The University of the South | Division of Student Life | Year in Review 2023-24
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE 2: Introduction
PAGE 3: CARE Team
PAGE 7: Community Standards
PAGE 12: Greek Life
PAGE 18: Residential Life
PAGE 22: Sewanee Outing Program
PAGE 24: Student Accessibility Services
PAGE 26: Student Involvement
PAGE 28: Dedication
VISION
A diverse and engaged community where staff and students develop into globally conscious, compassionate humans of integrity.
MISSION
We empower our students to develop into individuals with a sense of belonging, capable of creating healthy communities. We do this by: creating and facilitating clear policies; providing critical care and support; and, fostering intentional and inclusive experiences.
INTRODUCTION
The 2023-24 academic year was one of extreme highs and lows for Student Life. We were delighted to finally fill several vacancies in the division and to open the new Biehl Commons.
Commencement 2024 was quite special as it was the only graduation many students have experienced due to the pandemic. Although we had been addressing a protest about the Israel Gaza War just prior to Commencement, the entire campus clearly united in celebrating our graduates with a positive energy that was palpable. Staff in the division, many of them new to the campus in 2023, have come together to work as a strong and supportive team.
In contrast, the most difficult part of the year was losing Dean Gallagher, a colleague who not only worked with our student body and colleagues, but also was very effective at building synergy with our local business community. He will be dearly missed.
Other divisional challenges of note include the fact that we were understaffed for the entire year in the Residential Life department. This proved very challenging for many operations as we prepared for some renovations and implemented new software with mostly new staff being new to their roles. That department showed tremendous grit, but we all acknowledge that operations were not as any of us would like them to be. With a full staff in place for the first time in a few years, the future is looking much brighter for next academic year. Colleagues in Facilities Management have been a tremendous help in dealing with the many student housing needs.
We hope you enjoy learning about the work Student Life is doing with and for students on the pages that follow. We also acknowledge the strong support of many colleagues across campus and partners beyond campus that help us to succeed with our many initiatives.
CARE TEAM
The Campus Assessment Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team is an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff who work with students who have been referred for concerns about their wellbeing. The CARE Team case managers connect with students in person, on the phone, and through email to refer them to relevant resources on and off campus.
The chart below summarizes the total number of cases managed by CARE Team case managers in the last three academic years. The 2023-2024 academic year saw a 42% decrease in cases from the previous year. It should be noted that 2022-2023 saw several cases impacting a large number of students with natural disasters, acts of violence across the country, and the closure of a sorority. The case distribution across semesters remains similar with an average of 57% of cases in the Advent and 43% in the Easter semester.
TOTAL CASES
CARE TEAM
CASE ACUITY
Each CARE case is evaluated for level of concern. This evaluation is done by the case manager to determine next steps for the student and to quickly communicate to the rest of the team how much intervention may be appropriate. The chart to the right shows the distribution of cases by level of concern.
This year’s case acuity increased compared to prior years. High acuity cases have risen from representing 1.9% of cases in 2021-2022 to 8.8% of cases in 2023-2024.
The chart below shows the change over time in the highest level case concerns. Hospitalization and suicidal ideation increased each year, as did general mental health concerns between 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. Note: The mental health concerns label was implemented for the first time in 2022-2023. In prior years, the CARE team used specific diagnostic labeling (e.g., depression), a practice which the CARE Team has eliminated as the CARE Team does not have the clinical expertise or responsibility to make these determinations.
CARE TEAM
CONCERN TYPE
The top 11 concerns identified by case managers are included in the table below. A total of 33 different concerns were identified.
The top 11 in frequency represent 74% of the concerns managed. It is important to note a case can have multiple concerns present.
REFERRAL SOURCES
CARE referrals are made electronically using a referral form. The most common referral groups are staff and faculty representing 38.7% and 28% of referrals in 2023-2024 respectively.
CARE TEAM
EMERGENCY FUND
Through collaboration with multiple departments including Career Readiness & Student Success, Office of Global Citizenship, Inclusive Excellence, and the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a more stream-lined process was created for students seeking additional or emergency funding. This process created one application in Slate for students seeking funds from six separate funding sources. Associate Dean of Students emily britt worked with campus colleagues to create the application and review process before officially launching in September. Associate Dean Britt spoke at both a faculty meeting and an open staff meeting to ensure colleagues across campus were aware of this resource.
In total, over $30,500 was awarded to 70 students. The average award was $443 and the most frequently awarded amount was $250 per student. Requests were made for expenses including medical bills, emergency travel, technology, and graduate school fees.
