2014-2015 Oxy Student Affairs Annual Report

Student Affairs 2014-2015 Annual Report

STUDENT AFFAIRS VISION The Occidental student fully engaged as a catalyst for change.

MISSION The Division of Student Affairs calls students to engage in all aspects of learning and supports their development as socially responsible members of their communities. The Division impacts intellectual, social and personal development through studentcentered programs and services.

VALUES •R espect: To hold positive regard for others’ traditions, beliefs and goals, promoting an environment of inclusiveness.

•A uthenticity: To display consistency in our thoughts, feelings and actions with ourselves and others.

•R esponsibility: To be accountable to one another for our actions, statements and beliefs.

•G lobal Awareness: To act with an understanding of the world as a global community, recognizing the rights and responsibilities within it.

GOAL S •T o provide students with paths to enhance leadership skills that develop self-efficacy and collaboration.

•T o facilitate mastery in life skills as students prepare for the transition through and beyond Occidental College.

•T o connect students to communities on and off campus by providing opportunities for reciprocal learning.

TABLE OF CONTENTS A Message From the Vice President .....................................3 Campus Safety..............................................................................4 Dean of Students Office............................................................6 Emmons Student Wellness Center.........................................8 Intercultural Affairs.................................................................. 10 Neighborhood Partnership Program.................................. 12 Office of Community Engagement...................................... 14 Office of Religious and Spiritual Life................................. 16 Office of Student Life.............................................................. 18 Project S.A.F.E. .......................................................................... 20 Residential and Housing Services....................................... 22 Upward Bound........................................................................... 24

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STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

A MESSAGE FROM

THE VICE PRESIDENT

I

t is with great pleasure that I present this overview of the milestones, memories and accomplishments created in 2014-15 by Occidental College’s Division of Student Affairs. In the last year, the dedication and commitment of our staff to the success and well being of our students has been readily apparent. This annual report demonstrates the wide array of services, programs and assistance provided to students, parents, the campus and surrounding community through the work of dedicated Student Affairs professionals.

The Division of Student Affairs is comprised of 10 departments that contribute to the success and well being of Occidental College students. Each department addresses a key area in a student’s life, and thus their success on campus. The Division sees its work as parallel to the academic experience and exists to provide students with holistic care and platforms for them to continue their learning experience outside of the classroom.

In 2014-15, our devoted staff not only maintained the consistent quality of services that is a hallmark of our Division, but also planned for and implemented new initiatives and services to improve efficiencies, increase support to vulnerable populations, enhance student life, and promote a culture of inclusiveness and respect for all. With the collaboration of our colleagues on campus and in the community, the Division excelled in its mission to engage students in the development of their unique potential.

As I reflect upon the past year, I am proud of the exemplary work done each and every day across the Division to meet the needs of our students and successfully support their journeys, filled with discovery

and growth. The resiliency, innovation and commitment of the staff, directors and deans who continue to make this possible is reflected in the success of our graduating class.

Each year, the Division focuses on one area highlighted from our values and goals; this past year’s theme was leadership. Our students tend to excel in this area on multiple levels. On campus they lead student government, clubs and events. Academically, they conduct research and present at conferences. Off campus, they work with community partners and shine at their internships. In the Division, our goal is to create opportunities for students to build their leadership skills as well as provide mentorship, guidance and tools that will help make them effective leaders.

It is the belief of the Division that students’ co-curricular experiences are powerful tools in learning. Students’ academic experiences are the cornerstone of life at the College; the goal is to couple those rich curricular experiences with co-curricular experiences that support students’ ability to further think critically, understand and embrace equity and excellence and provide opportunities for them to enact their learning as engaged global citizens.

Io Triumphe!

Barbara J. Avery, Ed.D. Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

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CAMPUS SAFETY

New Campus Safety vehicle

Our mission is to serve the Occidental College community with compassion, excellence and integrity. We are committed to the protection of life, the prevention of crime and the preservation of peace.

HIGHLIGHTS • Campus Safety donned a new look for 2015.

Instead of the traditional law enforcement blue uniform, the department added a new “Class B” uniform. All Campus Safety personnel now have the option to wear a more comfortable, approachable and casual uniform, in addition to the formal “Class A” uniform.

