2018-2019 Student Affairs Impact Report

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OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

Contents TABLE OF

01

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

03

2018-2019 AT A GLANCE

04

02

OUR FOUNDATION

03

08

WE ARE MISSION-DRIVEN

10

WE ARE STRATEGIC

12

WE ARE ORGANIZED FOR SUCCESS

OUR FOCUS

MAPPING OUR WORK TO STUDENT LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

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MEETING OUR STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE

20

CONNECTING WITH OUR STUDENTS IN AUTHENTIC WAYS

22

04 OUR IMPACT

05

26

COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP

28

GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS

30

PERSONAL CONGRUENCE

32

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

34

HOLISTIC WELLNESS

36

AMPLIFIED CAPACITY

OUR STRATEGY COORDINATED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN

40

CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT

42

INNOVATION IN OUR PRACTICE

46

INVESTMENT IN OUR DEVELOPMENT

47

A VIEW OF THE FUTURE

48

RECOGNITION OF COURAGEOUS CHANGE LEADERS

49

Throughout this report you will find QR codes linked to related text and media content. Simply use your smartphone camera to hover over a QR code to explore what else the Division has to offer.

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I am pleased to present the 2018-19 Impact Report for SMU’s Division of Student Affairs. This is a particularly exciting moment for Student Affairs in that it marks the culmination of year one in the enactment of the Division’s five-year strategic plan, Cultivating Courageous Change.

As such, this Impact Report provides an opportunity for our community to formally begin charting progress toward the execution of our plan, while also underscoring the many accomplishments that stem from our Division’s collective efforts to impact students in meaningful ways.

The past academic year has been one of great transition and progress. Using the Student Affairs Strategic Plan as a touchstone, the Division made significant inroads into new organizational priorities, strategies, and initiatives.

Five divisional steering committees completed work related to 21 Strategic Plan objectives. Two successful searches resulted in the permanent rounding out of the Senior Leadership Team. Every unit completed a review of its mission statement and finalized an outcome mapping process wherein each studentfacing program or service was mapped to one or more divisional learning domain(s). Led by Student Affairs staff, a newly formed Student Leadership Framework Committee with broad campus representation forged ahead in the development of what will become the Division’s comprehensive approach toward developing every SMU student as a leader in his or her own right. In addition to all of this, the Division collaborated closely with Student Academic Success and Engagement, within the Office of the Provost, to strengthen and launch important initiatives aimed at improving student retention and success.

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

Dear SMU Community,

As we celebrate these achievements, however, we are cautious not to lose sight of the fact that formal and informal assessment opportunities are present in every aspect of the work we do. These assessments are not simply vehicles for highlighting or documenting success—in every one of these reflections, there is an opportunity to continually learn and improve, no matter how “successful” we might deem a particular initiative.

Just as Student Affairs understands that learning happens everywhere for students, we hold ourselves to the belief that there is always room to better understand and then improve our work. It is the Division’s responsibility to constantly question and strive for more effective and/or efficient ways to make a meaningful impact on students’ lives, while they are here on SMU’s campus and long after as they go on to be leaders in their communities and the global environment.

Accordingly, the tone of this Impact Report strikes a balance between reflective celebration and actionoriented next steps. On behalf of the Division, I welcome you to navigate this report to learn more about the evolving Division of Student Affairs, the impact of its programs and services on students, and our plan for building upon what we’ve learned in 2018-19.

K.C. Mmeje, Ed.D. Vice President for Student Affairs

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OUR FOUNDATION

WE ARE mission-driven

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESS

S

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT The Department of Student Development collaborates with academic partners, community constituents, and families to provide a comprehensive and empowering student experience by prioritizing inclusion, community engagement, and leadership experiences.

Th ex m ed

Women and LGBT Center The Women and LGBT Center fosters purposeful learning, leadership, and advocacy opportunities that provide students a space to clarify and develop their knowledge, values, skills, and identities in relation to gender equity, gender identity and sexual orientation.

Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement The Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement connects students with opportunities to engage with and learn from the SMU campus, Dallas community, and beyond. The office prioritizes advocacy and awareness through immersive community engagement experiences and social justice education.

Office of the Student Experience The Office of the Student Experience designs a comprehensive student experience supporting students and their families from orientation to graduation. Using a leadership framework, all students are guided through significant collegiate transitions. Family members receive guidance on supporting their students on the journey towards graduation. With recognition of the unique needs of veterans, graduate, transfer, and international students, the office also advocates for and provides support to these special populations.

D

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Student Involvement’s mission is to create experiences and spaces that encourage students to discover their interests and find a sense of belonging. As part of student engagement and success at SMU we commit to provide: a collaborative, values-based fraternal experience that fosters meaningful community, academic excellence, and ethical leadership; dynamic gathering spaces, event planning guidance, and comprehensive student organization support; memorable events and a laboratory of practice for students to gain hands-on skills and experience.

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION The Central Administration Department fosters a culture of critical inquiry, compelling storytelling, and strategic and evidence-based decision making across the Division of Student Affairs. It does so by providing critical, central support to all Divisional Units in the areas of assessment, marketing and communication, technology, staff development, and strategic planning. Central Administration also manages these efforts at a comprehensive, divisional-level. Collectively, these efforts amplify the Division’s capacity to drive transformative change on individual, organizational, and institutional levels.

RELIGIOUS LIFE OFFICE OF THE CHAPLAIN

8

The Office of the Chaplain provides pastoral care and theological reflection that promotes holistic wellbeing. It does so through religious, moral, and ethical engagement with students, faculty, and staff. It supports all religious traditions represented at SMU by promoting a vibrant religious life community comprising over 30 different Campus Ministries. Given the university’s United Methodist affiliation, the Office of the Chaplain is responsible for enhancing the influence of the United Methodist heritage and to nurture growth in the Christian faith.

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Th an to lif

D

In be al gr

R

R re m

ic al, ff e, on

STUDENT WELLBEING AND SUPPORT

OUR FOUNDATION

The Division of Student Affairs creates and supports a robust student experience and forges strategic partnerships to best serve the entire SMU community. As educators and scholar-practitioners, we create purposeful learning and leadership opportunities for students to clarify and develop their knowledge, values, skills, and identities challenging each to become a world changer.

STUDENT SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY The Department of Student Support, Advocacy, and Accountability dedicates itself to providing proactive education, expert response, and intentional collaborations to compassionately address behavioral, personal, and academic matters. The department advances the Division of Student Affairs strategic plan by empowering students to make educated and informed decisions as world changers.

The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards promotes community, scholarship, and civility by holding students accountable to the Student Code of Conduct and the Honor Code. We assist students in understanding the importance of ethical and intentional decision making within the SMU community and beyond. We recognize when students make mistakes and assist them in bringing their actions into congruence with the expectations set forth by the University.

The Office of Student Support (CCC) The Office of Student Support is dedicated to working collaboratively to assist students in navigating challenges that impede academic and personal success. We connect students to resources, advocate, and educate the greater SMU community to create a safe, caring, and enriching environment.

The Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services The Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services is committed to creating a safe campus, free from interpersonal and gender-based violence by providing education and outreach to students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, we engage in collaboration with both campus and community resources to ensure a survivor-centered approach to assist those affected by interpersonal and gender-based violence.

DR. BOB SMITH HEALTH CENTER The mission of the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is to provide quality, caring, cost effective, confidential, and convenient mental, behavioral, and physical healthcare and health promotion and education services to currently enrolled SMU students in association with other university departments that promote healthy lifestyles and enhance academic productivity leading to satisfying and rewarding college experiences.

DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS In the pursuit of cultivating the healthy student, Recreational Sports delivers opportunities that foster lifelong wellbeing through programs, services, and facilities. We focus on developing an inclusive and safe environment that allows students to explore social, emotional, and physical wellbeing through programs such as intramural sports, group fitness, personal training, outdoor adventure, sport clubs, spirit, band, and the Rotunda Yearbook.

RESIDENCE LIFE AND STUDENT HOUSING Residence Life and Student Housing seeks to advance the goals and objectives of the University by creating residential communities which empower students to value learning, citizenship, and leadership in comfortable, wellmaintained facilities.

HEGI FAMILY CAREER AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER The Hegi Family Career Development Center empowers students and alumni to cultivate meaningful lives through career development, continuous learning, and professional growth. We provide relevant experiential learning opportunities for students to gain skills that position them for success. Through these experiences, we support students in finding their passion and purpose to navigate careers for a lifetime.

