2016-17 Highlights
Student Affairs ANNUAL REPORT
Collaborative Programs I present to you the 2016-17 Student Affairs Annual Report Highlights, with deep gratitude to my colleagues. They bring vision, positivity, energy, creativity, resilience and professionalism to their daily work, which is grounded in student development theory. Through a broad array of services, programs and opportunities that help students to realize their potential, Student Affairs prepares students for leadership in this quickly changing and pluralistic world. The co-curricular experience is an integral and impactful part of holistic student development. During the past year, we collaborated with other campus departments to focus on events that gave ear to pluralistic voices on topics of importance in our community and world. This report highlights just a few of the numerous accomplishments within the division. We hope you enjoy learning about them. Go Tigers!
Erica O’Neal Howard Acting Dean of Students 2015-2017
COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
STUDENT CARE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Division of Student Affairs represents a rich tapestry of culturally diverse people and ideas, on and off campus. We believe that the student experience and education outside of the classroom bolsters and enriches the education of students inside of the classroom. This year we are highlighting a few examples of the ways in which the Division works across boundaries to create collaborative and engaging experiences for the Oxy community. For more examples of our collaborative work, please visit oxy.edu/student-affairs.
This year was a very demanding year for our mental health professionals and other staff who focus on supporting the success of our students. The work of Emmons Wellness Center, Project S.A.F.E. and the Student Success Team have been paramount in meeting the needs of our students, through offering programs and services at the individual and group level. Sample programs include Yoga as Healing for Survivors of Sexual Assault, providing early interventions to students in academic and personal distress, and the Send Silence Packing Project. In addition to the work of our professionals, a key collaborator in on-campus mental health awareness and self-care efforts has been Active Minds, a student organization that works to destigmatize mental health issues that affect college students. Spearheaded by Active Minds, Emmons partnered with the Send Silence Packing Project, which brought an interactive display of 1,100 backpacks to campus in April to raise awareness and discussion around issues of depression and suicide. Additional planning and financial support for this program was provided by the Campus Events Advisory Council (CEAC), the Offices of Student Life and Disability Services, ASOC, Oxy Arts, the Remsen Bird Fund, several teams from Athletics, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Peer Health Exchange and Public Health clubs, Dean of Students, Marketing & Communications, Dance Production, several Greekletter organizations and the psychology department.
Student Affairs sponsored a series of campuswide educational initiatives, including webinar viewings, discussions and resource compilations. Topics covered throughout the year included the importance of using inclusive language, faculty and staff roles as social justice educators, understanding micro and racialized aggressions, the experiences of transgender students and the implications of student immigration/citizenship status. An outcome of these initiatives were two Google Drive Resources Guides. One focused on providing students, faculty and staff with resources to educate themselves on utilizing inclusive language. The other culled information about how to communicate across differences, political and otherwise, post-election. These resources can be accessed by visiting oxy.edu/student-affairs.
EVENT PROGRAMMING To encourage a climate of open inquiry and community, the Division of Student Affairs planned and collaborated on several campuswide programs this year. In September we jointly presented, with Oxy Arts, What to Send Up When It Goes Down. What to Send Up, a play-pageantritual-homegoing celebration meant to disrupt, honor and reclaim, honored those lost to racist violence in America. The experience provided a cathartic opportunity for individuals to reflect and process emotions following several national tragedies. In February, Defamation: The Play came to campus. The interactive play explored the intersections of class, race, gender and religion through a courtroom drama that engaged the audience as the jury. Finally, the Freedom of Speech Panel was especially timely, given national and campus concerns about freedom of expression in the current political climate. Panelists, including Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Irvine Law School; Amy Pyle, investigative journalist; and Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, addressed the constitutional right of free speech, hate speech and responsible journalism. These programs were possible with support from Oxy Arts, the Remsen Bird Fund, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC), the Offices of the President and the General Counsel, Academic Affairs and the Offices of Community Engagement, Religious & Spiritual Life and Dean of Students.
The offices for Religious and Spiritual Life and Community Engagement collaborated with Residential Education and Housing Services, the Office of Student Life and the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute to offer two social justice-immersion experiences this year. The two-day-long OxyEngage Social Justice trip focused on the intersection of art and social justice. Participants visited different community organizations such as the Watts Community Labor Action Resource Center and Self-Help Graphics to learn about how these different community groups are working to address structural racism, unemployment and underemployment through the arts. The week-long Exploring Citizenship Alternative Spring Break focused on youth, arts and corrections. Participants visited community organizations associated with the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network (AIYN) to learn about their work with youth in correctional facilities, in addition to completing volunteer projects to support AIYN.
STUDENT INITIATIVES In 2014, ASOC Senate instituted the Textbook Reserve Program (TRP), in collaboration with the Academic Commons, to allow a cost-effective way for students to access textbooks for large introductory courses. This initiative is made possible through joint funding from ASOC and the Dean of the College. For the 2016-17 year, books from 14 different courses were offered. The most popular texts were Essential Calculus (745 total checkouts), Principles of Economics (833 total checkouts) and Organic Chemistry (1,478 total checkouts).
