer support system for all enrolled students.
    • Provide support for the products we give to our student for free (Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office)
    • Provide services like: Installation of Microsoft Windows, Installation of Microsoft Offices Suite, and virus removal.
  • UPD
    • Introduce fees for those services not directly tied to safety which are currently provided for free, such as fingerprinting and boosting and unlocking vehicles.  While these services are a great incentive to our faculty, staff and students, they do require time and equipment to perform.

 

Strategic Direction 8
Strategically manage resources among divisions and colleges based on institutional priorities.

  • Administration
    • Develop a budgeting system that would allow effective and efficient reallocation of resources that reflects the priorities of the individual departments and the division as a whole.
    • Monitor the budget process to assure resources are used wisely and in line with department missions and goals.
    • Reallocate resources from those programs/departments that are not successful to those that are reaching/exceeding their goals.
    • Establish a defined cyclical strategic planning model to assess department/unit mission statements, goals and objectives.

 

CAMPUS LIFE UNIT

 

Strategic Direction 1

Enhance the university’s reputation, visibility, and influence

  • Residence Life
    • Develop and implement a marketing strategy to increase residence hall occupancy.  Focus on quick and simple but powerful contacts with students.  Goal is to have students think about living on campus more.  A marketing calendar will assist in coordinating the departmental efforts. 
    • Maintain a user-friendly, up to date, and attractive website.
    • Provide quality brochures to prospective students.
    • Provide oral and written communications to students during recruitment days
    • Strengthen building tours by upgrading showrooms and providing informative scripts to tour guides.
  • Student Development and Leadership
    • Change campus entry way banners to electronic message boards

 

Strategic Direction 2

Enhance learning by focusing on the institution’s priorities – teaching, research, and service

  • Residence Life
    • Implement service learning programs
    • Foster personal growth and development through leadership opportunities, teachable moments, and community involvement
  • Student Development and Leadership
    • Establish non-credit, leisure class program out of the Student Union
    • Create an off-campus retreat center managed by the Student Union
    • Offer facilities to host college student events such as debate tournaments, student leadership summer camps, etc.

 

Strategic Direction 3

Develop a cohesive campus community based on strong shared governance, excellent communication, and mutual respect

  • Residence Life
    • Redefine the mission of the Residence Hall Association.  Assist the student leaders in developing more ownership.  Redefine officer development efforts.  Place more emphasize on hall councils.

 

Strategic Direction 4

Develop a culture of assessment to enhance educational institutional outcomes

  • Residence Life
    • Utilize the internet to conduct surveys to assess the student’s level of satisfaction with facilities, staff, programs, and services.

 

Strategic Direction 5

Increase enrollment, retention rate, and graduation rate of both undergraduate and graduate students

  • Residence Life
    • Develop and implement educational and social programs addressing the needs of our clientele.  Focus on programs that will assist on campus students increase GPAs.  Be proactive in introducing students to academic success tips.
    • Encourage faculty and staff involvement in the residence halls.  Establish a Faculty Appreciation Day.  Encourage hall council to adopt faculty members. 
    • Develop and expand programs, services and opportunities that address the needs of nontraditional aged students and increase the enrollment of this population in Indian Village
  • Intramurals
    • Increase participation in intramurals particularly in the residential, non-Greek population. 
    • Work toward hosting state and/or regional intramural tournaments.
  • Student Development and Leadership
    • Leadership Center staff to provide on-site leadership programs at area high schools
    • Present annual high school yearbook workshop on campus
    • Establish annual high school quiz bowl tournament at the Student Union
    • Offer facilities to host high school FFA, FHA, FBLA, etc., conferences at the Student Union

 

Strategic Direction 6

Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum

  • Residence Life
    • Encourage diverse programming in the residence halls, Collegiate Park, and Indian Village.  Utilize bulletin boards, themes, and other sources to promote diversity awareness.
    • Recruit, select, and train diverse professional and paraprofessional staff committed to student development.  Staff will be recruited through a comprehensive recruitment process.  Staff will receive training via online training modules, in-services, professional development, staff meeting, and semi annual training seminars.
  • Student Development and Leadership
    • Allocate the financial resources for the construction of Student Recreation facility as part of the ASU Centennial Campaign Fund

 

Strategic Direction 7

Increase resources to the university

  • Residence Life
    • Complete phase two of Indian Village apartments
    • Construct a new residence hall

 

ENROLLMENT SERVICES UNIT

 

Strategic Direction 1

Enhance the university’s reputation, visibility, and influence.