The Sewanee Student Emergency Fund awarded a total of $8,452 to 25 students. The pie chart below shows the percentage of funds awarded in each category including medical, transportation, basic needs, and technology.
COMMUNITY STANDARDS
The Office of Community Standards is responsible for overseeing the accountability process for undergraduate students. Community Standards fulfills this responsibility by revising policies, providing education to the campus community, and implementing the conduct process when appropriate.
HIGHLIGHTS
Revision of the Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct was updated and will be introduced to incoming students for the Advent term of 2024. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the Office of Community Standards handled 255 cases involving violations of the Code of Conduct and Residential Life policies. Out of these cases, 105 were resolved through an Educational Conference, while only one case was referred to the Community Hearing Board.
The Office of Community Standards contributed to the revision of the Residential Life Policy Manual.
The chart to the right shows the top 10 most frequently assigned potential violations of University policies.
COMMUNITY STANDARDS
Each case can have multiple violations present. This chart is a summary of the number of times each violation was alleged and the finding.
Resolution Types
The chart below summarizes the resolution types for cases managed directly by Community Standards in the 2023-2024 academic term.
VIOLATIONS
The chart below shows the top 5 most frequently assigned potential violations of University policies for Residential Life handled by Community Standards
COMMUNITY STANDARDS
Most Commonly Assigned Outcomes
The Resolution Facilitator assigned to a case, works with the respondent to identify appropriate outcomes that support the respondent’s ability to learn as a result of the process. Outcomes include educational and reflective activities along with administrative outcomes such as warnings and probation. The most commonly used outcomes in the Advent term were:
Conduct Forgiveness - Students on their first violation can complete a set number of service hours to the Sewanee community and complete a brief reflection. Completion of conduct forgiveness removes the incident from their conduct history.
Good Samaritan Referral - Completion of meeting and a reflection activity related to alcohol or other drugs, depending upon the circumstances of their referral.
Organization Training - Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) were assigned a variety of educational programs related to their responsible findings including workshops related to conflict resolution and confrontation, risk management, and hazing prevention.
Under the Influence Course - A two-part, online module for students about alcohol and making responsible decisions.
University Values Reflection - Reflection paper of 500 to 750 words using a prompt addressing the relevance of the University motto and values to the student’s experience.
Warning - Awritten warning demonstrating the student is aware the behavior violates University policies and is not acceptable.
COMMUNITY STANDARDS
MOST COMMONLY ASSIGNED OUTCOMES FOR THE ADVENT TERM
GREEK LIFE
PRIORITIES
In alignment with the Student Life Division’s mission, the Office of Greek Life has established a set of priorities to serve as a guidepost for every action.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The health and safety of community members are a priority above all else. Greek Life is uniquely positioned to influence campus environments and create positive culture change through comprehensive education, targeted support, and clear and consistent expectations.
ADVOCACY
Advocating for meaningful membership experiences is the core of every program, policy, and decision. Greek Life designs comprehensive, value-added experiences to meet the ever-changing needs of a fraternity/sorority community.
CAPACITY BUILDING
Greek Life is responsible for creating systems and strategies to enable students to be brave in their leadership, build strong organizations, and make responsible decisions.
GREEK LIFE
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Focus: Hazing Prevention Week
The Greek Life Office supported the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Intersorority Council (ISC) with the planning and execution of their annual Hazing Prevention Week. The schedule consisted of several events, a few of which are highlighted below:
Love, Mom & Dad: The parents of Max Gruver and Tim Piazza shared their late son’s stories to educate community members on the dangers of hazing our collective responsibility to help end hazing. The program concluded with a Q&A session, moderated by Dr. Katherine Theyson, associate professor of economics and finance and chair of the finance department.
Following the program, over 40 student leaders joined the guest speakers for a reception.
Campus Partner Meetings: Our guest speakers held meetings with various stakeholders on campus to provide an opportunity to discuss the issue of hazing, their advocacy at the state/federal level, and their work with over 200,000 students and administrators nationwide.
Deep Meaningful Conversations (DMC): Peer Health and IFC/ISC collaborated with Peer Health to host a DMC panel focused on Hazing Prevention. Panelists included student leaders from Athletics, Greek life, Peer Health, and the Student Conduct Board.
“It
was very moving and was needed for college students who are in organizations.”
-current student
PARTICIPATION
GREEK LIFE
HEALTH AND SAFETY CONT.
