Division of Student Affairs Annual Report 2016-2017

Annual Report 2016–2017

Letter from Dr. Klink It is my pleasure to share the Division of Student Affairs annual report with you. This report provides a snapshot of the work of our committed faculty, staff and student workers across the division who support the success of our students daily.

At the center of this report are our students. I think you will read, with great interest, about a trio of amazing alumni including an EMT and aspiring graduate student, a psychiatrist starting a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at Columbia University and an MBA/ALM graduate teaching at Harvard University and serving in the National Guard. You will also delight in reading four student profiles written by our students from the Student Media Center.

We have featured our offices in the division along with many of their highlights and accomplishments.

There is also information about some exciting projects that we have embarked on this year including the construction of the new Gladding Residence Center and a division master planning process that was incredibly helpful in sharpening our focus on the student experience. In addition, during the past six years we have been able to invest $28.2 million back into our residential facilities through upgrades, improvements and renovations. We have also continued to contribute to student financial aid by $1.3 million during the past three years.

Our report ends where it started, with the people of our division. We recognize the work and successes of our talented staff members, student leaders and student organizations. Our success as a division is fueled by an incredible wealth of human talent.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve the university with the leadership of my division and positively impact the lives of our tremendously talented students and their success.

With Gratitude,

Charles J. Klink, Ph.D. Senior Vice Provost of Student Affairs

Editor: Matthew Lovisa Photo Credits: Division of Student Affairs: Brandon Shields. University Public Affairs: Pat Kane. University Marketing: Tom Kojcsich, Julia Rendleman. Residential Life and Housing and University Student Commons and Activities: Francis Stephens, Hayley Zirkel, Nick Vega. VCU Recreational Sports: Haley Harrington.

Typography: Univers Printer: Wythken Printing

Table of Contents

Alumni Stories

2

Learn how three VCU Alumni have been impacted by Student Affairs.

Student Stories Read first-hand how students experience Student Affairs.

18

Department Highlights

4

Programs, Services and Facilities

12

Take a look at some of the numbers behind the initiatives.

See the programs, people and places that helped our students.

Staff Highlights

Student Leadership

22

View photos from our conference and awards ceremony.

24

Check out a few of our amazing students receiving awards.

Mission

Through our programs, services and facilities, the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) champions holistic student development by fostering inclusive communities and providing dynamic, integrative learning experiences that prepare our students to be thoughtfully engaged contributors to the global community.

Vision Educating all students to become innovative, courageous and socially engaged leaders.

Values

VCU Division of Student Affairs fosters a community committed to excellence by upholding values that promote student success, diversity, integrity, wellness and community. Our values are community, diversity, integrity, student success and wellness.

Annual Report 2016-2017 1

Alumni Stories

Career Path Discovery

Katie Jane Sturiale started working at VCU Recreational Sports in 2013 as a lifeguard in the aquatics department.

In her three and a half years at Recreational Sports, Sturiale became a lifeguard instructor, head guard, CPR/ AED and first aid instructor and finally a facility manager in the fall of 2015. Through all those experiences, she received many opportunities to further her professional development while still taking classes as a full-time student at VCU. “Rec Sports was a place where I felt genuinely cared for and valued as a vital member of the team,” Sturiale says. In 2015, Sturiale was diagnosed with a chronic neurological disorder and was scared and unsure of what the future had in store for her.

“Because of the support I had at Rec Sports, I became confident in overcoming the challenges life presented me with and this allowed me to become the resilient adult that I am today,” said Sturiale. “This job was my main support network while I was at VCU and has been the ultimate college career shaper. This facility is also where I made 99 percent of my good friends. I often joke that Rec Sports was my Greek Life experience.”

After her graduation from VCU in 2016 with a B.S. in psychology, Sturiale is now interested in attending graduate school for Recreational Management. Sturiale also recently became an EMT and hasn’t ruled out pursuing her paramedic certification in the future.

“This interest of mine in emergency medicine was definitely sparked and nourished by the lifeguard instructor position I held at Rec Sports,” says Sturiale.

“I am 110 percent confident when I say that the things I learned working for Rec Sports got me to where I am today.”

2 VCU Division of Student Affairs

Kanwar Singh, Business Honors Program, B.S. Finance, 2011. Photo credit: U.S. Army, Sgt. Michel'le Stokes

What have you been doing since graduation?

I completed an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and an ALM in Management from Harvard University.

I also teach financial accounting as an instructor at Harvard University and completed University of Virginia Sorensen Institute Political Leaders Program.

I decided to enlist in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, primarily because of the organization's homeland security and humanitarian relief missions and am currently in the Army's Officer Candidate School. The biggest challenge was securing a religious accommodation from the military.

As a practicing Sikh, I keep unshorn hair and beard and wear a turban.

How did your time at VCU prepare you for life after graduation?

I was incredibly impressed with the diversity of experiences that I picked up as a student at VCU. From taking academically challenging classes, working on research projects and serving in leadership positions in numerous student organizations, I gained various skill-sets to become a productive member of our society.

What experiences did you have with the Division of Student Affairs that were of value?

I closely worked with Dr. Klink on numerous projects through the Student Government Association. Dr. Klink was a tremendous source of strength and courage during my time at VCU and was always thoughtful and made himself available. I can't thank him enough for all that he did for me and other students at VCU. What advice would you give current students?

