Administrative Prioritization Recommendations

Administrative prioritization RECOMMENDATIONS

Dr. Scott Barton, Vice President for Finance and Administration

Dr. Robert Tudor, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Executive Summary

The executive summary aims to group similar themes from the various perspectives that arose out of the shared responses in the Shepherd University Administrative Prioritization Unit Information Forms. The executive summary will be entered with recommendations after consultation with the president.

To the reader

Administrative Prioritization is a strategic, simultaneous examination of all administrative services offered at Shepherd University. In 2022-2023, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission gathered reps from each institution of higher education to develop a revised Program Review process. Dr. Jason Best was Shepherd University’s representative. This new review process allows us to analyze programs more frequently and creates more opportunities for timely adaptation according to resource allocation and trends.

The Administrative Prioritization exercise is organized into divisions and units. An Administrative Prioritization Committee was created in March of 2024 to inform the group of the process, to solicit periodic feedback, and to continue to be involved in the exercise as it evolved. In addition to division heads, the committee membership also included additional staff and a faculty, student, and Classified Employee Council Representative.

Administrative Prioritization Reporting Structure

President

Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Administration & Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Academic Affairs (Drs. Robert Tudor, Richie Stevens, and Jason Best)

 Academic Affairs Office

 Civil War Center

 Continuing Education & Lifelong Learning

 Graduate Studies

 Honors Program

 Institutional Research

 Library

 Shepherd Entrepreneurship and Research Corporation (SERC)

 Student Academic Enrichment

o Academic Advising (Advising Assistance Center)

o Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs

o Academic Support

o Career Services

o TRiO

 Study Abroad

Finance and Administration (Mr. Collin Alexander)

 Finance/Business Offices

 Facilities Management

 Financial Aid

 IT

 Office of Sponsored Programs

 Procurement Services

 Wellness Center

 Human Resources

Student Affairs (Ms. Holly Frye)

 Student Affairs Office

 Student Activities & Leadership

 Shepherd University Police Department

 Accessibility Services

 Community Services

 Counseling Services

 Health Center

 Multicultural Student Affairs

 Student Success Center

 Title IX

 Campus Services

o Bookstore (Contracted Aux.)

o Conference Services (Aux.)

o Rambler Card Services (Aux.)

o Residence Life (Aux.)

o Student Center Operations (Aux.)

o Dining Services (Contracted Aux.)

o EPTA (Contractual Operations Expense)

Enrollment Management (Mr. Will Bell)

 Enrollment Management Office

 Office of Admissions

 Dual Enrollment

 International Affairs

 Registrar’s Office

 Regents Bachelor of Arts

President’s Office (Ms. Sonya Sholley)

 President’s Office

 Alumni Affairs

 General Counsel’s Office

 Ombudsperson

University Communications (Mr. Hans Fogle)

 University Communications Office

 Marketing

Athletics (Ms. Melanie Ford and Ms. Carrie Bodkins)

Other representatives: Dr. Heidi Hanrahan (faculty), Ms. Isabella Sager (Classified Employees Council), Mr. Paul Teter (Student Government)

In April of 2024, Ms. Sara Maene, Mr. Collin Alexander, and Dr. Jason Best collaborated to prepare financial and structure metrics and other relevant information to prepare a Shepherd University Administrative Prioritization Unit Information Form (SUAPUIF) for each unit of each division. The units were provided specific criteria for each program to provide responses to prompts (see Building a Resilient Future/Administrative Prioritization: Data and Criteria).

All administrative units received their SUAPUIFs on May 20, and were given four weeks to enter data and complete the forms. The process involved examining more than fifty different administrative programs. Analysis of the responses began on June 14, when the forms were due. From May 20 – July 15, Drs. Richie Stevens and Marie DeWalt, Ms. Tammy Gill, and Ms. Julia Franks conducted more than forty desk audits on various staff positions.

The first draft of the Administrative Prioritization Recommendations was provided to President Hendrix on July 31. The draft version of the Administrative Prioritization Recommendations and the SUAPUIFs were shared with all members of the AP Committee on August 8 – 9, 2024. All completed SUAPUIF forms may be found here.

Please note: The authors of the Administrative Prioritization Recommendations encourage the reader to refer to the Shepherd University Administrative Prioritization Unit Information Forms (SUAPUIFs) for detailed information provided within each section, including descriptions of services provided. The authors have tried not to restate information provided within the SUAPUIFs (i.e. purpose, history, and internal/external demand) unless it is germane to the analysis and recommendations.

Building a Resilient Future

Industry background

The challenges we face today in higher education are not new. Institutions have been dealing with reduced state funding for years. Between 2008 and 2019, before the pandemic, perstudent spending dropped 30% in six states and an average of 13% across all states[1]. What has happened since the pandemic, is the magnification and acceleration of the compounded trends and forces that have been in motion for years—increasing financial pressures, shifting student preferences, outside perceptions on the value of higher education, and an evolving workforce. These trends reinforce how important it is for institutions to build practices and processes that are adaptable, responsive, and robust enough to mitigate and meet future disruptions.

Challenges usually have two key characteristics: the source and the speed. The source of the challenge can be from within the institution and from outside the institution. Drivers of change can happen suddenly or gradually over time (speed). Gradual changes can be easier to prepare for because the change is easily identifiable—what, when, how, and who. Examples of gradual changes include infrastructure degradation, faculty retirements, demographic shifts, and student preferences (learning modes, majors, etc.). It is the sudden and unexpected changes that tend to cause greater and more severe shocks. Examples of sudden, unexpected changes include unexpected administrative changes, funding support, pandemics, natural disasters[2] .

According to Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD., Senior Director for Learning Strategy at the Society for College and University Planning:

“Before change has an effect on your organization, you need to effect change within your organization. The deeply cultural organizational trait of being willing to actively change can only develop over time. Regularly show others how colleges and universities must embrace an ever-evolving environment that requires leaders to continually experiment with, test, and evaluate new and better methods for accomplishing its educational mission. Along with the cultural shift, dynamic organizational models are needed. That is so an institution can begin to anticipate change in ways that reduce structural impediments toward achieving durable change while retaining what continues to work in higher education.”

Building a resilient institution in the 21st century requires us to examine practices and processes that go beyond short-term reactionary solutions. Rather, this transformational change requires creating future-focused programs backed by data-driven decisions and robust strategies that are built on technologically scalable tools that enable everyone—students, faculty, staff, and the institution itself—to be successful, today and well into the future.

A foundational quality of a resilient institution is that it understands the challenges it faces or could face in the future. One way to become resilient is to collect data that allows us to make data informed decisions. These data points come in the form of key performance indicators (KPIs), which enable us to make data informed strategic decisions for the long-term effective allocation of resources. Using such metrics should be ongoing and sustainable to help us

prepare for future challenges and maintain our long-term viability. When left unattended, these challenges could result in operational and financial disruptions. The silver lining is that we have begun to address our infrastructure challenges. The opportunity we have in front of us requires us to enact the systems that will help us thrive into the future.

[1] https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/state-higher-education-funding-cuts-have-pushed-costs-to-students

[2] Why We Need to Act Now to Build Resilient Higher Education Institutions, D2L Corp., 2022

Shepherd University background

In 2012 Shepherd University had 4,170 undergraduate students and 156 graduate students –for a combined student headcount of 4,326. During the same time, the university had tuition and fee revenues of $28,736,631 and auxiliary enterprise revenues of $18,301,023. Based on both the student headcount and the generated revenue, 2012 was a high-water mark year for the university. The faculty to student ratio during 2012 was 18:1. In the years leading up to 2012, the university was experiencing an increase in enrollment, and the administration proposed the idea of “twenty-five in five”. This initiative's purpose was to create five new faculty lines each year for five years. The institution was on a growth path when the industry was predicting a decrease in high school graduates.

Fast forward to 2016, Shepherd University had 3,436 undergraduate students and 343 graduate students – for a combined student headcount of 3,779. The institution had lost over 700 students over a four-year period. Our total personnel costs had grown from $32,922,672 in 2012 to $33,527,990 in 2016 at a time when our total revenues had decreased by $5,553,057.

Total revenues continued to decline for the next two years leading up to the pandemic in 2020. As seen in the higher education industry, the pandemic (a change to the industry that was both fast to approach and unexpected in nature) caused an increase in financial pressures for the university thus perpetuating the need to engage in the academic and administrative prioritization.

This administrative prioritization is a simultaneous analysis of operations, staffing, performance, and resource allocation of all administrative units at Shepherd University.

After careful examination of the preliminary data, distribution of reports to administrative units and requests for responses, we are prepared to offer recommendations to the President and Board of Governors. The analyses and recommendations are divided into two sections. The first section includes all units that provide student services. The rationale for this is that as enrollment expands and contracts (the primary generators of revenue), likewise resources for student services will expand and contract. Ideally, the expansion or contraction of services and/or personnel for students should trend with enrollment as closely as possible.

The second section includes all units that provide services for the faculty, staff, and students. The number of faculty and staff at the institution are less likely to change at the rate of enrolled students. Therefore, careful monitoring of resources, services, and personnel should occur, but changes would be enacted at a slower pace. Each unit within each section includes an analysis

from the Shepherd University Administrative Prioritization Unit Information Forms and recommendations for the unit.

Administrative Prioritization: Data and Criteria

All data provided was from FY23 unless noted otherwise. The criteria are aligned with current West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission criteria used for Program Planning and adapted as appropriate for our administrative units.

 Criterion 1: Quality of unit outcomes seeks to measure quality of the unit’s outputs.

 Criterion 2: External Demand for the Unit assesses the demand for the unit by external entities.

 Criterion 3: Costs and Other Expenses Associated with the Unit, while mainly quantitative in nature, this criterion also provides the opportunity to present further descriptive comments on the costs of the unit.

 Criterion 4: Revenues and Other Resources Generated under the Unit attempts to quantify the contribution to a unit’s overall fiscal status.

 Criterion 5: Constituent Demand for the Unit assesses the demand for the unit by constituents.

 Criterion 6: Opportunity Analysis of the Unit seeks to evaluate the unit potential and opportunities by answering questions such as: What unit improvements do the staff recommend? What external factors might positively influence the future of the unit? Are there opportunities to collaborate with other units or institutions? Are there opportunities for outsourcing the unit with an operational/fiscal advantage?

 Criterion 7: History and Development of the Unit aims to determine when and why the unit was first started, and how its mission may have changed since its inception. It seeks to answer questions such as: Why was the unit established? What were the institution’s original expectations of the unit? How has it evolved over the years? How has the environment and context in which it operates changed? In what ways has it adapted to meet these changes? Information provided in this section is intended to provide focused context and background on the unit, recognizing opportunities for providing further information/data on recent experience in other criteria.

Part 1: Student Services and Retention

The authors of this report will analyze and make recommendations for the two divisions and their units that provide services to students that contribute to retention. These include:

Student Academic Enrichment (SAE):

 Academic Advising (Advising Assistance Center)

 Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs

 Academic Support

 Career Services

 TRIO

Student Affairs (SA):

 Student Activities & Leadership

 Community Services

 Accessibility Services

 Counseling Services

 Health Center

 Multicultural Student Affairs

 Student Success Center

 Title IX

 Residence Life (Aux.)

All units listed above are funded by tuition and fees (or housing fees in the case of Residential Life). All programs share a broad common goal—offering services outside the classroom to help students succeed in college. All support or wraparound services are designed to contribute to an important factor of an institution’s success—retention.

The next page contains a table of Shepherd University’s one-year retention and four- and sixyear graduation of FT FTIC cohorts from Fall 2005 to Fall 2023. These are the most tracked metrics for retention and progress toward graduation and used for mandatory state and federal reporting. Fall 2012 is highlighted as it represents the year that total undergraduate enrollment was at its highest.

One-year retention and four- and six-year graduation of FT FTIC cohorts, Fall 2005 - Fall 20231

Data is derived from HEPC data.

 "Cohort" is the group of full-time, first-time-in-college (FT FTIC) students entering Shepherd in the listed term.

 "One-year retention" is the number and percentage of students in the cohort that were enrolled in the fall following initial entry (one year after initial entry).

 "Four-year graduation" is the number and percentage of students in the cohort that had completed the baccalaureate within four years of entry (by the end of the fourth summer after entry).

 "Six-year graduation" is the number and percentage of students in the cohort that had completed the baccalaureate within six years of entry (by the end of the sixth summer after entry).

1 Data derive from HEPC data.

Examining 2012-2023, the data show the following factors:

1. The retention rate of the cohort—the group of full-time, first-time-in-college (FT FTIC) students entering Shepherd—has improved by 3.7% since 2012.

2. The four-year graduation rate—the number and percentage of students in the cohort that had completed the baccalaureate within four years of entry (by the end of the fourth summer after entry)—has improved by 7.4% since 2012.

3. The six-year graduation rate—the number and percentage of students in the cohort that had completed the baccalaureate within six years of entry (by the end of the sixth summer after entry)—has improved by 1.3%.

It is important to provide a correct account of the negative financial impact of inefficiencies on operations.

1. Assume that a student’s monetary contribution is limited to paying full tuition and fees.

2. An in-state student’s annual tuition and fees total approximately $8,000. An out-of-state student’s annual tuition and fees total approximately $18,000 (source: SU Admissions).

3. 60% of students are in-state, while 40% are out-of-state (source: SU Institutional Research).

4. Taking the residency distribution into account, a Shepherd student generates approximately $12,000 in tuition and fees. [Calculation: 0.6 X $8,000 + 0.4 X $18,000 = $4,800 + $7,200 = $12,000]

For the Fall 2022 cohort, not retaining 152 students at $12,000 per student represents a loss of $1.82 million.

College campuses provide a variety of support services to help students succeed. These may include academic support and tutoring, career services, student clubs and associations, and healthcare and mental health services. Shepherd University offers many support services designed to aid and retain students, costing ~$2.5 million annually. Many of these services include the use of graduate assistants who receive housing and/or dining waivers, tuition waivers, and some receive additional stipends.

STUDENT ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

 (1) Associate Dean of Student Academic Enrichment

 (1) Associate Admin Associate

 (1) Associate Director of Academic Advising

 (1) Associate Director of Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs

 (1) Associate Director of Academic Support

 Director of Career Services

 (3) Advisors

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Office of Student Affairs

 (1) VP Student Affairs and Director Community Relations

 (1) Dean of Students

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Student Accessibility Services

 (1) Director of Accessibility Services

 (1) Student Support Specialist

 (1) Administrative Assistant

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Student Activities and Leadership

 (1) Director of Student Activities and Leadership/Fraternity and Sorority Life

 (1) Student Activities Assistant

 (12) Program Board Student Employees

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Student Community Service

 (1) Principal Systems Analyst

 (1) Graduate Assistant

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Student Success Academy

$484,739.66 $70,023.00

$183,600.00 $68,493.00

$118,909.00 $28,106.00

$81,080.75 $15,653.00

$232,627.71 $0 11 Compensation FY24 (source: SU Finance and Administration/Payroll) 2 Additional Expenses FY23 (source: SU Finance and Administration/Banner)

 (1) Chief of Staff, Director of the Student Success Academy and Orientation Programs & Success Coach

 (1) Assistant Director of the Student Success Academy & Success Coach

 (3) Full-time Success Coaches

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Multicultural Student Affairs

 (1) Director of Social Equity, Title IX, and Multicultural Student Affairs (waivers for room and board appear under “other expenses”)

 (2) Graduate Assistants

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Counseling Services

 (4) Full-time counselors

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Health Center

 (1) Director and staff RN

 (1) Program Assistant (full-time)

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Residence Life (Aux.)