Focus: Pre-Recruitment Education
Focusing on health and safety, pre-recruitment education consisted of educational experiences for all students seeking membership in a fraternity or sorority. The 2023-2024 educational experiences included Alcohol Skills Training Program and Healthy vs. Unhealthy Groups Dynamics.
Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP): This training is a risk reduction intervention originally developed by the University of Washington to help students and young adults develop skills to either effectively resist using alcohol or limit their consumption of alcohol. ASTP aims to educate on alcohol-related behavior while increasing students' interest in critically examining their drinking patterns and implementing the skills they learn. As a result, students can minimize the potential negative consequences through prevention, reduced consumption, or abstinence.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Groups Dynamics Workshop: This workshop sheds a light on how healthy and unhealthy behaviors can occur in a group context and within group relationships. The workshop’s curriculum includes examples of healthy and unhealthy group behaviors and consists of discussion tools to educate and encourage reflection on the warning signs and risk factors that could compromise a student’s safety, belonging, and overall well-being.
and sorority recruitment
GREEK LIFE
Focus: Community Organizing ADVOCACY
The popularity of Greek Life at the University is a testament to the community it creates and the value of co-curricular experiences among fraternities and sororities. To meet the needs of this large student population, organizing systems of support among community members is one of the primary goals of the Greek Life Office. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the Greek Life Office executed employee engagement efforts to recruit chapter advisors.
Greek Advisor Recruitment: Communication was sent to all faculty and staff during Advent 2023. The communication explained the need for Greek advisors, a Greek advisor overview, and an engagement survey to identify employees with an interest in learning more about engagement opportunities. Out of the 16 employee responses, 10 employees attended a Greek Advisor interest session.
GREEK LIFE
Focus: Student Leader and Stakeholder Training CAPACITY BUILDING
Building capacity in the area of Greek Life involves providing education, tools, and resources to help Greek leaders be successful in their various roles, as well as campus partners, parents and families, to name a few.
A one-day experience for chapter officers to come together and kick off the new semester. The retreat is designed to prepare new and existing officers with the information to be successful in their role.
An onboarding experience at the beginning of the academic year to welcome and introduce the officers of the Interfraternity Council and Intersorority Council.
Designed to equip the College’s recruitment staff with up-to-date and relevant Greek Life information.
The purpose of the New Member Educator Training is to ensure officers have the knowledge and skills to identify, plan, and execute a quality onboarding experience for new members.
The purpose of the New Member Educator Training is to ensure officers have the knowledge and skills to identify, plan, and execute a quality onboarding experience for new members.
This is a virtual session that aims to provide parents and families with an introduction into Greek Life at the University.
Fraternity and sorority leaders face complex problems in the area of risk management, policy implementation, campus culture, and human behaviors. This training was designed to empower chapter officers to address health and safety concerns within their organization.
GREEK LIFE
GREEK COMMUNITY STATISTICS
1
2
The percentage of undergraduate students participating in Greek Life in Easter 2024 was 68%, the highest rate since Easter 2004 (70%).
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The number of students participating in sorority recruitment increased by 31% from Easter 2023, and the number of bids (invitations to join) extended increased by 32%.
The number of students participating in fraternity recruitment increased by 6% from Easter 2023, and the number of bids increased by 35%.
RESIDENTIAL
Occupancy data is determined based on housing assignments confirmed on the tenth class day of the term.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
PROJECTS COMPLETED
Proctor Program:
Increased proctor training and development opportunities in order to promote a fuller understanding of the proctor role.