I would encourage current VCU students to get active in the campus community. There is a lot to be learned from taking all kinds of interdisciplinary courses, joining student organizations, meeting people from around the world, seeking internships and networking.

What have you been doing since graduation?

I moved to New York City for residency in psychiatry at Columbia University, which I recently completed after a year as chief resident.

In July, I started a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at Columbia and will be opening Jeremy D. Kidd, M.D., MPH, College a part-time private of Humanities and Sciences, practice. I've continued B.S. Biology and B.A. Religious to work as a researcher, Studies, 2006, School of Medicine, educator and advocate M.D., 2013. Photo credit: Rouse Photography Group and the American with a dual focus on Psychiatric Association addiction and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health.

How did your time at VCU prepare you for life after graduation?

I met mentors at VCU who continue to shape my life. For example, Dr. Judy Bradford, who sadly recently passed away after retiring from VCU in 2009, swept me under her wing when I was an undergrad and invited me to join her LGBTQ research group at Fenway Health in Boston.

What experiences did you have with the Division of Student Affairs that were of value?

In 2003, I founded the student organization Queer Action with another classmate. The Division of Student Affairs was an instrumental part of supporting our mission and endeavors.

Over the years, we worked with VCU administration to financially support an LGBTQfocused graduate assistantship in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. I recently had the honor and privilege of speaking at the VCU Lavender Graduation and met some of the people who have benefited from that position.

What advice would you give current students?

People often avoid taking risks because they fear being told "no." My advice is to acknowledge that rejection can hurt your feelings; however, it can also serve to motivate you and inspire creative solutions. In fact, some of my best victories have come after being told "no."

Annual Report 2016-2017 3

Department Highlights

Dean of Students Office The Dean of Students Office provided information at all freshmen, transfer and graduate/professional student orientations throughout the year. The Dean of Students Office presented to academic partners across campus on various topics including students of concern, counseling and disability support services.

The Dean of Students Office on the MCV Campus created a Student Leaders Council (SLC) in March 2017. The SLC consisted of student leaders from each of the five health sciences schools as well as key administrators. Each student representative is committed to representing their school’s student voice and facilitating open communication with their student body. This group served as a communication hub for its members, creating a conduit to disseminate information and seek student feedback.

The Dean of Students Office collaborated with campus partners to create emergency assistance support programs for temporary housing and food insecurity.

By the Numbers The Dean of Students Office served a total of 1,077 students during the 2016-2017 academic year, a 97 percent increase compared to the 2015-2016 academic year.

Office of Multicultural Student Affairs The sold-out Black Excellence Scholarship Ball recognized the academic and personal accomplishments of VCU’s black students, faculty and alumni. The Black Excellence Scholarship granted more than $5,000 in scholarships to students.

Lavender House is an inclusive community for LGBTQIA+ first-year students to live and learn with their peers. The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs provided monthly programs sponsored by Lavender House focusing on LGBTQIA+ identities, history and concerns.

4 VCU Division of Student Affairs

The Lavender Empowerment Summit was an inaugural event that empowered LGBTQIA+ students to become leaders both individually and in the community.

The program provided a safe space to share experiences and learn about issues within the LGBTQIA+ community and how to raise awareness.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs was one of multiple sponsors for the sixth annual Lavender Graduation.

The ceremony that celebrates the achievements of graduating gender and sexual orientation minority students and their allies.

Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity During the spring semester, an Academic Integrity Climate Survey was administered to gather empirical data from the entire university community regarding both perceptions and experiences with academic integrity at VCU. A total of 1,584 students, faculty and staff across all disciplines and colleges completed the survey.

77 percent of respondents indicated that they agree or strongly agree that VCU identifies academic integrity as a university value. Eighteen percent of respondents indicated that they had witnessed an honor code violation this past academic year; however only 28 percent of these who witnessed an honor code violation, reported it.

By the Numbers Opened and adjudicated 682 cases under the Student Code of Conduct and the VCU Honor System, of which 181 students requested hearings.

Developed and presented 41 educational programs to students and faculty in their academic setting.

Presented 37 sessions to train 182 Honor Council and Conduct Board volunteers.

Recreational Sports In collaboration with the department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, one 200-level Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science (HPEX) course was offered for students to become personal trainers and group exercise instructors. Upon completion of the course, they were prepared to take the American Council on Exercise Group Exercise certification. This also qualified them to work with us as certified group exercise instructors.

The first annual Sport Club Honor Banquet was held at the Tommy J. West Club in the E.J. Wade Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center with approximately 130 participants throughout the night.

In 2016 - 2017, Recreational Sports participated in the NASPA Consortium Benchmarking Study (n=165) and conducted a Group Exercise Program Feedback Survey (n=148). Some key findings are listed below.

By the Numbers Facilities welcomed 3,252 users a day.

14,816 participations in group exercise classes since January 18, 2017.

Communicated with more than 37,000 people a month through the website.

1,546 students participated in sport clubs.

34 clubs went on 138 trips and hosted 90 events.

7 clubs represented VCU at a collegiate club national championship competition.

70 percent of the Group Exercise survey respondents reported attending 1-2 group exercise classes each week.

76 percent of Recreational Sports student workers felt that their position prepared them to work in a professional environment after college.