 (1) Director of Residence Life

 (1) Assistant Director of Housing Operations and Conference Services

 (1) Housing Assignments Coordinator

 (3) Graduate Hall Directors

 (2) Interns

 (34) Residential Advisors (waivers for room and board appear under “other expenses”)

$94,132.25 $56,540.00

$195,739.02 $8,502.00

$78,546.36 $41,140.00

$291,125.49 $360,072.00

TOTAL 1886208.24 648529

Given that support services to aid and retain students costs Shepherd ~$2.5 million annually, and the size and scope of activities has outpaced our ability to generate revenue to cover the services we offer, there must be a comprehensive and difficult reprioritization of resources centered around the central questions:

1. What services do we deem essential to serve and retain our students?

2. Where can resources be redirected?

3. What services must be scaled down or discontinued?

4. What services must be scaled up or started?

Until the fall of 2023, Shepherd University had not conducted a comprehensive, rigorous prioritization of all academic and administrative units and programs. This prioritization provides an opportunity to examine carefully all support services offered to our students, prioritize resources, and realign both.

Student Academic Enrichment (SAE) Analysis

Student Academic Enrichment (SAE) is composed of multiple units: the Advising Assistance Center, Career Services, the Academic Support Center, Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs, and TRIO/SSS. For this analysis, we will address the Advising Assistance Center, Career Services, the Academic Support Center, and Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs as subunits of SAE. Because TRIO is grant-funded, the staff and budget are separate from all other SAE operations, thus the analysis and recommendations will remain separate from the previous subunits.

Table of services provided to Shepherd students fall 2023 – spring 2024

Student Academic Enrichment (SAE) is responsible for ensuring that First Year Experience (FYEX) courses are offered and designed with common learning objectives. FYEX courses are designed to foster the academic and social integration of first-year students, and as outlined in our core curriculum framework, addresses competencies in wellness, information literacy, and experiential learning—to “integrate students into the life and culture of SU and provide them with the foundations for academic success.” The courses incorporate activities that address these core competencies and employ retention principles such as goal setting, alleviating homesickness, understanding learning styles, decision-making, time management, alleviating test anxiety and stress, study skills, academic integrity, and diversity. Students are encouraged to engage in campus events and activities, are taught how to access campus resources, and are introduced to key campus figures such as the Director of Career Services and the Director of Academic Advising. They are kept informed of important dates, such as the last day to withdraw from classes and the advisement and registration periods for the next semester.

The primary objective of the Common Reading Program, housed within SAE, is to build a sense of community around a common topic through intellectual dialog and discussions around a shared experience. The Common Reading is utilized in FYEX classes and was incorporated into all ENGL 101 classes in 2023. The program has partnered with academic departments, DEI/MLT, Student Government Association, community partners, the Stubblefield Institute, the Scarborough Society, and the Shepherdstown Film Society to organize and promote events. Additionally, Shepherdstown community members are involved in both the book selection and event planning, and all events are open to the public. This involvement strengthens community relationships, builds trust and support for Shepherd University. These partnerships have allowed the program to persist despite declining funds. SU Foundation support for the Common Reading Program has declined annually from $10,000 (2012-2020) to $2,500 in 2023.

Transfer students comprise 37% of the student body at Shepherd (IR data, fall 2023). A large misconception is that transfer students are familiar with college life, which manifests as a lack of proactive support when they come to Shepherd University. Registration sessions have become increasingly transactional, and the required August orientations, managed by Student Affairs, are most popular with residential and first-year students, including those in LEADS (a program for first-year students). In terms of onboarding—a critical stage in student success and retention—we are falling short of serving these students.

Transfer students bringing in 30+ credits waive the FYEX course requirement, designed to “integrate students into the life and culture of SU and provide them with the foundations for academic success”. Consequently, they may miss out on learning about campus resources like the tutoring center, Student Success Center, and career services and may not be encouraged to engage beyond the classroom.

At present Student Academic Enrichment is down three (3) positions:

1. Director of the Academic Support Center (resigned June 17, 2024)

2. Director of Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs (resigned June 6, 2024)

3. Academic Advisor for First and Second-Year Nursing (resigned November 21, 2023)

Recommendation:

1. Increase support services for transfer students, particularly in advising, onboarding, and orientation. See section following: Options for Student Academic Enrichment and the Student Success Center.

2. Ask the Department of English, History and Modern Languages to take on leadership of the Common Reading Program.

3. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for Student Academic Enrichment and all subunits. These may include but are not limited to:

a. Advisor/retention specialist to student ratio.

b. Number of students served in advising, coaching, tutoring in an academic year and in what capacity they were served.

c. Number of programs and participation at each.

d. On-campus employment opportunities/activities.

e. Internships available.

f. Employer participation contacts/rates.

g. Career fair satisfaction for employers/students.

h. Number of employers/students at career fair.

i. Job placement/graduate placement rates.

j. Usage of facilities/services (in person, online, phone).

k. Alumni involvement/usage of services.

l. Counseling/staff satisfaction.

m. Satisfaction with orientation programs.

n. Satisfaction with course offerings.

o. Satisfaction with the number of courses offered.

SAE: Academic Advising/Advising Assistance Center (AAC)

Analysis

The Academic Advising/Advising Assistance Center (AAC) is a resource for all Shepherd students. In addition to their faculty (major) advisor, they can meet with the professional advising staff in the AAC to discuss degree requirements and other academic rules and procedures; to prepare for advising appointments with a student’s faculty advisor; to complete forms, petitions, or other paperwork; and to get answers to any questions they might have. The level of aid in each service varies for each student. The AAC tracks core class schedules and recommends additional offerings. AAC provides walk-in support from 8:00-4:30 daily (253 fall appointments, 226 spring appointments in 2023-2024). AAC processed 244 petitions in 2023-2024 and 31 in summer 2023. Based on the Student Advising Survey, students prefer professional advising over advising from their professors. The SUUIF highlights constituent demand, but AAC has lost three key employees since November 2023.

Workflow improvements are needed for efficient academic form processing.

The AAC requires better office facilities for private, confidential advising. The walls in their workspace do not extend up to the ceilings, so sensitive information shared between a student and their advisor can be heard between office spaces.

Recommendations

1. Invest resources to staff the Academic Advising/Advising Assistance Center (AAC) to meet the needs of our students. See section following: Options for Student Academic Enrichment and the Student Success Center

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes (see Student Academic Enrichment).

3. Develop workflow improvements for efficient academic form processing.

4. The AAC requires better office facilities for private, confidential advising. Resources should be invested in creating spaces to accommodate these practices.

SAE: Academic Support Center

Analysis

The Academic Support Center provides personal and virtual tutoring. Since 2005, the ASC has had three directors, an Administrative Assistant, Stretch English and math clinical and adjunct faculty, and hundreds of peer tutors. The current staff includes a Director, an Administrative Assistant who supports SAE, peer tutors, and a student desk employee. They have requested to hire someone assume the tasks for the previous Director of the Academic Support Center.

Recommendations

1. Invest resources to staff the Academic Support Center to meet the needs of our students. See section following: Options for Student Academic Enrichment and the Student Success Center

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes (see Student Academic Enrichment).

SAE: Career Services

Analysis

Career Services is a resource open to all Shepherd students. They offer career counseling through assistance with resumes, mock interviews, and finding internships. Their office also offers events throughout the year that give students the opportunity to meet employers, network with alumni, and connect with graduate schools. Over the past two years, the Director has engaged with 55 classrooms and conducted over 450 resume reviews.

Career Services also organizes the Graduate School Fair, Professional Connections Day, and the Career Fair.

Summer 2023/Fall 2023/Spring 2023

 Career Advising Appointments: 18/87/139 = 244

 Number of Resumes Reviews: 8/102/164 = 274

 Number of Classroom Visits: --/14/9 = 23

2023-24 Events

 Graduate School Fair - 117 Attendees

 Professional Connections Day - 48 Attendees

 Career Fair - 116 Attendees

We are understaffed in the SAE with advisors, and short three positions (Director of the Academic Support Center, Director of Academic Pathways and Transfer Programs, and an Academic Advisor for First and Second-Year Nursing). For years the director has served in the capacities as the only career services specialist and as a general academic advisor. The career services could offer more services in student career development, employer partnerships, alumni engagement, and community connections if SAE was fully staffed.

Recommendations

1. Invest resources to staff Career Services to meet the needs of our students. See section following: Options for Student Academic Enrichment and the Student Success Center.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes (see Student Academic Enrichment)

SAE: TRIO

Analysis

TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO/SSS) is a federally funded grant program through the United States Department of Education. TRIO Student Support Services serve undergraduate students that are first-generation college students (neither parent has earned a bachelor’s degree), income-eligible and/or have a documented disability. While federal grants cover most direct costs, the university incurs minimal indirect costs. Personnel expenses are fully covered by TRIO grants, supporting key roles like Directors, Academic Coordinators, and Administrative Assistants. Shepherd’s only costs involve graduate assistants and facilities. These personnel provide essential academic support and coaching for student success.

Recommendations

1. No changes recommended to TRIO with the exception that any changes to general student support services at Shepherd may have an impact on students in TRIO and Upward Bound, so they must be considered.

Student Affairs (SA): Student Success Center

Analysis

Programs within the Student Success Center include Success Coaching, Shepherd Success Academy, and Peer Success Leaders. Veterans and International students can also access special support services within the Center.

The main goal of the unit is to improve student retention. The Student Success Center (SSC) offers success coaching to all students through various programs like the Shepherd Success Academy, daily walk-ins, and referrals. They focus on personalized, one-on-one support to help students overcome barriers and utilize available resources. The SSC helps students who may face challenges such as the pandemic, skepticism about higher education, FAFSA issues, and financial constraints. They offer personalized Success Coaching to help students stay on track academically. Enrollment in the program is growing, and orientation programs are crucial for student retention. The Center also supports veterans transitioning to college life, including those using GIBILL benefits.

Shepherd Success Academy (SSA) was created in 2017. SSA received a one-year grant from the Benedum Foundation in 2020. They offer coaching to a specific cohort of students who did not qualify for grant-funded TRIO services. The SSA includes an “A-Team” who serve as student coaches who volunteer. Shepherd L.E.A.D.S. runs from August 17 – August 22, 2024, and includes leadership activities, engaging sessions, and service projects. Shepherd University

offers this program to residential and commuter first-year and transfer students. Students will work on academic preparation and skill building through interactive and engaging sessions and connecting with faculty, staff, and peers.

Notably, the first-year retention rate for students in the Shepherd Success Academy, who are often academically at-risk, matches or sometimes exceeds the university’s overall retention rate. They have tracked the GPAs and persistence of students in the Shepherd Success Academy, shown below.

Data derive from HEPC data submissions and from Banner. Lists of students in each group are provided by Student Affairs.

"Cohort" is the number of students in the initial group in the listed fall term.

"SSA" is the group of students participating in the Shepherd Success Academy in the listed term (as provided by Student Affairs).

"Eligible" is the group of students who qualified for the Shepherd Success Academy in the listed term, but that did not participate in the Shepherd Success Academy (as provided by Student Affairs).

"Semester GPA" is the mean semester GPA (GPA for courses taken in that semester) for the listed group as of the end of the listed term.

"Cumulative GPA" is the mean cumulative GPA (GPA for all courses) for the listed group as of the end of the listed term.

"Retained" is the number (and percentage) of the original cohort that enrolled in the listed term.

"Fall 1" is the first fall (the fall of entry); "Spring 1" is the following spring; "Fall 2" is the second fall (one year after entry).

The Fall 2023 cohort has not yet completed its second fall at Shepherd; thus, no "Fall 2" information is yet available.

"Four-year graduation" is the count (and percentage) of students who graduated with the baccalaureate within four years of entry.

"Six-year graduation" is the count (and percentage) of students who graduated with the baccalaureate within six years of entry.

Not all cohorts have complete four (or six) years at Shepherd as of July 2024; thus, not all cohorts have four- or sixyear graduation rates here.

Note:

Lists of "SSA" and "Sample B" students are as provided by Student Affairs on 7/25/2024.

In some cohorts, lists provided by Student Affairs included students who show no class registrations in Banner for the listed term, and who do not appear in the HEPC Fall census data for the listed term. Per national reporting guidelines, these students are excluded from the cohorts tracked here. These are: Fall 2018 Sample B cohort (six students); Fall 2023 SSA cohort (one student); Fall 2023 Sample B cohort (one student).

In Fall 2022, the "Sample B" list provided by Student Affairs contained 45 students. However, one student was included twice on the list. The second listing is removed from the cohort, resulting in a "Sample B" cohort of 44 students for Fall 2022.

The SSC increases student retention through continued efforts in one-on-one coaching and the use of Beacon. Discussions are ongoing regarding the student services fee, currently $160. This has not increased for at least 5 years. This fee covers orientation costs. Other universities (e.g. WVU) charge their student services fee up to $350.

Key performance indicators are essential for measurement and assessment, focus and alignment, planning and decision-making, accountability, and continuous improvement.

In addition to GPA success and persistence, these KPIs could include but are not limited to:

1. Student Success Metrics:

a. Graduation Rates

b. Course Success Rates

2. Retention and Engagement Metrics:

a. First-Year Retention Rate

b. Student Engagement

3. Academic Support Metrics:

a. Tutoring Center Usage

b. Advising Appointments

4. Equity and Inclusion Metrics:

a. Demographic Representation

b. Equitable Resource Allocation

Recommendations

1. Invest resources to staff the Student Success Center to meet the needs of our students. See section following: Options for Student Academic Enrichment and the Student Success Center.

Options for Student Academic Enrichment and the Student Success Center

Option 1

Dr. Amy DeWitt, Associate Dean of Student Academic offered a proposal to merge the staff and resources of the Student Success Center (a unit of Student Affairs) into the sub-units of Student Academic Enrichment to create a more holistic and efficient "one-stop shop" for student support. Shepherd University’s previous provost, Dr. Stephen Spencer, and the volunteer consultant, Dr. Juline Mills (brought in after his resignation) both envisioned a one-stop shop for student support services. In her proposal, Dr. DeWitt offered:

Merging these two centers will create a more holistic and efficient "one-stop shop" for student support. Best practices in student success emphasize that advisors “cannot look at students through a purely academic lens, but rather must regard them as a whole person” (Kardash, 2020, NACADA). By cross-training “retention specialists” to provide academic, career and success counseling, students receive personalized support that promotes persistence. UCF has adopted a similar model in an effort to increase retention and improve “consistency” in student support by reducing the “swirl” of having to seek support from multiple sources; they also sought to “elevate compensation to increase morale and reduce [employee] attrition” as this proposal seeks to do (2023, LINK). Retention specialists monitor academic performance to identify at-risk students, offering personalized guidance and collaborating with faculty to create a supportive environment. This proposed model aligns with the successful TRIO/SSS program at Shepherd and integrating it within SAE can enhance our connections and effectiveness.

The proposal would save the university money and simultaneously raise the pay for nearly every existing employee. The proposal offers to reprioritize, reduce costs, and reinvest in areas that will lead to improved student retention and thus, increased revenues.

Option 2

Holly Frye, Vice President of Student Affairs and Director of Community Relations offered another strong proposal. She proposed maintaining the SAE and SCC as partnering units, offering, “If the goal is to provide the SAE with more human resources, the structural changes below should be reviewed to determine 1) what each staff member is doing, 2) what are the gaps, and 3) in what ways we can support them.”.

1. The Director of Advising should oversee all academic advisors, to include the following:

a. STEM

b. RBA

c. Business

d. Nursing – fill vacancy

e. Exploratory – new hire

f. Arts Humanities and Social Sciences – either a new hire or utilize an underused staff member to fill this role

2. Each advisor should be knowledgeable in NCAA requirements for athletes.

3. Each advisor should be able to do general advising to assist during the busier times.

4. By creating a more structured reporting line, this will free up time for the Career Services Director to dedicate more time to resume reviews, career development, employer partnerships, alumni engagement, and community connections.

a. To support the unit of Career Services section of the AP Recommendation document, “the services could offer more...if fully staffed”.

5. The Director of Advising will then be able to focus on the 244+ petitions to process, general advising, oversight of advisors, and more.

6. Transfer Support:

a. We have success coaches who are willing and able to work with transfer students in a more direct way and have the skills and staff to do so.

b. 2+2 agreements could move to admissions.