Revamped the proctor engagement model to provide more intentionality in programming for our residents. We went from requiring two programs a semester to requiring two programs every “zone”. The following time periods are zones: August and September, October, November and December, January and February, March, and April and May. Proctors hosted 416 programs this past year. Some examples include:
Active Programs: Procrastination Station, DIY Sugar Scrubs, Fall Festival, and a Bonfire
Passive Programs: Humphreys’s Newsletter, “Watch Your Booze!” bulletin board, Emergency Care Wall
Take-To Programs: Mid-Autumn Festival, Late Night Breakfast, STIX: Red Flag Movie Night
Developed an accountability model for proctors. We used a formalized process for performance improvement with proctors who were falling short of expectations
Wrote what the proctors should be doing in their job description for the 2024-2025 academic year to aid in transparency in what their roles should actually entail
Software Implementation:
Residential Life began the process of transitioning from The Housing Director (THD) software to StarRez. The department began exploring transitioning software products last year due to THD coming to an end and obtained funding this year to make the transition
Implemented a new software, StarRez and strived to improve our customer service using technology as a tool. This has been a huge feat as we went live in February and were concurrently using two software systems
The new system is integrated with existing University systems and has enhanced support from the vendor
We implemented a successful housing lottery and assignments for 2024-2025
RESIDENTIAL LIFE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Staffing:
The department has been short-staffed after the departure of the associate dean for residential life and accessibility services, assistant director of housing operations, and an area coordinator position. These departures created the opportunity for restructuring to better position staffing roles to support the needs of students. The department hired an assistant dean of residential life and two area coordinator positions. The assistant director of housing operations position was transitioned to an operations coordinator. Our administrative assistant has taken on two roles - administrative assistant and interim operations coordinator. Assistant director roles also initially served as direct supervisors to a few halls and proctors. The elimination of one assistant director position allowed us to add a fourth area coordinator. This decreased the number of proctors and students each area coordinator supports
Two new area coordinators have joined the team and gone through onboarding
Professional Development and Training:
Consistent with the Dean’s expectation of professional development for all, area coordinators employed during the Advent 2023 semester attended one conference
Area coordinators are participating in training that includes responding to students with significant challenges, building relationships with various departments on campus, and using data systems
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
UPCOMING PROJECTS AND AREAS OF FOCUS:
Renovations: two of the older residence halls (Hunter and McCrady) have been taken offline for renovations
Area Coordinator Development: Working on providing professional development opportunities
Department Manual: working on creating a Residential Life Manual that will serve as a guidebook and resource for the department
StarRez proficiency: continuing to use StarRez, the new housing software, to aid in the various processes for our students such as room selection, room changes, and early arrivals
Team cohesion: we have a new assistant dean starting on August 5. We also have two new area coordinators
Improve relationships with students: this is through accurate and timely communication with students, being present not only in our offices, but also at events and other intentional opportunities to engage and show support for students
SEWANEE OUTING PROGRAM (SOP)
Goal 1: To train the next generation of SOP Leaders
The SOP focuses on teaching our students lasting skills that help them become successful leaders for our program and beyond. It takes many trips and consistent practice for the director, assistant director, and the top SOP leaders to teach the necessary knowledge and skills of leadership to our students, and we enjoyed a strong year of teaching. We are able to see this in how certain students return for trips repeatedly. While this was true for many students, we are confident that even a single trip can change a student’s perspective in a positive way. Our programming reflects a desire to serve both of these populations of students, technical trips for students who like to challenge themselves and very beginner friendly trips for those who like to occasionally join us for an adventure. We owe much of the program’s flexibility and success to our student leaders’ engagement and eagerness to learn and teach their peers.
This year, we had a record number of PRE staff applications, and moreover we had a record number of the applicants who did not make it onto staff request to be on the waitlist for PRE staff. The students’ eagerness to be a part of the SOP demonstrates the strength and popularity of our programs. This April, through our PRE staff hiring process, we are able to welcome 45 new excited and engaged students to the SOP as leaders, bringing our total leadership to 100 program leaders. We are eager to welcome our leaders back to campus in August and know they will help us lead a great PRE and many great trips during the upcoming school year.
Goal 2: Update the SOP Gear Inventory
We rely heavily on our SOP gear while leading trips on campus, locally, and out-of-state. By providing gear with no rental fee to our students, we remove a huge barrier of entry into the activities we are teaching here. Our gear is constantly inspected and updated as needed. Gear check-out is fundamental to our success as a program. Because of gear like climbing shoes, tents, and bikes, our students are able to pursue their interests far beyond that of many beginners, due to such a lower barrier of entry posed by the price of purchasing personal gear. For example, the SOP bike fleet provided eight of our students the ability to join the SOP to learn the skills of road cycling, train for and participate in the 150-mile MS150 bike ride we complete each October. To best serve our students, we have steadily been replacing, repairing, or updating our gear selection. Some highlights include: new Petzl vertical caving gear, new ropes for vertical caving and climbing, snowshoes for our winter mountaineering trip, and new tents for check out and trips.
Goal 3: Cultivate curiosity and a sense of place on campus for our students
This is an everlasting and essential goal for the SOP each year. This program creates a unique experience for each student who chooses to join our trips or events. Students are often in our office asking us for more information on trips, asking if we can repeat certain very special trips, or asking if they can lead new and exciting adventures. We did our best to facilitate all the interest we could, and the proof is in the trip write ups, photos, stories, and knick-knacks left all over our office.
