An External Review of the Commuter and Off-Campus Life Office University of Illinois Chicago
Presented by: Dilnavaz Cama Jeremy Moore, Ed.D.
Introduction
The external review team appreciates the opportunity to review the Commuter and OffCampus Life office (COCL). COCL at The University of Illinois Chicago is a NASPA member and participates in the Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services Knowledge Community.
Prior to the 2-day visit (October 26 and 27, 2022), the review team was provided numerous documents to review including:
a. COCL Mission and scope
a. COCL Self-Study report
b. UIC Division of Student Affairs Annual Report
The external review team developed the interview protocol, conducted interviews, and took notes during each interview session. Over 37 Individuals were interviewed on October 26th and 27th representing the following on campus and off-campus areas:
o Student Engagement team
o Directors and program staff from throughout the Division of Student Affairs
o COCL Staff (full time and student staff)
o Key COCL Partners: Transfer Assistance Center, UIC Police, UIC Campus Parking, Community Collaboration, Office of International Students, Career Services, Student Veteran Affairs, Academic Partners
While specific questions were asked depending on individuals interviewed, the questions generally addressed the following:
• Understanding of the mission of COCL and how other units interface with the office
• Most notable strengths, challenges, and opportunities for COCL
• COCL’s current areas of focus and investment
• Aspirations for the area moving forward
The external review team is appreciative of the efforts of the Office of Student Affairs Assessment and Planning including Ayush Rajendra Palrecha, Daniel Wilson, Dr. Sue Farruggia who assisted in setting up the physical arrangements for the visit and also provided numerous materials, resources, context, and historical perspective to help inform the review team’s knowledge.
The external review team is composed of two members with extensive and diverse experience in higher education. With over 35 years of combined experience, the following individuals (in alphabetical order) served on the external review team:
Dilnavaz Cama (She/Her) Director, Willie J. Young, Sr., Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement Office Student LifeThe Ohio State University
With over twenty years' experience in higher education and community relations, Dilnavaz has extensive experience cultivating town-gown relationships, bringing innovative solutions to unique community challenges, and developing and supporting students at various stages throughout their college career. As part of the Residential Experience, Dilnavaz leads Student Life Willie J. Young, Sr. Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement at The Ohio State University. She and her team work with a variety of university, community, and city partners/stakeholders to provide a wide range of resources, education, and support for The Ohio State University community. From enhancing town-gown relationships, promoting safe and healthy behaviors, to advancing student learning and engagement and providing the iconic residential experience, the final objective is student success. Dilnavaz is an OSU alumna, having received her bachelor's degree and master's degree at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Jeremy Moore, Ed.D. (He/Him) Dean of Students
Naropa University
Jeremy Moore currently serves as the Dean of Students at Naropa University, a small private, liberal arts institution located in Boulder, CO. Prior to joining the Student Success team at Naropa, Jeremy served as the Assistant Director for Marketing, Communications, & Student Transitions and Communications Coordinator within Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Jeremy currently serves as the co-chair-elect for the Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services Knowledge Community (NASPA) and previously has served as the Region IV-W OCCSS KC representative and one of the founding members of the OCCSS Knowledge Community. From 2014-2019, Jeremy served as a board member and later, as president and past president for the College Personnel Association of Colorado (CPAC) within ACPA.
Jeremy earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wright State University in Dayton, OH, a Master of Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, and a doctorate in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
Overview
Context/landscape
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is the largest university in the Chicago area, with 33,747 students, offering 333 degrees and certificates across 16 colleges. 85% of the total population are commuter students.
• 33,747 total students
- 21,807 undergraduate students
- 7,798 graduate students
- 4,142 professional students
• 333 degrees/certificates
- 95 bachelors'
- 100 masters'
- 63 doctoral
- 75 certificates
• 16 colleges
- Largest university in the Chicago area
- 85% of students are commuter students
Division of Student Affairs Priorities
• Student-centered culture
• Welcoming and modern environments
• Synergy with Chicago
• Organizational effectiveness/organizational innovation
• Enterprising strength and resources
•
Division of Student Affairs Learning Outcomes
• Cognitive skills
• Resiliency and practical skills
• Intrapersonal and interpersonal development
• Diversity and social responsibility
General Observations (Main Findings and Themes)
The Commuter and Off-Campus Life (COCL) office has a history of providing resources and engagement opportunities for commuter students going back to the early 2000s, starting with a pilot in fall of 2010 with a space in a basement area of the student center. Staff and students describe the physical commuter lounge as a “home away from home.” In recent years, the office has expanded support to include off-campus housing resourcing and exploring other student transition needs, but this has not been fully defined at the time of the visit.