  • The ArkACRAO Craighead County Planning Program highlights our campus and its facilities not only to prospective students and parents but to admissions representatives from other colleges and universities as well.

 

  • The ISSS helps to enhance the University’s reputation and visibility through professional involvement at the national level.  In addition to participating in a Fulbright program in Japan, the director offers immigration workshops at regional and national conferences and serving as a national curriculum writer.  Moreover, she gives immigration advice to international student advisers throughout the region.

 

  • The Testing Center attracts test candidates throughout the Delta region.

 

  • The annual workshop in January for high school guidance counselors is used to update counselors on new academic programs, building projects, and other important ASU information.

 

Strategic Direction 2

Enhance learning by focusing on the institution’s priorities – teaching, research, and service.

  • Financial Aid Counselors spend many weekdays and many evenings making presentations in area high schools about financial aid awareness to promote college attendance by all high school seniors.

 

Strategic Direction 3

Increase enrollment, retention rate, and graduation rate of both undergraduate and graduate students.

  • Everything that the ISSS does is geared towards increasing the retention and graduation rates of the international students.  This includes a special international student orientation, social and academic programming, information dissemination through a website and newsletters, and immigration advising to help them to maintain their legal status.

 

  • The ASU Testing Center enhances student academic success by providing all major standardized tests for undergraduate enrollment, industry certification, or graduate school admission.

 

·        The Office of Admissions will contact all prospective students in our data base focusing on the below students

o       Those students who live within a four-hour drive of the ASU campus  

o       Those who will succeed and graduate from ASU, based on student profiling data from Institutional Research

o       Students of color or other members of an underrepresented groups

o       Non-traditional students 

 

 

·        Methods to be used for recruitment

o       Increased contacts with high school students through direct mail publications

o       Added a fall session of “Returning to the Classroom” to facilitate better non-traditional student recruitment.

o       Expanded use of internet

o       Expanded use of telemarketing

o       Increased presence of alumni/students in recruitment

o       Strengthened relationships with high school counselors

o       Increase efforts in electronic recruiting.  A web recruiter should be added to develop web-based recruitment tools such as chat rooms, interactive web pages, etc.

o       Develop a comprehensive alumni volunteer program to assist in recruiting first-year students in targeted out of state regions.

o       Increase training efforts with admission counselors to ensure they have comprehensive knowledge of ASU, effective communication skills, and professional interaction with prospective students and their parents throughout the recruitment process.

o       Improve communication among the departments of the university regarding the admissions process.

o       Provide timely answers to frequently asked questions about the university by utilizing “Virtual Advisor,” an on-line software package.

o       Increase access to the university through on-line college fairs via the internet using “Chat University,” an on-line college fair software package.

o       Provide incentives to frequently visit the Office of Admissions’ website by holding a weekly drawing for an ASU t-shirt.

o       Develop a communications plan for the guidance counselor community to increase their knowledge of the admission process and their understanding of academic programs and current services provided by ASU.

o       Attempt to create outreach programs to 8th to 10th graders in local schools.

o       ASU must develop effective marketing strategies to recruit transfer students; allocate resources to develop appropriate advertising and communications plans that enable the public to know more about ASU.

o       Review all campus services to see how their operations impact an adult learner’s enrollment and success at ASU.

o       Secure new funding to initiate a “Beyond Boundaries Transfer Scholarship” to attract two-year transfer students from out-of-state.

o       Continue annual early intervention efforts by Financial Aid & Scholarships Office’s to encourage applications for federal and institutional aid for the upcoming school year.

o       A completely redesigned scholarship program was launched for the entering class of 2004 fall that was built on predictive modeling by researching ASU scholarships recipients for the past ten years.  Scholarship dollars have been targeted to students who have shown the most interest in attending ASU and have demonstrated academic achievement either at the high school level or at a two-year college.

o       Development efforts should be enhanced to promote new endowments and increase current endowments.  As costs for tuition, fees, room, and board increase, ASU is in critical need for endowed funds to supply need-based grants to lower-income students.  Need-based scholarships are critical in the recruitment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

o       Many ASU first-time students are first generation students from the Arkansas Delta region.   National statistics indicate that 86% of students who need assistance from some type of student-service area do not ask for it.  A more proactive outreach effort by the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office to connect with and offer services to prospective students and their families would be an effective recruitment tool.

o       Have financial aid outreach and admissions personnel train high school counselors, school volunteers, community volunteers, and others to assist economically disadvantaged and first generation in college students with the admissions and financial aid processes.

o       Create a “coaching” system to work in conjunction with the Office of Admissions to assist first-year students and transfer students who need a little extra coaching with the financial aid application procedures.

