BECOME YOUR BEST SELF A N N UA L R E P O RT 2 0 1 5 / 2 0 1 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
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Strategic Themes
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Key Achievements
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Divisional Points Of Pride
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Shay Davis Little, PhD Vice President Division of Student Affairs
OUR MISSION The Division of Student Affairs intentionally develops the whole student through transformational experiences. We passionately engage our diverse student population through quality programming and resources that enhance the educational process to ensure student success. Division of Student Affairs More than 400 administrative and professional staff, 30 graduate assistants and more than 2000 student employees work together to support students in becoming their best selves. From traditional to non-traditional, domestic to international, commuters to residents, the division endeavors to enhance the co-curricular lives of all Kent State students.
2015 - 2016 Goals Cultivate an enhanced, intentionally designed, inclusive and engaging student experience that enhances student success. Distinguish Kent State University as an exemplar healthy campus environment where physical health and general wellness pervade the community by adopting and implementing a recognized standard for wellness. Educate the campus community regarding mental health issues, resources and appropriate responses for distressed and disruptive individuals. Assess current mental health services provided to students on all campuses using standards from the Jed Foundation Campus Program. Exemplify a culture of lifelong learning, understanding (and utilization) of professional standards, implementation of student affairs best practices within Division of Student Affairs employees. Develop a culture of assessment and data driven decision making in the division by creating an assessment plan, identifying learning outcomes, and appointing a team representing each unit to coordinate the process.
Division of Student Affairs Reorganization With the changing landscape in higher education - and given the vital importance that student life has on the success of our university - we have moved to a model that has been widely adopted by other growing and thriving universities across the nation to strategically focus on the co-curricular experience. We have successfully transitioned into a newly organized division with a new leader. In addition, we have adopted the aforementioned mission and goals that comprehensively support the university priorities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
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TOP 2015 | 2016 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
KENTtalks A collaboration between the Division of Student Affairs, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and several student leaders led to the enhancement of KENTtalks. KENTtalks is a series designed to promote university-wide education through civil discourse. Approximately 400 students attended the three KENTtalks that were focused on issues related to diversity and inclusion. The topics were: Student Voices: Climate at Kent State University Gender and Sexual Diversity and Faith Less Talk, More Action - Introduction of the Student Diversity Action Council (SDAC)
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#1 College Dining Experience Kent State Dining Services earned the top spot on College Rank’s list of the “50 Best College Dining Experiences.” College Rank is an independent organization whose mission is to make it easier for students and parents to identify the best college for their individual needs and preferences. In selecting Kent State for the top position, College Rank cited the abundance of vegetarian and vegan dining options available, as well as its unique Veggie-A-Go-Go program, which allows students to place call-ahead takeout orders for vegan and vegetarian items. University Dining Services offers healthy choices such as the Mindful program, which emphasizes healthy cooking techniques that maximize flavor while minimizing calories, fat and sodium, and make available a registered dietician to offer nutritional guidance.
3. Undergraduate Student Government ‒ Charter Revision Student Affairs facilitated the process revising the Undergraduate Student Government charter to establish a unified student government across all Kent State campuses. In March 2016, a Kent Campus student referendum vote was held and the revised charter was approved by the Kent State Board of Trustees. Each campus’ Undergraduate Student Government is now recognized as the representative voice of the students’ interests, concerns and needs. A president on each campus will serve as the liaison between the student body, Undergraduate Student Government and university administration.
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TOP TEN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
4. Professional Standards Review Each unit in the Division of Student Affairs was charged this year to complete a self-assessment utilizing the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). CAS consists of 42 professional higher education associations which have developed best practices to identify opportunities for the enhancement of student learning and development. Through this process we identified areas of strength and opportunities for growth and developed action plans. As a result, Student Affairs has identified that all units and departments are more than 70% compliant with best practices. This effort is paramount towards cultivating a culture of assessment and data driven decision making that will guide our practices.
5. Strong Partnership with Barnes and Noble Campus Bookstore We continually strive to provide our students with affordable options for textbooks and other learning materials. More than 20,000 new & used titles were rented this past academic year and our students experienced savings of $941,000 from our used, rental and digital course material options. We partnered with the Office of the Provost in the textbook affordability system-wide implementation. Barnes and Noble invested more than $900,000 in capital improvements in the bookstores on all of our campuses. As evidence that the University Bookstore has embraced our students first vision, Barnes and Noble has committed to providing $25,000 towards book scholarships for students in need this academic year.
6. FLASHperks FLASHperks is our rewards program in which students simply attend designated events to earn points that make them eligible for prizes. FLASHperks is becoming an increasingly powerful tool in promoting student engagement as we partner with departments to approve and list events for FLASHperks eligibility. FLASHperks recorded more than 15,000 unique participants at nearly 800 activities throughout the academic year, with close to 40,000 student participation scans.