In the past decade, Commuter and Off-Campus Life has suffered from multiple staff transitions (3 years was mentioned as the longest serving staff person) which has resulted in changing priorities and impeding programs and ideas with a “start and stop” approach. While data collection has been a recent focus, right now this collection is heavily focused on utilization rates and retention but without additional measures of success, it is challenging to note possible correlations. Additionally, permanent funding for this unit has been in question almost as long as the office, or physical commuter space has existed, which has resulted in an inability to be strategic in the longer term.
In our interviews with stakeholders, there was a real sense that this area and its work is seen as an important and valuable resource for the campus community which is largely perceived as having many commuter or off-campus students as members of the institutional population. Efforts in recent years have worked to advance and expand the mission and scope of this office from commuter services to include off-campus life but this was not fully evident in our interviews or internal research. Notably absent were landlord and/or property manager partners, much discussion of the UIC off-campus housing database, off-campus housing fair/tenant education resources, or a strong connection to campus student legal services. These are areas that should be bolstered through marketing, programming, and intentional campus
and community collaborations. Further, these can serve as good starting points for this unit to become more financially independent and sustainable through internal revenue generation.
Commuter and Off-Campus Life, by extension of the dedicated staff (students and full-time) working in the unit has a tremendous foundation from which to build on which includes contributions and original scholarship to the field and a physical space that many campuses would be in awe of providing for their students.
For context, there are a few general observations provided below that provide a framing for the external review team’s recommendations.
Strengths: It is clear the Director of Student Transitions and Engagement & Commuter Student Advocacy, Nehemiah Chung, is a well-respected leader across UIC, including faculty/staff and students. Faculty and staff knew Nehemiah and were familiar with the Commuter Student Resource Center. Students spoke highly of Nehemiah and the Commuter Student Resource Center. Nehemiah's team (graduate and undergraduate students) were especially proud of the work of the unit and recognized Nehemiah's investment in not only the work, but each team member.
Notable: The Director's title does not reflect the work with the off-campus student population. The unit's name does not reflect the newly added student transitions.
• The Commuter Student Resource Center is a recognized and valued space across campus. It was mentioned numerous times by students and faculty/staff a desire for a similar commuter student resource center on west campus.
- Notable: 85% of all UIC students are commuter students, yet Commuter and OffCampus Life (rather than Student Affairs or UIC as a whole) is responsible for ensuring appropriate outside the classroom space for the majority of UIC students.
- Opportunity: although there is consistent traffic in the Commuter Student Resource Center, commuter students are everywhere. The unit will need to continue figuring out how to effectively support students everywhere.
• The unit partners with other UIC units to bring in experts in various areas to engage with commuter students in the Commuter Student Resource Center. Meeting students where they are is one high impact practice. The unit will need to continue to approach opportunities to collaborate effectively with an innovative lens. Not every approach will be successful, do not be afraid to fail forward.
Opportunities/Challenges: Stakeholders recognized the Commuter Student Resource Center as the central hub for commuter students; however, there was minimal discussion around Commuter and Off-Campus Life's commuter focused programming or off-campus living resources. It is clear the Commuter and Off-Campus Life offer much more than simply the Commuter Student Resource Center. The unit will need to enhance branding and awareness
efforts and tell their story to ensure stakeholders have a better understanding of the unit's resources and services.
The financial structure for Commuter and Off-Campus Life is not clear. Permanent allocated funding should be prioritized, allowing the unit to continue to make fiscally responsible decisions and explore additional funding sources.
It seems the Student Engagement portfolio wants to work as a cohesive team to create synergy around the student experience. It is also clear that Nehemiah has the desire to collaborate with others across SA and UIC. He will need to continue to overcome existing challenges, including what was described as the current territorial culture. It was reiterated often that there is minimal cross-collaboration across SA or across the University. Encouraging others to collaborate rather than work in silos will allow teams to work together around the student experience.
It will be incredibly important to define the measures of success (and share this information out). During the external review visit, many partners focused on the number of students utilizing the physical space as the primary measure of success; one individual also focused on retention rates, with the caveat that correlation could not necessarily be shown.
There is a practice of looking at capacity, before trying to figure out the best systems/resources. There should be an impetus to get people to think through how UIC needs to support students, and then determine capacity and alignment.