Collaborative Programs I present to you the 2016-17 Student Affairs Annual Report Highlights, with deep gratitude to my colleagues. They bring vision, positivity, energy, creativity, resilience and professionalism to their daily work, which is grounded in student development theory. Through a broad array of services, programs and opportunities that help students to realize their potential, Student Affairs prepares students for leadership in this quickly changing and pluralistic world. The co-curricular experience is an integral and impactful part of holistic student development. During the past year, we collaborated with other campus departments to focus on events that gave ear to pluralistic voices on topics of importance in our community and world. This report highlights just a few of the numerous accomplishments within the division. We hope you enjoy learning about them. Go Tigers!
Erica O’Neal Howard Acting Dean of Students 2015-2017
COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
STUDENT CARE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Division of Student Affairs represents a rich tapestry of culturally diverse people and ideas, on and off campus. We believe that the student experience and education outside of the classroom bolsters and enriches the education of students inside of the classroom. This year we are highlighting a few examples of the ways in which the Division works across boundaries to create collaborative and engaging experiences for the Oxy community. For more examples of our collaborative work, please visit oxy.edu/student-affairs.
This year was a very demanding year for our mental health professionals and other staff who focus on supporting the success of our students. The work of Emmons Wellness Center, Project S.A.F.E. and the Student Success Team have been paramount in meeting the needs of our students, through offering programs and services at the individual and group level. Sample programs include Yoga as Healing for Survivors of Sexual Assault, providing early interventions to students in academic and personal distress, and the Send Silence Packing Project. In addition to the work of our professionals, a key collaborator in on-campus mental health awareness and self-care efforts has been Active Minds, a student organization that works to destigmatize mental health issues that affect college students. Spearheaded by Active Minds, Emmons partnered with the Send Silence Packing Project, which brought an interactive display of 1,100 backpacks to campus in April to raise awareness and discussion around issues of depression and suicide. Additional planning and financial support for this program was provided by the Campus Events Advisory Council (CEAC), the Offices of Student Life and Disability Services, ASOC, Oxy Arts, the Remsen Bird Fund, several teams from Athletics, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Peer Health Exchange and Public Health clubs, Dean of Students, Marketing & Communications, Dance Production, several Greekletter organizations and the psychology department.
Student Affairs sponsored a series of campuswide educational initiatives, including webinar viewings, discussions and resource compilations. Topics covered throughout the year included the importance of using inclusive language, faculty and staff roles as social justice educators, understanding micro and racialized aggressions, the experiences of transgender students and the implications of student immigration/citizenship status. An outcome of these initiatives were two Google Drive Resources Guides. One focused on providing students, faculty and staff with resources to educate themselves on utilizing inclusive language. The other culled information about how to communicate across differences, political and otherwise, post-election. These resources can be accessed by visiting oxy.edu/student-affairs.
EVENT PROGRAMMING To encourage a climate of open inquiry and community, the Division of Student Affairs planned and collaborated on several campuswide programs this year. In September we jointly presented, with Oxy Arts, What to Send Up When It Goes Down. What to Send Up, a play-pageantritual-homegoing celebration meant to disrupt, honor and reclaim, honored those lost to racist violence in America. The experience provided a cathartic opportunity for individuals to reflect and process emotions following several national tragedies. In February, Defamation: The Play came to campus. The interactive play explored the intersections of class, race, gender and religion through a courtroom drama that engaged the audience as the jury. Finally, the Freedom of Speech Panel was especially timely, given national and campus concerns about freedom of expression in the current political climate. Panelists, including Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Irvine Law School; Amy Pyle, investigative journalist; and Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, addressed the constitutional right of free speech, hate speech and responsible journalism. These programs were possible with support from Oxy Arts, the Remsen Bird Fund, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC), the Offices of the President and the General Counsel, Academic Affairs and the Offices of Community Engagement, Religious & Spiritual Life and Dean of Students.
The offices for Religious and Spiritual Life and Community Engagement collaborated with Residential Education and Housing Services, the Office of Student Life and the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute to offer two social justice-immersion experiences this year. The two-day-long OxyEngage Social Justice trip focused on the intersection of art and social justice. Participants visited different community organizations such as the Watts Community Labor Action Resource Center and Self-Help Graphics to learn about how these different community groups are working to address structural racism, unemployment and underemployment through the arts. The week-long Exploring Citizenship Alternative Spring Break focused on youth, arts and corrections. Participants visited community organizations associated with the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network (AIYN) to learn about their work with youth in correctional facilities, in addition to completing volunteer projects to support AIYN.
STUDENT INITIATIVES In 2014, ASOC Senate instituted the Textbook Reserve Program (TRP), in collaboration with the Academic Commons, to allow a cost-effective way for students to access textbooks for large introductory courses. This initiative is made possible through joint funding from ASOC and the Dean of the College. For the 2016-17 year, books from 14 different courses were offered. The most popular texts were Essential Calculus (745 total checkouts), Principles of Economics (833 total checkouts) and Organic Chemistry (1,478 total checkouts).