7. International Student Life Our division is strongly committed to enhancing the student experience for all of our students – domestic and international alike. In collaboration with the Office of the Provost, the position International Student Affairs Director expands our reach to the international student population. Through deliberate programs and services we foster intercultural understanding and promote engagement through educational, cultural, professional, social and service-oriented programs. We are impacting the quality of student life for our international students - more than 1,000 students attended the International Homecoming Celebration last fall; the Kent State International Mentors, a student organization dedicated to building relationships between domestic and international students, has more than 300 members; and more than 80 partnerships were forged through the International Friends Program which connects international students with faculty and staff who provide advice about academic life and insight into American culture and customs.
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
8. Healthy Campus Initiative The Division of Student Affairs is partnered with the Division of Human Resources to transform the Kent State culture of health and well-being. Key strides thus far include, but are not limited to, the creation of the initiative steering team, implementation of the health insurance requirement for international students, enforcement of the immunization requirement of Kent Campus students (increasing in a 16% increase in compliance in one calendar year), launch of the new FlashFleet bike rental program, and approval from the Board of Trustees for a new smoke-free, tobacco-free campus beginning July 1,2017. Lastly, Dining Services reports 77% of all beverages sold on the Kent Campus are noncarbonated.
9. Infrastructure Investment The Division of Student Affairs has intentionally been good stewards and re-invested money back into the infrastructure of the Kent Student Center, Ice Arena, Beall Kitchen (shared space with Hospitality Management), Recreation and Wellness Center, and the residence halls. The approximate investment totals more than $10 million this academic year.
10. Blue and Gold Pride The Division of Student Affairs promoted Blue and Gold Pride Days last fall as a way to unite members of the university community and promote Kent State pride. The tradition continued throughout the school year and system-wide as every campus designated a day each week for students, faculty and staff to show their Blue and Gold Pride. We have partnered with Academic Affairs, Alumni Relations, Athletics, Undergraduate Student Government, and University Communications and Marketing, to name just a few, to promote this initiative and make Kent State pride and school spirit evident throughout the university community. Thus far, the committee established a student pledge and an event rubric.
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STRATEGIC THEMES
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
The work that we do every day in the Division of Student Affairs supports the five strategic priorities as outlined in The Roadmap. Our mission embodies a students-first perspective and fervently contributes towards a Distinctive Kent State:
The Division of Student Affairs intentionally develops the whole student through transformational experiences. We passionately engage our diverse student population through quality programming and resources that enhance the educational process to ensure student success.
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Cultivate an enhanced, intentionally designed, inclusive and engaging student experience that enhances student success. We put Students First in all that we do and know that there is great power in the co-curricular experiences that we provide our students. More than 21,000 students were actively engaged in student organizations last year raising money for philanthropy, learning valuable communications skills, building relationships that crossed cultural boundaries, and honing leadership and management skills that leave them well-prepared for their lives beyond Kent State. We engaged with student activities coordinators on the regional campuses to expand the electronic student organization registration process to all campuses. Website enhancements were completed to more easily identify all registered student organizations, no matter the host campus. Lastly, we encouraged USG leaders to visit every campus and broaden the USG Charter to incorporate a student government structure on each campus. Beginning Fall 2016, eight USG presidents will represent students across the Kent State System. A new position, International Student Affairs Director, leads the process to intentionally engage international students. This role leads collaborations with many departments across the University to enhance internationalization and campus life to best serve our students.
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Distinguish Kent State University as an exemplar healthy campus environment where physical health and general wellness pervade the community by adopting and implementing a recognized standard for wellness. The Healthy Campus Initiative is underway and we are confident that it will contribute to a Distinctive Kent State as we aim to be the healthiest campus in the country. Our first action item, the smoke-free, tobacco-free campus policy, was approved by the Board of Trustees and will go into effect July 1, 2017. This policy will have unprecedented Regional Impact as our students embrace healthy behaviors that will influence their families and communities for generations to come.
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STRATEGIC THEMES
3. Educate the campus community regarding mental health issues, resources, and appropriate
responses for distressed and disruptive individuals. Assess current mental health services provided to students on all campuses using standards from the Jed Foundation Campus Program. We put Students First by ensuring that every Kent State student has access to mental health services and other preventative resources. Numerous studies have shown the link between mental health and student success - the American College Health Association (2010) found that 27.4 percent of students report that stress adversely affected academic performance in the past 12 months. Our partnership with the Jed Foundation guides the implementation of campus-specific best practices around suicide prevention, alcohol and other drug use, and complex mental health issues that our students are facing. Key needs identified are increased mental health services, updated policies incorporating the impact of health, and the implementation of a system-wide mental health emergency response plan and postvention guide. A steering team representing Academic Affairs; Athletics; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and the Office of the General Counsel is led by the Division of Student Affairs. In August 2015, more than 5,000 Step Up and Speak Out (SUSO) packets were distributed to faculty and staff with resources and strategies to address individuals who are disruptive or distressed. The SUSO website was also enhanced to more clearly communicate resources and response strategies.