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LEARNING DOMAINS Learning happens everywhere. It is imperative activities enhancing the student experience are intentional and focused on student learning. As a division, each program and service we offer will map to one or more of the learning domains.

COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP

GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS

PERSONAL CONGRUENCE

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

HOLISTIC WELLNESS

AMPLIFIED CAPACITY

UNDERSTAND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

DEVELOP STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

FOUR

DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

PROMOTE COMPREHENSIVE WELL-BEING

FIVE

OUR GOALS

DATA-INFORMED DECISION-MAKING

SIX

The 2018-19 academic year represents year one of the implementation plan for Cultivating Courageous Change. In order to most effectively actuate the plan, the Division has structured its related work though five steering committees (opposite this page). These committees oversee the progress of particular Strategic Plan objectives on an annual basis by convening relevant subcommittees and collaborating with associated, pre-existing divisional and institutional committees.

The Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan, Cultivating Courageous Change, was created to guide our continued efforts and at once defines our commitment to our work, our desired impact on our students, and the way in which our students will impact the world.

ONE

This foundational document serves as the primary guiding force for the Division through its espousal of divisional goals and associated objectives, student learning domains, and staff commitment statements. Collectively, these tenets provide a guidepost by which the Division measures, tracks, and continually assesses progress both in terms of internal processes and the ultimate impact on student learning and development.

STRATEGIC PLAN

In concert with launching SMU’s Second Century, the University’s Strategic Plan for 2016-2025, the Division of Student Affairs is essential to SMU’s mission of “shaping world changers who contribute to their communities and excel in their professions in a global society.”

TWO

In September 2017, a committee of Student Affairs staff convened to undertake the charge of developing a Divisional strategic plan. Following extensive data collection via institutional research and document review, a qualitative listening tour, and a constituent survey, the committee drafted what is now known as Cultivating Courageous Change—the 2018-2023 Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan.

2018-2023 DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

THREE

strategic

CULTIVATING COURAGEOUS CHANGE

INTRODUCTION

OUR FOUNDATION

WE ARE

ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

OUR COMMITMENTS In conjunction with SMU’s philosophy of developing world changers through the vital foundation of a liberal arts education, the Division of Student Affairs has established commitments, to direct how our staff approach their work holistically supporting students in the development of meaningful lives.

10

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

ACTING RESPONSIBLY

MODELING THE WAY

BEING A POSITIVE AGENT OF CHANGE

INNOVATING OUR WORK

DEVELOPING WORLD CHANGERS

Access the full Student Affairs Strategic Plan, Cultivating Courageous Change...

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committees

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

STUDENT SUPPORT

Dr. Adam R. Cebulski

Dr. Evelyn L. Ashley

DIVISION PARTNERSHIPS Melinda Carlson

(Executive Sponsor)

(Executive Sponsor)

(Executive Sponsor)

Elsie Johnson

Dr. Lindsey Koch

OUR FOUNDATION

2018-2019

DIVISION

Michelle Madsen

(Chair)

(Chair)

Erica Zamora

Griffin Sharp

(Chair)

Jimmy Ramey

(Chair)

(Chair)

leadership framework, graduate assistantship experience, first-year experience

caring community connections, 9 at 9, bias education and response team

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

(Chair)

PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

Dr. Adam R. Cebulski (Executive Sponsor)

Dr. Crystal Clayton

Dr. Allison Kanny

(Executive Sponsor)

(Chair)

Dr. Dawn F. Norris (Chair)

Trevor Sutton (Chair) marketing and brand identity, divisional learning domains champions, policy review

search committees (ad hoc), awards committee, vice president’s leadership team

I commit to...

BEING A POSITIVE AGENT OF CHANGE

D

ds n i L r.

ey Ko ch

We commit to being agents of positive change on our campus and in our communities, excited by what the future holds for SMU and empowered to help shape that future.

“Finding ways to improve the work we do and to create new experiences for our students energizes me and helps me see that we are making progress towards our goals. There is no end to the positive impact we can make if we are willing to get creative!”

Dr. Lindsey Koch, Director of the Office of the Student Experience

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OUR FOUNDATION

DIVISIONleadership LED BY DR. K.C. MMEJE VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

STUDENT WELLBEING AND SUPPORT Led by Dr. Melinda “Mindy” Sutton Noss, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Office of the Dean of Students

HEGI FAMILY CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER Led by Dr. Crystal Clayton, Executive Director of Hegi Family Career Development Center Employer Relations Career Development

STUDENT SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards Office of Student Support Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services DR. BOB SMITH HEALTH CENTER Medical Services Counseling Services Office for Community Health Promotion DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS Operations and Events Outdoor Education Programs Aquatics Programs Fitness Intramurals and Sport Clubs Spirit Mustang Band Rotunda Yearbook

RELIGIOUS LIFE

Led by Rev. Dr. Stephen Rankin, University Chaplain Office of the Chaplain Center for Faith and Learning

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESS Led by Dr. Adam R. Cebulski, Assistant Vice President and Chief of Staff CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION First Year Experience Assessment and Strategic Initiatives Marketing and Communication Technology Staff Development STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Hughes-Trigg Student Center Fraternity and Sorority Life Programs and Events

RESIDENCE LIFE AND STUDENT HOUSING Led by Melinda Carlson, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Residence Life and Student Housing Office of Residence Life Office of Housing Operations Office of Academic Initiatives

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT Women and LGBT Center Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement Multicultural Programs and Services Community Engagement and Social Justice Programs

12

Office of the Student Experience Orientation and Transition Programs Parent and Family Programs Leadership Programs Special Population Support

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Student Affairs employs over 120 full- and part-time staff members. Scan to view our full organization chart.

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OUR FOCUS

STUDENT WELLBEING AND SUPPORT STUDENT SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards The Office of Student Support (CCC) The Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services

DR. BOB SMITH HEALTH CENTER DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESS STUDENT DEVELOPMENT Women and LGBT Center Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement Office of the Student Experience

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

RESIDENCE LIFE AND STUDENT HOUSING RELIGIOUS LIFE OFFICE OF THE CHAPLAIN

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STUDENT WELLBEING AND SUPPORT The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards Students will feel heard during the adjudication process and consider the process to be fair and informative.

The SMU community will have greater awareness of policies, community standards, positive decisionmaking, and responsible choices through various means of outreach.

Students and staff who serve the SMU community on the University Conduct Board/Council and Honor Council will be well-trained, consistent, and fair.

Students will have opportunities to learn and grow through Pathway Plans dedicated to fostering wellbeing and responsible, reflective behavior.

The Office of Student Support (CCC) Students will have greater awareness of university resources.

Students will demonstrate an increased capability to access resources.

The SMU community will recognize student behaviors of concern.

The SMU community will refer students of concern appropriately through the Caring Community Connections program.

The Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services Students will have opportunities to become activists, advocates, and leaders in the area of interpersonal violence and gender-based misconduct.

Students in crisis will be able to access resources and accommodations that allow them to start the journey toward healing.

Students will be exposed to programs and learning opportunities designed to allow them to think critically about consent, relationships, bystander intervention, and personal values determination.

Students will build skills around practicing consent conversations, identifying warning signs in unhealthy relationships, and intervening in potentially risky situations.

Dr. Bob Smith Health Center Students will receive high quality health care provided by qualified health care professionals in a timely and efficient manner.

Students will be introduced to on-campus resources and provided up-to-date health prevention information on a variety of topics specific to college student health.

Students will learn the skills needed to develop life-long healthy behaviors.

Students will have access to a comprehensive suite of health care services in an open and welcoming environment.

Students will become better consumers of their personal health care.

Department of Recreational Sports Students will have access to high quality programs, services, and facilities that foster habits of well-being.

Students will engage in physical well-being activities.

Students will develop relational skills and emotional wellness.

Students will develop transferable skills through employment and student leadership.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESS Women and LGBT Center Students will develop an increased awareness of the issues facing women and LGBT people.

Students will recognize and engage with programs and experiences that further their individual leadership development.

Students will improve their understanding of LGBT identities and issues faced by members of the LGBT community and will learn strategies that enable them to serve as active allies to the LGBT community.

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Students will be equipped with resources in order to advocate both for themselves and others on issues of gender equity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Students will be connected to other campus and community programs, services, and resources that work to support and uplift women and the LGBT community.

Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement Students will demonstrate enhanced multicultural competencies by increased education in cultural norms, values, traditions, and cross-cultural communication styles.

Students will transition into a mindset of active citizenship by engaging in hands on direct service and other forms of responsible activity that addresses critical unmet needs to benefit a community.

Students will demonstrate how to positively advocate for the equity and inclusion of all people, while consistently pursuing an environment of respect, application of inclusive language, and purposeful awareness in college and beyond.

Students, faculty, and staff will engage with an array of service opportunities via SCIE connections and relationships with local nonprofits.

Office of the Student Experience Students will develop in their leadership capacities via informal and formal opportunities.

Students and families will connect to and navigate SMU. Constituents, (including but not limited to transfer, graduate, international, and veteran students) will be advocated for and supported.

Students and families will engage with campus and community experts to find the support needed for success by utilizing communication, resources, and spaces provided by the Office of the Student Experience.

Students and families will navigate through all transitions associated with the comprehensive student experience.

Student Involvement Students in formal and informal organizational leadership roles will develop skills and abilities under the guidance of a relationship-driven professional staff advisor.

Constituents will receive a variety of quality services and comprehensive student organization support.

Students will gain a sense of belonging and community by participating in campus events.

Central Administration The Central Administration Department was formally developed in late spring 2019; Departmental constituent outcomes will be articulated in preparation for the 2019-20 academic year. Given the nature of its work and charge to provide support across the Division, the department addresses all Divisonal Learning Domains.

RESIDENCE LIFE AND STUDENT HOUSING

Departmental constituent outcomes will be developed in summer 2019 following the appointment of the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Residence Life and Student Housing.

RELIGIOUS LIFE

Office of the Chaplain Students will consistently engage in spiritual and ethical reflection.

The SMU community at large will have access to worship and meeting spaces.

The SMU campus community will have access to guidance and direction as it relates to pastoral care, counseling, and theological reflection.

The SMU community will be able to identify United Methodist values.

HEGI FAMILY CAREER AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER Students will feel confident, empowered and equipped to successfully explore their career options and passions to make informed decisions.

Students will be able to build relationships with employers as well as campus and community partners through effective communication in order to move forward in their career trajectory.

Students will be knowledgeable about resources, industries, career processes and their rights.

Employers will be knowledgeable about ways to engage with students and will do so via multiple touchpoints.

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MAPPING OUR WORK TO

student learning and development

OPEN ME

Each department and office in the Division conceptualizes the impact and subsequent outcomes of its work through the use of a visual mapping and planning tool known as the Logic Model-Outcomes Map Hybrid. Though it is primarily used as a strategic planning resource, departments and offices also utilize this tool as a way to articulate complex and complicated connections from the most granular program-level outcomes to far more nebulous (and difficult to assess in terms of impact) long-term outcomes.

Situated between these two ends of the outcomes spectrum are departmental constituent outcomes and the six divisional learning domains. These outcomes serve as the “connectors” between the learning outcomes achieved at a one-hour student workshop, for instance, and institutional outcomes prioritized in the University Strategic Plan; in this way, they also ensure that all programs, services, processes, and efforts fall into alignment with divisional and institutional priorities.

Student Affairs departments and offices have constructed Logic Model-Outcomes Map Hybrids that will be revised as needed on an ongoing, annual basis. In these models, program/service outcomes map to departmental constituent outcomes, which then map to divisional learning domains (all student-facing programs and services also specify the one or more learning domain to which they relate). The visual at right represents a summary of these outcomes maps at the departmental/office-level, by demonstrating the range of divisional learning domains addressed by each unit. Explore these connections further by opening the fold to view each unit’s constituent outcome statements and the learning domain(s) to which they map.

Reference pages 7-11 of the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan for additional details on the six learning domains...

A NOTE REGARDING OUR

constituents

Unequivocally, students are our primary constituent group. Every aspect of our work is intended to be student-centered. It would be remiss, however, to not also acknowledge that the Division impacts students by way of collaborating with and serving other constituent groups who, in turn, empower our students. These various partners and stakeholders are included in selected units’ constituent outcome statements as a means of illustrating the intricate logic model we use to shape our work with students.

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OUR FOCUS

MEETING OUR STUDENTS In order to best serve our student population, the Division of Student Affairs constantly strives to understand the ways in which students perceive, experience, and engage with the institution and the various opportunities available to them as part of their college experience.

Applied within the context of our work, this information equips student affairs practitioners with the means to conceptualize and execute our work so we can impact student learning and development, and ultimately retention and persistence, more effectively. In some cases, the Division must also examine the competencies, perceptions, and needs of faculty and staff to ensure students are served in ways that take into account who and where these students “are.”

To this end, divisional assessment efforts routinely include studies of utilization, business/service outputs, satisfaction, perceptions, and needs. These assessment studies take place at the “macro” level via the analysis and application of large-scale benchmarking survey data, as well as the “micro” level by way of targeted data collection efforts that are oriented toward more specific, programmatic-level improvement.

What information is needed to improve our outputs?

HOW DO STUDENTS PERCEIVE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTIAL COMMONS PERSONNEL?

In spring 2019 residential students were invited to complete the Residential community Personnel Survey, which explored students’ perceptions of their relationships and interactions with their Faculty in Residence (FiR), Residential Advisor, and Residential Commons Director.

Approximately 29 percent of residential students provided feedback that was ultimately analyzed in the aggregate and then compiled into individual reports shared with each personnel member.

Proposed Actions/Changes: One survey finding revealed that students’ levels of interaction with their Faculty-in-Residence varied notably across all 11 Commons. The newly hired Director of Academic Initiatives will be working with FiRs to create a more equitable experience for everyone living across campus, while still keeping experiences unique to each FiR and Commons.

HOW DO STUDENTS CURRENTLY MAKE USE OF FITNESS EQUIPMENT AND SPACE?

Dedman Center staff conducted a population count during the months of September and February to assess the utilization of fitness equipment and space throughout the building. Staff completed these counts every hour. A few major trends became evident. The noon hour and 3-10pm time window experienced the highest usage of the fitness floor. The free weights area had the highest number of users per hour overall. Finally, the selectorizer machines and racquetball courts were under-utilized.

Proposed Actions/Changes: After identifying the underutilization of the racquetball courts, Dedman Center is exploring the feasibility of repurposing a racquetball court into a cycling studio and a pilates studio. There will be further efforts to assess the utilization of weightlifting equipment on the fitness floor to inform additional space changes.

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W

WHERE THEY ARE What should we know about our current student population and their environmental context in order to improve our outputs?

The Office of Assessment and Strategic Initiatives partnered with the Office of the Student Experience in fall 2018 to review and analyze findings from student data collected as part of the 2017-18 Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) Survey. In a comparison of the national benchmark data from 74 institutions that participated in this iteration of the MSL, findings show that that SMU students tend to demonstrate significantly higher levels of consciousness of self and congruence, but slightly lower levels of social generativity as compared to college students from across the country. These findings will be used to inform the forthcoming Leadership Development Framework as well as leadership development program offerings.

OUR FOCUS

S

CC HOW DO STUDENTS PERCEIVE THEIR EXPERIENCE DURING THE CONDUCT PROCESS?

HOW DO FIRST-TIME STUDENT VISITORS VARY BY DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS?

Each student who participated in a conduct hearing during the 2019 spring semester was given a tablet containing a survey regarding various aspects of the conduct process. The survey provided feedback on the perception of, experience during, and students perception of impact following the process. Students responded overwhelmingly that they felt respected during the process, listened to, and had the opportunity to explain themselves, but only 70% of students reviewed the Student Code of Conduct.

The Hegi Family Career Development Center sought to learn more about first-time student visitors’ backgrounds and opinions regarding the effectiveness of knowledge received at career counseling or drop-in visits. Learning more about the effectiveness of these services, particularly for firsttime visitors, is important because career counseling is one of the largest areas of utilization for the Hegi Career Center and it is vital that students return after an initial visit for sustained interaction with the Hegi staff and resources.

Proposed Actions/Changes: The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards will focus on sharing information related to the Student Code of Conduct with the community. This includes dispersing the code of conduct in unique and effective ways to ensure as many students as possible are aware of policies and their rights and responsibilities.