• Purchased two new vehicles with multipurpose functionality: a Toyota Tacoma, for use as a mobile command post and supervisor response vehicle, and a Ford Fusion Hybrid patrol car, to replace an aging gas-powered patrol car. Campus Safety vehicles now display colors that match the Oxy school colors, an Oxy Tiger logo and a large reflective “CAMPUS SAFETY” banner proudly displayed on the sides of the vehicles.

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• Campus Safety personnel received training to enhance their effectiveness in the field, including: First aid/CPR/AED training and recertification, baton and defensive tactics training, Wicklander-Zulawski interview training, SEAN & SAFE training, FEMA ICS-100 Training, Clery Act Compliance Training and Pedestrian Stop & Racial Profiling Training.

• Promoted several officers: one sergeant to the position of lieutenant, one officer to sergeant and three officers to corporal. The department also hired two new officers. The multi-tiered organizational structure identifies each shift supervisor, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Campus safety also implemented a 4/10 schedule to increase shift deployment and decrease overtime.

This is the first time I have been proud to come to work. We are looking and acting more like a team than ever before.

JESSE MOLINA CAMPUS SAFETY OFFICER

• Opened a substation in the Academic Commons (Room 104). After several meetings with campus safety personnel and library staff, it was determined that more patrols were needed after hours in the Academic Commons. To enhance patrols and limit disruption of study time in the library, an office space on the first floor was dedicated to Campus Safety. This substation will enhance the Community-Oriented Policing Strategy, which will increase our effectiveness and decrease our response time.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

REQUESTED PATROL CHECKS Campus Safety directs traffic during Commencement

• In an effort to streamline the functions and processes within the Campus Safety department, the department’s manual of policies and procedures was examined for possible revision.

The evaluation revealed that several areas needed to be revised, amended and/or deleted.

Some practices learned from larger municipal law enforcement agencies have been adopted by the department.

• Created Field Operations Directives. These directives are procedural and policy briefs that inform officers of Campus Safety-specific policies and procedures. Campus Safety also created an employee performance entry form for immediate supervisor use. The document will memorialize and aid in tracking employee performance, commendations, corrective actions and counseling.

• Meetings with the LAPD/Northeast Unit commander are taking place regularly to develop dialogue and understanding between Campus Safety and the LAPD. • Formed a bike team. The Oxy Bike Team program returned in spring 2015 and played an integral role in the managing of parking control duties and responsibilities during the 2015 Commencement.

• Created a Training Cadre (Social Media/Intel Officer, COPS Sergeant, Emergency Preparedness Sergeant, Athletics Liaison, Terrorism Liaison Officer), which involves officers within the department being tasked with managing and organizing information-gathering, conducting in-service training and acting as a liaison with outside agencies/contacts.

Emergency Preparedness Tests/Events

by 14 Campus Safety personnel

Officers walk approximately

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Dean of Students Office The Dean of Students Office provides administrative and educational services through initiatives designed to challenge and support student academic, social and personal development. The office advocates for support and services for a diverse student body and their families, all designed to foster student awareness, autonomy and accountability. This holistic student-development approach is aligned with the College’s overall mission to prepare its graduates to make positive contributions to society.

The Dean of Students Office has utilized the majority of these best practices (United Educators and National Center for Higher Education Risk Management) in establishing the composition and function of the Student Success Team, as well as current operational policies and procedures.

CHERIE SCRICCA, CONSULTANT

HIGHLIGHTS • The Dean of Students Office was restructured to provide dedicated positions and more focused attention to the areas of disability services and behavioral intervention.

• The office moved to electronic student records for disability and academic probation, making hardcopy files obsolete. This has greatly improved accuracy of data and increased efficiency among staff.

• Student Affairs purchased a new information system, Maxient, which is used for behavioral intervention and conduct management. This has greatly increased our ability to provide effective interventions, increase communication and report in a timelier manner.

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• The office created a concussion management policy in partnership with Athletics, resulting in timely information sharing among Athletics, the Dean of Students Office and faculty. We also created faculty resources for classroom management protocol for students with concussions.

• The Student Success Team continues to train campus constituencies on the Culture of Care and new reporting system to submit information about distressed students.

• The office worked with the Registrar’s office to process more than 100 student petitions for leave of absence, transfer, withdrawal from courses or incomplete grades. We met with 50 students on academic probation and sent faculty approximately 150 notices for students needing flexibility due to personal or medical issues.