 

Strategic Direction 4

Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum.

  • The Office of Admissions seeks to ensure that diversity exists in all aspects of its recruiting effort by:
    • Employing a diverse recruiting staff
    • Ensuring publications capture campus diversity
    • Creating a special brochure targeting students of color
    • Hosting “Discover Diversity Through You Leadership Conference”
    • Tracking the number of applications from students of color

 

  • The ISSS assists in this effort by advising and assisting department heads, who wish to employ foreign nationals, with the necessary immigration paperwork.

 

  • The ASU Testing Center conducts all test-taking activities in an entire nondiscriminatory manner to ensure that all examinees receive equal treatment.  No test taker suffers a disadvantage or gains an advantage because of race, religion, gender, age, or disability.  All examinees are to be protected from disturbance.

 

  • Financial Aid Counselors spend many weekdays and many evenings making presentations in area high schools about financial aid awareness to promote college attendance by all high school seniors during January and February.

 

  • Coordinate and present College 101 presentations at several area high schools with an emphasis on encouraging minority students to attend college.

 

Strategic Direction 5

Increase resources to the university

  • Enrollment Services departments will attempt to bring in additional funds to the university by obtaining sponsors for various recruiting/outreach activities/projects such as:
    • Preview Day lunches, sponsored by Bank of America
    • T-shirt promotion, sponsored by American State Bank
    • Scholarship brochures and posters, sponsored by Simmons Bank
    • Brochures printed by the Arkansas Student Loan Authority, Edamerica, Liberty Bank, and Chase Bank
    • Computer Resource Room equipment for financial aid and scholarship students donated by MOHELA

 

STUDENT LIFE

 

Strategic Direction 1
Enhance the university’s reputation, visibility, and influence.

 

Unit-Provide consistent and viable outreach and support to enhance student learning, institutional research, and community service.

  • Career Services
    • Expand student employment experiential education, and career opportunities through career development strategies linked to community and employer outreach.
  • Counseling Center
    • Specialize in community counseling programming and professional networking with high school counselors throughout the state.
  • Disability Services
    • Collaborate with agencies and organizations to provide support and access for people with disabilities as required by state and federal legislation.
  • Student Health Center
    • Serve all constituencies through modern, comprehensive health care services to the campus and local community.
  • Judicial Affairs
    • Develop transitional programs for all students to ensure positive campus acclimation through community involvement in a safe environment.
  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to measure viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 2
Enhance learning by focusing on the institution’s priorities – teaching, research, and service.

 

Unit - Support the guiding principles found in the university’s academic mission and promote positive institutional life and continuous student learning through opportunities in and out of the classroom.

  • Career Services
    • Balance accommodation with empowerment by capitalizing on opportunities to teach while serving students.
  • Counseling Center
    • Provide training and instructional opportunities to strengthen student mental, physical, and spiritual self.
  • Disability Services
    • Provide accommodations and training to enhance access for people with disabilities in academic, social, residential, and recreational environments.
  • Student Health Center
    • Reach student groups to promote societal health issues, continue to partner with academic disciplines to provide learning opportunities and instill healthy living standards through campus outreach.
  • Judicial Affairs
    • Develop a partnership with community agencies to provide learning opportunities for disciplinary related community service initiatives.
  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to measure viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 3
Develop a cohesive campus community based on strong shared governance, excellent communication, and mutual respect.

 

Unit - Provide mentoring and partnership opportunities through advisory councils and peer groups that facilitate open communication, collaboration, and professional respect.

  • Career Services
    • Promote programs and opportunities to enhance the career development of all constituencies through collaboration with stakeholders in the academic and student communities balanced around personal contacts and current technologies.