The Student Success Center has responsibility for the following:

 Shepherd Success Academy, a first-year student program

 International/Veteran Student Support Services

 Walk-In/Short Term Coaching

 Peer Success Leaders

 Manage Online Resources

 Data Collection/Analysis

 Orientation

o Convocation

o New Student Welcome

o Registration Days

o Pop Up Events

o A-Team

o Supports L.E.A.D.S.

 Beacon Management

o Responding to student notations

o Trainings, promotion, and support for staff and faculty

 Cohort Based Programs as needed/recommended/requested

o Athletics

o Probation

o SAP Level 2 – who have been approved to come back for another semester

A New Direction in Advising and Retention

The authors have discussed both proposals and agree that both should be considered. At present, the responsibilities for academic advising, mentorship, and career advising are the responsibility of faculty and professionally-trained staff. In addition, professional staff provide success coaching and counseling services.

We believe counseling services should continue to be offered by trained and licensed mental health professionals.

We agree that our staff should continue to offer academic advising, mentorship, career advising, and success coaching. However, we propose a new method.

1. Regardless of the final model of SAE and SCC, all staff providing advising, career counseling, academic support, success coaching, (and TRiO staff) would work together to develop a holistic, robust retention curriculum during the remainder of the 2024-2025 academic year. Generally, the staff would all be considered Student Success and Retention Specialists, with specialized services offered within their subunits. The staff would meet monthly for the remainder of this academic year to discuss issues and share best practices, informing their curriculum.

2. Beginning in the fall of 2025, all first- and second-year students would be advised by professional advisors only. These students may ask their major professors for guidance and advice at any time and establish professional relationships with them. Official advising would be offered to these students by professional staff.

3. This would require the university to prioritize adequate resources to staff the positions.

4. In 2025-2026, if faculty wished to continue as advisors, they must be trained in cohorts through the curriculum and obtain university certification upon completion. Any faculty who did not wish to receive training and advise students would assume the responsibility of teaching one additional class each year in the fall or spring semester.

5. Re-certification of faculty as advisors would be required on a regular schedule (to be determined).

6. This process:

a. Grants more time to the faculty for teaching and research as it reduces the number of advisors to only 3rd and 4th year and graduate students (if applicable).

b. Allows those faculty who do not wish to advise to opt out of the activity.

c. Allows faculty to learn about changes in the needs of the student population with greater regularity.

d. Creates a standard curriculum and process that is followed from the student’s first year until they graduate.

Recommendation

1. It is worth having a careful, deliberate discussion within the Administrative Prioritization Committee about the allocation of resources and which units or sub-units will provide them (SAE and SSC).

2. Once consensus is reached on the delivery of services and an accompanying budget is built, the Administrative Prioritization Committee should consider endorsing the advising and retention model proposed above.

SA: Accessibility Services

Analysis

Accessibility Services (AS) complete a report every year in the Student Affairs Annual Report. It includes data for the last three years. The National Center for Education Statistics shows a 10% increase in reported disabilities from 2011–2012 to 2019–2020. The number of students with reported disabilities who require accommodation will continue to increase. A reduction in staffing in this area could negatively impact their ability to meet the growing number of students who need support.

One time grant funding was spent on the Accommodate software. The cost of Accommodate software is estimated to increase every year by $1,000-1,200. The estimated cost for next year is $12,000. However, since they have not yet received a new three-year contract, they do not have set pricing. We need to make sure they have enough money to continue with their Accommodate software.

There is a significant shift in compensation and expenses from FY19 to FY23. In FY19, Accessibility Services funded the compensation for the Director of AS, as well as non-classified employees from the Student Success Center (SSC) and AS. Also, in FY19, a student who needed an ASL interpreter for every course was enrolled. In FY20, MSA funded the compensation of the Director of AS. Therefore, there was a substantial decrease in compensation funded through AS org. In FY22, funding for the success coach was moved out of AS and into SSC. In FY22, AS was not fully staffed.

The increase in revenue from FY23 to FY24 is from the Equitable Education grant of $36,000 they received to upgrade their technology.

Recommendations

1. It is not a prudent practice for us to use grant funding (one-time funds) for mission-critical services if we cannot guarantee that grant funding will continue while the services must still be provided. We must continue to offer Accessibility Services; this unit should be adequately funded by the university.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Equity and diversity metrics.

b. Student satisfaction.

c. Student retention and graduation rates.

d. Enrollment trends for students needing accommodation.

e. Financial background and equity indicators.

f. Process-oriented indicators, tracking efficiency of processes, and responses from students and faculty.

SA: Counseling Services

Analysis

Counseling Services (CS) at SU offers individual and group counseling, wellness programs, and campus outreach. They participate in the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) and collaborate with the Student Health Center. CS staff are involved in various committees and provide

practicum and internship opportunities. According to a survey, most students find CS helps with academic performance and staying in school.

Shepherd University employs four full-time mental health counselors, funded entirely through tuition and fees. Not all institutions of our size employ four full-time counselors. Some institutions engage a service for counseling and mental health issues, require all students enrolled to provide proof of insurance, or charge an additional per-service fee. For academic year 2024-2025, the Counseling Center has suspended limits on sessions.

We asked if there are students who are not able to access our free services. The Director of Counseling Services offered this:

All degree seeking enrolled students at Shepherd University are eligible to access health and counseling services at no additional cost other than tuition and fees. Over the past two years, Counseling Services established limits of six sessions per student, based on state-wide campus mental health institutional practices, staffing shortages, and increased numbers of students reaching out for services. Recent data from the Association for University College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD) indicated that students, on average, did not exceed established session limits in appointment completion and suggested that session limits may not be necessary. This coupled with student feedback indicating that perceptions of session limits may be a barrier to students reaching out (or evoke anxiety about the process), led our team to suspend session limits for the coming academic year. Prior to COVID, Counseling Services did not limit sessions, though staffing shortages at times required a waitlist. For 2020 with two counselors, the average was 11.9 days (about 1 week 5 days). For 2021-2022 with three counselors the average wait time was 5.4 days. With a full complement of counselors, students are assigned to a counselor to schedule an appointment within 24-48 hours (about 2 days).

Beginning in 2021, the director has suspended the practice of waitlisting to ensure students are getting access to the services they need as soon as possible, which does increase staff caseloads.

While every enrolled degree-seeking student is eligible for free and confidential services, there are groups of students who struggle to access services during established business hours due to the demands of their fields of study or their athletic affiliation. Student athletes and students studying within departments such as Nursing, Education, and Music have demanding schedules that can limit their availability to access services between the hours of 8am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday, when clinical staff are scheduled. We have served numbers of students within these identified programs; however, we have also received student feedback from our annual Mental Health Needs Assessment identifying there are barriers for some. Below are a few comments from individual students from our Fall 2023 Mental Health Needs Assessment in response to the question, “Do you have suggestions for resources to improve student mental health?”

Longer hours, students who are student teaching or doing nursing clinical hours are unable to obtain counseling services due to available hours and these students are ones who truly need it.

Constantly allowing students to feel comfortable enough to reach out by advertising needs and even allowing students to text someone who they don’t know the identity of.

I think it needs more funding for a larger number of counselors to keep up with demand.

More access and accessibility.

The Director of Counseling Services has a 12-month appointment, and her three counselors work eleven months.

The Director of Counseling Services shared in her report that their budget is not adequate for ongoing, mandatory professional training. She provided this additional explanation.

For a team of four full-time licensed clinical social workers, we are each responsible for earning 30 CEU's every two years to maintain our clinical licensure. The cost of CEU training varies widely. While there are free and low-cost CEU’s available on-line, these are usually asynchronous, 1 hour in length and do not provide the same knowledge, experience, and networking opportunities offered through lengthier, synchronous, in person or virtual options, or certification trainings, that can cost anywhere between $100 to $2,000 per attendee. Historically, our annual budget for staff training totals $580 ($130 in state and $450 out of state) for the entire staff to split.

This fall, Shepherd University is hosting a local mental health conference that our campus clinicians will not be able to attend as we cannot afford it. This conference is sponsored by a local mental health practice, Access 304. Conference attendees will be eligible to earn up to 24.5 CEU’s. The costs and options are $300 for 1 day’s attendance (10.5 CEU’s) and $455 for 2 days attendance (24.5 CEU’s). While this opportunity is being offered right here on our campus, sending even one of our clinicians would account for well over half of our allotted budget for the year for our entire staff.

(Note: After submitting this response, the Director of Counseling Services is exploring free or reduced-fee attendance for the Counseling Center staff in exchange for hosting this conference.)

Because the state budget is not adequate, it requires us to be creative in securing opportunities for additional training and continuing education. We seek grant opportunities regularly and often benefit from the relationships we have established over the years with the greater campus community. In 2022, we were selected by the Shepherd University Foundation to be one of the recipients of the annual Giving Tuesday campaign. These funds have helped support staff in attending a state-wide conference and enrolling in a certification course for an evidence-based treatment, Accelerated Resolution Therapy.

We have been fortunate to receive some additional financial assistance to support staff training and certifications through our collaboration with Shepherd University’s Department of Social Work through their Title IV-E indirect funds. These are

discretionary funds that support the social work program, the University, and Shepherd students beyond the parameters of the Title IV-E grant. As a program, they have decided that the university is well-served by assisting Counseling Services staff with continuing education.

Knowing that institutional funds are tight, it is difficult to make a specific request for additional training support, however, any additional funding would be useful for continuing education opportunities that will directly impact students through enhancing the skills of our behavioral health professional staff.

Below is a section copied from our Employee Handbook that speaks to the protocols for referring students to outside therapists:

EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS

As an employee i.e. Shepherd University Counselors are expected to:

 Provide short-term, solution-focused individual and group counseling.

 Refer clients to community providers for long-term therapy, psychological testing and diagnosing, psychiatric services and acute emergency care needs in consultation with the Director.

 Connect students to additional resources both on and off campus to increase protective factors and decrease risk factors.

 Complete all required documentation to maintain student records in a timely manner.

 Complete all program records and data collection reflecting the impact and scope of services offered annually by this department.

(End copy and paste of Handbook)

Counseling Services staff consider several factors when referring students to community-based care including:

 Student requests for off campus mental health provider referrals.

 Student requests a mental health diagnosis requiring a medical or psychological evaluation and diagnosis.

 Needs for medication evaluation and management.

 Acute psychiatric needs requiring intensive out or in-patient care.

 Student requests for a mental health provider outside of Shepherd University due to graduation, summer break, out of state residency, long term therapeutic need particularly in the management of long-term mental health conditions including bi-polar disorder, primary thought disorders, personality disorders, and the need for more specialized care or treatment than can be offered through Counseling Services.

While there are other individual and community mental health care providers in the region, current demand for mental health care exceeds available resources. Community providers have long wait lists, at times extending 6 months to a year. Community and individual providers bill insurance which requires students to use their health care benefits and pay out-of-pocket deductible and copay costs. Other barriers for students to access community-based care may

include transportation, financial insecurity, family dynamics that could interfere with access to confidential health care, costs of care not covered by insurance including psychological evaluations, intensive outpatient, and acute emergency care needs.

Recommendations

1. Counseling services should receive an investment from the university for medical records software.

2. Continue to share the information in the annual report, as well as plans for short- and longterm planning, assessment of achieving goals set the previous year, and suggestions for how the institution can assist in creating efficient use of the Counseling Center’s operations.

3. In addition to the Counseling Services annual reporting, explore additional data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes.

SA: Community Services Analysis

Community Service work is a full-time position within Student Affairs. This position has historically provided campus-wide support, coordination, and resources to address our institution’s Core Values related to service.

The position first began as a grant funded position in the Social Work Dept, then was moved to Student Affairs as a part time position. Later, it was increased to a full-time position with the support of an AmeriCorps volunteer and a Graduate Assistant. Unfortunately, due to financial cuts and additional needs by the institution, this position was reduced to a Graduate Assistant position. The Community Services report author offered that the position cannot be done by a volunteer. The risk assessment of service sites alone requires the oversight of a Shepherd University employee. Prior to the Administrative Prioritization initiative, the VP, in consultation with the Principal Systems Analyst (who provides supervision for this position), decided it would be in the best interest of our students and faculty, to find a way to make this position full time.

Currently, only the graduate assistant for Student Community Services receives compensation to support this unit. This includes hourly pay and funding for 18 credits of academic course work (totaling $22,013 [$10,044 for courses and $11,969 for hourly pay] in FY24).

Funds raised through participation fees in FY23 and FY24 include the following:

 Emerging Leaders in Service/Engaged Leaders in Action (2023) = $2,750; we lowered the price due to a donation by the LLE of $5,850.

 LEADS (2024) = $36,150 ($17,650 student fees, $10K Grant, $8,500 LLE)

Funds raised through fundraising efforts or donations by students in FY23 and FY24 include:

 Community Service Foundation = FY23 $2,370.97 and FY24 $5,127.55

 Alternative Spring Break = FY23 $1,800 and FY24 $9,762.75

Funds raised in support of national non-profit organizations serving our community in FY23 and FY24 include:

 Relay For Life (which includes community fundraising as well as students fundraising) = FY23 $65,982 and FY24 $77,867.

 Make-A-Wish = FY23 $4,400 and FY24 $4,000.

Estimated Savings - $20,000+

Recommendation

1. Consider scaling back the size and scope of activities associated with this unit.

Campus Services (CS): Residence Life

Analysis

It is important to note, in FY24 we awarded housing and/or dining waivers for the populations listed below. This is non-duplicated data (source: SU Financial Aid).

Residential advisors

Student Athletes

Multicultural Leadership Team

Athletic Graduate Assistants

The report says, “We cover eleven buildings that must have 3-7 staff members on call at any time”. We are choosing to occupy 11 buildings partially. What if we only occupied 8 buildings fully? It would be much less expensive. The ones in the worst condition would be taken offline while we repair them and bring them back online later. Why not shut down buildings, occupy select buildings at 95+%, and direct resources to restore them? Instead, ALL the buildings are showing signs of neglect.

There were 809 residents in Fall 2023 and 750 residents in Spring 2024. (Criterion 5, Question 1). The chart below identifies the residential students as a percentage of the total campus population based on three assumptions. The sources for the numbers are linked at the top of the columns.

*For fall 2023, there were 20 graduate and 789 undergraduate residents, making the total residential population 809.

There were 31 RAs in Fall 2023 for 809 residents and 30 RAs for Spring 2024. This makes the RA to resident ratio 1:26 and 1:25.

The design of the buildings and the student status influences the number of RAs needed. The number of RAs has been reduced in three halls: Shaw Hall, Thacher Hall and Miller Hall. Shaw Hall and Thacher Hall each have 3 floors, with a total of 8 resident wings and one storage wing.

The author of the report offered,

When we downsized the number of RAs in the buildings in 2021-22, the behavior issues increased particularly on the wings where no staff was present. In addition, the stress on individual RAs increased from working with residents who required repeated, long, and/or intense support or intervention. These student leaders then had difficulty with their own mental health, struggles with staying focused on academics, and experienced burn-out.

We asked the author to provide data pre-COVID, then for 2021-2022, and 2022-2023 that supports this. The author offered that “data prior to the 2020-2021 academic year is not available in a usable format because we switched housing software during this time.”. The author provided data tables for Potomac Place, Shaw, and Thacher Halls, covering 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023.

Potomac Place

Shaw Hall

Thacher Hall

 Data prior to 2020-2021 could not be provided because they used new software beginning 2020-2021.

 Data from all eleven residence halls was not provided.

 The data from 2022-2023 show that the total number of reports from the three halls provided increased by 24% over the previous year when the number of Resident Assistants increased.

 The base year for comparison 2020-2021 was during the pandemic.

 Insufficient data were provided to substantiate a significant increase in behavioral issues.

Academic Year Resident Assistants in Potomac Place, Shaw, and Thacher Halls

We asked, “If we expand their staff, how will that improve the way we serve our students in measurable ways?”

The Residence Life Director offered,

The greatest gain that would be observed with an additional professional staff member would be in the improved daily management of the physical buildings. Currently, staff serve in more reactive roles than being proactive and preventative. Facilities staff

members do an incredible job, but they are very understaffed. This means that work is deferred, and residents assume an attitude of “that’s just how Shepherd is” and the students have lowered expectations. The professional staff member would:

 Manage the students’ work order submissions and review them for accuracy and completion.