100 percent of personal training participants “definitely would” or “probably would” use Recreational Sports Personal Training again and/or recommend it to a friend.

Annual Report 2016-2017 5

Department Highlights

Residential Life and Housing The Social Justice Student Conference was a partnership between Residential Life and Housing and The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. The conference was designed for students to gain an understanding and appreciation for the diversity on VCU’s campus, create an open dialogue about social issues and use leadership skills to network, as well as provide a comprehensive look at the true meaning of diversity. Shawn Utsey, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at VCU, opened with a keynote and the conference continued with 13 student presenters throughout the day. The conference was attended by VCU students, staff and faculty as well as middle school students from the community.

Residential Life and Housing donated 19,973 pounds of clothing and household goods to Goodwill from June 2016 through May 2017.

In August of 2016, the Residential Life and Housing office was Green Recognition of Offices and WorkSpaces (GROW) certified through the Office of Sustainability.

Residence Hall Association (RHA) sponsored a total of 35 students to attend four residential student leaders conferences that were held locally, regionally and nationally. Among them, nine students presented at these conferences.

Residential Life and Housing participated in the national Housing Skyfactor Resident Assessment, designed to gauge residents' satisfaction, perceived learning outcomes and the overall program effectiveness on a number of variables specific to the on-campus housing experience. A total of 3,017 (59.3 percent) residents responded. See longitudinal and peer comparison results detailed in the charts.

VCU RLH Skyfactor Assessment External Benchmark Comparison 2016-2017

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By the Numbers The freshmen to sophomore oncampus resident retention rate is 86.90 percent compared to the freshmen to sophomore off-campus resident retention rate of 83.80 percent.

There were 15,709 participants in the 1,874 programs offered by Residential Life and Housing.

Of the Residential Life and Housing programs, 23 percent were related to Residence and Living-Learning thematic programs, 17 percent were focused on student well-being, 16 percent were related to academic success, 10 percent were related to diversity and inclusion and 6 percent related to service.

A total of 122 Resident Assistants (RA) served in all 13 facilities, creating a 1:42 RA to resident ratio.

VCU RLH Skyfactor Assessment Longitudinal Change 2013-2017

Student Accessibility and Education Opportunity By the Numbers 1,168, approximately 4 percent of the total Monroe Park Campus student population, sought services from SAEO. Average 584:1 students to case manager workload.

The first annual Mini-Conference was attended by more than 150 VCU faculty and staff. The program brought together speakers from SAEO, The Autism Center for Excellence and University Counseling Services to provide trainings on disabilityrelated issues.

786 accommodation letters were requested and provided to 542 VCU students in 2016-17 academic year.

Proctored a total of 3,042 exams to support student needs.

Student Media Center Twenty-four student representatives of SMC media organizations attended four conferences/awards ceremonies where SMC organizations won a total of 40 awards at the local, regional and national level.

On Election Day, WVCW and The Commonwealth Times worked together to produce live coverage from 6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The coverage was broadcasted over the WVCW FM signal, updated on The Commonwealth Times website and posted on a special election coverage Facebook page.

By the Numbers 10 student media organizations actively produced a total of 78,310 printed copies published from the SMC. WVCW broadcasted 1,664 hours on FM. SMC professional staff offered 8 training workshops/presentations to students, faculty and staff.

Annual Report 2016-2017 7

Department Highlights

University Counseling Services Key findings from the 2016-2017 Client Satisfaction Survey (n=243): 60.67 percent agreed that counseling had positively impacted their academic performance.

64.04 percent agreed that counseling supported their continued enrollment at VCU. 73.03 percent of respondents indicated that counseling led to their development of more effective coping strategies.

79.78 percent said that counseling helped them think more critically about how to approach future problems.

82.02 percent said they became more reflective and self-aware.

87 percent of respondents agreed that staff displayed multicultural knowledge and sensitivity.

94 percent agreed that their counselor created a safe atmosphere to openly explore their thoughts, feelings and concerns.

Anxiety (51 percent), depression (46 percent) and stress (28 percent) were the top three concerns among students entering services during the 20162017 academic year. UCS continued to offer online GOLD Skill Sessions, focused on managing anxiety, stress and overwhelming feelings and also offered 11 skill based group sessions for anxiety.

By the Numbers 13,799 attended clinical appointments during the 2016-2017 academic year, an increase of 7.34 percent compared to last year and a 9.75 percent increase in the number of students served in the 2015-2016 academic year.

The top two categories of clinical appointments increase came from initial appointment for new clients 2,263 (56 percent) and Group Therapy attendance 2,474 (24 percent).

85.39 percent of respondents indicated that they would recommend UCS to others.

University Student Health Services A new system for electronic submission of immunization records was created for students to submit their immunization records through the student health web portal. The social media campaign “#AvoidTheHold� was created and utilized across various platforms to inform students on the importance of submitting records.

By the Numbers

USHS clinicians improved documentation of HPV vaccine status in the problem list by 438 percent.

Clinicians also demonstrated a 114 percent increase in documenting encouragement for completion of the three-shot series if not completed yet.

3,393 students received flu vaccines, a 5 percent increase compared to the 2015-2016 academic year.

13,014 unique student patients served.

40,468 clinic visits.

42 percent of VCU students served.