Recommendations
A self-study analysis was completed by Commuter and Off-Campus Life. This self-study was based on criteria as defined by the UIC Division of Student Affairs Assessment & Planning office as an evaluation framework. A previous Council on the Advancement of Standards (CAS) selfstudy was most recently completed in 2011 by program staff. The majority of the 14 areas of interest (called Parts) were evaluated by the program staff at that time as “well met or “fully met” the expectation of that particular area. Of particular note, one of the two areas listed as “not met” included inadequate funding for the area to meet its mission and goals.
While this unit has begun thorough practices of identifying ways of how data stories and student journey mapping can be useful in strategic planning, by better understanding the needs of commuter and off-campus students, Commuter and Off-Campus Life can serve as an advocate and champion for campus policies, procedures, and programs.
The external review team is intentional in the way the recommendations have been written. It allows the COCL team, the UIC context experts, to apply the recommendations to UIC’s specific context.
The external review team has organized the recommendations and provides guidance that these be explored in the order they are presented below.
• Develop a clear definition of off campus and commuter as it pertains to student identification
• Enhance the way data and research is utilized
• Determine commuter student needs
• Determine off-campus student needs
(Photo of previous Women’s Locker Room area which will serve as a future CSRC expansion)
• Define student transitions and determine which specific sub-populations this may encompass in order to identify needs
• Define a unit scope of work
• Identify areas of key priority to determine areas of effective staffing and resourcing
• Establish clear financials
• Address outside the classroom student space needs
• Build a stronger working relationship with key stakeholders
• Develop a continued plan for DEI integration
• Develop a 2-year strategic plan for the unit
Develop a clear definition of off campus and commuter (if both terms will be utilized)
• Ensure this terminology is something that currently resonates (or will resonate) with UIC students. Communicate this across campus amongst students, faculty, and staff to ensure proper utilization of these terms. Many institutions utilize information from Financial Aid or the Registrar’s office as a starting place to aid in defining these population(s). While there are various research and literature inspirations to draw from, one of the most cited definitions is from Jacoby (1989) which states that a commuter student is any student not living within university-owned or managed accommodation.
• Right now the marketing for off-campus focused services and commuter focused services utilizes the following email address: commuter@uic.edu. If the desire is to have a clear distinction, recommend the email address reflecting this as well.
Enhance the way data and research is utilized
• For this population and unit, a recommendation on reviewing the institutional and divisional data warehouses is strongly encouraged. This will allow the unit to better understand where students are coming from in terms of both actual housing and in the case of transfer students, the types of institutional environments they are transferring from prior to arrival at UIC.
• Create a strategic plan for data and assessment efforts (2–3-year plan). This will allow the unit to continue to enhance overall use of data, focusing on a narrow scope of data and assessment efforts. Continuing to conduct focus groups will be a key component to the assessment efforts. Having a captive audience in the Commuter Student Resource Center can also be a tool for further information collection.
• Make data-informed decisions. The Commuter and Off-Campus Life team are certainly the experts. Combine the data and existing research to support the team's expertise in making the best decisions. For instance, in the self-study, it was mentioned that the unit is trying to transition back to in-person opportunities. Ensure that the data supports that students want and need this for all services/initiatives. Exploring existing data across the institution will also be necessary to layer with the unit's existing data sources to help inform future efforts. For instance, utilize the Registrar's Office to capture student local addresses.
• Utilizing data to tell the unit's story will also be important. Proactively share the unit’s story with not only Student Affairs colleagues, but also across the institution and community. This will allow others to better understand the great work being done and will also allow potential partners to recognize alignment and opportunities more easily for increased collaboration. This will then allow for units to maximize resources to work together to best support students, rather than competing for resources and/or student’s attention.
Determine commuter student needs
• Explore not only the information that students provide (their wants) but also look at the research that suggests commuter student needs (regardless of whether the student identifies the need)
o i.e., Resources for carpooling, bike clinics, etc.
o Speaking with student groups, commuting and parking seemed to be a common theme in terms of challenges. As the commuter student advocate, Commuter and Off-Campus Life can work more closely with the division for parking services to encourage the improvement of options and processes. Commuter and OffCampus Life can also continue to further train the internal team on available resources, to best support the commuter student population.
• Once commuter student needs are identified, 1) define what needs the unit will support and 2) what needs other stakeholders may be able to support. As the commuter student expert, advocate for that stakeholder group to consider supporting those commuter student needs.
o Using commuter assistants to engage with the commuter student population will be critical to high-impact practices.