 Collaborate with Facilities on projects which impact students’ experiences, such as air conditioning outages and plumbing problems.

 Manage the door access permissions and changes for the 800 residential students.

 Manage information given to Campus Service Workers and tradespeople about the room turnover process of all residential rooms that occurs in summer to fall, fall to spring, and spring to summer. This is a delicately timed process to make sure spaces are ready and clean for residents.

 Manage the summer hall improvements around the summer conference schedule.

 Coordinate fire drills for residents to promote their safety.

Recommendations

1. Given that the size and scope of activities has outpaced our ability to generate revenue to cover the services we recommend working with units and programs who award dining and housing waivers to identify a strategy to further reduce waivers, consistent with the desired 5%-unit net revenue.

2. We are choosing to occupy 11 buildings partially. We should explore occupying fewer buildings fully. The ones in the worst condition would be taken offline while we repair them and bring them back online after they are repaired.

3. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for Residence Life. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Cost per bed

b. Occupancy rates

c. Satisfaction with RA’s and facilities

d. Number of living/learning communities

e. Satisfaction with maintenance/facilities

f. Number of programs and attendance at each

g. Perceptions on safety

h. Perceptions on community

i. Staff to student ratio

j. Revenue/facility spending

k. Number of incidents

l. Number of roommate changes

SA: Multicultural Student Affairs

Analysis

Criterion 2, 1: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Shepherd University should do everything within its means to prohibit discrimination and endeavor to increase awareness and appreciation of the perspectives and cultural richness that diverse populations bring to a living and learning community. The Higher Education Act (HEA) does not specifically mandate programs that support multicultural education, but it does provide support for higher education in various ways, for example:

 Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs): The HEA includes programs that target MSIs, which are institutions of higher education serving high concentrations of minority students. These programs aim to improve the capacity and ability of these institutions to offer postsecondary education programs.

 Title III, Part F: The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) redesignated the Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority-Serving Institutions programs under Title III, Part F of the HEA.

 Financial Aid and Access: While not directly focused on multicultural education, the HEA made college more accessible to millions of low-income and middle-income students by creating federal student aid programs.

The narrative within the report lacks specific metrics to assess the effectiveness of carrying out their mission, or a plan to adjust based upon performance or resource adjustments.

The author of the report offers, “We need to think about providing waivers or financial incentives to allow students to take ownership and leadership within multicultural initiatives”— advocating to increase financial support of this unit.

Students who are on the Multicultural Leadership Team receive tuition waivers and housing waivers. They also request the hiring of one full-time employee.

(WIP, not final)

According to grant proposal documentation, Shepherd has been receiving funding from the HEPC Diversity for Equity grant since at least the 2013-2014 academic year. From 2013-2017 the grant funding was $10,000 annually. From 2018-2020 the grant funding maximum for the institution dropped from $10,000 to $7,500 annually. From 2021-2024, the grant funding dropped down to $5000 annually for MSA.

Historically (since at least 2019), MLT has been allotted $146,000 in tuition waivers and $67,500 in room waivers annually. Next year the total allocation has been reduced to $120,000 for tuition waivers and $43,000 for room waivers.

Recommendations

1. If resources for Multicultural Student Affairs are to continue without HEPC support, they should explore new grant funding sources for additional support services.

2. Multicultural Student Affairs does provide some data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. A comprehensive report may include, but is not limited to:

a. Representation and Inclusion:

i. Measure the representation of historically marginalized groups within the office.

ii. Assess the inclusivity of programs and events.

b. Cultural Competency Training:

i. Track participation rates in diversity and cultural competency workshops.

ii. Evaluate the impact of training on staff and student understanding.

c. Student Engagement:

i. Monitor student attendance at multicultural events and activities.

ii. Assess the effectiveness of engagement initiatives.

d. Retention and Graduation Rates:

i. Evaluate the retention and graduation rates of multicultural students.

ii. Identify any disparities and implement direct support.

e. Collaboration with Other Offices:

i. Measure cross-departmental collaboration on diversity-related initiatives.

ii. Assess partnerships with academic departments and student organizations.

f. Feedback and Satisfaction:

i. Collect feedback from students on the quality of multicultural services.

ii. Use surveys or focus groups to gauge satisfaction.

SA: Health Center

Analysis

Shepherd provides limited health services to our students, and they pay a fee for this. This cost the university $142,603 in expenses and generated $915 in revenue in FY23.

Personnel expenses for Health Center (FY24):

 $43,000 Nurse Practitioner

 $51,278 RN + Director/Administrator

 $35,896 Administrative Asst.

The justification the Health Center Director offered for providing an on-campus Health Center is provided below:

Students pay $31 fee for the health center. [This is not readily identified because all fees were collapsed and added to revenue for the university; budgets for these areas were then created for each of these areas based on the historic assessed fee]. These “fees” fund the Health Center but are not reflected in the budget.

Our Health Center, which serves as the first stop or triage for many students, means that we can quickly identify similar symptoms helping to determine if our campus is

experiencing an outbreak of flu, food poisoning, mono, STD, etc. We know within days if we have norovirus vs. a bacterial infection on campus. Without the Health Center, we would not have this information, and it is invaluable.

Students do not have to show proof of insurance; therefore, appointments are completely confidential; most students are on parent’s insurance; many students come to the Health Center sick and frequently scared; many of the patients are there for STD’s, medical advice, issues they cannot share with their parents/guardians.

We “take care of our own” to reduce the additional burden on our health center and medical facilities, i.e. it can take 6 months to get an appointment with a doctor.

Students without transportation do not have access to an off-campus health facility; our Health Center provides basic triage.

The Health Center is understaffed, but they are not requesting another position now. They are requesting that when Tess Tomsic retires in December, the position be posted with minimum qualifications that include basic medical skills, i.e. blood pressure; temp; etc. to be another set of hands during busy times; this may not even be logistically possible because the admin position’s responsibilities include coverage for both Health and Counseling appointments and scheduling which requires constantly responding to phone calls, and online scheduling, however, it could help when our PT NP is not working.

We only refer our students to other providers when their symptoms or needs exceed our services, i.e. x-rays, blood work, CT scans, etc.

Recommendations

1. The Health Center provides KPIs patient volume, RN/NP visits, and family planning in their annual report. However, more detailed KPIs would be informative for planning and assessment. These may include:

a. Student feedback

b. Listing group education provided

c. Equipment replacement schedule

SA: Student Activities & Leadership

Analysis

The Office of Student Activities and Leadership plays is vital for serving the student groups. They oversee over eighty student clubs, advise the SGA and program Board, organize Homecoming Spirit Week, and collaborate with various departments on university events. They report having two full-time staff, and eleven student employees who work as event planners with the Program Board.

Over the last ten years (since 2013) their budgets have been reduced by approximately 50 percent. Because their funding was reduced, they have increased participation with other groups to offer more diversity of programming opportunities to our students. The Program

37

Board offered ~90 events with more than 7,000 student participants last year tracked through RamPulse. Some community members have asked if we could return to hosting large concert events and campus/community bus trips, but we do not have the funding for this.

They would like to engage with high school students more, creating interest in Shepherd University. It appears they would like to have more online training for student organization leaders and faculty/staff advisors.

Recommendations

1. Support services offered through Student Activities and Leadership aid and retain students. Resources should be examined and could be diverted to this area from efficiency savings elsewhere.

2. Student Activities and Leadership provides data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. A comprehensive report may include:

a. Number of Programs and Attendance:

i. Track the number of student programs and events organized by the office.

ii. Monitor attendance at each program to assess engagement.

b. Leadership Development:

i. Measure participation rates in leadership workshops, training sessions, and mentorship programs.

ii. Evaluate the impact of leadership development initiatives.

c. Student Organization Engagement:

i. Monitor the number of active student organizations.

ii. Assess their level of involvement, collaboration, and impact.

d. Community Service and Civic Engagement:

i. Record the number of community service hours contributed by students.

ii. Evaluate the impact of service projects on the community.

e. Diversity and Inclusion:

i. Assess the representation of diverse student groups in leadership positions.

ii. Measure the effectiveness of diversity-related programs.

f. Collaboration with Other Departments:

i. Evaluate partnerships with academic departments, career services, and other offices.

ii. Measure cross-functional collaboration.

SA: Student Affairs Office

Analysis

The Office of Student Affairs operates with a Vice President for Student Affairs, a Dean of Students, a Chief of Staff and Director of Student Success, a Principal Systems Analyst, and Community Services and Special Initiatives Graduate Assistant. The Principal Systems Analyst supervises the graduate assistant position for Student Community Service and therefore assumed all responsibilities related to this unit, which included assisting with the operations of activities, budget management, training, hiring student employment, and maintaining

relationships across campus as well as off campus to ensure success within the unit. The Principal Systems Analyst took on this supervision because other staff were already burdened with responsibilities.

Recommendations

1. Develop key data assessments and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for all units that report directly to Student Affairs.

SA: Title IX

Analysis

We are required by Federal law to have a Title IX office and its operations are essential for the health and safety of our students. There was no specific information provided as to why the author stated, “This unit is understaffed and under-resourced in comparison with similar units at similar institutions.”. The author of this document does not provide a strong justification for expanding the staff. The Title IX Coordinator supervises a graduate assistant, whose primary responsibility is ensuring compliance, and appropriate responses take place in a timely manner.

We asked the question, “Are the procedures and training finished to comply with Title IX regulations by August 1, 2024? If not, what messaging is going out about this?”

The Title IX Coordinator replied:

On June 17, a federal judge in Kentucky issued a preliminary injunction blocking the new Title IX rule from taking effect in six states, including WV (https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/judge-blocks-implementation-of-new-4166756/) (https://www.highereddive.com/news/title-ix-rule-blocked-in-six-states-injunction/ 719282/)

The following article shows all the states that have blocked the new Title IX rule from moving forward and halting Title IX officers from moving forward with changes to policies/training updates: https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/which-states-havesued-to-stop-bidens-title-ix-rule/2024/07

“The lawsuits all take issue with the Education Department’s decision to expand the scope of sex discrimination to include “gender identity.” They argue that “gender identity” is too vague a term to be included in regulation. The lawsuits argue the Education Department is forcing some students and staff to go against their beliefs by allowing transgender and nonbinary students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.”

While we will go ahead with some minor updates to the student online respect course which will be launched in August for new students to complete, the new employee respect course will be paused for the most part so that we can make sure it will align with outcomes of any current litigation and ensure that employees have the most updated information about reporting and resource requirements. Current policies/procedural revisions are also on hold as we are balancing both state and federal interests and must navigate the current landscape carefully. I will continue to work on having updates ready if/when the issue becomes resolved in the courts and we are ready to move forward with implementation.

We anticipate the rules to move forward, but there may be modifications based on outcomes in current litigation, so we will be preparing various models, and engaging with experts in the field to navigate the next few months.

Recommendations

1. The Title IX Coordinator should have discussions with ELT and academic leadership to develop a clearer understanding of her role and authority to resolve issues.

2. In addition to those utilized at present, consider developing data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Incident Reporting Metrics:

i. Number of Title IX Reports

ii. Timeliness of Response

b. Investigation and Resolution Metrics:

i. Average Investigation Duration

ii. Case Closure Rate

iii. Appeals Process Metrics

c. Training and Awareness Metrics:

i. Training Completion Rate

ii. Awareness Campaign Reach

d. Equity and Inclusion Metrics:

i. Demographic Representation

ii. Equitable Resource Allocation

e. Prevention Metrics:

i. Participation in Prevention Programs

ii. Feedback from Prevention Initiatives

Part 2: Services for students, faculty, and staff Academic Affairs Office (AA) Analysis

In 2023-2024, Academic Affairs led a comprehensive Academic Prioritization, examining fortytwo degree programs and all academic units. Prioritization of full-time faculty resources yielded the reduction of eleven positions for FY24, and four positions planned for FY25, resulting in a projected savings of $1.08 million. Prioritization resulted in the reduction of eight majors, three minors, and nine concentrations within majors, and the creation of one major, one minor, and six concentrations within majors. Additionally, college restructuring, reallocation of stipends and reassigned time for chair/director duties, and an enrollment target class size of 30 for nearly all classes yielded a year-over-year savings of $306,000 (FY23 to FY24).

Presently, all colleges report plans for significant changes to academic programs annually, and we have adopted a new rotation of comprehensive program reviews based on the Academic Prioritization process structure. Results of the reviews have been reported to the Board of Governors, along with plans for implementation. The cost of operating Academic Affairs remains a factor that drives ongoing analysis for resource management and program efficiency.

Operational efficiencies in Academic Affairs were examined carefully throughout the Academic Prioritization exercise (fall 2023).

Recommendations

1. Subscribing to Lightcast for ~$10,000/year would give us easy access to critical analytic data for program assessment and planning. We do not have the people or expertise to conduct the comprehensive analysis they provide to universities. It would allow Academic Affairs to regularly and more easily conduct a market and performance analysis of all majors, minors, and concentrations as the demands adapt quickly in the market. This could yield significant savings and refocusing our degree offerings with greater ease.

AA: Civil War Center

Analysis

The George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War (GTM Center) is a unique entity on campus and aligns with peer institutions such as Gettysburg College’s Civil War Institute and Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute. Educational programming and academic research conducted throughout the year guide its mission and direct its learning/service outcomes. The GTM Center brings academic scholars to campus, creates career panel discussions for undergraduate students, runs multi-day seminars, maintains a research library and online database, and partners with regional historical and cultural institutions on programs. This has been the case since its inception in 1993.

The GTM Center’s faculty, staff, and affiliated students—chiefly History majors pursuing the Civil War/Nineteenth-Century America concentration and students in the Appalachian Studies Program—host a range of monthly events including multi-day seminars, day and evening lectures, student club meetings, research experiences, living history demonstrations, and student presentations. These events are held primarily, though not exclusively, during the academic semesters.

Contributions, revenue, and grant funding provide insufficient revenue to cover full-time staffing and expenses. The Center has funding for the current administrative assistant to work twenty hours per week. The GTM Center, its collection, and programing remain the shared responsibility of the SU Foundation and Shepherd University.

Recommendations

1. Explore providing full-time employment to a Shepherd University employee to serve as administrative assistant to the GTM Center and Appalachian Studies. Add this position on the institutional priority list.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Attendance at events such as multi-day seminars, day and evening lectures, student club meetings, research experiences, living history demonstrations, and student presentations.

b. Revenue targets.

AA: Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning

Analysis

Educational Professional Development (EDPD), which offers classes for educators seeking recertification, makes up the majority of the Continuing Education (CE) program. These graduatelevel courses serve ~500 teachers annually, primarily in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Most courses are taught online, extending their reach to the west coast.

The Lifelong Learning (LLL) Program at Shepherd University is a volunteer member-driven program dedicated to offering stimulating academic courses and activities to the community. LLL has no external requirements to meet since the program is self-funded by membership and course/event fees, and does not provide courses for any degree, certificate, or certification program. This has allowed LLL to develop a unique and engaging, high-quality program that meets the demands of its members and continues to attract new members.

Recommendations

1. Lifelong Learning has antiquated systems for tracking members and processing payments, requiring significant personnel time for interactions with registrants. A more user-friendly online system is needed and can free up staff to focus on serving the students in the programs in other ways.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for both programs for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Revenue and expense reports.

b. Course participation.

c. Satisfaction and Interest in services/programs provided.

d. Revenue targets.

AA: Graduate Studies

Analysis

The number of students enrolled in graduate programs has remained relatively unchanged from Fall 2019 to Fall 2023. The information below is from the Academic Affairs Data Set, used for IPEDS reporting.

According to the latest Enrollment Management report (date July 12, 2024) continuing graduate enrollments are down 12.5% from this time last year, and new graduate students are up 27%.