1,721 health science students screened for TB, a 13 percent increase from last year.

55 guest lectures on health related topics in the classrooms.

1:722 ratio of clinic staff to student.

291 students served per staff member.

8 VCU Division of Student Affairs

University Student Commons and Activities The Find Your Fit program helped students connect with resources and programs in the Student Leadership and Involvement Center (SLIC). Each student completed a form through RamsConnect and met with a SLIC staff member to determine ways to get involved on campus or in the community.

In January 2017, the Joint Student Government Council, the Monroe Park Campus Student Government Association and the MCV Campus Student Government Association introduced the merger referendum to the student body. Nearly 1,300 students across both the MCV and Monroe Park campuses voted in favor of unifying the two existing student government bodies and the Joint Student Government Council into one.

By the Numbers Registered a total of 556 student organizations, of which 109 (20 percent) were new organizations.

Student employee retention rate was 98 percent for the third year in a row.

A total of 608 student-run events were posted on RamsConnect platform.

38 Fraternity and Sorority Chapters were registered with a total of 1,220 members, with majors in 11 VCU academic colleges and schools.

38 chapters 1,220 members

The Wellness Resource Center Intervention on Tap is a three-hour workshop intended to lay the foundation for bartenders and wait staff to become empowered to have an active role in ending sexual assault. Participants learned how to recognize, intervene and support individuals who are being harassed at the bar.

The Well Confidential Advocates met with 114 students needing assistance with sexual and intimate partner violence, stalking, hate and bias motivated violence, as well as other issues. Sexual Assault is the most frequently reported victimization and the most served victims tend to be white, heterosexual and female.

The Well circulated 19 editions of the Stall Seat Journal, in nearly 1,300 bathrooms across both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses. Ninety-percent of students read some or all of the Stall Seat Journal, totaling more than 28,000 students reached monthly.

556 student organizations

By the Numbers 12,418 students completed Not Anymore, an interactive online program designed to prevent sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking.

On average, undergraduate students' Not Anymore test score increased from 70 points at the pre-test to 89 points at the post-test.

Offered 1,110 in-person group programs that were attended by 32,750 students.

There was a 19 percent increase in users on the redesigned website which launched at the beginning of the year with expanded educational content.

Annual Report 2016-2017 9

Department Highlights

VCU Career Services VCU Career Services expanded programs and services in order to strengthen career advising and enhance student success for all students and post-doctoral fellows. Between fall semester 2013 and spring semester 2017, student engagement increased by 66 percent and employer engagement levels grew by 138 percent with more than 2,300 employers participating at some level.

Career Services developed the curriculum and teaching for UNIV 291 and offered Job Search Jump Start, a day-long intensive workshop for students and recent alumni embarking on a job search.

VCU LEAD The Emerging Leaders Program partnered with VCU Libraries and Friends of the Library Board, to host a book sale in October 2016. The sale raised $20,399.35 which beat the prior cumulative record.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale was used to support the growth of the Emerging Leaders Program campus-wide projects in the future.

The Emerging Leaders Program celebrated its 10year Anniversary in 2016. During the past ten years, 378 students have completed the program. Many significant University-wide experiences have been created through the ELP program including: The Presidential Ambassador Program, RAM CAMP, the VCU LEAD Living-Learning Program and the Dominion Place Partnership.

Indirect assessment was conducted via the VCU LEAD end-of-year survey to assess student learning as a result of participating in VCU LEAD initiatives. (n=51) 96 percent indicated their participation in VCU LEAD has contributed positively to their overall experience at VCU. 94 percent feel more comfortable taking a leadership role in a group setting.

93 percent have had the opportunity to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

91 percent can recognize at least two leadership theories.

89 percent have applied their leadership skills in a real-world setting.

10 VCU Division of Student Affairs

By the Numbers Total of 15,431 student interactions, with 8,090 unique students served.

Delivered 102 in-classroom presentations.

Offered 11 career related credit bearing courses; and enrolled 193 students.

Hosted 8 industry specific careers fairs attended by 338 employing organization.

7,581 job and internship opportunities posted, with 16 percent posted by VCU alumni.

By the Numbers Increased student perception of satisfaction and learning as compared to other Living-Learning Programs based upon results from the ACUHO-I EBI Resident Assessment. Students who participated in the EBI survey responded to what degree has living in on-campus housing positively contributed to their: Sense of belonging to this institution LEAD students - 61 percent Non-LLP upper-class students - 47 percent Learning LEAD students - 60 percent Non-LLP upper-class students - 49 percent Are you satisfied with your on-campus housing experience this year?

LEAD students - 57 percent Non-LLP upper-class students - 52 percent Has positively contributed to your academic performance LEAD students - 47 percent Non-LLP upper-class students - 46 percent

Around Campus

Understanding Connections Danielle M. Dick, Ph.D. and Amy Adkins, Ph.D., from the College Behavioral and Emotional Health Institute (COBE) conducted University-wide research, focused on understanding genetic and environmental influences on substance use and emotional health outcomes among college students.

The results from �Understanding Connections Between Behavioral and Emotional Health, CoCurricular Engagement and Student Success," according to the Quest Innovation Fund Award (Adkins & Dick, 2016), discovered students with higher level of engagement measured by involvement with student organizations, serving in leadership roles, utilization and accessing recreational sports facilities, living on campus and attending career fair events, increase the likelihood of retention, as compared to students who do not. More specific results are highlighted below.