Student awardees and faculty nominators at the annual Student Affairs Awards Luncheon.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

2014-2015 STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM PRIMARY CASE TYPE DISTRIBUTION Academic

2014-2015 STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM INCIDENTS BY CLASS STANDING

2014-2015 DISABILITY STUDENTS RECEIVING ACCOMMODATIONS

200

Learning Disability

Psychological Disability

Mental Health 150 Life Event 100

OTHER

SENIOR

JUNIOR

Medical

PERMANENT ACCOMMODATIONS

SOPHMORE

Alcohol & Drugs

Psychological Disability

FRESHMAN

50

Medical Disability

Medical Disability

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS

Temporary

0

2014-2015 STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM INCIDENTS BY MONTH Permanent

80

PERMANENT VS TEMPORARY Represents 240 Students

70 60 50

THANK YOU. I think your intervention will immensely help him feel like he’s not alone in his slog up the mountain, and it alleviates my worry, too.

40 30 20 10 0

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE PARENT

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Emmons Student Wellness Center Emmons Student Wellness Center is committed to providing students with high-quality medical care, psychological services, and preventive health education in order to promote well being and support the academic success of our students.

HIGHLIGHTS • Hired a new senior director with experience in sexual assault advocacy, mental health counseling, public health and medical clinic management.

• Utilized a multidisciplinary approach to student care, with medical providers and psychological counselors meeting weekly for comprehensive case reviews. Including medical providers in case reviews has allowed all treatment providers to be active voices in the care of each student, especially those receiving both medical and counseling services and those being considered for psychotropic medications.

• In order to reestablish the short-term model for mental health care, Emmons initiated a new feebased system for counseling sessions beyond the initial six free sessions. Students are charged $10 for sessions seven to 12 and $25 for sessions 13 and over (waived for survivors of assault and Pell

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Grant recipients).

Members of the 2014-15 Student Wellness Advisory This has helped students Committee and providers alike focus on the short-term model, and has allowed the Center to see significantly more students.

• Walk-in hours for medical services were extended from one or two hours a day to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. This has offered more flexibility for students to come in when their schedule permits and has allowed medical providers to see significantly more students for sick visits.

•E mmons medical providers held four open flu shot clinics for students, faculty and staff, an annual tradition that allows the Occidental community easy access to flu vaccines without needing an appointment with their medical provider.

We believe that both SWAC and Emmons want to achieve one thing: to be there for the students.

FRANCES KIM ‘15 STUDENT WELLNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL CO-CHAIR

Emmons Student Wellness Center staff give free flu vaccinations for students, faculty and staff

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

Emmons Wellness Center is unique in that many of their counseling and medical professionals practice from varying therapeutic frameworks that engage students on diverse issues related to personal, medical and holistic needs.

counseling appointments provided

KARLA AGUILAR MANAGER AND SURVIVOR ADVOCATE, PROJECT S.A.F.E. • Emmons medical staff worked closely with Athletics to create a comprehensive approach to concussion prevention, education, care and treatment. Medical providers led several workshops on concussion treatment and have cleared all students with concussions (and other injuries) to return to play following appropriate care and followup.

• Electronic Health Records (EHR) were used for the first time this academic year for scheduling, charting, coding and billing. EHRs provide reliable access to complete patient health information and offer providers a patient’s health and medical history at their fingertips. EHRs also offer an efficient and consistent method of coding and billing, which has allowed Emmons to be more thorough and proficient in our billing practices.

• Occidental moved to a health insurance waiver, which allowed students to opt out of the student health insurance and instead remain covered under their parents’ or spouse’s insurance.

With students having various insurance, Emmons developed a new, streamlined model for insurance billing through electronic health records, which has resulted in higher revenues and fewer resubmittals.

• Occidental’s Student Wellness Advisory Council (SWAC) provided Emmons substantial feedback on the services offered to students and provided venues to introduce Emmons’ services to the student body. Active Minds, another student group supported by Emmons, also provided the Oxy community with outreach and education toward the destigmatization of mental illness.

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Intercultural Affairs The Office of Intercultural Affairs works with all members of the Occidental College community to help students thrive in an inclusive environment that challenges bias based on race, ethnicity or gender and promotes a campus climate that is free of violence and bias.

Intercultural Affairs uses a social justice framework to promote leadership formation, wellness and the success of all students.

Beginning my college experience with MSI served as a catalyst for personal and relational growth that I continually appreciate. I can easily claim it as one of the biggest reasons that I have come this far academically, socially, and with social justice work on campus and in the larger communities I am a part of.