In the 2023-2024 restructuring process, oversight of Graduate Studies was transferred from the Associate Provost to the Interim Provost, and the Coordinator of Graduate Studies was tasked with coordinating admission processes and operations of the graduate council. Because of the extensive, yearlong exercises of both Academic and Administrative Prioritization led by the Interim Provost, the Associate Provost agreed to continue providing oversight of Graduate Studies from the Academic Affairs Office. In the next year, with both prioritization exercises concluded, the Interim Provost can assume oversight of Graduate Studies.

The oversight, recruiting, marketing, and management of Graduate Studies needs more focused attention in the fall of 2024. This will include a closer collaboration between undergraduate and graduate admission processes and resource allocation.

Recommendations:

1. Examine oversight, recruiting, marketing, and management of Graduate Studies to include a closer collaboration between undergraduate and graduate admission processes and resource allocation.

2. Consider dividing admissions and program oversight, with the Interim Provost leading all curricular oversight and the Program Coordinator reporting to Enrollment Management with an indirect reporting line to the Interim Provost.

3. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Graduate Programs for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Revenue and expense reports.

b. Program performance (recruiting and retention).

c. Satisfaction and interest in courses and programs provided.

d. Enrollment targets.

AA: Honors Program Analysis

Honors programs serve several purposes to an institution: to attract and retain high-achieving students, to enhance the university’s profile and reputation, and to foster a cohort of likeminded students for advanced learning. Currently, 109 active students are enrolled in Shepherd University’s Honors Program.

The Honors Program is administered by the Honors Director and a part-time administrative assistant. The administrative assistant works 15-20 hours per week. A full-time teacher teaches typically, a 4:4 load at Shepherd University (or 24 credits annually). The Honors Director teaches a 2:2 load with 6 credits of reassigned time for the Honors Program each fall and spring semester. She receives an additional annual stipend of $8,280. Honors Program recruiting and advising activities extend beyond the typical 9-month teaching period.

Retention in the Honors Program has remained relatively steady in recent years and is proportionate to the general enrollment numbers for the university. Using statistics from the 2024 graduating class they have an approximate retention rate of 40%.

Recruitment: The Honors Director began in 2023. She shifted the recruitment strategies from inviting students who had already chosen to attend Shepherd to attract students who would not necessarily be coming to Shepherd—recruiting students specifically for the Honors Program. Recently, Shepherd University introduced a two-track program within the Honors Program—one for four-year students and one for transfer students. By focusing their efforts earlier in the year, offering priority registration, and offering two tracks within the Honors programs, they believe they will increase enrollment substantially in time. The forty students they recruited this year with the new strategy will provide baseline data for this effort.

Retention: The Honors Program is challenged by retention. Last year, they began redesigning the Honors curriculum to encourage retention. These changes will go into effect this fall. This includes eliminating the seven-credit Honors capstone course progression and replacing it with a three-credit Honors Symposium course—an interdisciplinary course to provide students an opportunity to explore subjects of the broadest possible interest with the greatest societal impact. It will be offered at night and students will be encouraged to take it the Fall Semester of their senior year, allowing students in all majors, including comprehensive majors, to take the course even when student teaching or in practicums.

Resources: A successful Honors Program must offer a wide range of courses across the curriculum, including a variety of core courses as well as upper division elective courses and honors seminars. The program must have a commitment to offering classes on a regular basis from full-time faculty. A small class size is an important perk of an Honors Program, and they would like to them to be offered at no detriment to the instructor, offering incentives such as backfill or overload opportunities for instructors who teach, and funding and support for interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities.

In the past, the Honors Program offered special incentives to students, including field trips to Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and even Costa Rica. They have curtailed some of these trips in recent years due to Covid and the budget crisis. They have recently combined field trips with the Gender and Women’s Studies Program and with Portal classes to cut down on expenses such as buses. They also offer joint discussion sessions with dinner and social events such as pizza parties and breakfasts during midterms. These trips and events are very popular with students and an important retention tool. They would like to have our funding for these programs reinstated.

Scholarships: Academically successful students who are shopping for universities often expect to have financial support offered in the form of waivers or scholarships. Funding for Honors Scholarships has been reduced in the last year from $125,000 to approximately $80,000. The Honors Director has been working with the Dean and with the Financial Aid department to address this shortfall. Working with Financial Aid has helped identify ways in which they can estimate aid offerings earlier in the year so that some scholarship money can be set aside to use as recruitment tools. The Honors Director also met with OSP to explore grant possibilities to supplement scholarships and waivers. The Honors Director plans to streamline the process and better identify eligible students, but the greatest impact on recruitment and retention for eligible Honors Students would be to reinstate as much scholarship funding as possible.

Recommendations

1. Define recruitment targets for 2024-2025 – 2029-2030.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes as well as a performance-based funding model for the Honors Program. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Recruitment targets in consultation with Enrollment Management and Financial Aid.

b. Retention targets in consultation with the Student Academic Enrichment unit.

c. Graduation rates of Honors cohorts.

AA: Institutional Research Analysis

Institutional Research is vital for many of our operations that require external and internal data analysis and reporting. The office does not generate revenue but is essential to our operations. This office provides information, analysis, and data education to faculty, staff, and other stakeholders (e.g. the Board of Governors) for both regular reporting as ad-hoc data requests. Additionally, the director supplies many mandatory reports to state and federal agencies on our operations.

Recommendation

1. Examine the salary of the one full-time staff member in this office for an equity-based salary adjustment.

AA: Library Analysis

The Scarborough Library, the only academic library within 180 miles of West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, provides Shepherd University and the community with diverse resources and services. The Director of Scarborough Library carefully reviewed database usage and reduced subscriptions significantly in FY24. This trend will continue in FY25. The library strategically eliminated low-use, high-cost items, saving the university $70,000 over the past two years.

Between 2007 and 2024, the library staff decreased by approximately 60%, while student enrollment dropped by 39%. Despite this, operating hours were only reduced by 18%.

The staff decline of eleven positions from 2007 to 2024 were:

1. Cataloger (2007)

2. Cataloger (2015)

3. Cataloger (2016)

4. Librarian (2017)

5. Dean of the library (2018)

6. Librarian (2021)

7. Assistant to the Dean and Access Services Supervisor (2017)

8. Librarian (2023),

9. Full-time public service position (2024)

10. Full-time public service position (2024)

11. Part-time position (2024)

Recommendation:

1. The library would benefit by having one additional person who assists in public services. This would improve their staffing situation and not require them to work rotating shifts. The person would supervise the students and work Sunday through Thursday afternoon/evening. Exam adding this position to the institutional priority list.

2. Shepherd University must repair or replace the patron counter system at the entrance to the library, which has been broken for several years.

3. The ground floor of the library should be assessed for redesigning the headquarters of Student Excellence. This is explained in the next section.

4. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for the Scarborough Library. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Tracking patron usage of electronic and print resources and services (assisted by repairing or replacing the patron counter system).

b. Continuing tracking of database subscription usage and strategic planning for reallocating subscription resources.

c. Working with the Scarborough Society, Shepherd University, and the Shepherd University Foundation on a plan for future renovation and adapting patron services as needed.

AA: Shepherd Entrepreneurship and Research Corporation (SERC) Analysis

Shepherd Entrepreneurial Research Corporation (SERC) manages funds, including those from four dormant projects. Approximately ten faculty and staff participate in active projects, benefiting over 100 students and community volunteers annually. As a 501c(3) organization, SERC is essential for fulfilling its charter to support Shepherd University’s operations, research, innovation, and grants.

It is unclear what the direct faculty (release time) personnel costs are for the activities at Tabler Farm. It is reasonable to assume that a 501(c)3 organization would generate periodic reports in a standard Financial Overview (either quarterly or end-of-year), where one could assess the performance of various projects under the organization. This is not possible with the three IRS form 990s from the years 2019, 2020, and 2021 provided.

Recommendations

1. Create a standard, comprehensive Annual Financial Report to be distributed to members of Executive Leadership and the Board of Governors on an established timeline.

2. The Annual Financial Report should include, but is not limited to:

a. Mission Statement

b. Accomplishments and Challenges: Highlight key achievements, projects, and initiatives. Discuss challenges faced and how you addressed them.

c. Financial Overview:

i. Revenue and Expenses: Provide a summary of your financials.

ii. Donor Contributions: Acknowledge donors and their impact.

iii. Budget Allocation: Explain how funds were used.

d. Program Impact:

i. Program Highlights: Showcase successful programs.

ii. Outcomes and Metrics: Share data on program effectiveness.

iii. Testimonials: Include quotes from beneficiaries.

e. Transparency and Governance:

i. Board of Directors: Introduce board members.

ii. Financial Transparency: Reassure donors about responsible stewardship.

f. Visuals and Infographics.

3. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Project performance.

b. Staff performance evaluations.

c. Accurate accounting of staff and faculty time devoted to projects and an assessment of effectiveness.

d. Updates on grant money usage.

e. Revenue and expenditure projections.

f. Plans for short- and long-term project planning and grants associated.

AA: Study Abroad Analysis

It is difficult to acquire the number of students who study abroad in comparison against other institutions of similar size.

Participation in Study Abroad programs:

AY 22-23 (including summer 23)

 15 students participated in individual study abroad programs to Germany, Japan, Scotland, England, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Argentina.

 19 students participated in 4 faculty led trips to Guatemala, Europe (multi-country), Scotland, and Kenya

AY 23-24 (including summer 24)

 10 students participated in individual study abroad programs to Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Argentina.

 61 students participated 5 Faculty led trips to Italy, Europe (multi-country), Scotland, Germany, and Kenya

AY 24-25



As of now, 10 students have already made serious commitments to individual study abroad programs in 2024-25, though not all such students end up completing them. This number suggests that the amount of individual student trips is likely to surpass AY 22-23 numbers.

Shepherd University is an open access institution and in FY23, 33% of our undergraduate students were Pell eligible. At this time, more vigorous participation in Study Aboard programs may not be possible for Shepherd University Students.

The author of the SUAPIF report offered:

Participation in study abroad at Shepherd can be increased because access to affordable options are not fully utilized. Lack of time for student outreach leads to fewer students than possible participating in study abroad. Shepherd has approximately 12 exchange places that are affordable for students with limited resources even without additional funding. Less than half of these places are utilized in a given year. Several exchanges places require specific major profiles that require additional outreach (i.e. STEM)

Several other direct enroll programs are also affordable to students with limited resources.

A majority of participants in longer-term study abroad come from direct student engagement with the director prior to starting the study abroad process. Out of the 25 students who participated in such programs in AY 22-23 and 23-24:

 11 PSCI/GLBL major or minor.

 5 knew director from co-curricular participation.

 2 knew director from gen-ed classes.

 7 did not know director before consultation.

Given more than 30% of Shepherd students are on Pell Grants, room exists to increase the number of students who receive the Gilman and other external support, provided additional time is available. Supporting student applications for such support requires not only the investment of time to support applications, but also the early identification of prospective students and matching them with study abroad programing likely to be successful. Identification of well-qualified applicants is likely to result in more awards from the Gilman Program in particular. The greatest obstacle to participation is the limitations on the deep student engagement needed to recruit and support our student population across the entire study abroad process rather than lack of interest

He proposed the following solution:

The most cost-effective methods of increasing student contact would be the following low-cost measures:

Prior to academic restructuring, the study abroad director received a course release in the fall and a course release in the spring for study abroad and a course release in the fall for the busy seasons of distinguished awards (externally funded). Restoring this course release would increase the time available to the director to conduct outreach to recruit students and support student plans.

Funding a graduate assistant position for study abroad would further support student engagement. This is a low-cost way to more than double the coverage hours. This would allow greater representation of the office around campus to recruit students. This would allow the graduate assistant to perform some of time-consuming tasks that limit the director’s ability to engage with a larger number of students. Should the investment of a graduate assistant not lead to an increase in participation it could easily be reconsidered.

The Director of Study Abroad currently receives 3 credits of reassigned time an additional stipend of $5,000 per year for duties associated with Study Abroad and Distinguished Awards, 3 credits of reassigned time an additional stipend of $5,000 per year for duties associated with serving as Department Chair of Social and Applied Behavioral Sciences. He teaches a .5 FTE and is requesting additional reassigned time of 3 credits.

The Director of Study Abroad has had a positive effect on guiding students to receive supplemental Gillman Scholarships to support Pell-eligible students. The Gillman scholarships are controlled by an external entity and awarded to a pool of national applicants. It is uncertain whether increasing reassigned time to the current Director of Study Abroad will result in a higher award rate of scholarships to students. Previously, when the Study Abroad Office had a fully dedicated staff member, participation was lower than it is now.

Neither Shepherd University nor the Director of Study Abroad have defined goals and targets for successful participation in Study Abroad programs. In our current financial situation, without

those metrics, it is unwise to increase reassigned time for the director with the hope that having more time to spend with students will increase participation—especially since there are no metrics or targets set to define program success.

Recommendations

1. The reassigned time for the Director of Study Abroad should remain as it is.

2. Consider adding a Graduate Assistant to the office to assist as described in the narrative above.

3. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Participation Rate

b. Retention Rate

c. Academic Achievement

d. Cultural Competency

e. Safety and Risk Management

f. Cost Efficiency

g. Alumni Engagement

Finance and Administration (F&A)

F&A: Finance/Business Offices

Analysis

The Finance and Administration Division of the university serves several critical functions to support the institution. This office serves the University in various areas, including financial services, student accounts, financial aid, information technology, facilities management, risk management, financial compliance, human resources, and other shared services. Their mission is to provide business support, operational infrastructure, and strategic guidance to help further the free and rigorous pursuit of inquiry at the University. The team works to ensure the smooth functioning of administrative processes, financial management, and overall operational efficiency within the university community.

Historically, the office has operated with thirteen full-time employees, and they have 8.4 at present with a total yearly salary cost of $699,789. They would benefit from assessing software solutions to increase efficiencies and then assess adding a part-time entry level person to assist with data entry and reconciliations. The student services area would benefit from having someone present who can provide additional coverage for student services. The payroll area is in the most critical need for a part-time person-payroll is an office of one.

Recommendations

1. The Finance Module of Banner does not allow for the efficient and expedient retrieval of financial statements and reports. A new financial software package (Financial Reporting Tool) should be acquired to help with this.

2. We must assess software solutions to increase efficiencies and then conduct a needs assessment to prioritize the need of additional finance personnel across the overall institutional priority list. Prioritized within the unit, these include:

a. One extra person to the payroll area, at a minimum part-time.

b. One part-time person for data entry depending on solutions assessment.

c. One part-time person for the student-services area depending on solutions assessment.

F&A: Facilities Management Analysis

The Facilities Department in a university plays a crucial role in creating a conducive, safe, and efficient learning environment. The department’s purpose includes:

 Safety and Compliance: They ensure campus safety by maintaining buildings, infrastructure, and grounds. Compliance with regulations and codes is a priority.

 Cost Reduction: Efficient facilities management helps reduce operational costs, benefiting the entire university community.

 Workflow Optimization: They streamline processes related to maintenance, repairs, and construction, ensuring smooth operations.

 Student Enrollment: A well-maintained campus attracts students and contributes to a positive learning experience.

Facilities personnel are as essential to the school as its faculty and administrators. If we had sufficient peoplepower to implement a comprehensive Preventive/Predictive Maintenance program, we would increase the life of dynamic systems' components; air handling units, drives, motors, pumps, and thus decrease unplanned, major asset purchases and be able to plan for their replacement. The Facilities Department is critically understaffed.

There is no succession plan to replace senior skilled-trades employees, which constitute half of the currently employed complement. If, over time, the status quo in the form of current peoplepower is to become the norm, they will be unable to provide enough quality service and we will continue to experience significant operational challenges in the areas of mechanical, electrical, plumbing & HVAC systems.

Recommendations

1. Explore outsourcing the grounds maintenance:

a. Two of four grounds people can be moved to the custodial team.

b. The third person can serve as a trades/maintenance person.

c. The fourth can be moved to another high need unit as a lateral transfer.