Determine off-campus student needs
• Explore not only the information that students provide (their wants) but also look at the research that suggests off-campus student needs (regardless of whether the student identifies the need)
o i.e., off-campus living resources, laws, and ordinances, etc.
• Once off-campus student needs are identified, 1) define what needs the unit will support and 2) what needs other stakeholders may be able to support. As the offcampus student expert, advocate for that stakeholder group to consider supporting those off-campus student needs.
• Explore ways to better acclimate students to one another so that they feel more comfortable attending programs and meetings together. This is supported by research that “students who do not actively engage with peers in social activities are less likely to be satisfied with all social aspects of campus life” (Berger and Malaney, 2003, p. 23).
• Multiple interview sessions indicated a need for additional evaluation and review of campus safety and wellness initiatives as it relates to personal safety and coordination of specific areas such as building closure times and the start of safety walk programming (interviews suggested there is a gap of about one hour between these two areas).
o Although UIC appears to offer a current safety app for community members, the review team did not hear about the app during interview sessions which could suggest a lack of understanding or awareness of this institutional offering. Marketing and communications should be explored further by both the UIC Police Department and Commuter and Off-Campus Life to ensure students are aware of the resource.
Define student transitions and determine which specific sub-populations this may encompass to identify needs
• Explore not only the information that students provide (their wants) but also look at the research that suggests student transitions' needs (regardless of whether the student identifies the need)
Advertisement for the UIC SAFE app, a safety app offering the review team observed advertising on campus An example of exploring diverse student needs includes COCL’s availability/access to a lactation room or exploration of private space(s) for students needing to attend remote courses or conduct interviews
• Once student transitional needs have been identified, evaluate what resources might be needed to assist in the acclimation period(s) the student may experience (Evans, 2010)
• Once student transitions' needs are identified, 1) define what needs the unit will support and 2) what needs other stakeholders may be able to support. As the student transitions expert, advocate for that stakeholder group to support those student transitions' needs.
Define a unit scope of work
• Considering almost all UIC students commute or live off campus, it will be important to realistically determine and define the scope of work for the unit. Continuously communicating this across campus amongst the student population and with faculty and staff will be important.
• Considering any duplication of efforts will also be important when defining the unit's scope of work (with the understanding that some duplication will be intentional and others will need to be resolved).
Photo of Commuter and Off-Campus Life resource offerings
Identify areas of key priority to determine areas of effective staffing and resourcing
• Evaluate legacy programs to assess continued need and viability and which program(s) should sunset.
• Before focusing on the ideal staffing structure, first focus on the necessary focal areas for the unit. Then consider the defined scope of work for each of those focal areas to help determine the necessary staffing structure. These steps are necessary, before considering the available financials.
Establish clear financials
• Establish permanent allocated funding
• Incorporate revenue generation stream (fees, grants, development, etc.)
o Revisit existing third-party contract and profit-sharing models regarding the offcampus housing database and other vendors
o Consider other institution's revenue models when exploring revenue generating opportunities
o Explore other Chicago institutions involvement with the off-campus rental community to determine if partnerships would be a beneficial/feasible option
o Consider grant opportunities for additional funding sources
o Explore ways to collect student testimony to help inform and advance development and in-kind donations to this area
Address outside the classroom student space needs
• While UIC/SA should address overall outside the classroom student space needs, the unit can implement the following more immediately:
o Identify commuter-specific spaces and resources for the West medical campus
o Enhance collaboration with libraries and other entities to provide space for students
o Identify all existing outside the classroom student/commuter spaces across campus
o Market all existing outside the classroom student/commuter spaces in a cohesive manner
o Explore partnerships to offer close and convenient community spaces for students to utilize
o Explore "flex" space options for students to be able to attend classes remotely or conduct interviews when they are unable to get back to their residence
o The Commuter Student Resource Center
▪ Promising practices: using card-swipe data to track utilization
▪ Improved signage for students to locate the Commuter Resource Center (current signage is confusing and somewhat difficult to follow)
Front Reception Desk
Row of Lockers in the Commuter Resource Center
Main Commuter Resource Center Area
Commuter Resource Center Area Kitchen Area
Adjacent Commuter Resource Area Meeting Space
Adjacent Commuter Resource Area Study Space
Build a stronger working relationship with key stakeholders
• This includes educating stakeholders on available resources, communicating as the commuter student advocate, the off-campus student advocate, and the student transitions advocate, and approaching solutions to challenges together, rather than in silos. Building these working relationships to be more knowledgeable on available resources across the institution will also be key to best support students:
o Including but not limited to property owners/managers, Student Legal Services, Law Enforcement, City entities, Undergraduate and Graduate Student Government and other student groups, Office of International Affairs, Parent and Family, Student Conduct, all colleges including advisors and faculty, Department of Campus Parking, public transportation, Campus Dining, On-Campus Housing, and all other Student Affairs units:
▪ As commuter student advocates, it is important that all team members have a strong working knowledge of Campus Parking processes and policies.