Proposed Actions/Changes A finding that 24% of first-time visits were made by students who identify as first generation college students has led the Hegi family Career Center to plan a needs assessment with the goal of creating specific programming related to improving career counseling and outcomes for first generation students.

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OUR FOCUS

g n i t c e n lly

CoAnuthenRtSiTcUaDENTS U

O H T I W

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“The Office of the Studen t Experience ha s fostered m y becoming the absolute best version of mys elf. I have a team of amazing ro le models that continually offer me mentorship in all areas of m y life. The staff ar e all instrumenta l in my ongoin g development as a studen t leader here on this campus.

They have not only brought m e back up when I was down, bu t are always open to having hard conversations when necessar y.

I know they tr uly value me no t only as a studen t on this campu s, but as a pers on in general.”

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nt tude S the own s sh res ith a w h ffice U ca rking “Wo ement o uch SM nd not m a lv Invo uly how dents, ess. u succ ith r t t s c i e r i m m e e nts w t th acad abou st their ut on eve entire e ju p only able to s that th to no g d t t n n li le nt ie Bei st fr njoy at ing I wa t e b e r h t o n my p e of sup ol ca scho s the typ reer. The vement l i a cost for my c nt Invo us to e o d g d u n w i t to e S ys push d try ne .” h t n a of her lwa e a st work all furt c ffi o e s ur b ps u do o develo s thing

Trinity Sullivan Coppell, TX

Stats & Spanish MHPS Commons

Class of 2021

Mayo

o, TX sing Frisc verti d A & Film ns mmo o C Ware 23 of 20 s s a l C

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BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

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I commit to...

Jack

OUR FOCUS

“One of the first people I met from SMU’s staff afte r I committed w as Dr. Mmeje. He was the host fo r a sendoff for stud ents in the Dal las area and he introduced him self as the new VP of Student Affa irs for that comin g fall. About four months later on move-in da y, my family saw him in Lee durin g dinner. He walke d up to us, shoo k our hands, and addressed me by name—which he had remembere d after almost half a year.

That was the first of many mom ents that told me I had made the right choice by coming to SMU .”

We commit to helping students break down the social, physical, and emotional barriers that may inhibit their success.

“Breaking down barriers is a constant reminder of the type of work and impact I hope to have at SMU.—Work that is innovative, forward thinking, and intentionally created. It means empowering our students to advocate for themselves by providing the tools and guidance needed and advocating on their behalf when they cannot do so themselves.”

Staphany Lopez-Coronado, Assistant Director Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement

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courageous OUR IMPACT

26

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signature program

RANI VESTAL

New Braunsfels, TX English Boaz Commons “I considered transferring during my first year at SMU because I felt that I lacked a solid social network and purpose.

Becoming an RA changed everything. It connected me to the RLSH community comprised of student residents, other RAs, RCD mentors and RLSH faculty. I now feel valued as a student, RA, leader and person.

I can propose ideas, like remodeling the north area craft room, and am wholly supported. RLSH is really why I stayed at SMU and why I’m proud to be a Mustang.”

The inaugural Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) Summit was held in August and included chapter presidents, advisors, and campus partners. The purpose of this program was to provide interaction among chapter leadership within the community, build sustainable relationships with campus entities, and foster dialogue on shifting the current narrative surrounding fraternities/ sororities on campus. Throughout the program, presidents and advisors engaged in candid discussions around the current state of Greek life at SMU and what truly needs to be addressed to begin creating meaningful change.

While most of the program focused on community building, the ultimate intended outcome is to provide an annual opportunity that enhances leadership skills for chapter leaders through collaborative discussions.

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e

e

p

Courageous Leadership outcomes across 7 departments MAJOR ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE: LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLES

OUR IMPACT

31 programs and services mapped to

BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT PURPOSE: The Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement first implemented Leadership Roundtables for officers in culturally-based student organizations in 2017-18. The purpose of these roundtables was to encourage collaboration between the organizations while also helping student gain skills that would help them throughout their time at SMU. Each organization was required to send leaders and the group met monthly throughout the year. This year improvements were made to the program and the curriculum focused on individual leadership development and skill building in order to help students become more effective in their leadership roles at SMU and in other roles beyond the hilltop. In addition, a new element was added—asking first-year representatives from each organization to meet separately to continue to dive into topics first presented within the roundtables. The intended student-level outcomes for Student Leaders’ participation in the roundtables are to: (1) work on creating effective partnerships across organizations; (2) identify one area of growth for their student organization; and (3) identify their leadership skills and analyze their strengths and weaknesses.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: • How do Leadership Roundtable participants develop across the three intended leadership outcomes as a result of their experiences in this program?

• What (if any) additional strategies or topics might be incorporated into the Leadership Roundtable experience in order to further strengthen demonstrated student outcomes?

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: Outcome data was collected for student participants via the use of an online survey and direct, document review of students’ professional development plans and individual plans. As such, this assessment represented a mixed-methods approach that employed both indirect and direct evidence. Findings collectively indicated: • • •

Student leader participants of the roundtables demonstrated pointed growth across all three espoused outcomes.

The most profound growth was associated with roundtables that incorporated ongoing collaboration and interaction.

Students felt most supported and empowered in their growth through experiences that allowed for continuity in planning and execution of identified objectives (e.g., the professional development plan).

PROPOSED ACTIONS AND CHANGES As a result of formal assessment and observation, OSCIE has formed a four-year cohort plan to engage organization leaders in their first years and throughout their time at SMU as long as they are involved in the culturally-based student organizations. The office collected follow-up information on the preference of frequency of the roundtables as well as feedback for future topics that would assist in capacity building for organization leaders. Anecdotally, it was also recommended to continue and strengthen the cohort model because of the connections witnessed among students as they supported one another’s events.

I commit to...

DEVELOPING WORLD CHANGERS

ie Hainlin n n e Bo

We commit to purposefully engaging our students as individuals and leaders, to recognize their unique skills, talents, and identities and to help develop each one as a world changer in their own right.

“A world changer is not defined by how big their paint brush is, but by how often that paint brush is used for good. This connects to my role within student affairs in many ways. My charge is to not just run an intramural sports program or manage sport clubs, it is to develop students through those two vehicles. You can see the creation of world changers through intramural captain’s bringing together a group of friends to have fun on the field, intramural staff learning about themselves and what it means to be a leader, and sport club officers bravely leading their organization on and off the field.”

Bonnie Hainline, Assistant Director, Intramural/Sport Clubs

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OUR IMPACT

signature program The Unity Walk takes place every January to celebrate Martin Luther King,Jr. This year’s Unity Walk was held in the evening for the first time ever. The program was moved to the evening to allow more students and community members to attend. Students, faculty, staff,and guests gather to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work before taking a short walk together down Bishop Boulevard. The goal of the Unity Walk is to bring together the community of SMU and Dallas—all while honoring the work of Dr. King. This year, guest speakers and student performances were included in the program prior to the walk. As a result, this year’s attendance doubled in size. Moreover, the 2019 Unity Walk brought together 19 student organizations from across campus to represent different values that MLK lived by.

MAJOR ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE: FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNITY, INCLUSION, AND DIVERSITY

Each spring semester SCIE staff partner with others across the university to teach multiple sections of this one-credit Human Rights course; while it is primarily intended for first-year students, enrollments often include students from other class years. The content of the course focuses on student exploration of self-identity and community building in the context of SMU’s history regarding diversity. Students are exposed to history, theoretical concepts, and contemporary applications to patterns and structures that create inequality in race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ability status.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: • How does participation in the HRTS 1101 course relate to students’ understandings of identity, privilege, and inequality?

• What role does the content of HRTS 1101 play in equipping students to draw connections between theoretical concepts of inequality and real-life scenarios they experience?