Compared to an overall dropout rate of 22 percent, students involved in three or more student organizations have a 13 percent rate of dropout and students who are in a leadership role in an organization have a 12 percent dropout rate.

Students who utilize recreational sports facilities in their first year of college, as measured by card swipes and check-ins, have a lower rate of dropout than students who do not. Increased participation in Recreational Sports programming and services is associated with a statistically significant decrease in student dropout.

Students living on campus have a lower rate of dropout than students living off campus, particularly in year one.

Students who attend career fair events in year one have a lower rate of dropout than students who do not.

Multivariate analyses examining all predictors simultaneously indicated that the predictors such as substance use, depressive symptoms, traumatic and/ or stressful events prior to VCU, engagement with student organizations and involvement in recreational sports, had largely independent effects on dropout (i.e., they remained significant after taking into account the other factors).

Footnotes: Spit for Science data was merged with university level data in order to examine the relationships between emotional and behavioral health, student engagement in university activities and academic success. These analyses examined student retention, as a key measure of academic success. Dropout indexed by at least 2 consecutive semesters with no recorded GPA at VCU.

Annual Report 2016-2017 11

Programs Fourteen students participated in the 2016 VCU Qatar Leadership Exchange.

Students from the Richmond campuses hosted the VCU Qatar delegation and then traveled to the Qatar campus to learn about similarities and differences in cross-cultural leadership.

VCU Career Services hosted more than 60 students for the inaugural Bench & Beyond Career Symposium. Graduate and postdoctoral scientists and researchers explored career paths in industry, government, nonprofit and education from the 28 industry representatives.

Residential Life and Housing had 551 residential students participate in Living-Learning Programs, 117 participate in a Programs-In-Residence and 273 participate in a Theme Housing Program.

The Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity provided support and education for 91 students sanctioned to attend the VCU RAMS L.E.A.D (Learning Ethics and DecisionMaking) program. Various campus partners and graduate students from the VCU Counselor Education program facilitated this program, which made more classes available for students and provided a unique experiential learning opportunity.

VCU LEAD Pathways allows Internship (34%) students to customize their Certificate of Leadership Studies to fit their own interest. Students ) completing their first year in 0% 2 ( VCU LEAD can choose from one ice of the six leadership pathways Pe rv e er s available. For the first and second y lea it cohorts in VCU LEAD, students n de u r sh m indicated the most interest in m ip internship (34 percent), followed Co (20 %) by peer leadership (20 percent) and community service (20 percent).

The Outdoor Adventure Program of VCU Recreational Sports and Richmondarea nonprofit organization Sportable, established a new partnership, which provided adaptive sports and recreational opportunities for people with physical and visual disabilities.

Photo by: Julia Rendleman, University Marketing

SAVES (Sexual Assault and Violence Education by Students), a program of The Wellness Resource Center, provided a two-day training twice for students to become peer educators, presented 56 programs and doubled their membership from 20 to 40 members.

12 VCU Division of Student Affairs

University Counseling Services had more than 400 students attend the Alive! Mental Health Fair and 2,400 students attend Paws for Stress programs.

Staff provided Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) trainings to 11 different VCU groups/ departments, 25 Safe Zone trainings and 46 events that reached more than 3,100 students.

In its second year, the VCU LEAD Peer Leadership Committee continued to explore the impact of peer leadership across the division. With the effort of 12 staff members, the committee worked on establishing a website for peer leadership opportunities, piloting divisionwide peer leader trainings and expanding opportunities for students to network with other peer leaders.

RAM Camp is a week-long residential on-campus leadership experience designed to connect incoming freshmen to VCU traditions, campus resources and fellow Rams. In 2016 a total of 551 students were involved in the program and in its fourth year, has shown a 72 percent participation increase over one year and a 400 percent participation increase over the past three years.

The Activities Programming Board hosted Spirit Week which started with a Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) Dedication Ceremony and a week of events that included an outdoor movie, a neon dance party and a carnival.

The Wellness Resource Center Rams in Recovery program had an increase of more than 100 percent of active students and met with 47 students for a total of 185 times.

Photo: Gov. Terry McAuliffe takes a cup of Recovery Roast coffee from Rachel Carr and Dan Roh at the Free Hot Coffee Bike, a Rams in Recovery project.

In collaboration with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) established the Greek Ally Program. This three-tiered FSL-specific Safe Zone training program educated chapters about the LGBTQIA+ community and ways to support members who may identify as such.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs hosted The Tunnel of Oppression, designed to expose participants to various forms of oppression that exist in the world today.

More than 550 individuals attended the Tunnel including VCU students, faculty and staff.

A delegation from the VCU Student Media Center attended the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Fall 2016 National College Media Convention in Washington, D.C. and were awarded with four Best of Show Awards.

Annual Report 2016-2017 13

Services Off Campus Student Services (OCSS) had 900 individuals attend events, a 328 percent increase of individuals who made direct contact with the office and a 335 percent increase in one-on-one meetings.

Residential Life and Housing recruited 92 faculty and staff to participate in the residential House Calls program to interact and discuss academic success with 2,227 freshmen students in their halls.