▪ As commuter student advocates, it is equally important to provide partners, such as Campus Parking and Campus Dining, with ongoing feedback to ensure the commuter student voice is represented.
• i.e., provide feedback to help to make purchasing parking permits more accessible (reports of lots of lines, work with parking to sell permits online, QR code, etc.).
• Advocate for and champion the review of the current intracampus bus connections to ensure the timings and number of offerings are in alignment with student needs and that students have good awareness of the options.
UIC Campus Bus Stop
▪ As a cohesive team, provide education to on-campus housing staff and on-campus students to equip them with necessary tools to support students who move from being a residence hall resident to a city of Chicago renter. This can take advantage of co- curricular engagement rates which are often are far higher with students residing in residential housing compared to students commuting from home or living in independent living options (Jacoby, 2000).
• This cohesive team should include key content experts including COCL, Campus Housing, and Student Legal Services. Campus Housing can ensure residence hall students are aware of the educational opportunity and ensure participation. COCL and Student Legal Services can also train Campus Housing colleagues on pertinent information, allowing Campus Housing to also support students in their homes, prior to making the transition out of the residence halls.
▪ Ensure advisors, faculty, etc. understand challenges commuter students face and encourage them to consider this when making decisions
• For instance, being sensitive to the commuter student experience and avoid cancelling class or moving class to virtual 2 hours prior to the start of class.
• Explore cross-training for department staff to be better acclimated to information and resources from other departments both within and outside the division
Develop continued DEI integration
Develop an evolving plan to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of the work and keep the unit focused on additional impactful practices.
COCL currently has a diverse staff, which is great. Ensure future recruitment efforts continue to understand the identities of the students COCL seeks to serve and how the student, graduate, and full-time staff can be reflective of these identities and needs.
It will be important to be aware of existing effective initiatives to take advantage of those opportunities and avoid duplication of efforts.
Consider benchmarking other institutions/similar offices to understand what they may be doing related to DEI
planning and resourcing
Explore the most recent CAS standards as they relate to off-campus, commuter, and transfer/post-traditional student populations
Engage department, divisional, and campus colleagues to conceptualize how UIC defines “DEI” as it relates to the specific student subpopulations (ex: transfer students, international students, first-
Photo of advertisement for Commuter Meal Plan offerings as observed in the Student Centergeneration students, adult learners, students of color, LGBT+ students, military and veteran students, students with varying abilities and neurodivergence)
Revisiting established DEI expectations, metrics and/or goals at a regular cadence will equip COCL to have an evolving, clear and relevant plan to address the “where”, “what” and “how”
Develop a 2-year strategic plan for the unit
The preceding recommendations were written in the order the external review team felt made the most sense in terms of resourcing, priority, and focus. The external review team would recommend approaching the recommendations in the order presented in this report and therefore, structuring the 2-year strategic plan in a way that allows COCL to realistically focus only on the recommendations that can be accomplished during that timeframe.
The unit can do anything, but they cannot do everything. Determining key areas to focus on will be important to allow the unit to be exceptional, rather than attempting to do everything at once at a mediocre level.
Utilizing a two-year (at most three-year) strategic plan will build a solid foundation for the future. The external review team would not recommend a strategic plan greater than a three-year period.
Ensure a strong marketing, branding and awareness strategy is included in the over strategic plan.
Incorporate the data and assessment plan into the overall strategic plan.
Divisional Recommendations that would support the unit's success
• Unified vision across Student Affairs (it was clear that staff across SA were seeking a unified vision for the future)
• Needs to be clear charge for Student Engagement portfolio, allowing alignment of all units
• Increased transparency
• Encourage a culture of collaboration (SA staff's perception is that most units/people work in silos)
• With 85% of the total population being commuter students, needs and challenges with outside the classroom student space should be addressed SA wide (if not University wide). This should be a component of the master plan.