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: At the culmination of the seven-week course, students are invited to complete a paper-based course evaluation survey in which they provide feedback regarding the content, structure, and delivery of the course as well as self-reported growth and development related to topical areas of the course. The data collected comprises both multiple-choice, likert-type question responses and more qualitative, open-ended responses. The findings below focus on three multiple-choice survey questions to address the assessment questions of this study: • 66% of students strongly agreed or agreed that HRTS 1101 “helped [them] understand [their] personal identity construction and [themselves].” (Survey Item A in chart opposite) • 85% of students strongly agreed or agreed that as a result HRTS 1101 “[they] have an increased awareness of the causes and effects or structural inequalities.” (Survey Item B in chart opposite) • 85% of students strongly agreed or agreed that they “are able to see connections between the material in this course and real-life situations [they] might face at SMU, in [their] career[s], and as citizen[s].” (Survey Item C in chart opposite) PROPOSED ACTIONS AND CHANGES As a result of the above assessment, along with evaluation of student assignments, the HRTS 1101 teaching team will propose to expand course offerings next Spring to include more sections. The strong responses to the question about connecting course material to context at SMU is an office priority and helps achieve departmental constituent outcomes as well as university priorities. In addition, SCIE staff will evaluate and rewrite sections of the curriculum in hopes of strengthening some of the lessons surrounding personal identity development. Lastly, SCIE will develop additional programs that attempt to bring some of these concepts together, in hopes of engaging students after their time with the course.

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“This course was one of my favorite courses I have taken at SMU. I learned so much about issues in the world that I was not exposed to before. I really enjoyed that it was a discussion-based course.

It gave me the opportunity to open up and discuss topics that I do not normally talk about. I will definitely recommend this course to others in the future.”

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5 departments

BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT PURPOSE: The Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement (SCIE) conducted an assessment related to the following departmental constituent outcome in the 2018-19 year: Students who participate in SCIE programs can better demonstrate how to positively advocate for the equity and inclusion of all people, while consistently pursuing an environment of respect, application of inclusive language, and purposeful awareness in college and beyond. Among the programs and services mapped to this particular constituent outcome, SCIE elected to collect information regarding student learning and development that occurs as a result of participation in a staff-taught course entitled “Foundations of Community, Inclusion, and Diversity.”

s

es

OUR IMPACT

global

y

43 programs and services mapped to Global Consciousness outcomes across

xt

5 departments

n,

MAN QI SH

Grapevine, TX Finance McElvaney Commons “It’s great to know that there’s an entire department at SMU that is dedicated to diversity, social impact, and volunteering. Without them, I wouldn’t feel represented at SMU.”

consciousness

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OUR IMPACT

congruence

pers signature program

The Civil Rights pilgrimage dates back to 2006 at SMU and continues to impact students today. As part of this experience, students engage in an eight-day trip through the Deep South, visiting historic sites and interacting with individuals who participated in the Civil Rights movement.

The pilgrimage prompts students to examine their own values around racial and cultural differences as embodied in real persons. As they think about these matters, they are challenged to consider their own sense of identity and what kind of persons they want to be. On average, 20-25 students (both undergraduate and graduate) enroll in a related, creditbearing course and participate in the pilgrimage each year. In order to continually assess and amplify the impact of this experience on students, the program is assessed via the analysis of data from a post-pilgrimage survey as well as qualitative analysis of students’ reflection papers, which are a requirement of the associated academic course.

MAJOR ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE: SPEAK ABOUT IT BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT PURPOSE: The Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services (VPSS) elected to conduct an assessment related to the following departmental constituent outcome: Students will be exposed to programs and learning opportunities designed to allow them to think critically about consent, relationships, bystander intervention, and personal values determination. This constituent outcome maps to the Personal Congruence and Holistic Wellness domains and is addressed via every program offered by VPSS in which students receive violence prevention messaging.

For the purposes of this assessment, VPSS focused on the Speak About It program—a theatrical presentation of consent and bystander intervention concepts performed by a traveling, fivemember troupe to first-year and new transfer students in their first week at SMU. This assessment sought to gather data regarding the extent to which students improved their understanding of and self-efficacy around consent and bystander intervention, and the effectiveness of the program’s style of messaging.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: • Do students have a greater understanding of issues of sexual assault on college campuses as a result of information received from Speak About It? • Do students feel more confident about intervening in potentially risky social situations as a result of information received from Speak About It? • To what extent does the style and delivery of the program’s content contribute to student learning?

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Co

gram

OUR IMPACT

rsonal SAM BORTON

NAPERVILLE, IL Economics, Markets & Culture Boaz Commons

“I came to SMU thinking highly of myself as a leader, but not knowing my personal vision or mission. Without both, one cannot make the type of impact they want to on their community. Many of the conversations and activities from the Emerging Leaders program prodded me to consider these ideas, and I came away from the program knowing myself better. Contemplating my unique characteristics as a leader as well as a personal vision and mission statement has helped me plan for my future.”

t

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: Attending students were sent an invitation to complete a web-based survey one week after the program. The survey posed questions regarding satisfaction with the program and self-rated changes in knowledge and confidence to act in hypothetical situations. Based on multiple choice item data collected from 106 students: • 89% of students either agreed or strongly agreed that the program “was engaging and contained information relevant to SMU”

y

•

66% of students either agreed or strongly agreed that the program “expanded [their] knowledge and/or challenged [their] assumptions about sexual assault on college campuses”

•

85% of students either agreed or strongly agreed that as a result of attending Speak About It, they “feel more confident about being an active bystander among [their] friends and peers in the future”

d

a

PROPOSED ACTIONS AND CHANGES Student survey results paired with additional reflection, a scan of similar performance options available, and conversations with stakeholders has resulted in the decision to invite Speak About It back to campus in fall 2019. In preparation for the next iteration of this program, however, VPSS plans to administer a more robust survey instrument that takes students’ entering levels of knowledge around these topics into account, so as to determine whether results vary significantly depending on prior knowledge. This additional analysis will allow VPSS to assess the appropriateness of the level of content being presented and also to ensure that all SMU students are ultimately achieving the desired level of knowledge acquisition in this topical area.

nal Congruence outcomes across 8 departments 31 1907307_Impact-R2.indd 31

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OUR IMPACT

The Big Event at SMU unites SMU students, faculty, and staff through meaningful acts of service in order to establish partnerships with the greater Dallas community, address community-identified needs, and change the world. The vision for The Big Event is to change the culture surrounding service on SMU’s campus. While many SMU students raise or donate money for a variety of causes, The Big Event supports students to begin understanding the needs of their community, while also learning how to advocate for and become more “socially responsible” in their multifaceted neighborhood of Dallas. The Big Event Student Executive Board consists of eight members, including an Executive Director, a Secretary, and (six) Assistant Directors for: Service, Finance, Marketing/Public Relations, Programming, Logistics, and Recruitment. Students who serve on the Executive Board gain skills in servant leadership, event planning, marketing, external affairs, and budgeting.

This Board will grow in 2020 in an effort to fulfill student leaders’ plans to double the event in terms of participant numbers and communities served. In 2018-19: • 30% of participants served at the Big Event to “give back to the Dallas community” • 33% of participants heard of The Big Event through a student organization • 42% of participants are likely to pursue additional service opportunities at SMU • 80% of participants are likely to sign up for the 2020 Big Event

signature progr

View a highlight video of the inaugural SMU Big Event...

Estimated worth of volunteer hours: $22,330 Total number of hours served: 925 hours

MAJOR ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE: ALLY TRAINING BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT PURPOSE: The Women and LGBT Center hosts various trainings aimed at educating faculty, staff, and students on strategies to become active allies to the LGBT community in partial effort to achieve the following departmental constituent outcome: Students will improve their understanding of LGBT identities and issues faced by members of the LGBT community and will learn strategies that enable them to serve as active allies to the LGBT community. In order to make one such associated program—the Ally Training model—more relevant to the institution, the structure of the model was completely updated in 2018-19. Specifically, changes were made to ensure participants receive the information needed to best support the LGBT population on campus. Offered via three training sessions with a total of twelve participants, the new program model was qualitatively assessed to confirm it accomplishes goals of understanding the community and providing resources and skills to support the community as Allies.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: • What impact does Ally Training have on participant learning around active ally behaviors and skills?

• What suggestions do participants have for improving the impact of Ally Training?

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: Upon competition of the training, participants completed a survey in order to receive their Ally placard—a certificate showing the completion of the training. Aggregated data from the surey indicated: • 58% of participants stated they learned LGBT community/ally skills • 11 of 12 participants would recommend Ally Training to others Participants stated the following could be improved for future trainings • More physical activity and movement so as to differ from classroom settings • Larger number of participants • Short breaks interspersed throughout the training more interactive activities PROPOSED ACTIONS AND CHANGES The overall findings from this assessment study suggest that participants found the training session to be of value. However, there were some important suggestions that will help inform future Ally Trainings, such as adding more interactive activities. The training is currently 75 percent interactive, but given feedback from participants, there is a demonstrated desire to see even more interactive sections within the training. Several participants also stated that the program needs to be marketed and promoted more to the campus community. This is something the Women and LGBT Center will focus on going into the 2019-20 year.