3. Add facilities personnel for specific purposes to the overall institutional priority list. The prior recommendation creates an avenue to fill some of the positions needed without significantly increasing personnel costs in the unit. Prioritized within the unit, these include:

a. HVAC technician

b. Three more custodians.

c. Electrician

d. Two preventative maintenance technicians.

4. Implement a comprehensive Preventive/Predictive Maintenance program.

5. Increase efficiencies around the internal maintenance ticketing system.

F&A: Financial Aid

Analysis

The Financial Aid Department at a university serves a crucial purpose: to enable students to access higher education who might not otherwise afford it. They achieve this through:

 Financial Assistance: They provide information about scholarships, grants, and loans to help cover tuition, fees, books, and other educational expenses.

 Application Guidance: The department assists students in applying for financial aid, including completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or other relevant forms.

 Emergency Aid: Some offices also offer emergency aid for unexpected financial crises.

Seventy-five percent of graduates and undergraduates enrolled in the fall 2023 received financial aid for the 2020-2024 school year, averaging $7,705 per student for $14,469,110.81.

The staff have been reduced from eight members in 2021 to five members currently.

Recommendations

1. Explore the costs of acquiring CRM software that would allow the Financial Aid Department to communicate with students electronically. Be sure to check for internal solutions that may exist first.

2. Develop an effective and streamlined communication timeline and process for budgeting, awarding, and tracking financial aid and scholarships with academic and athletic programs at Shepherd University.

3. Assess data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Projected Aid and Expenditures by Type

b. Student Earnings

c. General Student Profile

d. Student Demographics

F&A: Information Technology (IT)

Analysis

The IT Department started under new leadership at the beginning of the fiscal year. The previous IT Director authored the SUAPUIF Information Form report. The author makes a case for expanding IT personnel with a systems administrator, security analyst, business analyst, and added technicians. Despite requests from faculty, leaders, and staff, Shepherd University’s IT department has not implemented a comprehensive plan for upgrading infrastructure or equipment replacement. The lack of planning over the years has negatively impacted on our

ability to fulfill our mission. With the leadership change in this department and the new infrastructure project underway, we look forward to progress in this area.

Recommendations

1. Continue to explore and eliminate redundant software solutions and contract services (i.e. Citrix). Thus, freeing up resources to be deployed to more critical needs.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for Information Technology. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Availability Metrics:

i. System Uptime: Percentage of time systems are operational.

ii. Downtime Duration: Total time systems are unavailable due to maintenance, outages, or failures.

iii. Response Time: Average time taken to respond to user requests or incidents.

b. Performance Metrics:

i. Ticketing Age: Time from first contact to resolution.

ii. Call Back: Number of reoccurring items – same issue not resolved.

iii. Network Latency: Time taken for data to travel between endpoints.

iv. Application Response Time: Time taken for an application to respond to user interactions.

c. Security Metrics:

i. Vulnerability Patching: Percentage of critical vulnerabilities patched within a specified timeframe.

ii. Incident Response Time: Time taken to detect, analyze, and respond to security incidents.

iii. User Authentication Failures: Number of failed login attempts or unauthorized access incidents.

d. Cost Management Metrics:

i. IT Budget Adherence: Actual spending compared to the budget.

ii. Cost per User: Total IT costs divided by the number of users.

iii. Infrastructure Cost: Expenses related to hardware, software, and cloud services.

iv. Cost savings realized by exploring redundant services.

F&A: Office of Sponsored Programs

Analysis

“Sponsored Programs” refer to all the projects, activities, and initiatives across campus which are financed in whole or in part through grants from external funders. The OSP is responsible for ensuring all institutional, foundation, state and federal regulations and policies are upheld.

In FY24, SU was awarded twenty-four external grants and has fifty-five active grants from external funders, excluding WISH awards. In FY24, grant revenue increased by 24.7% YoY. Grant funding is at an all-time institutional high in FY24 with a 24.7% increase YoY and a further 133.33 % increase projected in FY25.

The author of the report demonstrated an improvement in operations, which is impressive given that staff have been reduced by one FTE.

If the OSP were to have additional staff, it might be covered by distribution of indirect funds from the grants. Current distribution is as follows: PI/PD 25%, Dean/VP 10%, OSP 20%, Institution 45%.

However, with sensitivity to the time and dollar costs of hiring additional staff, the OSP proposes to increase the hours of the current Pre/Post-Award Specialist. She is currently a .67 FTE, working ~25 hours per week. The specialist is amenable to this, and available to increase her hours to, at minimum, 30 hours per week. The specialist is paid through indirect funds allocated to OSP, so this increase would not increase SU operational spending.

The OSP requested the addition of one staff member in Finance to cover non-grants related tasks so that the Finance unit’s Senior Accountant can allocate more time to grants and incorporate the following goals for post award and fiscal management:

 Quarterly indirect updates

 Monthly grant balance updates

 Helping OSP with Banner – Funder crosswalk development for each grant to help Project Teams with accurate spending across dual funder and SU classifications for budget categories. These would be drafted by OSP with the Senior Accountant’s input and final approval.

 Scheduled billings instead of waiting for a certain threshold of spending to keep A/R down.

Recommendations:

1. Explore increasing the hours of the current Pre/Post-Award Specialist in lieu of an additional staff hire.

2. Develop a training schedule in OSP grant procedures for chairs/directors and deans for FY25.

3. Build out on existing data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. In addition to grant revenue, award amounts or amounts of grants, consider incorporating an operational strategic plan.

F&A: Procurement Services

Analysis

The Office of Procurement Services serves several essential functions related to purchasing goods and services at a university. Procurement Services is responsible for maintaining the university’s administrative procedures related to procurement. These procedures outline how goods and services should be acquired, ensuring consistency and compliance with all State guidelines across the institution. Procurement Services oversees all purchases of a single item valued at $1,000 or more, or a professional service. They also address ethical considerations, conflict of interest, and confidentiality related to purchasing activities. Managing relationships with external suppliers is another crucial role. They collaborate with vendors, negotiate contracts, and seek opportunities to engage small and disadvantaged businesses if possible.

At present, the staff of Procurement Services includes the Executive Director of Procurement, the Accounts Payable/P-Card Manager, and two Program Specialist/P-Card Coordinators. There is one Purchasing Agent/P-Card Coordinator position vacant, and the Executive Director of Procurement stated she is performing these duties. That position has not been fully examined for viability.

Recommendations

1. Continue to explore the use of software solutions to increase operational efficiencies.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Procurement Cycle Time: This measures the time taken from requisition to purchase order issuance.

b. Cost Savings: Tracking cost savings achieved through strategic sourcing, negotiations, and supplier management.

c. Supplier Performance: Assessing suppliers based on delivery timeliness, quality, and adherence to contract terms.

d. Contract Compliance: Monitoring adherence to contract terms, including pricing, delivery schedules, and service levels.

e. Spend Under Management: Calculating the percentage of total spend managed through formal procurement processes.

f. Supplier Diversity: Tracking spend with diverse suppliers (minority-owned, womenowned, etc.).

g. Purchase Order Accuracy: Reducing errors in purchase orders (e.g., incorrect quantities, pricing, or items).

F&A: Wellness Center

Analysis

In 2020, the Wellness Center conducted an audit of our closest competitors' prices and restructured membership fees. By cutting the 50% and 75% family discounts, they lowered the monthly rate, making them only 8% more expensive, “without impacting our annual revenue”.

The Wellness Center’s financial model relies on both a capital fee and an operating fee. The capital fee is designed to meet the building's debt service commitments. Without the capital fee, the Wellness Center operates at a deficit. The operations fee covers operational costs. The operations fee has not grown with inflation and thus is not providing enough revenue to support the Center.

The operating fee, initially designed to cover 50% of the center’s operating budget, now only covers 30% due to decreased enrollment, with externally earned revenue covering the remaining 70%. Notably, the operating budget was never intended to cover capital expenses such as debt service. These were meant to be fully funded by the capital fee. However, the capital fee has become insufficient due to lower enrollment and previous capital waivers (a university administrative decision) totaling nearly $300,000. Although this waiver issue has

been resolved, beginning Fall FY26, the capital and operating fees need to be increased to address the budget deficit.

They budgeted for equipment replacement but have fallen behind based on the need to preserve cash flow. They have standing budgets in capital account code lines (which is atypical across campus). The challenge is that those capital account budgets are not enough to cover a reasonable replacement plan. However, that is more a function of budget cuts over the past decade than poor planning.

Currently, they use their year-over-year revenue numbers, membership counts, service participation numbers, and satisfaction survey results as their performance metrics. They have a comprehensive database that provides tracking along with their financials to objectively interpret whether they are surpassing their previous year's numbers. The Wellness Center finished this fiscal year with the highest gross revenue (including PBM) and member count in the Wellness Center’s history.

The Wellness Center Director’s direct reports include:

 Membership Coordinator: Manages flex managers, oversees facility rentals, conducts pickleball lessons, tournaments, and leagues (10 hours a week), membership services, and works the front desk (15 hours a week starting July 1).

 Weight Fitness and Wellness Initiatives Coordinator: Oversees personal training and trainers (also trains 20 hours a week), group exercise classes and instructors (also teaches 7 classes a week), and the weight fitness staff, schedules equipment maintenance, and plans wellness initiatives.

 Assistant Director/Aquatics Coordinator: Oversees facility-wide in-services and safety training, develops and schedules all aquatic programming, does the majority of purchasing for our unit, maintains the pump room and schedules pool maintenance and repairs, oversees the lifeguard and instructor staff, teaches swim lessons, lifeguards, and conducts certification classes (10-20 hours a week).

 Two Campus Service Workers: Responsible for facility maintenance and cleaning.

Recommendations

1. Increase fees in line with the initial proforma. Fall FY26 the capital and operating fees need to be increased to address the budget shortfall.

2. Examine any Healthcare Partnership discount programs and discontinue any that bring in users below the member rate for their appropriate age group, i.e. Silver Sneakers.

3. The data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes employed include revenue numbers, membership counts, service participation numbers, and satisfaction survey results as their performance metrics. In the annual report, please continue to include this information, as well as plans for short- and long-term planning, assessment of achieving goals set the previous year, and suggestions for how the institution can assist in creating efficient use of the Wellness Center’s operations.

F&A: Human Resources

Analysis

Human Resources is essential to support faculty, staff, and the institution through a variety of expert services, including talent management and recruitment, employee relations and engagement, benefits administration, training and development, policy development and compliance, performance management, and supporting organizational culture and change.

Shepherd’s internal constituents primarily consist of employees, with approximately 340 fulltime and 150 part-time faculty and staff. They also receive close to 1,000 applications annually. The HR department’s unique role and expertise prevent duplication of effort in other departments. There are 3.5 FTE support staff alongside the Director as of 2024.

If the HR department had money dedicated to training, they offered that it could be used for the following Staff and Faculty development initiatives. Research would be needed to identify specific costs related to these initiatives. Professional development initiatives could include:

1. Purchase a Learning Management System to track employee training and professional development courses. It could also be used to manage micro-credentialing certifications for employees, which may stimulate interest in professional development.

2. Online training programs: Potentially replacing or enhancing the University’s BLR online training module subscription may provide more robust training options for upskilling employees. The current BLR subscription costs $1,300 for a limited number of desktop tutorial training courses and content.

3. Payment for presenting training: Stipends to compensate Faculty or Staff who would be qualified and willing to teach various training topics to employees would incentivize employees to take on this additional work and share their expertise and experience.

4. Rewards for training participation: Stipends could be paid to employees who complete certain credentials or training programs (consistent with state and institutional guidelines).

5. External training: Opportunities for employees to travel to conferences or for certifications, etc., that are not available internally would be welcomed.

6. External consultants and trainers: The capacity to engage external consultants or trainers would expand employee training opportunities.

Recommendations

1. Continue to explore the use of software solutions to increase operational efficiencies.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for the Office of Human Resources. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Employee turnover rate

b. Employee retention rate

c. Absenteeism rate

d. Average employee tenure

e. Cost per hire

f. Diversity metrics

g. Performance appraisal scores and/or service feedback

h. Customer service scores

i. Employee training participation

3. Explore professional development initiatives with a modest investment of resources.

Student Affairs: Campus Services (CS)

CS: Bookstore Analysis

Faculty have adopted more Open Educational Resources (OER) for use in their classes, available at no cost to their students.

The bookstore contract with Follett is a profit and loss model (P&L). Campus Services negotiates hours of operation with Follett to ensure needed services are met. Reducing operating hours will not benefit the University.

During the summer, sales at the bookstore are sporadic, with high sales on Orientation days. The store staff are primarily engaged in receiving and stocking fall supplies. With administrative tasks taking place, the incremental costs of operating the store are minimal and provide some cost recovery. The University does not experience a loss due to operational hours.

Recommendations

1. No recommendations for this unit.

CS: Conference Services Analysis

There is no compensation associated with Conference Services. The compensation for the three staff who are most engaged with Conference Services is coded to other ORGS (including 108500 and 108600). Front line student hourly staff also support Conference Services and are predominantly paid from ORG 108600. The author suggests that an allocation-based accounting system would be a sound recommendation. Conference Services (ORG 108800) is associated with FUND 333092, so all costs are ultimately realized in the supporting FUND.

We asked if Conference Services are running at peak efficiency. What are the motivations for increasing revenue? Is this an opportunity to introduce a commission-incentivized position? The author of the SUAPIF report replied:

A position could be commission/incentivized, the nature of the business does lend itself to that type of compensation.

We have the talent to increase conference service sales and management, however, it is not possible without someone to assist his work in the Student Center.

Motivations are profitable sales growth (monetizing facilities not in use during summer), providing cost-recovered employment to staff and students both within Conference Services and client departments such as Athletics, and community engagement and outreach per the institutional mission.

Conference Services states that it does not have direct daily administrative support. AVP for Campus Services provides administrative support to Housing, Dining, Bookstore, Res Life, Rambler, Student Center, and the Wellness Center. Associate Director for Residence Life provides support to Residential Life Operations, including on-campus residents and summer renovation projects, and facilities issues. Director of the Student Center runs a 7-day/week operation that hosts clients daily.

We asked, “The Student Center and Conference Services both have revenue. Are these operations run by the same people? Why are they separate?”.

The author of the SUAPIF report replied:

They are not run by the same staff. AVP-CS has ultimate oversight of the ORG. The Director of the Student Center has provided key client support to properly manage our services. The Director of the Student Center ran Conference Services as recently as FY17. However, with no secondary salaried support, it is not realistic to expect the Director of the Student Center to be able to handle Conference Services (though he aspires to do so, I consider him quite capable).

We asked, “Do they have projected revenues to achieve? How is their success truly measured? Is it by the number of events they used to do versus what they can do now? What metrics do they have? Do they have targets? If not, how do they measure their success?”.

The author of the SUAPIF report replied:

We have projected numbers to be achieved for Conference Services (see below). Success is measured by achieving revenue goals and profitable sales. Our primary measurement is year-over-year sales.

1. FY23

1. Conference Services (108800):

1. FY23 (Actual) = $128,038

2. FY23 (Budget) = $90,000

3. FY22 (Actual) = $63,260

2. Potomac Place:

1. FY23 (Actual) = $21,089

2. FY23 (Budget) = $25,000

3. FY22 (Actual) = $16,532

3. Dining Services (108700):

1. FY23 (Actual) = $182,136

2. FY23 (Budget) = $90,000

3. FY22 (Actual) = $63,260

4. Total

1. FY23 (Actual) = $331,262

2. FY23 (Budget) = $190,000

3. FY22 (Actual) = $174,990

We asked, “The expenses are so low because they are coded somewhere else. Why? If coding of costs is coded to other Banner orgs, is this an actual unit? If it should be a unit, should it have a supported budget? Is there an accounting for the proportional time associated with Conference Services operations?”.

The author of the SUAPIF report replied:

Most costs are coded to Dining (108700) or Residence Life (108600). If we want a more accurate accounting of Conference Services, we can certainly create a system of proportional cost allocation. The only explanation for the “why” is that there has not been scrutiny by the finance office and the reallocation does take some staff time for the journal entries. I would support a change in accounting, if institutionally desired. Conference Services is an Org within the Residence Life FUND (333092)

Recommendations

1. Working with the Finance Office, Conference Services should develop the necessary financial reports.

2. In addition to the revenue goals, develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Funding sources.

b. Staff cost as a percentage of total costs.

c. Revenue and expense projections.

d. Space utilization metrics.