University Student Health Services had more than 40,000 clinic visits and 42 percent of students utilizing clinic services at least once. Top health related visits were Immunizations (20 percent), Mental Health (18 percent), Respiratory Illness (16 percent) and Women’s Health (10 percent).

900 events

335% increase 328% increase

Dean of Students Office had an increase of cases reported through the Share a Concern website from 50 during the previous academic year to 145.

42%

10% 16% 18% 20%

s th eal Illnes Health ations H z n's ator y ntal un i me r M e Im m Wo Respi

14 VCU Division of Student Affairs

Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity had a 65 percent increase in the total number of students selfdisclosing and seeking out supports and a 270 percent increase in the number of students actively requesting accommodations letters.

The Wellness Resource Center met with more than 400 students one-on-one for advocacy services, recovery support, brief intervention for alcohol and drug use issues, mental health skill building and general resources and referrals.

University Counseling Services had a 9.75 percent increase in providing students with clinical services and an increase of 7.34 percent in clinical appointments.

83.14 percent of Client Satisfaction Survey respondents indicated that they were "very or moderately satisfied" with their overall counseling experiences.

Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity started an initiative to transform the way more than 3,000 exams were proctored by the office.

This involved the hiring of two new positions, taking ownership of a testing lab and the coordination of all exams between faculty and students in-house.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs' Multicultural Connection Advisement Program (MCAP) helps students make the transition from either high school or another college to VCU as smooth as possible.

The program creates an atmosphere that minimizes anxiety and promotes positive attitudes.

University Student Health Services received a 78 percent overall visit satisfaction rating, which is 16 percent higher than the national benchmarking data set comprised of data from 30 four-year college health services.

University Counseling Services continued to see the number of students of color accessing services increase with 45.4 percent of the students seen at UCS identified as a student of color. There was increase in the number of international students, 3.8 percent compared to 2.8 percent and an increase in the number of identified firstgeneration college students, 22.6 percent compared to 19.7 percent.

VCU Recreational Sports facilities had 481,554 full-time student visits, with 19,272 fulltime students using a facility at least once, which is 75 percent of the full-time student population.

The Wellness Resource Center's Pathways to Choices program saw an average time from the incident and referral to the completion of the program significantly reduced from an average of 155.2 days to 34.3 days.

Results from Patient Satisfaction Assessment Services led by American College Health Association in spring 2016

VCU LEAD students completed 5,514.6 hours of leadership and service and had an economic impact of $129,923.98.

5,514.6 hours $129,923.98

Annual Report 2016-2017 15

Facilities University Student Commons and Activities recorded 2,001,160 individuals who came through the University Student Commons doors during the academic year.

University Student Commons and Activities event planners assisted in the planning of more than 57,898 reserved hours for the academic year, a 48 percent increase from last year.

VCU Recreational Sports facilities welcomed 3,252 users a day and more than 780,480 visits during the academic year.

University Student Commons and Activities student employees set up, broke down and supervised more than 13,701 events, a 37 percent increase from last year.

Residential Life and Housing continued the Gladding Residence Center project for a new 12-story building with 1,500 beds, scheduled to be completed in summer 2018.

16 VCU Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs embarked on a facility master planning procedure to align division goals with strategic consideration of needed student facilities. The process involved students, division staff and partners from across campus. Focus was given to those areas with direct impact on student success including future needs related to quality of space, amount of space and student utilization of space. Divisional alignment occurred around strategic clusters of wellness, leadership and diversity. The final report will be available in fall 2017 and will be shared for consideration in the University master planning process.

Annual Report 2016-2017 17

People: Student Stories

Getting Involved by Sophia Belletti Sameen Meshkin graduated from VCU in May 2017 with an undergraduate degree in biology with minors in music and chemistry. In July 2017, Meshkin began his medical education at Harvard Medical School.

"It has been an honor for me to participate in many of the major decisions guiding the direction of the university taking place at the board level."

During his time at VCU, Meshkin was selected by VCU President Michael Rao to serve as a Student Representative to the Board of Visitors. Through his service as the Student Representative, Meshkin identified the need for greater cohesiveness across various student health resources. He drafted the Student Health Resources Centralization Resolution and presented it to the President, Provost and VCU Board of Visitors.

“It has been an honor for me to participate in many of the major decisions guiding the direction of the university taking place at the board level,” he said.

Meshkin is also the founder of the Student Leadership Council for the College of Humanities & Sciences. His goals include promotion of synergies across the departments of the college so that they may function together more cohesively.

Through his involvement at VCU, Meshkin learned the importance of engaging young people in elevated conversations aimed at inspiring in them a love for service to their community, especially through youth empowerment in Richmond’s underserved communities.

18 VCU Division of Student Affairs

Connecting Campuses

by Sophia Belletti

Keith Zirkle is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Biostatistics at VCU School of Medicine.

Upon graduation, Zirkle intends to work within public health, specializing in spatial epidemiology.

"There has always been an effort for more communication between the two campuses."

The Virginia Beach native graduated from James Madison University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in statistics and minor in biology "Originally I really wanted to go out of state but I came and saw the department and the student to faculty ratio was nice and I felt like the department actually cared,” Zirkle said.