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OUR IMPACT

social

program

the .

MADDIE JENSEN

45 programs and services mapped to Social Responsibility outcomes across

8 departments

Amarillo, TX Biology McElvaney Commons

“The OSCIE staff have been so encouraging throughout my time at SMU. They have listened to my dreams and helped make them a reality since my first year on campus. I would not have been able to contribute to the SMU community in the ways that I have without them! The staff definitely saw potential in me that I did not know I had.�

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OUR IMPACT

M S

signature program

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76 programs and services mapped to Holistic Wellness outcomes across

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9 departments

On August 29, 2018, approximately 450 students attended SMU’s first ever Health Jam—a resource fair that provided health resource information to the SMU community, specifically targeting first year students. The purpose of Health Jam is to bring all health and wellness resources from within and around SMU’s campus to one place, giving students the opportunity to learn about different areas of health and wellness. Health Jam included a variety of Student Affairs offices, academic departments, student organizations, and community vendors. Topics of focus included nutrition, fitness, mental health, violence prevention, sexual assault awareness, first aid, hazing, finding purpose, physical health, public safety, and disease prevention. Student participation at Health Jam 2018, paired with the 30 vendors and 50+ volunteers who partnered with the program, made Health Jam one of the largest events during SMU’s campus week and the largest event delivered by the Office of Community Health Promotion in 2018-19. Health Jam is scheduled to take place again in fall 2019 with additional vendors/groups, enhanced assessment efforts, and even more ways for students to interact with health resources at SMU.

B Th re ca To kn pe le fir th do di

A • • •

M A in su • • • •

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ANKUSH JAIN

OUR IMPACT

Murphy, TX Finance and Mathematics Crum Commons “My experience with the Office of Community Health Promotion has supplemented my learning and development by showing me how to be more organized when I plan health programs. Additionally, it has helped me develop as a person because I have learned a countless number of ways to be healthier while promoting good health to my peers.”

MAJOR ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE: STUDENT WELLNESS CHAMPIONS BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT PURPOSE: The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center assessed the 2018-19 impact of the Student Wellness Champion Program, which relates to two of the center’s departmental constituent outcomes pertaining to students being introduced to oncampus resources and prevention information, and learning the skills needed to develop life-long healthy behaviors.

To help achieve these outcomes, the Student Wellness Champion Program equipped student wellness leaders with knowledge and skills to implement programs within the residential commons and across campus to educate their peers on health and wellness topics. The program required Student Wellness Champions to create and facilitate at least one residential commons program and one community outreach program per semester. Because this was the first year of the revamped Champion program, the Office for Community Health Promotion (CHP) assessed both the knowledge of Student Wellness Champions following their training and the reach of their programs. This was done to monitor the level of interaction this program achieved within the SMU community and confirm that students disseminating information were properly trained to do so.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: • How effective was the structure of the Student Wellness Program in educating student wellness leaders?

• How many students received health information through the Student Wellness Champion Program?

• What type of health information was provided to SMU students through this program?

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: Assessment data was utilized from various sources to answer the study’s assessment questions. These sources included: direct measures of learning via Student Wellness Champion assessments administered at the completion of summer training and program outcomes data such as attendance, location, and topical area. Findings showed: • 21 of 22 Student Wellness Champions scored an 80 or above on the post-training assessment • 19 total programs were conducted in the fall semester reaching 360 students 2 • 13 programs were conducted in the spring semester reaching 337 students 4 • Student Wellness Champions facilitated programs focused on the following topics:

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-

Mental Health Nutrition Physical Activity Healthy Relationships Substance Abuse

3

19

4

PROPOSED ACTIONS AND CHANGES The Student Wellness Champions Program was extremely successful in terms of initial training for its members and the level of reach as measured by program attendance.

The program was relatively successful in the range of topical areas addressed by the 33 programs offered in 2018-19. In order to better achieve its constituent outcome of introducing students to a variety of different health topics, CHP will provide more balanced programming across the Student Wellness Champion specialty areas in 201920. Additionally, CHP will incorporate more rigorous assessment strategies to gain an even more nuanced understanding of the program and its impact on the SMU community; these will include regular check-in assessments for Wellness Champions to ensure information from the initial summer training is being retained, and learning outcomes assessments to be administered to participants of each program offered.

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OUR IMPACT

amplifi MATT HUTNYAN

Irvine, CA Psychology and Health and Society Morrison-McGinnis Commons

signature progr

“Through my involvement with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards I have learned many things and gained many skills that I would not otherwise have in a classroom setting. My work with the office has allowed me to interact with a variety of people in a variety of settings, often asking tough questions and discussing difficult topics. Additionally, it has given me a new perspective on what it means to be a productive member of a community and why it is important to develop character and integrity as a young person.”

FI •

MAJOR ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE: ORIENTATION LEADER INSTITUTE

•

BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT PURPOSE: In an effort to better understand how students develop skills and capacities needed to serve as an Orientation Leader (OL), the Office of the Student Experience assessed student-level outcomes of the Orientation Leader Insitute, their OL training class. This assessment relates to the following departmental constituent outcome: Students will develop in their leadership capacities via informal and formal opportunities. Orientation Leaders spend eight months with the office as students in class, as employees in training, and as student leaders leading small groups and executing major campus orientation programs.

Because of the important role they play in welcoming new students, it is vital to understand how to improve students’ training experiences so they are able to ultimately serve new students more effectively.

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ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: • To what extent do Orientation Leaders develop in the orientation competencies of teamwork, oral communication, professionalism, problem solving, and personal growth?

• In what ways could the Orientation Leader training be structured to better support and prepare its participants for their duties as O-Leaders and subsequent leadership opportunities?

METHODOLOGY: An online survey with items related to self-rated development and perceptions of the Orientation Leader experience, especially training opportunities, was sent to students at the end of their eight-month terms. Results were then analyzed using pivot tables for Likert-scale items and qualitative coding for open-ended responses.

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•

e program

OUR IMPACT

capacity

fied

With the creation of 11 Residential Commons (RCs) five years ago, some RCs began creating Signature Events to foster community pride and create traditions. As of 2018-19, each of the 11 RCs has developed at least one Signature Event: Armstrong Highland Games | Crowchella The Great CRUMpkin | Loyd on the Lane Krewe de Ware | Taste of Diversity Cockrell Classic | MoMc and the Movies VieSta | Club SMUSH Bows and Bowties | Camp McElvaney

The Great CRUMpkin

These programs are largely planned by student leaders who learn valuable skills in project management, teamwork, and budgeting among other crucial skills within the Amplified Capacity learning domain. Council and Residential Advisor Staff tasked with planning these large events range in size from 10-15 students. Associated program outcomes are assessed via Connect forms and Connect check-ins.

FINDINGS: • Orientation Leaders indicated growth in all five Orientation Leaders competencies • Orientation Leaders desire a greater focus on preparing for AARO during Orientation Leader Institute—requested topics included public speaking and leading small groups.

• The Orientation Leader position strongly prepares students for other leadership opportunities.

PROPOSED ACTIONS AND CHANGES Assesment findings suggest that while students indicate development in the five competency areas, the inclusion of additional training on topics (including public speaking and facilitation of small groups) would help enhance this growth. As an initial response to this finding, Orientation Leaders went through a new session in their training in which they were asked to answer common questions posed by incoming students and families. Further decision making around which additional changes to the Orientation Leader experience will continue to stem from the above findings.

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OUR STRATEGY

P

COORDINATED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN (year one)

The following set of 21 objectives represent those from the 2018-2023 Student Affairs Strategic Plan that were prioritized in the 201819 academic year (Summer 2018 through Spring 2019). Each objective was delegated to the purview of one of five divisional steering committees as indicated below.

SUMMER 2018

FALL 2018

SPRING 2019

n

SUMMER 2019

1.1 1.6 Create a division-wide

strate

1.7 Develop enhanced pathway

plans

1.10 Map all programs and

servi

2.3

2.3 Identify programs across origin, race, religion, sex,

the sexu

2.7

2.7 Establish a sequence of

stud

1.7 1.10

2.9 3.2

3.2 Increase faculty

eng

3.4 4.7 5.1 Increase regular strategic plans.