NINA MONET REYNOSO ‘16

HIGHLIGHTS • In collaboration with Oxypreneurship, the Black Student Association and Coalition @Oxy for Diversity and Equity (CODE,) more than 100 students attended Diversity Think Tank, a hack-a-thon-style event aimed at creating new opportunities to build cultural understanding.

This solution-seeking event harnessed new approaches to inspire leadership in the creation of diversity initiatives throughout campus.

The event included a keynote address by social entrepreneurs, faculty and social justice activists and culminated with a pitch fest.

• Kicked off the year with all cultural groups coming together at the Intercultural Center for a social and informational afternoon at the Community Within a Community Mixer. More than 80 guests participated in the event by greeting and joining cultural clubs, making it one of the best-attended events in recent years.

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• Hosted GAYpril, a series of programs highlighting LGBT experience through art, discussion and performances. More than 10 events occurred throughout the month, co-sponsored by the Center for Gender Equity. A highlight this year was a visit by activist Mia Mingus, who discussed the intersections of race, gender and disabilities.

Association, to support students in envisioning new ways to contribute to building communities of equity.

• Members of the Greek Council of Occidental College participated in a diversity and leadership workshop hosted by Diversity Gym founder Gamal Palmer.

• Hosted the Multicultural Summer Institute, with the largest class in several years. The theme for the four-week academic residential program was Youth and Inequality. MSI introduces students to social, cultural and intellectual resources of Southern California and familiarizes students with the Oxy community and surrounding Los Angeles area.

• Hosted a community discussion on the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the American justice system. The event brought together community leaders from throughout Los Angeles, including representatives from Black Lives Matter and the local United Nations

• In collaboration with the First Gen Club, the ICA and Student Affairs administrators engaged with first-generation students in conversation regarding creation of new programs to support the growing number of students who are the first in their families to attend college.

2015 seniors at the Latino Graduation Ceremony

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

Intercultural Community Center Program Assistants and staff at the ICC.

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Neighborhood Partnership Program The mission of Occidental’s Neighborhood Partnership Program is to enrich students’ college experience through partnerships with schools and community agencies in the Los Angeles area.

These partnerships emphasize the value of a post-secondary education by promoting community engagement, civic responsibility, self-empowerment, education and leadership in adherence to Occidental’s mission.

HIGHLIGHTS • Tutored middle and high school students in seven Los Angeles schools with the help of 85 Occidental College students.

• Partnered with GEAR UP 4 L.A. in instituting its grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which provides services for the new cohort of approximately 3,000 students in the Promise Zone of Los Angeles.

• Implemented shadowing days at Occidental College. Hosted nine days during which more than 450 GEAR UP 4 L.A. students were served.

NPP recruited 131 Oxy student volunteers who contributed 524 volunteer hours as part of shadowing days.

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/OXYNPP

• Partnered with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity at four Los Angeles colleges. SAE hosted approximately 500 GEAR UP 4 L.A. students, who had the opportunity to explore different aspects of life on campus and learn that post-secondary education is about more than just academics. SAE recruited 85 student volunteers who contributed approximately 240 hours as part of the NPP partnership.

• Relaunched the Look at College Program for students affected by the new GEAR UP 4 L.A. grant. Partnered with 21 faculty and staff members and 40 Oxy student volunteers to provide college prep programming for approximately 500 seventh-grade students.

Each class, I come away feeling that I made a true difference in helping every single student that I worked with.

NPP STUDENT MENTOR

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

provided

for

assisted more than

While they can be very high energy, they ultimately listen when I ask them to focus. It is a joy to work with them because they all have a positive attitude and I can tell that they have a desire to learn.

NPP STUDENT MENTOR

in over

Oxy student volunteers provided

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Office of Community Engagement The Office of Community Engagement (OCE) provides students with opportunities to enact Occidental’s values through community-based service and learning collaborations with organizations in Los Angeles and beyond.

We work with all members of the Occidental community in challenging students to connect on-campus learning with meaningful and reciprocal off-campus experiences connected with issues of social concern. In doing so, the OCE seeks to support students’ development as responsible community members and endeavors to achieve a more just, livable and democratic society, as well as a strong commitment to diversity and to enacting a life devoted to public good and social justice.