• Require students to submit their local address each semester when registering for classes
• Explore the development of specialized position(s) either housed within the Division of Student Affairs or representing the needs of SA for development, grant-writing, and donor cultivation
Mission
The mission of any organization needs to drive the program focus. Now is a good time to revisit with key partners the missions of both the University and Student Engagement/Division of Student Affairs’ with collaborative intentionality and a focus on alignment. The mission needs to be student centered and co-curated, allowing for natural partnerships on and off-campus, including with the City of Chicago. The mission also needs to support the diversity of the offcampus student population - traditional students transitioning from residence halls to offcampus accommodation, transfer students, international students, post-traditional students, students with dependents, commuter students, etc. For each of these transition pathways, it will be important to understand which barriers may exist for students, how these can be overcome, and how to best support students with social and academic integration as explained by Tinto’s (1993) student integration framework and model.
Within the mission, the team can outline how to better employ and utilize assessment data (needs assessment, satisfaction data) and curate data narratives from various stakeholders (students, parents, community members, property owners, etc.).
Observation/Evidence: Across the board during our 16 interview sessions, many constituents and partners recognized the staff is hardworking and capable With Commuter and Off-Campus Life becoming part of an overall student engagement and transitions team, there is room for continued exploration of how these areas can work together as one cohesive portfolio and determine how to most effectively collaborate with other internal and external units to reach the mission of not only COCL but also the portfolio Further, considering recent leadership changes internal to Student Affairs and the campus at large, it is a consistent sentiment that the mission needs to be revisited and refined to bolster the “why” and “how” of the work being
done. This refined mission should ensure integration of the Student Affairs priorities and alignment with the University’s priorities
Programs and Initiatives
The external review team reviewed various COCL programs and services and explored in interviews with stakeholders' desire for potential collaborations. Overall, the unit provides some touchpoints for education, outreach, and resourcing for internal audiences, with the opportunity to further its reach both across internal and external audiences. Programs should continue to be evaluated for alignment to mission, appropriate staffing and resourcing, viability and scaling through assessment and data collection, and if applicable, reviewed for potential liability with general counsel. Additionally, it is worth noting that the Commuter Resource Center is one of the largest facilities the external review team has seen. However, the location of the Commuter Resource Center is less than ideal due to a series of twists and turns required to access the space and a need to walk through other departments and spaces before arriving. The external review team found the current directional signage to be confusing and needing additional visibility and updated branding to match the current name of the space and unit.
Recommendations on Further Program Review and/or Program Retirement
The external review team suggests further review of some programs and services to determine if they should be refined, retired, or realigned. One service in question includes the Commuter Resource Center. Although there is a clear need for outside the classroom facilities across the campus, the external review team questions why managing the outside the classroom facilities falls solely under COCL A common theme among students and faculty/staff was the value and appreciation of the Commuter Resource Center and its consistent utilization, with the need for additional outside the classroom space for students, including appropriate space to attend virtual class, space to hang out with friends, places to study, places to eat, etc. These outside the classroom facility needs directly align with the Student Affairs priorities, specifically, welcoming, and modern environments.
Another area that we recommend for further review is the existing support for off-campus students. It will be important to determine off-campus student wants and needs at UIC and allow that to further guide the unit’s efforts. Specifically, we encourage COCL to explore how current efforts and programming are being assessed and maintained regarding housing and roommate search assistance, tenant education and support, and off-campus life outreach focused on sub-populations such as international and transfer students.
Recommendations on Program Development, Maintenance, and Enhancement
In an exploration of current program offerings, the external review team reviewed evidence such as interviews, observations, artifacts, and industry-specific promising practices to determine which programs within COCL should be maintained and enhanced. To this extent, we recommend that the following programs be explored.
We recommend that COCL develop educational programming for residence hall students to ensure these students are knowledgeable consumers before renting in Chicago or the surrounding areas. As UIC does not currently have a residency requirement, many students may opt to live-on their first year at the institution and then move off or transition off due to other need factors such as involvement in Greek life. COCL should not only work with Student Legal Services to provide support related to tenant education, but should also lean on colleagues within Campus Housing to provide this education and support (i.e., training Hall Directors and Resident Advisors, to appropriately support residence hall students).
With approximately 85% of the UIC student body being potentially classified as a commuter student, commuter support will continue to be important. The office supports commuter students focusing on those who frequent the Commuter Student Resource Center. Determining how to reach those who do not frequent the Center will allow for a greater reach and impact. COCL should continue to use the Commuter Assistants to conduct outreach and explore ways to reach commuter students most effectively.
Students are at the heart of the work across Student Affairs. The external review team encourages COCL to continue to dedicate efforts to supporting and developing its student employees, to advance the peer led efforts for the unit. In order to do so, reviewing the current learning and development plan for student employees, continuing to incorporate best practices, and ensuring appropriate allocation of time and support of these student employees will be key.