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Exemplify a culture of lifelong learning, understanding (and utilization) of professional standards, implementation of student affairs best practices within Division of Student Affairs employees. Our quest for continuous improvement exemplifies strong organizational stewardship in each and every department and unit within the Division of Student Affairs. Our examination of best practices and adherence to professional standards inspires us to perform at the highest levels.
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Develop a culture of assessment and data driven decision making in the Division by creating an assessment plan, identifying learning outcomes, and appointing a team representing each unit to coordinate the process This year is a foundational year to build a strong culture of assessment. We strive to be the nation’s model student affairs division that other universities hope to emulate. Our continuous assessment efforts will lead to a Distinctive Kent State as the Division systematically evaluates our programs and services and develops action plans for implementation of best practices, innovation, idea generation, and national distinction.
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
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KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
PROGRESS ON ULI'S 1.
The Division of Student Affairs embraces the Students First philosophy Engaged more than 21,000 students in student organizations Partnered with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion , and Academic Affairs on DEEDS – (Dynamic Education and Engagement of Diverse Students) project Developed LEADtogether, the nation’s first leadership training academy happening entirely in the virtual world, to launch in Fall 2016 Implemented a new policy for student withdrawals due to health reasons Created a living/learning community open to all students interested in learning about sexual orientation and gender identity, with a focus on social justice for LGBTQA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual) persons
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The Division of Student Affairs champions A Distinctive Kent State Launched the Healthy Campus Initiative as we aspire to be the healthiest campus in the nation Partnered with the Jed Foundation Campus Program to conduct a campus-wide assessment of mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug services and programs toward the goal of a mental health strategic plan Adopted a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus policy Promoted Blue and Gold Pride Initiative Coordinated efforts to integrate the student co-curricular experiences on all campuses
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The Division of Student Affairs endeavors to increase our Global Competitiveness Created Director of International Student Affairs Director position Encouraged students to create and register 15 new international student organizations Hired International Community Assistants to serve international students living in the residence halls Appointed a psychologist with an international student focus who has established connections with Middle Eastern students as a trusted liaison
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OUR PRIORITIES
The Division of Student Affairs stimulates Regional Impact Realigned the Associate Dean of Students position to focus on student engagement on the regional campuses (connecting all eight campuses) Revised the charter for Undergraduate Student Government to create a USG president on each campus Invested $900,000 in infrastructure improvements at Barnes and Noble Campus Bookstores on the regional campuses
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The Division of Student Affairs promotes Organizational Stewardship Established an all business managers/officers team within the Division of Student Affairs to ensure consistency, cost-containment and efficiency Completed a self-assessment based on CAS Standards (Council for the Advancement of Standards) in each student affairs unit Evaluated the selection of a new Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) Redesigned the FlashLine portal in collaboration with the Division of Information Services, resulting in updated appearance and functionality to better serve the university community
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
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DIVISIONAL POINTS OF PRIDE
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
Student Affairs partnered with United Students Against Sweatshops Local #27 to advocate for Kent State’s membership in the Worker’s Rights Consortium. Kent State was accepted as of June 1, 2016
More than 26,000 unique students used the Recreation and Wellness Center in 2015-2016
Center for Adult and Veterans Services (CAVS) scored 100% accuracy in an audit conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs
Dining Services earned the top spot on College Rank’s list of the "50 Best College Dining Experiences"
University Health Services secured 96% compliance with the student immunization policy, resulting in a 16% increase in one calendar year
Fraternity and sorority members volunteered 12,879 service hours in our community and raised more than $56,000 in support of King Kennedy Community Center
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Divisional Points of Pride
Center for Student Involvement experienced a 256% increase in Peer Involvement Advisor appointments from last year. PIA’s connect students with activities and organizations in an effort to aid in retention
Kent Student Center and Center for Student Involvement implemented a student employee development program for 95 student employees
Students experienced savings of $941,000 through Barnes and Noble College Bookstore because of used, rental and digital course material options
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) served more than 1,320 students and provided 3,400 hours of classroom interpreting services
Student Accessibility Services collaborates with the Office of Global Education to provide interpreters for students studying abroad
STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
Office of Student Conduct collaborated with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to conduct an audit of their practices and procedures to ensure a fair and inclusive process for all students University Health Services gave 1,718 flu shots at 14 clinics held on each of the Kent State campuses
28% of all students living on campus reside in living-learning communities
Residence Services reports a 9.5% reduction in the number of alcohol violations over the last five years
Lifeshare Blood Drive Program administered through University Health Services raised $12,500 in scholarships and 1,001 units of blood.
77% of beverages sold on the Kent Campus are non-carbonated
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Divisional Points of Pride
6 International students were candidates for Undergraduate Student Government positions; 2 will serve on USG for 2016-17 Kent State Unversity's cricket team earned "Best Debut Team in Ohio" award by Buckeye Cricket Club
Overhaul of the Parents and Family Initiative to include a Parents and Family Association and other programs and activities to support their engagement
Introduced a Parents and Family social event during DKS