Zirkle is the Vice President of Graduate and Professional Students. In the 2014-15 school year, he was the treasurer of the MCV campus Student Government Association and in the 2015-16 school year was elected president. Zirkle spent last summer and spring working to merge the two and as of June 1, 2017, the two governments merged to form one VCU SGA. "There has always been an effort for more communication between the two campuses, Zirkle said. “I think one student government is best for the graduate student experience. I think there are a lot of students on Monroe Park Campus that want to go into medical fields."

Zirkle said he values the unique opportunities to be involved in student life. Aside from SGA, Zirkle participated in the VCU Qatar leadership exchange program this past fall.

Annual Report 2016-2017 19

People: Student Stories

Student Leadership by Siona Peterous When Andrea Nguyen crossed the stage in May with a B.S in Psychology, she left with the satisfaction of knowing she left her mark at VCU as a student leader within the Division of Student Affairs.

Nguyen was the founder and President of VCU’s Active Minds chapter as well as the President for RamPantry during her time at VCU and is set to begin Medical School in fall 2017 at the MCV Campus.

"My favorite part of being involved through student organizations is being able to talk so open with the faculty and staff because they provide so many connections and experience."

"We have so many student organizations so it is nice to take a break from academics and focus on student life,” Nguyen said. “Active Minds first started to address suicide but as it has grown nationally it has started to focus on specific issues of mental health. We have a big event in April every year during National Suicide Prevention Month.”

RamPantry's goal is to provide students in need with a stable food source and raise awareness of food instability. “It’s grown so much! We have more than doubled, maybe tripled, our usage," said Nguyen. "We've started to work with service learning classes which I think is great.”

Nguyen said that a huge part of her success has been that open network between herself, students and faculty provided through DSA. “My favorite part of being involved through student organizations is being able to talk so open with the faculty and staff because they provide so many connections and experience."

20 VCU Division of Student Affairs

An Unlikely Combination

by Siona Peterous

For those who know him, it may seem strange to realize Virginia Commonwealth University senior Alan Booth wasn’t quite sure what he saw himself doing outside of academics when he first started at VCU as freshman in 2014.

“I kinda just fumbled my way through most of my freshman year,” said Booth. “However, during Welome Week I was introduced to the student radio station, WVCW, and gradually got involved with the help of it's programming director.”

"I kinda just fumbled my way through most of my freshman year" Currently, Booth, who is on a Pre-Dental track with a major in Biology, is the general manager of WVCW Radio and was the student representative for the VCU undergraduate class to the VCU Board of Visitors (BOV) for the 2016-2017 school year — a far cry from a once fumbling young adult.

Though there are only two representatives, Booth and the graduate student representative Elizabeth Winslow, for a student body numbering more than 30,000, Booth said that the voices and interests of students are noted and funneled up to the BOV. “We do all we can to make sure their voice is heard, even if that voice isn’t stated explicitly in a board meeting it has been passed along and listened to,” Booth said.

“I believe that as long as VCU students work with our student representatives and advocates in the Division of Student Affairs and take advantage of our close proximity to the Virginia General Assembly, we will become the model 21st century research university.”

Annual Report 2016-2017 21

People: StaffofHighlights Table Contents

Division of Student Conference and Awards Ceremony by Pat Kane/University Public Affairs Whether driving 30 miles to handle frazzled vendors on a Sunday or facilitating challenging programs for the VCU community, staff in the Division of Student Affairs rarely put themselves first. On Thursday, May 25, more than a dozen people were honored during the Division of Student Affairs Awards Ceremony.

Conference keynote speaker Garret Westlake, Ph.D., executive director of VCU’s da Vinci Center, shared lessons he learned from his career in student affairs roles at several institutions. The awards ceremony capped the second annual conference. This year’s theme was “Unity: Strengthening Our Community.”

The conference featured a welcome by Charles Klink, Ph.D., senior vice provost for student affairs, followed by a round of speed networking and breakout sessions. Conference presentations were submitted by members of the Division of Student Affairs, as well as other departments and units from VCU and the conference committee selected eight presentations.

Attendees were encouraged to make a donation to the “Suit Yourself Clothing Drive,” an initiative by VCU Career Services that provides gently used professional clothing to students preparing for an interview or career fair.

22 VCU Division of Student Affairs

Division of Student Affairs Award Winners 2017 Campus Partner Award – Office of Sustainability 2017 Outstanding Program Award – Tunnel of Oppression (Yolanda Avent, Ashley Gaddy, Justin Shreve) 2017 Innovation Award – Residential Life & Housing Academic Initiatives Committee (Kevin Baker, Jamese Carrell, Erin Edwards, Megan Thurston) 2017 RAM Spirit Award – Lauren Henry, University Student Commons & Activities 2017 Commitment to Developing Others Award – Fletcher Ferguson, Residential Life & Housing 2017 Commitment to Developing Others Award – Reginald Stroble, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs 2017 Service to Diversity Award – Justin Shreve, Residential Life & Housing 2017 Outstanding New Employee Award – Latisha Taylor, VCU Career Services 2017 Outstanding New Employee Award – Ashley Gaddy, Residential Life & Housing/Multicultural Student Affairs 2017 Outstanding New Employee Award – Thomas Bannard, The Wellness Resource Center 2017 Dedicated Service Award – Mark Jeffries, Student Media Center 2017 Dedicated Service Award – Jenae Harrington, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs 2017 Distinguished Service to the Division of Student Affairs – Margaret Roberson, M.D., University Student Health Services

Annual Report 2016-2017 23

Student Leadership

Leadership and Service Awards More than 80 students, family members and staff attended awards honoring VCU student leaders on April 13, 2017 in the University Student Commons Commonwealth Ballroom.