Technology Enhancements
The external review team explored a few areas related to technology, including the COCL websites and the COCL Instagram (please note the external review team did not have full access to the off-campus rental database but is aware of the database functionality due to experience working with the same database partner, Off-Campus Partners, at one external review team’s current institution). Each of these is discussed in further detail below.
Website: The external review team encourages further assessment of the existing websites, including reviewing website analytics to further guide efforts. Utilizing keyword tools, looking into navigation optimization, and further investigating the user experience are a few areas to help enhance the effectiveness of the websites. Although not explicitly discussed during the visit, the external review team discovered that the unit has two websites, one focused on off campus student services
(offcampushousing.uic.edu) and one focused on commuter student services (csrc.uic.edu) It appeared as if the csrc.uic.edu was the original and sole website for the unit, with the Off-Campus Partners off-campus website being an additional website/resource more recently. The external review team strongly encourages COCL to determine if one cohesive website or two separate websites would be most effective and user friendly, and once determined, thoughtfully revamp, maintain, and market the websites appropriately. For instance, the external review team noted that csrc.uic.edu is in need of updates, with old information displaying (i.e., the off-campus housing page listed website maintenance dates in 2021; the adulting 101 event dates were from March 2022, etc.). The external review team would recommend implementing more user-friendly strategies, to integrate the websites more seamlessly.
Social media – The current Instagram following is 1342, with 72 posts since August 1st. The average number of “likes” was under 100 for the majority of posts. However, there was a significant increase in Instagram interactions for video posts. As with many campuses, it is challenging to have students follow social media and check email and finding ways to effective reach students in a timely and developmental way without overloading them with too many communications. A strategy could be to better partner with other UIC offices, units, or external stakeholders such as the City of Chicago, neighborhood associations, and/or property management companies and individual landlords. Further, social media can be a handy tool when employed effectively to not only convey educational resources, information, and important updates, but also to scan for environmental changes and to do “pulse checks” on commuter and neighborhood life, student satisfaction, and more.
Off-campus rental database - During interviews with stakeholder groups, there was minimal discussion around the off-campus rental database as a resource for students. Greater promotion across students, faculty, and staff will help campus community members have a stronger familiarity with the resource offering and features. The current off-campus housing database/website is externally maintained with a revenue share structure. The external review team strongly encourages COCL to review the current contract and negotiate a more beneficial revenue share structure in the future. Exploring what platforms other institutions in the Chicago area utilize could open opportunities for future collaborations such “linking” the roommate functionality of the current database with other institutions who also use Off-Campus Partners as a database provider.
Housing Fair – There was not much information or context provided on how housing fairs have been provided in recent years, beyond that they have been offered. While the external review team would recommend continuing to host in-person housing fairs and roommate fairs, continuing to explore hybrid and/or virtual opportunities should also be of consideration. This can allow for connection with a wider array of stakeholder groups such as parents/families, landlords, international students, and other groups. Housing fairs can also provide an important revenue generation opportunity and the external
review team would recommend exploring table fees, sponsorship opportunities, and other revenue potential opportunities
Observation/Evidence
The practice and philosophy of commuter student support with a focus on first-year commuters is largely substantiated with current research. There exists a national trend of first-year students living within the geographic area surrounding a campus community opting to reside at a family residence and commute to campus. This has resulted in larger numbers of first-year students commuting each year due to either preference or the rising costs of a postsecondary education and with additional costs such as books, school supplies, and food. UIC appears to focus on all commuter students, rather than focusing on first-year commuters, as seen more commonly. Presumably, this is because UIC’s context is unique, being in an urban setting, with approximately 85% of students commuting to campus. In addition, over one third of the student population falls under the graduate and professional student category. The external review team did note, it was unclear what percentage of UIC commuter students live at home with parents/family members.
In recent years, peer-led programming and support is an approach more commonly utilized nationally. While COCL has student employees who conduct outreach, details on their role in planning and/or leadership were not discussed Further utilizing a peer-led approach to some of the current and future efforts could be fruitful.
Finally, technology is an important component to the work. Ensuring appropriate allocation of staff time to technology (i.e., website development and maintenance, social media efforts, keeping up with trends and new technology, etc.) will be increasingly important to the success of COCL efforts.