STUDENT CARE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
This year was a very demanding year for our mental health professionals and other staff who focus on supporting the success of our students. The work of Emmons Wellness Center, Project S.A.F.E. and the Student Success Team have been paramount in meeting the needs of our students, through offering programs and services at the individual and group level. Sample programs include Yoga as Healing for Survivors of Sexual Assault, providing early interventions to students in academic and personal distress, and the Send Silence Packing Project. In addition to the work of our professionals, a key collaborator in on-campus mental health awareness and self-care efforts has been Active Minds, a student organization that works to destigmatize mental health issues that affect college students. Spearheaded by Active Minds, Emmons partnered with the Send Silence Packing Project, which brought an interactive display of 1,100 backpacks to campus in April to raise awareness and discussion around issues of depression and suicide. Additional planning and financial support for this program was provided by the Campus Events Advisory Council (CEAC), the Offices of Student Life and Disability Services, ASOC, Oxy Arts, the Remsen Bird Fund, several teams from Athletics, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Peer Health Exchange and Public Health clubs, Dean of Students, Marketing & Communications, Dance Production, several Greekletter organizations and the psychology department.
Student Affairs sponsored a series of campuswide educational initiatives, including webinar viewings, discussions and resource compilations. Topics covered throughout the year included the importance of using inclusive language, faculty and staff roles as social justice educators, understanding micro and racialized aggressions, the experiences of transgender students and the implications of student immigration/citizenship status. An outcome of these initiatives were two Google Drive Resources Guides. One focused on providing students, faculty and staff with resources to educate themselves on utilizing inclusive language. The other culled information about how to communicate across differences, political and otherwise, post-election. These resources can be accessed by visiting oxy.edu/student-affairs.
STUDENT INITIATIVES In 2014, ASOC Senate instituted the Textbook Reserve Program (TRP), in collaboration with the Academic Commons, to allow a cost-effective way for students to access textbooks for large introductory courses. This initiative is made possible through joint funding from ASOC and the Dean of the College. For the 2016-17 year, books from 14 different courses were offered. The most popular texts were Essential Calculus (745 total checkouts), Principles of Economics (833 total checkouts) and Organic Chemistry (1,478 total checkouts).
NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
75,000 The Occidental Weekly’s website had 75,000 unique visitors and 3 million hits from 135 countries. It is currently ranked No. 1 out of all West Coast liberal arts schools by page views and growth.
150
225 NPP OxyEngage 2016 attendance peaked at 225, which constituted 40% of the entering class.
Over 150 campus community members attended ORSL’s annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Lunch to celebrate unity.
THE GREEN BEAN COFFEE LOUNGE SCHOLARSHIP DRINK PROGRAM donated a total of $8,367.25 to three scholarship initiatives. The 2016–2017 recipients of the To Veitch Their Own Partnership program were FEAST Garden, Active Minds and the International Student Organization.
With the addition of an Academic Success Coach, we were able serve 50 additional students over the course of 120 meetings for dedicated one-on-one support.
100% OF STUDENTS SURVEYED agreed that Disability Services staff created a safe environment for them (76% strongly agreed; 24% agreed).
650 flu vaccines were administered to staff, faculty and students by Emmons staff.
THE MLK DAY OF SERVICE REHS trained five new graduate hall coordinators, three resident advisers and three full-time staff members, and housed 1,700 residents with just three full-time staff.
tutors delivered over 5,000 hours of tutoring and college-access services to LAUSD youth in underrepresented communities.
BROUGHT TOGETHER APPROXIMATELY 150 PARTICIPANTS WITH 14 COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TO WORK ON COMMUNITY PROJECTS SUCH AS FOOD RECLAMATION AND PARK CLEAN UP. THE ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER TIME WAS OVER $21,000.
PROJECT SAFE
PROVIDED 24 EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE OXY COMMUNITY, REACHING 1,790 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
$2.74 MILLION UPWARD BOUND WAS AWARDED A FIVE-YEAR, $2.74-MILLION GRANT BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
94%
of Upward Bound participants who graduated from high school enrolled in a program of postsecondary education.
Who We Are & What We Do
The Division of Student Affairs calls upon students to engage in all aspects of learning, and supports their development as socially responsible members of their communities. The Division impacts intellectual, social, cultural, and personal development through student-centered programs and services. oxy.edu/student-affairs
STUDENT LIFE
Orientation OxyEngage Greek Life Student Activities
Student Government (ASOC) The Green Bean Leadership Awards
RESIDENTIAL EDUCATION & HOUSING SERVICES
EMMONS WELLNESS CENTER
Counseling Services Medical Services Project S.A.F.E.
DEAN OF STUDENTS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Residence Halls Themed Housing Student Conduct Resident Assistant Programming
Student Success Disability Services Academic Support Dean’s Awards
Upward Bound Neighborhood Partnership Program Office of Community Engagement
RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL LIFE
Values & Vocations Religious Groups Interfaith Council