CS: Dining Services

Analysis

It is important to note, in FY24 we awarded housing and/or dining waivers for the populations listed below. This is non-duplicated data (source: SU Financial Aid).

Population

Residential advisors

Student Athletes

Multicultural Leadership Team

Athletic Graduate Assistants

Housing and dining

Housing and dining

Housing only

Housing only

Total

Amount

$360,072.00

$52,440.00

$28,000.00

$55,255.40

495767.4

The author of the SUAPUIF for CS Dining Services desires to have unit revenue at 5% above dining contracted vendor invoiced expenses. It is currently at 3%. An industry standard

“override” (board rate above contractor daily rate) would be around 10%. Unfortunately, given several years of low rate increases relative to inflation, a 10% override (or gross margin) would require prohibitive rate increase. If dining waivers can be reduced to pre-COVID levels, a 5% “override” should produce break-even net revenue for the University’s dining services.

Recommendations

1. Work with units and programs who award dining and housing waivers to identify a strategy to further reduce waivers, consistent with the desired 5%-unit net revenue.

2. The bookstore contract is different from Dining Services (which is on a fee basis). Reducing dining services hours would reduce costs to the University. Work with the team to identify ways to reduce dining hours without negatively impacting the student experience.

CS: EPTA

Analysis

Below are tables showing the annual expenses (FY21-present) and ridership (FY18 to present) for Eastern Panhandle Transportation Authority (EPTA) services provided to Shepherd University.

EPTA does not track the number of individuals who require accommodations; however, assistance is critical to not just those in wheelchairs, but also those who are on crutches, have respiratory issues, are unable to walk without assistance, etc. Not all accessibility issues are visible.

There are opportunities for savings in this area. Shepherd University could reduce EPTA services from two to one bus or eliminate the EPTA services altogether. We could lengthen the time between classes by five minutes to allow for walking across the campus. An able-bodied student can walk across the campus in ten minutes. Adding five minutes between classes would create a fifteen-minute break and lengthen the typical seven-class block by only thirty-five minutes daily. We must poll the students for feedback before decisions are made.

Recommendations

1. Evaluate the potential reduction or elimination of EPTA services.

2. Consider lengthening the time between classes to allow more time for walking across the campus.

3. Recognizing the importance of accommodation for those with accessibility challenges, we should consider purchasing one vehicle to provide transportation assistance on a set schedule if we terminate EPTA services.

CS: Rambler Card Services

Analysis

Shepherd University is paying $85K for management support, door access support, and card production support for our ~2,600 students and 500 staff and faculty (part-time and full-time). We received $28K in revenue to offset expenses.

The author of the report offered that someone is needed to “develop expertise in card management process”. They report that they do not have a person with the bandwidth to develop true expertise on the hardware and software supporting Rambler card printing. Other key areas of expertise needed are hardware and software support to partner vendors using the Rambler Card as a method for payment and understanding the nuances of Atrium data tools to support meal plan (student and conference services) operations. Campus Services staff have managed the Rambler Card Services since 2020, but it is burdensome. Moving forward, they plan to have Rambler Card Services fully housed in Campus Services under Student Affairs utilizing the skills of the Director of the Student Center (increasing the number of vendors) and the Principal Systems Analyst (software/systems support) but they are asking for administrative support for daily tasks and client support.

We asked, “Has an alternative to the Rambler Card been explored?”

The author of the SUAPIF report offered,

The Rambler card (ultimately) is an access control/credentialing system. Even without the physical card, the systems we access via the Rambler card will still exist and the databases that give privileges (Banner, Atrium, etc.) to the physical Rambler card would still yield privileges to the replacement system (mobile, prox., etc.). The Rambler card is a “service” department realizing costs (in a central Org) that services the entire University. The Rambler card stopped proportionally internally billing other campus departments in FY19. Before that, the Rambler Org billed about $160K in support charges to other campus Orgs for cost recovery of the supporting door access and POS systems paid for within the Rambler Org.

Further clarification was provided by Jack Shaw, and he offered:

Campus Services and Student Affairs will continue to look for a permanent home for Rambler with appropriate IT as well as business support. Staff within Student Affairs will likely have the content expertise to appropriately support the IT aspect of the department, leaving the front facing student and retail support to Campus Services.

It is important to note that contactless credentialing will NOT remove the need for this department. However, mobile and contactless credentialing will reduce some (substantial) expenses around card print production.

Recommendations

1. Rambler Card Services has yet to find a permanent home. It is fully housed in Campus Services under Student Affairs yet administered in the Wellness Center. Serious consideration should be given to providing a permanent home to administer the daily tasks and client support around this service.

2. As card services continue to evolve in the education industry, we should continue to look for ways to economize operations and in-person services.

CS: Student Center Operations Analysis

The Game Zone is a profitable operation, generating over $40K in revenue and +$20K in net revenue each of the past two years. The Game Zone provided 234 party rentals in FY24 and generated $29,000 in net revenue (profit). That averages $124 per event. While the Game Zone provides a nice programming space, and additional revenue, it is not mission critical to our students.

The Director of the Student Center provides technical support to bowling and has acquired the skills to make repairs specifically to reduce costs. The Game Zone has about $6K in direct student labor support. Direct costs annually are approximately $8K annually and include (predominantly) cleaning supplies and repairs expenses.

Recommendations

1. CS Student Center should work with the Finance Office to develop financial reports to provide an accurate accounting of income and expenses.

2. Consider exploring the repurposing of the Game Zone as a Student Affinity Space.

3. In addition to financial reporting, develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes for the Student Center. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Facility usage

b. Number of reservations

c. Satisfaction with reservation process

d. Unmet space needs

e. Spending and breakdown of costs

f. Student employee number/learning outcomes

g. Customer service

h. Satisfaction with maintenance and work order process

i. Revenue from conferences

j. Annual revenue assessment and revenue goals.

SA: SU Police Analysis

Shepherd University’s Police Department serves essential purposes for our campus and community. These include safety and security, emergency response, crime prevention and

investigation, community policing (relationship building), traffic control, and services to our students (assist with lost items, medical emergencies, and student welfare). They are valued by our university community for their service and exceptional ability to build and maintain trusting relationships.

Challenges for the Police department include that more competitive wages are offered regionally, and in other regional departments, officers are often allowed take home vehicles instead of using their own personal car to drive to and from work.

Shepherd University’s Police Department would benefit from having at least one more police officer on the force. Far too often, they are required to work double shifts to provide 24-hour coverage to the campus.

Recommendations

1. Increase Shepherd University’s Police Department by at least one police officer.

2. Consider adding the benefit of allowing officers to take home service vehicles to and from work.

Enrollment Management (EM)

EM: Enrollment Management Office

Analysis

Enrollment Management is composed of the Office of Admissions, Dual Enrollment, International Affairs, Registrar’s Office, and Regent’s Bachelor of Arts (RBA). In the early 2000s, Shepherd created the Division of Enrollment Management bringing together Admissions, Financial Aid, and the Office of the Registrar. Enrollment Management at some institutions may include those services devoted to serving and retaining the students. This may include academic advising, career services, tutoring, and all other support services. Those service units are divided differently at Shepherd University—the RBA and Dual Enrollment programs are within Enrollment Management, but all advising, career, and support services reside in other divisions.

Enrollment Management has supported retention efforts and collaborated with Student Affairs and Academic Enrichment to create the Strategic Enrollment and Student Success Plan.

Recommendations

1. Eliminate the position of Director of Enrollment Management and convert the current staff member to the position of RBA Coordinator with no salary adjustment. Add training to become a retention specialist and update the job description (see Regents Bachelor of Arts, Analysis and Recommendations).

2. Move the RBA program to Student Academic Enrichment. It would be easier for both communication and service purposes to house the RBA program within SAE. Additionally, if, for any reason, the RBA Coordinator was away for an extended period of time, the students in the RBA program would be able to see the other advising and retention specialists. Placing the RBA program within Student Academic Enrichment and training an expanded

advising staff could help the RBA coordinator serve more students. (see Regents Bachelor of Arts, Analysis and Recommendations).

EM: Office of Admissions

Analysis

The Office of Admissions plays a vital role in the health and operations of an institution. The Office is primarily responsible for recruiting students through visiting schools and building relationships with counselors, students, and parents; reviewing applications; shape the incoming class by creating a diverse student body; and guiding prospective students and families by providing information about programs, campus life, and admission requirements; and show our campus and tell the story of our university.

The Office of Admissions has a bilingual recruiter, and one of their front office staff members is bilingual. They speak Spanish and English.

The starting salary for Admissions Counselors at Shepherd is $32,800. In 2016, it was $29,500. The starting salary for counselors at other public WV universities is $35,000. At West Virginia University, the starting salary for counselors is in the mid $50,000s. They are at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the state because our cost of living is higher. In the search conducted earlier this spring, they had a very strong candidate, but he did not accept the position because of the low comparable salary and the higher regional cost of living. Additionally, Shepherd University is surrounded by colleges and universities in Maryland and Virginia who pay their admissions representatives more. Hagerstown Community College starts their admissions staff in the mid $40,000s, Frederick Community College starts their admissions staff in the mid $50,000s, and Shenandoah University starts in the low $40,000s.

For our counselors, if we increase the starting salary to $35,500 like the other WV public colleges/universities, we should increase the salary of our Assistant Directors, whose starting salary is $37,000. There should be a greater gap than $1,500 between the positions because the responsibilities of Assistant Directors are significantly greater. The Office of Admissions continues to lose excellent, hard-working staff who like their jobs but leave to work for other universities or organizations, often getting paid more money to do less work.

Regarding the budget, some factors are difficult to predict, like gas prices and rental car costs. Gas prices fluctuate, and there is no way to predict how much the staff from the Office of Admissions could spend on gas given that it changes so often. Catering costs for events can present challenges. Since Aramark has arrived, our hospitality costs have increased significantly. At the Accepted Student Days—their most important events each year—the Office is limited in the quality of the food they serve to prospective students and families.

The author of the SUAPIF offered that the office is not fully staffed. He explained that, because of process improvements, the office does not require as many people as it did before 2019, but to fully staff the office, according to the author, they would benefit most from having nine (9) staff members:

 Director of Admissions oversees the office, leads undergraduate recruitment initiatives, special projects from the VPEM, etc.

 Two Assistant Directors. One Assistant Director supervises the admissions counselors and student ambassadors, is responsible for travel planning (organizing college fair invites, admissions marketing pieces, etc.), plans all admissions events, recruits local WV students, and covers other college fairs (outside of the normal travel territory) when necessary. The other Assistant Director serves as our CRM Administrator (the person who manages TargetX). This person works with offices like RBA, dual enrollment, graduate studies, and lifelong learning (EDPD) to make sure their applications and communications are functioning as they should. This person also supervises the two front office staff members, has a small recruitment territory, and covers other college fairs (outside of the normal travel territory) as needed.

 Four Admissions Counselors serve as the primary recruiters for Shepherd; they travel throughout the region making high school visits and attending college fairs in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. The admissions counselors review undergraduate applications. In a typical admissions year, the counselors review approximately 3,000 applications. They give presentations, meet with prospective students, and support other constituents on campus as needed.

 Two front office staff-members welcome guests when they come to campus, answer phone calls, process transcripts, input and update applications, prepare packets for events, manage the application process for undergraduate special non-degree students, among other duties. They ensure that applications move forward and are correct in our system to be reviewed.

Recommendations

1. Work within the institutional priority list to expand the staff in the Office of Admissions to nine (9) as described previously.

EM: Dual Enrollment

Analysis

Dual enrollment students who matriculate to Shepherd as degree-seeking are a significant boost to Shepherd’s persistence rates. Dual enrollment students persist from first year to second-year at 85% (compared to roughly 70% for the entire first-year student cohort, including dual enrollment students) and from second to third-year at a 77% rate (compared to anywhere from 50-60% since 2017). If we are able to increase our matriculation rate by another 5% then we would see an increase in persistence and graduation rates among first-year student cohorts. While we understand and acknowledge the significance of the persistence rate of these students, it is not the only factor which should be considered when examining the Dual Enrollment unit.

The author of the SUAPUIF wrote, “The metrics used include application turn-around time, response time to inquiries, and student success.”. These metrics show how well the coordinator

does her job (which she does very well). However, we need to establish key performance indicators to help us plan for dual enrollment to continue, expand, or contract in the future.

There is intense competition for dual enrollment students in our state—even in our region. Institutions in West Virginia have set their per credit hour rate much lower than ours. Most of the institutions are charging $25 per credit hour compared to our $84 per credit hour. Some institutions that offer their courses in the high schools during regular school hours are offering the classes at no charge to the students.

Some might view the dual enrollment program as a loss leader—a product or service sold at a loss to attract customers. However, the conversion rate of dual enrollment students to degreeseeking students (26% of each year’s dual enrollment cohort) is worth a careful examination, measured against persistence of the cohort of degree-seeking students.

Another challenge is the dual enrollment students register before any of our degree-seeking students do, and places us at a disadvantage to offer adequate seats to first-year students who need the fundamental math and English courses. There are many factors that prevent us from having enough seats in these courses to serve both the dual enrollment and degree-seeking populations. This is an operational process challenge that can be overcome.

The future demand for support in these areas is only going to increase and we have no clear definition of the benefits of dual enrollment at Shepherd to the institution. It has not been defined through a cost-benefit analysis. This must be a data-driven decision. The administration is working on a strategic, cost-benefit analysis of Dual Enrollment presently.

Our Coordinator for Dual Enrollment does an excellent job, serving as an important liaison for dual enrollment students seeking admission to Shepherd and after they have enrolled. She is often the first person students from Berkeley and Jefferson County high schools meet from Shepherd, and she serves as a secondary advisor after students enroll as degree-seeking. She advises and registers over 250 dual enrollment students each year, in both the fall and spring semesters. She makes strong connections with these students.

Recommendations

1. The team working on a strategic, cost-benefit analysis of Dual Enrollment should conclude their efforts on or before September 1, 2024.

2. Work closely with Student Academic Enrichment and Academic Affairs to plan for enrollment targets and adequate seat availability for each incoming class.

3. Either keep Dual Enrollment reporting directly to Enrollment Management, or reconfigure the Student Academic Enrichment unit to include Dual Enrollment.

4. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Enrollment Metrics:

i. Dual Enrollment Participation Rate

ii. Retention Rate

iii. Course Completion Rate

b. Academic Performance:

i. GPA of Dual-Enrolled Students

ii. Pass Rates

iii. Credit Hours Earned

c. Equity and Access:

i. Demographic Representation

ii. Access Metrics

d. Cost and Financial Metrics:

i. Cost per Dual-Enrolled Student

ii. Cost Savings

e. Student Satisfaction and Engagement:

i. Student Surveys

ii. Participation in Campus Activities

5. The job description of the Coordinator for Dual Enrollment needs to be edited/updated to reflect more accurately her responsibilities. The website management for Faculty Senate should be removed and she needs to add secondary advisor for matriculating dual enrollment students, Accuplacer proctoring, and probably others.

EM: International Affairs Analysis

International Affairs (IA) is the recruitment and retention office for international students. IA increases student diversity on campus by recruiting and enrolling students who are from diverse backgrounds.

At present, we have fifteen (15) international students at Shepherd University. These students pay out-of-state tuition and live on campus. An out-of-state student’s annual tuition and fees total approximately $18,000. Assuming these students are not receiving any tuition discounting or waivers for housing and dining, they generate $270,000 in tuition. The two staff positions currently in IA require ~$129,000 (salary + benefits) annually.

At times, we have paid an agency to recruit international students for us. In FY24, we paid ~$10,000 to an international recruiting company for one student. Working with agents is common among universities like Shepherd who do not have the resources to travel abroad often. We do not have an adequate budgeted amount from our operating funds for regular international recruitment, so we must rely on other forms of support. Major travel for International Affairs has been conducted with grant funding, and we have received support from donors, the President’s Club, and the WVHEPC to travel in FY24.