SEWANEE OUTING PROGRAM (SOP)
STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES (SAS)
Goal 1: The faculty will comprehensively understand the accommodation process, current accommodations, and universal design.
SAS participated in the new faculty training in August of 2023, and presented workshops on Universal Design for Learning and study skills as part of Neurodiversity Day in November of 2023. In the Spring of 2024, the SAS website was updated to include resource pages for faculty and students, updating contact information, and updating links to documents.
SAS will continue to participate in new faculty workshops held in August. SAS intends to connect with the DataLab, Sewanee Police Department, Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department, Find Your Place Leaders and proctors to develop workshops to support students with disabilities on campus.
STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES (SAS)
Goal 2: Testing rooms will be made available for students with disabilities.
Five individual testing rooms in duPont Library continue to be available for students with specific accommodations. At the start of the Spring term, a larger room in Carnegie Hall was made available for students testing with accommodations. The assistant director of SAS and the IT team met to discuss the space multiple times during the school year. It was agreed to add it to the EMS scheduler at the beginning of the spring term. More advertising to create awareness of the availability of the larger testing room is needed.
From September 2023 to May of 2024, individual testing rooms in duPont Library were secured for approximately 56 student exams. The larger room in Carnegie, added during the Easter term of 2024, was reserved 3 times for larger student interviews and orientation events.
Goal 3: With the support of SAS and University Health Services, students will start a new campus organization around disability culture.
In the fall of 2023, a student organization focusing on neurodivergence was initially formed, but did not continue. There continues to be an interest surrounding Neuro-Diversity; however, students who identify as Neuro Diverse have reported a desire to join other inclusive groups of interest. At the end of the Spring term, SAS was asked to advise a new student organization addressing “invisible disabilities.” This group will be open to all students on campus and focus on education surrounding invisible disability. The group hopes to incorporate guest speakers, wellness activities, community building activities, and a safe space to discuss daily challenges people with disabilities may encounter.
The 2024 Neuro-Diversity 2-day Workshop will be held the first week of October. It will be held in partnership with the departments of ADA and Wellness. Multiple workshops for faculty and students will be held to address topics such as UDL, Executive Functioning, and Study Skills.
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
The Office of Student Involvement is a key department dedicated to enhancing the Sewanee student experience outside of the classroom. It fosters connection and support through various program areas, including the Sewanee Outing Program, recognized student organizations, the Biehl Commons, the Student Government Association, and the Tigers Entertainment Board. Student leadership experiences are a part of each of these program areas and offer opportunities for personal development, socialization, and connection to both the Sewanee community and the broader Domain.
HIGHLIGHTS
Recruited and hired new staff members for the reimagined positions of assistant director of student involvement and assistant director of student programs
Opened the Biehl Commons, a new student union, in February 2024 and continue to assess and expand operations based on student feedback
Proposed a new Events Policy which is a major update and expansion of the current Undergraduate Social Host Policy. Revisions were done by a committee of student leaders, advisors, and key University stakeholders
Numerous other policies or procedures such as the Posting Policy, Off-Campus Speaker Policy, and the Recognized Student Organization Handbook are in progress for creation or revision ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year
Completed major overhaul of Engage platform to better align with needs of the campus community and provide more targeted data
Opened Student Organization Workspace and reservable conference room in the Bishop’s Common
Implemented new Homecoming Court structure called the Spirit of Sewanee that utilizes more gender inclusive terminology and better acknowledges a student’s commitment to Sewanee’s values
Completed the realignment of the Sewanee Outing Program into Student Involvement rather than having it as a standalone department
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
SELECT PROGRAM STATISTICS
2,294 registered events by student organizations, university departments, and programs
75+ organizations, offices, and departments participated at the Student Organization Fair as part of Orientation
17 new or returning SGA approved recognized student organizations
38+ average student attendance at over 30 events such as the Murder Mystery Dinner, Bonfire Night, Grocery Bingo, “The Haunted Mansion” in All Saints’ Chapel, and numerous other events hosted by the Tigers Entertainment Board
510 checked-in students and estimated over 800 attendees at Sewaneroo 2024
Record 710 students and 614 students for the Advent 2023 and Easter 2024 semester, respectively, attended the Vice-Chancellor’s Late Night Pancake Breakfast which featured massage therapists, a photo booth, and a breakfast spread provided by Sewanee Dining
$99,607.09 in SGA allocated Activities Fee Committee funds spent by recognized student organizations in service of their events and activities for FY24
The Division of Student Life would like to dedicate this Annual Report to honor our dear colleague Dr. Kyle Gallagher.