5.1 5.2

as

5.2 Review divison organziation structure and human resources allocatIon for optimal alignment.

5.6

5.6 Require each department

to

5.7 5.8

5.8 Require departments to post all events on a unified calendar and

5.10

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5.10 Establish an innovation

tra

g

6.1

6.1 Establish clear expectations of how living out the commitment

6.3

6.3 Prioritze the role of staff as educators actively contributing to the

6.4

6.4 Commit to ongoing learning within the field and across disciplines to

d

6.5

6.5 Develop a dynamic professional development curriculum preparing

a

6.7

6.7 Establish research groups

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st

aca

tas

e

not started

in progress (research)

in progress (planning)

in progress (implementation)

completed

completed & ongoing

FALL 2019

STUDENT EXPERIENCE STUDENT SUPPORT DIVISION PARTNERNSHIPS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

OUR STRATEGY

2019

COMMITTEE:

PHASE:

1.1 Develop a framework for a comprehensive experience guiding students from orientation through graduation to increase retention and persistence.

strategy and leadership framework for recruiting and developing student leaders across programs and services.

athway

plans for students within the conduct process so that they may learn to hold themselves accountable and undestand the impacts of their actions on others.

nd

services hosted by student affairs department to the six learning domains presented in this strategic plan.

cross

the division addressing the needs of students related to their sense of self, specifically examining ability, age, class, ethnicity, familial status, gender, national sexuality, veteran status, and other facets of identity.

e of

student experiences and learning opportunities to explore self-identity, engage across difference, and promote respect for all people.

ty

2.9 Leverage the opportunities for community engagement in Dallas and North Texas by creating intentional experiences for students to learn about and connect to diverse populations. engagement with student affairs departments to help inform evidence-based programming and align curricular and co-curricular learning experiences.

3.4 Increase strategic collaborations between student affairs and academic affairs including academic deans, University Libraries, and support services within the Office of the Provost to provide more robust programs and services increasing retention.

4.7 Enhance our framework for supporting students in crisis including broad training of the campus community on recognizing students at risk and improving the awareness of the university resources for students of concern.

ular

assessment of programs and services to ensure resources within the division are allocated and invested in areas that align with divisional and university

ment

to annually provide evidence of removal or revamping of at least one initiative identified as underperforming through assessment efforts.

nd

ation

e

5.7 Complete a CAS program review for every department including developing action plans to improve programs and services including outcome achievement for students.

track all program participation to evaluate program effectiveness and overall student engagement.

grant to support the creation of creative and interdepartmental programs and services.

statements and mastering the NASPA/ACPA competencies is realized in daily work.

academic mission through developing flexible procedures to encourage completion of terminal degree programs and adjunct teaching positions.

nes to

develop capacity and enhance effectiveness by regularly reviewing staff access to professional development funds.

ring

and supporting staff and graduate assistants to advance the components of the strategic plan.

oups

tasked with exploring an issue pertinent to the divison and implement actIon based on findings.

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OUR STRATEGY

A hallmark of the Division’s work is a constant commitment to seeking out assessment opportunities to ensure that (a) intended student-level outcomes are achieved, and (b) they are achieved by the most effective and efficient means possible. In order to do this, the Division approaches assessment from two related, but distinct, lenses that vary by the unit of analysis: A wide-lens approach: Program Assessment at the Departmental-Level Every Student Affairs department will participate in a year-long program review process using the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) professional standards by the close of the 20182023 Strategic Plan cycle. These reviews comprise an internal self-study and an external review that together form the basis of what is ultimately adopted as a five-year departmental action plan. This form of program assessment is intended to explore the holistic combination of a department’s inputs, outputs, and impact to enhance the way(s) a department operates.

CONTINUAL

improvement

A More Focused Lens: Outcomes Assessment at the Program-Level

Departments also undertake numerous, more program-specific assessments that include analysis of both program outcomes (i.e., utilization, business/service outputs, satisfaction, perceptions, and needs) as well as learning/development outcomes among participating students. Information gleaned from these outcomes assessments is used to amplify what is deemed successful and/or build upon areas that are identified as having room for improvement within particular services or programs.

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Regardless of the type of assessment lens used, the Division gauges the relative success of assessment efforts not by the completion of these exercises, but by the way assessment data is used to enact changes that, in turn, impact student learning and development.

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Th

Ex

PROGRAM

reviews

The following five departments participated in a CAS program review during the past academic year:

FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIFE

| OFFICE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTION | MUSTANG BAND

OFFICE OF STUDENT CONDUCT AND COMMUNITY STANDARDS |

OFFICE OF THE CHAPLAIN

OUR STRATEGY

2018-2019

External reviewers visited SMU from the following institutions:

2017-18 CAS Program Review Updates In their first year following the program review process, the following three departments have implemented the below strategies for continual improvement: Residence Life and Student Housing • Created a personnel survey to measure the effectiveness of in-hall staff members • Completed an external, marketing demand study examining upper-division housing and identified a land site for a new building with construction to start in 2019 • Reorganized the department and created three new positions: 1) Director of Operations; 2) Director of Academic Initiatives, and 3) Assignments Coordinator Office of Violence Prevention and Support Services • Increased campus communication efforts to enhance visibility of the office and its services • Launched a bystander intervention initiative through the Green Dot Bystander Program Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement (specifically community engagement programs) • Created, in partnership with the Hegi Family Career Development Center, the SMU Board Fellows program—an initiative that places students on local nonprofit boards • Developed a Community Engagement Calendar that provides year-round information on pertinent events and studentfacing programs Student Experience (specifically leadership programs) • Developed a Leadership Framework in connection with the Student Affairs Strategic Plan • Cast a new vision for all existing leadership programs based on industry best-practices • Established a plan for spending down unused endowment funds

D

elyn Ashl v E ey r.

I commit to...

ACTING RESPONSIBLY

We commit to being responsible stewards of our resources and influence, and promise to hold ourselves and each other accountable in our daily work.

“This commitment statement is important to me because I often describe the work I do as teaching accountability to our students.

I try to live this out by holding myself accountable and when I fall short of my own expectations or the expectations others have for me, I own my shortcoming. I believe I cannot ask students to own their behavior if I do not set an example by owning my behavior.”

Dr. Evelyn L. Ashley, Associate Dean of Students

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OUR STRATEGY

Program Goal 5, Objective 6 of the Student Affairs Strategic Plan requires that departments annually provide evidence of sunsetting or revamping at least one initiative identified as underperforming via assessment efforts.

Based on assessment data from 2017-18, the following actions were taken (among a selected set of departments) in order to more effectively or efficiently achieve student development and learning outcomes.

Sunsets a Department of Recreation Sports

Religious Life Office of Student Support Survey data suggested a need for greater awareness of the Caring Community Connections program among faculty and staff.

The Office of Student Support revamped the planned frequency and content of informational sessions.

In the 2018-19 academic year, staff provided an increased number of roadshows to campus departments (28 compared to 11 in 2017-18), which now include areaspecific information tailored to each unique audience.

Low attendance and assessment data revealing low levels of student awareness regarding the weekly chapel service necessitated changes to the program brand, logistics, and outreach.

The Chaplain’s Office made changes to the name, location, and delivery of the chapel service that were then communicated via social media.

“Wednesday Worship” events in 2018-19 tracked attendance levels from 35-40 individuals each week, compared to 15-20 in 2017-18.

Outdoor Leader Training (OLT) assessment results concluded that the OLT module was outperforming articulated program outcomes.

Assessment data was provided in support of an application for OLT participation to fulfill General Education credits.

The OLT module proposal was approved by the Provost’s Office during the 2018-19 year. Students who participate in the OLT module will now be able to apply for their Oral Communication and Community Service General Education credits beginning in August of 2019.

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OUR STRATEGY

s and Revamps Hegi Family Career Development Center Women and LGBT Center Assessment data identified declining student engagement and attendance for Love Your Body Day.

The event was sunset from the 2018-19 program calendar.

Recovered resources were redirected to other continuing programs in the 2018-19 year.

Strategic planning exercises in the future will seek to assess alternative modes of program delivery for this content as part of a different learning/ development opportunity.

Hegi Center Communication Fair assessment data identified a need for enhanced marketing/ communication, as well as a more streamlined approach to coordination, student check-in, and employer check in processes.

The fair was rebranded and streamlined by the Employer Relations and Marketing Specialist in 2018-19.