This ceremony recognized students for their contributions to student organizations, community service and co-curricular excellence. There were a total of 12 awards given to 11 students.

Among the awards distributed was the newly named University Service Award after Dr. Richard I. Wilson, who served as VCU’s first Vice President for Student Affairs, from 1968-1993.

Dr. Wilson created the Division of Student Affairs and was also one of the founders of the Fan Free Clinic, The Daily Planet and Home Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), all efforts to aid the poor, ill and homeless in Richmond during the 1970s.

In addition to the Leadership and Service awards, three inaugural Peer Leadership Awards were given to student leaders within VCU’s Division of Student Affairs who demonstrated superior leadership within their department or division.

Student Organization Awards VCU Student Government Association (VCU SGA) hosted the Student Organization Awards on Tuesday, April 27 in the University Student Commons Commonwealth Ballroom.

This year’s winners included Active Minds at VCU, Collegiate DECA, Latinx Graduate Student Association, RamPantry, For The Children at VCU, Muslim Student Association and S.A.V.E.S.

24 VCU Division of Student Affairs

Leadership Team

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Yolanda Avent Director, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs

Jihad Aziz, Ph.D. Director, University Counseling Services

Karen Belanger Director, Student Conduct and Academic Integrity

Allison Dyche Director, Student Media Center

Curt Erwin, Ed.D. Assistant Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Executive Director of Housing

James Gahagan, Ph.D. Director, VCU LEAD

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​David Greene Director, University Student Commons and Activities

Linda Hancock, Ph.D. Director, The Wellness Resource Center

Derek Hottell, Ph.D. Director, Recreational Sports

Ijuanzee Isom Coordinator of Personnel, Administration and Special Projects

Yiyun Jie, Ph.D. Director of Assessment and Planning

Charles Klink, Ph.D. Senior Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Ian Kunkes Director, Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity

Matthew Lovisa Coordinator of Communications and Marketing

Heidi McCormick Director, VCU Career Services

Michael Miller Director, Technology Support Services

Justin Moses, J.D. Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Margaret Roberson, M.D. Director, University Student Health Services

Gavin Roark Director, Residential Life and Housing

Reuban Rodriguez, Ed.D. Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs

Greg Vaeth Executive Director of Financial Management and Technology Support Services

Annual Report 2016-2017 25

Vice Provost for Student Affairs 901 Floyd Ave. Sitterding House (804) 828-1244 students.vcu.edu dsa@vcu.edu Dean of Students Office 901 Floyd Ave. Sitterding House (804) 828-1244 students.vcu.edu/dos vcudean@vcu.edu 1110 E. Broad St. Hunton Student Center (804) 828-2110 Office of Multicultural Student Affairs 907 Floyd Ave., Room 215 University Student Commons (804) 828-6672 omsa.vcu.edu omsa@vcu.edu Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity 809 W. Broad Street, 2nd Floor (804) 828-1963 students.vcu.edu/studentconduct honorsystem@vcu.edu stuconduct@vcu.edu Recreational Sports 101 S. Linden St. Cary Street Gym (804) 827-1100 recsports.vcu.edu recsports@vcu.edu MCV Campus Recreation and Aquatic Center 900 Turpin St. (804) 828-6100

Residential Life and Housing 301 W. Cary St. Cary and Belvidere Residential College (804) 828-7666 housing.vcu.edu vcuhousing@vcu.edu

University Student Commons and Activities 907 Floyd Ave., Room 104 University Student Commons (804) 828-6500 usca.vcu.edu contactusca@vcu.edu

Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity 907 Floyd Ave., Room 102 University Student Commons (804) 828-2253 saeo.students.vcu.edu saeo@vcu.edu

1110 E. Broad St. Hunton Student Center (804) 828-2110

Student Media Center 817 W. Broad St. (804) 828-1058 studentmedia.vcu.edu info@vcustudentmedia.com Technology Support Services 809 W. Broad St. (804) 828-8943 servicedesk.vcu.edu dsatech@vcu.edu University Counseling Services 907 Floyd Ave., Room 238 University Student Commons (804) 828-6200 students.vcu.edu/counseling jnaziz@vcu.edu 1000 E. Marshall St. VMI Building, Room 412 (804) 828-3964

900 Turpin St. Larrick Student Center The Wellness Resource Center 815 S. Cathedral Pl. (804) 828-9355 thewell.vcu.edu thewell@vcu.edu VCU Career Services 907 Floyd Ave., Room 143 University Student Commons (804) 828-1645 careers.vcu.edu careers@vcu.edu VCU LEAD 1000 W. Grace St. Grace and Broad Residence Center 1 (804) 827-5323 students.vcu.edu/vculead leadllp@vcu.edu

University Student Health Services 1300 W. Broad St., 2nd Floor (804) 828-8828 students.vcu.edu/health ushs@vcu.edu 1000 E. Marshall St. VMI Building, Room 305 (804) 828-9220

VCU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action university