Program Assessment and Use of Data
COCL recognizes there is an opportunity to improve their overall use of data as they acknowledged in the self-study report. Determining a 2 to 3-year strategic plan for existing data utilization, additional assessment for programs, student employees and overall information gathering will be critical in enhancing and informing their work. It is recommended that COCL start with just a few elements to measure and fine tune questions this year and scale up in subsequent years as needed. Continuing to conduct focus groups is an appropriate way to assess program effectiveness, and perhaps the most realistic. Surveys can also be utilized for programs and services, but there may be a low response.
Observation/Evidence: Developing a 2 to 3- year strategic plan will allow COCL to remain focused on the key areas of data and assessment, working within a realistic and effective scope.
In addition to program assessment, there are also opportunities to use pre-existing “data” to help inform the work of COCL For example, being able to utilize the Registrar’s Office data on commuter and off-campus local addresses would be extremely informative. Accessing accurate records would allow COCL to better understand in aggregate where students live and to map changes from year to year. Additionally, overlaying academic success and demographic data with data on where students live, allows many university partners to address DEI opportunities and holistically strategize communication, programming and general resources that support student success.
Leverage Landlords
COCL should intentionally engage local landlords and property managers as partners in facilitating the off-campus student experience. Engagement between COCL and the landlords can be beneficial for a variety of reasons including being a partner in information sharing and support Additionally, landlords and property managers are a tremendous source of information based on what they see in their facilities and in their parking lots. If the relationship is strong, they can inform key university personnel about concerns they see with collective student welfare or individual safety.
One way to achieve this is to have COCL convene interested landlords and property managers for the purpose of sharing campus updates and hearing about current trends they are seeing in their student tenants. This could be done more formally through an annual “Landlord Summit” or could be done more informally with a smaller gathering for lunch, or utilize a combination of larger and smaller group sessions. Some institutions also become members of local apartment manager associations. In any of these formats, the University can share campus updates or relevant research or information on services that could/will impact off-campus students or their living experience. This allows landlords to be part of the conversation and feel “in the know” about campus practices and procedures. Additionally, campus leaders might become more informed about emerging behaviors that may be of concern. This is a strategy utilized at one of the external review team’s institutions and has been a successful outlet to share information and address challenges as a cohesive community.
Observation/Evidence: There are many landlords associated with facilities in the local area and the external review team recognizes that not all of them, for a variety of reasons, want to be engaged with UIC With that in mind, the engagement needs to occur with those who are interested, which means there needs to be plenty of reasons why a landlord would be interested.
Organization Structure
As with any organization, the structure is imperative in order to ideate, plan, and execute the organization’s mission, values, and purpose. In the following section, we will explore the current structure for COCL and guidelines for a future structure.
Current Structure
COCL is an office that has remained relatively unchanged in terms of staffing and organization structure with short-term leaders. With the current structure, the office is currently allocated for the following full-time staff: Director, Program Service Aide, two Graduate Assistants and part-time student employees.
In several interviews, it was shared with the external review team that due to fairly consistent staff turnover in this area the unit has struggled with consistency and longer-term planning and strategic prioritization
Ideas on a Proposed Structures
While specifics of unit expansion or additional staffing needs were not explicitly shared, either in the self-study or through interview sessions, the external review team encourages the unit to explore dedicated funding and setting reasonable expectations and unit goals in order to move forward most effectively and efficiently in regard to any future unit growth.
With this in mind, the review team suggests the following considerations with any structure:
• Make sure organization structure needs allow for balance (the Commuter Resource Center is open 12 hours/day, the organization structure needs to allow for appropriate balance and reasonable expectations)
• Focus on scaling up office resources, outreach, and collaboration opportunities first and consider focusing any new student or professional roles on specific functional areas such outreach, tenant education/off-campus life, education, operations, student transitions support or commuter student support
• Ensure there is not duplication of work within the staffing structure across lateral roles and within up-line supervision
• Have clearly defined roles and provide opportunities for internal advancement within the organization to retain talent and create sustainable staff transition opportunities. An example of this would be the introduction of a mid-level role seated between the current Program Service Aide and the Director, such as an assistant or associate director with significant program oversight
• Maximize the use of Graduate Assistants and consider partnerships with local-area higher education preparatory programs at the graduate level to infuse staffing with innovative ideas, student development theory, and the potential for original research opportunities
References
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Jacoby, B. (1989). The student as commuter: Developing a comprehensive institutional response.
ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, no. 7. Washington, DC: School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University.
Jacoby, B. (2000). Why involve commuter students in learning? New Directions for Higher Education, 2000 (109), 3-12.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.).
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