Now more accurately named “The Communication Arts Fair,” this year’s event included a 200% increase in SMU student attendance (from 77 to 143), the first-time attendance of non-SMU students, and new partnerships with stakeholders such as the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards Following a mild revamping of the Decision-making Workshop (an educational opportunity option selected by or assigned to students as part of the Pathways Plans), SCCS continued to receive mixed feedback regarding the relevance, timeliness, and level of interactivity of the workshop.

SCCS temporarily sunset the Decision-making Workshop in 2018-19.

Reclaimed SCCS staff time and resources were reallocated toward other ongoing initiatives, including a major overhaul of the Decisionmaking Workshop to include best practices, research, and constituent feedback (planned launch will uccur mid-July 2019).

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OUR STRATEGY

innovation

in our practice

As a Division, Student Affairs recognizes the importance of constant innovation in the strategies and approaches used in our work that ultimately lead to a greater impact on student development and learning.

Staff from the Office of Student Support, Parent and Family Programs, Residence Life, and Student Development created an initiative called Got GRIT (Guts, Resilience, Initiative, Tenacity) in 2018. Resilience has been a national topic of conversation at many universities, and Got Grit is meant to cultivate and highlight this life skill in SMU students. The initiative consists of two parts—a social media campaign highlighting stories of grit among students, faculty, and staff and a postcard campaign in which faculty and staff recognize students for their demonstration of grit. Staff focused on the following in 2018-19: • marketing materials for the initiative (e.g., 8-page brochure about building resilience, stickers, and reusable straws) • outreach to students who had received a midterm grade warning • a hosted webinar to discuss the initiative with the division • participation in the Mental Health Awareness Fair to discuss the initiative with the SMU community Staff also began filming students for the social media campaign and will combine efforts with the Student Affairs Marketing Initiative to complete that portion of the initiative. A full rollout of this initiative is expected to take place in Fall 2019.

The Office of Student Support, Parent and Family Programs, and SMU Libraries partnered to open The Shop, an on-campus food pantry housed in Fondren Library. The Shop provides non-perishable items and basic essentials, as well as information about additional resources to students experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity among college students has been a national topic of conversation— when a student is hungry, the ability to focus on learning is significantly impacted. Accordingly, the Shop is a strategic approach to contribute to a student’s holistic wellness.

The Shop opened in late November 2018, and has been utilized 188 times by 56 students. Most of these students are juniors, seniors, and graduate students. The Shop has been sustained through contributions from the SMU community, including faculty, staff, students, and one outside organization (Highland Park High School student organization) who have hosted food drives. To assess satisfaction with and additional needs of The Shop, inlocation student comment cards are available. Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and future plans for The Shop include the following: • Further assessment regarding students who use the pantry • Provision of recipe cards with nutritional information • Additional partnerships for food drives • Planned conversations with Aramark to inquire about donations of meal swipes

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n e g — e

I commit to...

commit to a culture of intellectual curiosity INNOVATING We and innovation to develop, with student input, new strategies, implement new programs to OUR WORK more effectively serve our campus community.

OUR STRATEGY

Dr. Allison

nn y a K

“One of my favorite aspects of my role is the constant challenge to find creative and strategic ways to make the work of the division simultaneously more effective and efficient. If I can make an assessment concept more easily understood or a divisional reporting process even slightly more manageable for my collegues, I consider that a major success.”

Dr. Allison Kanny, Assistant Director for Assessment and Strategic Initiatives

Innovation Grant

In spring 2019, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs established a grant opportunity via the Innovation Grant which aims to “support the creation of creative and interdepartmental programs and services” (SA Strategic Plan Objective 5.10).

Across the Division, 11 staff members from six unique departments pitched seven Innovation Grant Proposals in this inaugural grant year.

Innovation Grants for the upcoming year were awarded to the following initiatives: RELAXATION ROOM Dr. Bob Smith Health Center Mary Skidmore-Gibbs & Jennifer Gay Beginning in fall 2019, students will have access to a relaxation room in the campus health center that features many modalities of stress reduction including massage recliners, meditation, mindfulness, bio-feedback, yoga, light therapy, art therapy and aromatherapy.

Strategic Plan Objectives: 1.1; 1.3; 4.1-2; 4.4; 6.7

VIDEO MARKETING INITIATIVE Central Administration Stephanie Howeth The Innovation Grant will provide start-up costs for video equipment needed to produce quality but authentic videos designed for social media communication and outreach, all “in-house” to the division.

developing our talent

Student Affairs centers on the work of a diverse set of talented and passionate staff—all working in varying ways to improve the experiences of students while they are on the Hilltop and for years to come after they graduate. In order to make the greatest impact possible, however, the Division must invest in developing the talent of our professionals.

The dedication of valuable division resources into professional development experiences for staff underscores a core belief that an investment in opportunities to develop ourselves as professionals in this field is ultimately an investment in our students.

67 staff members involved in 60+ state and national professional associations 19 staff members hold 24 leadership positions within 9 professional associations 29 conferences attended by 54 staff 3 staff completed terminal degrees 2 staff accepted into terminal degree programs beginning in 2019-20 2 peer-reviewed publications and 21 conference presentations 29 staff members involved in 27 campus-wide committees

Strategic Plan Objectives: 5.5; 5.9; 6.1

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OUR STRATEGY

looking ahead to 1.1 (Spring 2019 – Fall 2019) 1.2 (Summer 2019 - Spring 2020) 1.5 (Summer 2019 – Fall 2019) 1.8 (Summer 2019 – Summer 2019) 2.1 (Summer 2019 – Summer 2020) 2.5 (Fall 2019 – Fall 2019) 2.10 (Spring 2020 – Summer 2020) 3.1 (Summer 2019 – Fall 2019)

PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

STUDENT SUPPORT 2.2 (Fall 2019 – Fall 2019) 2.4 (Fall 2019 – Fall 2019) 4.6 (Fall 2019 – Fall 2019)

3.3 (Spring 2020 – Spring 2020) 3.4 (Spring 2019 – Fall 2019) 3.5 (Summer 2019 – Summer 2019) 3.8 (Spring 2020 – Spring 2020)

National College Health Assessment (all undergraduate and graduate students), Fall 2019

Large-Scale Benchmarking Surveys Scheduled for 2019-20

Title IX Athletics Survey (all first-year students), Fall 2019 Educational Advisory Board Campus Climate Survey (all undergraduate and graduate students), Spring 2020

Department of Recreation Sports Hegi Family Career and Development Center Women and LGBT Center

ff i r G

in Shar

Strategic Plan Objectives Beginning in 2019-20

6.6 (Fall 2019 – Fall 2020) 6.8 (Summer 2019 – Fall 2019)

DIVISION PARTNERSHIPS

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

2019 - 2020

p

Large-Scale Areas participating Benchmarking in 2019-20 Surveys Scheduled CAS Program for 2019-20 Reviews

I commit to...

MODELING THE WAY

We commit modeling the way for our students by engaging them with respect and integrity, and by demonstrating congruence in expectation and action.

“This commitment statement shows the value we have for SMU students and the need to give them not only our best professional effort, but also the best of ourselves as humans. In my position, I attempt to do this by honest conversations with students about the health needs of this campus and then collaborating with them to create meaningful well-being initiatives that ultimately have a positive impact on the SMU community.”

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Griffin Sharp, Assistant Director for Community Health Promotion

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OUR STRATEGY

“To Bonnie, it is not just enough for our students to be active physically with their respective teams. She works to infuse leadership lessons into their activities to ensure they leave the field or court equipped to work as a leader. Bonnie understands the importance of providing our students with the necessary tools to be effective leaders in all areas of their lives.”

Dr. Evelyn Ashley, Associate Dean of Students

e

n i l n i a H Bonnie ctor, nt Dire s Assista d Sport Club ls an ra u m Intra

courageous change leaders The Courageous Change Leader Award is awarded annually to staff members within the division who exemplify the six commitment statements.

“Madison has an uncanny ability to reach out to and effectively communicate with students of all different personality types and backgrounds. I have observed countless times how Madison approaches students differently depending on who they are and what she knows of them. As a result, each one leaves Boaz a better person than when they entered, and ready to change the ‘real world.’”

Dr. David Son, Boaz Faculty in Residence

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Madison Residen ti

Mucci-Fe

al Com munity D Boaz C ommon irector, s

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