 

  • Counseling Center
    • Serve as system-wide resource to identify current student culture, pulse, and issues.
  • Disability Services
    • Serve as a clearinghouse and resource for ASU faculty, students, staff, administrators, and other constituencies regarding compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990.  Encourage the implementation of programs that enhance the uniqueness, dignity, and respect of people with disabilities.
  • Student Health Center
    • Serve campus constituencies through student advising councils and governing boards to achieve maximum patient care and satisfaction.
  • Office of Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities
    • Ensure fairness among all campus constituencies through appropriate representation while serving as a conduit for student conduct and conflict resolution issues.
  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to determine viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 4
Develop a culture of assessment to enhance educational institutional outcomes.

 

Unit - Develop a combination of measurable assessment practices and tools to enhance student success and promote positive change.

  • Career Services
    • Evaluate effectiveness of career services to students, alumni and employers by bench marking regionally and nationally with peer institutions for service enhancements.
  • Counseling Center
    • Broaden assessment instruments to build a cohesive purposeful curriculum for healthy psychological development.
  • Disability Services
    • Conduct evaluation and assessments of programs, services, and facilities which will facilitate access on the ASU campus and ASU regional sites.
  • Student Health Center
    • Bench mark current practices against national standards to establish an operational health service baseline and seek national ambulatory care accreditation.
  • Judicial Affairs
    • Assess the educational outcome of sanctions to identify positive student success strategies.

 

 

 

  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to determine viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 5

Increase enrollment, retention rate, and graduation rate of both undergraduate and graduate students.

 

Unit-Provide professional services through enhancing enrollment, retention, and graduation rates for all Arkansas State University system students.

  • Career Services
    • Collaborate with academic colleges and institutional research to develop a comprehensive assessment process for measuring educational goal attainment of all categories of students exiting the institution.
  • Counseling Center
    • Initiate outreach to the pre-college prospects and state high school counselors while preparing current students for success in higher education.
  • Disability Services
    • Assure a progressive perspective on policies, procedures and standards, service visibility, accessibility, and adaptive technology.
  • Student Health Center
    • Provide a quality service through all phases of the student experience to support a healthy environment and overall wellness of the individual and community.
  • Judicial Affairs
    • Develop a model substance abuse treatment program through educational sanctions, professional collaboration, and parental networking.
  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to determine viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 6
Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum.

 

Unit - Seek all opportunities to employ and enroll qualified under-represented groups and embrace diversity through all aspects of professional services.

  • Career Services
    • Increase programming to under-represented student groups to enhance career development.
  • Counseling Center
    • Provide adaptive training skills and programs to all constituencies while celebrating individual differences.

 

  • Disability Services
    • Provide equal opportunities which will enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities to succeed in all aspects of society.
  • Student Health Center
    • Promote health education appropriate to specialty populations through personal contacts and wellness programming.
  • Judicial Affairs
    • To ensure equality and fairness by preventing preferential treatment of students based on associations or affiliations.
  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to measure viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 7
Increase resources to the university.

 

Unit - Increase resources by improving efficiency and utilize opportunities that minimize costs.

  • Career Services
    • Increase the use and efficiency of Federal and State programs to provide human capital on campus at minimal costs.
  • Counseling Center
    • Utilize student potential to provide paraprofessional services to increase resource allocation.
  • Disability Services
    • Pursue non-institutional revenues through private and public grants and partnerships.
  • Health Center
    • Continue to partner with state and local health care providers to enhance reputation, services, and awareness.
  • Judicial Affairs
    • Develop a judicial program that teaches students personal responsibility that positively impacts institutional costs while enhancing institutional image.
  • Assessment
    • Implement an appropriate and comprehensive review of existing programs to determine viability of services, quality performance enhancements, and needed change.

 

Strategic Direction 8
Strategically manage resources among division and colleges based on institutional priorities.

 

Unit - Assess and define the value of our professional contributions to the institution to guide resource allocation. 

  • All Departments support the following:
    • Evaluate programs and services to determine if they contribute to the unit, divisional, and institutional mission (Lyons, 1991)
    • Determine credible workloads for all programs and services (Lyons, 1991)
    • Invest in activities that help students do things for themselves (Kuh, Schuh, Witt, and Associates, 1991, p. 137)
    • Protect services that build community and diversity, maintain ethical, health, and safety standards (Lyons, 1991)
    • Change operating practices to effect cost savings (University of Arizona, 1991)
    • Establish new programs and protect effective programs/processes by eliminating weak, low demand, and duplicative programs/processes (University of Arizona, 1991).