The recruitment plan provided by IA makes a strong case for seeking international students. Bringing international students to Shepherd benefits our institution and students by increasing diversity, making a positive economic impact on the institution and community, preparing our local students for a globalized world, and is a sign of our commitment to internationalization, which strengthens our brand.

Unfortunately, there are no performance metrics within the recruitment plan with financial models and collecting balances from international students is an on-going challenge. We have

not seen a plan that defines year-to-year commitments in resources needed from the university, and performance metrics to assess the success of the operation.

Here are some important questions that need to be answered about Shepherd University’s commitment to properly resourcing International Affairs:

1. What costs (financial and other) for recruiting students for the program has Shepherd University planned and for how many years?

2. What is the extra cost (if any) of recruiting these students over the cost of recruiting other (non-international / non-dual-enrollment) students, i.e. recruiter payments for international students, resources used for establishing/maintaining relationships with local high schools, marketing, etc.? Costs include both actual expenditure of funds as well as allocation of personnel, equipment, facilities, and promotion.

3. Will resources be reallocated from other programs? If so, how will that impact the program?

4. What are the extra revenues (if any) realized from these students over those realized from other (non-international / non-dual-enrollment) students?

5. What is the intended purpose and outcome of the program? How does the program contribute to the achievement of the University’s strategic goals? What are the key performance indicators?

6. What enrollment targets represent a strong net gain? What is considered low enrollment, and how long will it be permitted before program closure?

7. What additional support is required for students admitted to and enrolled in the program? How will they travel within our region? Who will provide that? What will that cost?

Recommendations

1. Enrollment Management should discuss with members of ELT the questions posed above. If the university cannot commit to adequate resources over a defined period, the Office of International Affairs should be phased out. Essential operations related to International Students should be transferred to Admissions (for student certification) and Student Academic Enrichment (for student service and guidance).

2. If the university can commit to adequate resources over a defined period, develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Specific enrollment targets with financial models.

b. Resource allocation and performance assessment.

c. Retention rate.

d. Student satisfaction.

e. Visa compliance.

f. Cultural integration programs.

g. Employment outcomes (internships, co-operative learning, or post-graduation employment).

h. International alumni engagement.

EM: Registrar’s Office

Analysis

The Office of the Registrar plays a crucial role in universities, including course scheduling and registration; tracking students’ progress toward graduation, ensuring they meet all necessary requirements for graduation; maintaining student records, including transcripts, grades, and academic history; organizing graduation ceremonies and celebrating students’ achievements; managing student data; and collaborating with faculty, students, and other campus offices.

The Office of the Registrar has experienced a significant reduction in staff. At present, the office contains the Registrar, three direct reports, and one additional staff member. The author of the SUAPUIF suggested, “Rehiring a front-line staff person (who also supported academic scheduling), and at least one part-time position (who supported graduation certification processes), would do much to free up more skilled resources to tackle new challenges.”

The Office of the Registrar has traditionally been viewed as the official record keeper in higher education, but their roles have changed significantly over time. Registrars can influence academic policies, use their knowledge of data to help with critical decisions, ensure quality in planning new programs and credentials, and assist in competency mapping. At present, the Registrar takes an active role in Curriculum and Instruction (C&I). We are modifying how new programs are proposed and approved in the next academic year. The new process will come first through the department, deans, and academic leadership before going through C&I. The Registrar can play a critical role in this new process.

Recommendations

1. The Registrar should submit a proposal(s) for one or two additional positions. Within the proposal, provide details of how essential work being accomplished by the current staff is placing an undue burden on them. Include what additional, essential tasks will be accomplished by adding one or two staff positions. Members of the Executive Leadership Team should assess the proposal for the benefit to the Office of the Registrar for investing these additional resources.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Workload Distribution

b. Administration Account Usage

c. Student Enrollment Trends

d. Course Offerings and Scheduling

e. Transcript Processing Time

f. Degree Audit Completion Rate

g. Timeliness of Grade Submission

EM: Regents Bachelor of Arts Analysis

The Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree provides a flexible means for adult students to complete regular college work and to receive college equivalent credit for selected diverse work and life experiences and military service. In this degree completion program, students can take an emphasis that focuses on a specific discipline or area of interest.

The RBA degree program is designed for adult students; the average age of the RBA student is thirty-five. Often, they are students who cannot complete their degree requirements for the majors they declared at Shepherd University or another institution, and have chosen the RBA path for its curricular and course offering flexibility.

The author of the report stated,

The Regent's BA department has dwindled from a staff of four, inclusive of two coordinators and two administrative assistants, as well as the inclusion of the support of the Martinsburg Center recruitment and is now a unit of one advisor. Due to budget constraints and lack of strategic planning, the department must focus on “walk-in” traffic who learn about the RBA program either through referral or the SU website admissions page. We are not able to actively recruit the large population of adult learners who have the need or desire to complete a bachelor's program in the local workforce. The workload is epic in the department for the temporary staff member who is also responsible outside of the department to the VP of Enrollment Management and EMD.

The author also stated, “I find it distressing that a university with such a target rich environment does not have the proper funding and support to increase enrollment of the RBA program.” The author has requested the addition of one support staff.

It is unclear from the report how the workload is “epic”. From the desk audit, the RBA Coordinator/Director of Enrollment Management focuses almost exclusively on serving the RBA program. She is not required to perform any administrative work for Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management.

While the RBA program is the largest degree program at Shepherd University, the support services of students enrolled in the program are not the same as those in a more traditional degree program. Additional staff attention should be devoted to recruiting RBA students, including the Office of Admissions and Student Academic Enrichment staff.

Recommendations

1. Eliminate the position of Director of Enrollment Management and convert the current staff member to the position of RBA Coordinator with no salary adjustment. Add training to become a retention specialist and update the job description.

1. Reconfigure the Student Academic Enrichment unit to include Dual Enrollment and RBA. Every staff member, in addition to their primary role, will share the responsibility of serving as a retention specialist.

President’s Office (PO) Analysis

The Office of the President at a university plays a crucial role in overseeing various aspects of the institution, including leading the Vice Presidents/Executive Directors and their divisions, collaborating with the Board of Directors, fundraising, and fostering relationships with legislators, representatives, industry and community leaders, and community members on behalf of the university. The President’s Office has a support staff of one person.

Shepherd University’s Foundation funding for the President’s Office previously exceeded $75,000. The Foundation reduced support by half in FY24.

The Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) and Ombuds positions are both Presidential appointed positions and report directly to the President. Compensation for the Ombuds was removed from the President’s Office budget line in FY22.

The Vice President for Student Affairs and Director Community Relations has received a stipend from the Office of the President since April of 2016. The VP was tasked with taking over as the Director of Community Relations part of the job a full-time employee held before leaving.

Recommendations

1. Should the community relations role of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Director Community Relations continue indefinitely? How does the Office of University Communications relate to the other role? If it should continue indefinitely, we recommend the Vice President not be paid with a stipend, but have the responsibilities accounted for in her job description and a standard amount be added to her base salary.

PO: Alumni Affairs

Analysis

The Alumni Association created a five-year strategic plan (2024-2029) with goals, strategies, and tactics focused on growth, connection, and support. The strategic plan included at least two detailed strategies for each goal, a SWOT analysis, university priorities, acronyms, a glossary, and review.

On page 4 of the strategic plan, they offered a summary of success metrics (or KPIs):

Quantifiable numeric and behavioral metrics will be used to measure progress towards goals and overall program effectiveness. Progress reporting will be reviewed in the quarterly board member meetings of the Shepherd University Alumni Association. Metrics will include, but not limited to:

● Measuring Alumni headcount at events, as well as student headcount.

● Number of sustaining members yearly.

● Number of alumni donors & Dollar amount of Alumni giving, especially at key times such as Day of Giving and Giving Tuesday.

● Alumni-owned business intern positions/staff positions offered.

● Increase in attendance and participation rates at alumni events, indicating enhanced engagement and connection with the university community.

● Growth in the number of alumni volunteers involved in mentorship programs or alumni outreach initiatives, demonstrating increased alumni involvement and support.

● Positive feedback and satisfaction scores from alumni surveys, gauging overall alumni sentiment and satisfaction with the association's initiatives and programs.

● Increase in the visibility and reach of the Alumni Association's social media channels and online platforms, indicating improved communication and engagement with alumni across various channels.

● Success stories and testimonials from alumni, showcasing the impact and value of the association's programs and initiatives in supporting alumni success and advancement.

Recommendations

1. Provide to ELT the quarterly progress report, which will be reviewed in the quarterly board member meetings of the Shepherd University Alumni Association.

2. Provide an annual report with a summary of those success metrics (or KPIs). Following the strategic plan, provide not only a list of activities, but indicators of the performance of those activities, and plans for short- and long-term improvement.

PO: General Counsel’s Office

Analysis

The General Counsel’s Office (GC) is a one-person Legal Affairs office, overseeing all aspects for SU, BOG, & exec/admin staff, and others if work requires legal guidance. If we were to move away from having a General Counsel on campus and outsource the services of a General Counsel, it would require a significant investment in first-time and ongoing training in legal matters for administrators that we currently do not practice.

The General Counsel offered this in his report, which we endorse strongly,

A significant opportunity to strengthen the effectiveness of the Office of General Counsel would be if the University staff improved our commitment to deliberative institutional planning in a manner that refines the number of genuinely prioritized entrepreneurial initiatives. It is extremely difficult under our common operating practices to identify an orderly priority for legal support requests and of legal support necessities arising out of dozens of separate offices, all presuming to be of equal merit for immediate attention.

Recommendations

1. Consider hiring a paralegal staff member to assist operations in this unit and make this part of the institutional priority list.

PO: Ombudsperson

Analysis

An ombudsperson on a college campus serves as an independent, neutral third party who assists faculty, staff, and administrators in resolving problems, concerns, and complaints through informal means. Their role includes clarifying misunderstandings, advising on appropriate courses of action, facilitating informal conflict resolution, and ensuring that relevant department, college, and campus procedures are followed before escalating issues. Essentially, they provide a safe space for individuals to voice their concerns and seek solutions, aiming to prevent damaging conflicts from erupting on campus. The ombuds operate based on ethical principles such as independence, impartiality, confidentiality, and informality.

From page 74 of the Shepherd University Faculty Handbook 2023-2024:

Any student who feels that they have been discriminated against by the University or by any person has a wide array of options to seek redress, and that is encouraged. The implementation of the formal investigative review processes of the Social Justice Policy is coordinated by the University Ombudsperson, Stacey Kendig (304.876.5516), and the Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Officer (EO/AA), Marie DeWalt (304.876.5299).

Informal review of concerns of discrimination can also be directed to either of those persons, as well as members of the Civility Response Team, Student Affairs (304.876.5214), Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs (304.876.5651), or to the Vice President who supervises the office or employee(s) of concern. Cases of gender discrimination in any form, including interpersonal violence, may be directed to the Title IX Officer, Anne Lewin (304.876.5041).

Students who have been discriminated against by another student may address complaints to the Student Affairs, located in the Student Center. In cases of gender discrimination in any form, including interpersonal violence, complaints may be directed to the Title IX Officer. Such complaints are handled through the Student Conduct policies. Students who have been discriminated against on campus or at a campus event by persons not part of the Shepherd academic community should direct their complaint to the Coordinator of Student Conduct or the Title IX Officer, as applicable. The Vice President for Student Affairs will take such action as is appropriate and possible, to prevent ongoing discrimination in any form which affects students.

Employees who feel they have been discriminated against can seek informal or formal review of the issue by their supervisor, their area vice president, the Ombudsperson, or the EO-AA Officer, and in cases of gender discrimination the Title IX Officer.

Recommendations

1. No recommendations for altering this unit are offered with this prioritization.

Athletics Analysis

The new Athletic Director joined the university at the beginning of the FY25 (Academic Year 2024-2025).

The Administration completed the Athletic Division Financial Prospectus and presented it to the Board of Governors at the December 2023 meeting.

Following industry standards for prioritization and viability considerations (DICKESON10) and paralleling the framework for outcomes of newly revised West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission policies related to program planning and review (HEPC22, HEPC23), they simultaneously presented data for the overall program and for all individual sports offered by Shepherd which are reported to the NCAA.

All members of the NCAA must submit annually its financial data as determined by the division detailing operating revenues, expenses and capital relating to the intercollegiate athletics program. This information is provided to the NCAA through its Membership Financial Reporting System. All Division II members are also provided access to the Institutional Performance Program Data Management System; the stated goal for the system is “to facilitate betterinformed decisions and strategic planning on campus” (NCAA15). All data in this report were acquired using the IPP Data Management System (“IPP”). For various IPP data samples, the IPP will automatically generate two comparison groups: the institution’s NCAA division (Division II) and the institution’s conference (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, or PSAC).

Institutions may create additional peer groups to use in IPP comparisons. As Shepherd uses a set of peers chosen by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC16) within annual reporting to the Shepherd University Board of Governors, for comparisons within institutional Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Data Feedback Reports, and for comparisons arising within institutional accreditation reporting, we incorporated those peers into these data presentations. Specifically, all Shepherd HEPC peer institutions and PSAC member institutions were combined into a single list. We then selected all institutions that were public NCAA Division II institutions with football programs to serve as a third comparison group within IPP data presentations.

As described in the IPP, “Total Athletics Generated Revenue” identifies the difference between revenues generated from within the athletics department and the athletics department expenses. The NCAA Trends in Division Athletics Finances reports (NCAA21, NCAA22) both note that this value can be construed as the true cost to the institution of running an athletics program.

On page 47 of the Athletic Division Financial Prospectus, using the Total Athletics Generated Revenue, the document showed a loss of more than $4,000,000 for FY22.

In February of 2024, Dr. Scott Barton and Dr. Jason Best returned to the Senate to answer questions about the Athletics Division Financial Prospectus. After the November 2023 board meeting, members of the BOG had asked for a new document that added in tuition to calculate

average “contribution” by student athletes. The NCAA does not count tuition towards a student athlete’s contribution.

Recommendations

1. Re-engage the work of the Athletic Division Financial Prospectus with the new Athletic Director for further assessment.

University Communication

University Communications Office & Marketing

Analysis

Shepherd University’s Officer of Communcations is staffed with an Executive Director, a graphic designer, and a marketing coordinator. In 2023, they completed roughly 1,027 individual projects, not including larger-scale projects like the Shepherd University Magazine, the University re-brand project, general social media management, event planning, etc.

The university President will frequently call upon Communications and Marketing for special projects not included in the form or regular day-to-day of the division. This leads to a significant increase in work as the other requests for design and production do not decrease. They have not evaluated the effectiveness of our marketing with consistency or developed a comprehensive marketing plan for the university to follow.

The Executive Director of University Communications has requested more operating funds to conduct an expanded marketing campaign. We need a carefully planned marketing campaign, with appropriate resources devoted to it.

The history of the Marketing department demonstrates capable people asking for an increase in resources, and all efforts to meet those demands and fund those projects have led us to where we are right now.

Recommendations

1. Begin to engage the campus in the website redesign project.

2. Develop data assessment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for annual reporting and planning purposes. These may include, but are not limited to:

a. Assessment of resource allocation and performance of marketing initiatives.

b. Brand Awareness and Perception:

i. Media Mentions: Track the number of positive media mentions related to the university.

ii. Brand Sentiment: Measure sentiment in social media posts and news articles.

iii. Awareness Surveys: Conduct surveys to assess awareness levels among key audiences.

c. Engagement Metrics:

i. Website Traffic: Monitor unique visitors, page views, and time spent on the university website.

ii. Social Media Engagement: Measure likes, shares, comments, and follower growth.

iii. Email Open Rates: Track open rates for university newsletters and announcements.

d. Crisis Management:

i. Response Time: Evaluate how quickly communications respond during crises.

ii. Sentiment During Crisis: Monitor sentiment in social media and news during emergencies.