(Left) Alternative Spring Break participants listen to Honorary Degree Recipient and Oxy Alum Odessa Woolfolk during dinner in Birmingham, AL. (Middle) OCE Staff participate in the MLK Day of Service at the ROCK Community Center (Right) OCE Campus and Community Organizer Sumya Kandukuri signs up students to vote using TurboVote.

HIGHLIGHTS • For the second year in a row, the California Campus Compact awarded the OCE two Student Fellowship Awards. Five student fellows worked on specific projects as a part of the fellowship program.

• Held its Year of Service program with great success. The OCE, in collaboration with the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, sponsored the 9/11 Day of Service in partnership with L.A. Works, an organization co-founded by Oxy alumnus Bob L. Johnson. Close to 40 students participated in a community beautification project in Boyle Heights.

The MLK Day of Service engaged over 300 students, faculty, staff, community partners and alumni throughout Los Angeles in 20 projects throughout the city. The OCE also co-hosted the Tu B’shevat Day of Service with Hillel and ended the year with the

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@oxyoce

Cesar Chavez Day of Service in collaboration with La Raza Coalition. Over 60 students participated in these additional days of service.

• In partnership with the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life as well as the Office of Residential Education and Housing Services, a successful trip to the south took place in congruence with the college’s theme of Emancipation. The program traveled to Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery and Memphis, visiting cultural institutions and speaking to community members about the civil rights movement. In April, students presented their reflections at an event that resembled a museum, where they expressed their thoughts about the things they learned from the trip.

• Organized the Staff Appreciation Lunch. More than 200 staff members came to the event, which is quickly becoming an Oxy tradition. Students set up the event, served the food and wrote notes to staff to thank them for their service.

• Increased participation in ongoing programs such as School on Wheels and InsideOUT Writers. On a weekly basis, in partnership with School on Wheels, Oxy students tutored local youth individually, from kindergarten to 12th grade. This program started with one student and has grown to include a group of 20 students weekly. InsideOUT Writers (IOW) is an organization that provides a range of services and support to meet the needs of currently and formerly incarcerated young adults. Occidental students created workshops for IOW alums as well as hosted the Annual Open Mic night featuring IOW alumni.

Students, staff and alumni volunteer all over the Los Angeles area as part of MLK Day of Service.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

hours equaling

*

• Organized events such as Social Action Week, featuring a screening of Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony, the Social Action Fair and National Voter Registration Day. Breast Cancer Awareness Month featured a series of events highlighting issues in the breast cancer movement. Incarceration Awareness Month included a panel of community partners who discussed the prison industrial complex and school-to-prison pipeline. A performance by Dark Matter attracted over 500 students, faculty, staff and community members to Thorne Hall.

• Organized the Ferguson Teach-In regarding the events that transpired in Ferguson, Mo. surrounding the death of Michael Brown. Oxy faculty and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Patrisse Marie Cullors participated in the panel. Over 200 students, faculty, staff and administrators attended the event.

I learned countless things concerning community engagement from this fellowship. More importantly, I learned that I love community engagement. I have both the strong desire to develop my tools and the knowledge to pursue future community engagement— at Occidental and beyond.

LILY GOLDFARB COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FELLOW

STUDENTS, STAFF, ALUMNI & COMMUNITY MEMBERS participated in the in

projects across the city *According to GiveGab

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Office of Religious and Spiritual Life The mission of the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life is to support Occidental students, faculty and staff in their pursuit of a vibrant and meaningful religious and spiritual life while engaging religious pluralism with a commitment to mutual respect, awareness and dialogue. We encourage students to consider how their spiritual development intersects with their intellectual growth and to engage life’s big questions concerning truth, morality, religious belief and social justice through programs and services that foster honest, respectful intrapersonal and communal reflection and holistic student growth.

Values is without a doubt the most transformative and empowering thing I have ever done at Oxy. VALUES AND VOCATIONS FELLOW

HIGHLIGHTS • Hosted a leadership retreat for 20 campus religious and spiritual group student leaders, with the theme “The Power of Narrative.” Through individual reflection and small- group storytelling, students identified meaningful moments on their religious, spiritual or philosophical life journey.

They also reflected on their sense of call to leadership and how they can connect with other students through storytelling.

• Administered another successful year of the Values and Vocations Fellowship funded by the Angell Foundation. Fellows reflect upon the intersection of social justice and spirituality by working at a community organization and attending a weekly

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seminar. Fellows learn contemplative practices from different spiritual traditions; clarify their religious, spiritual or ethical beliefs; refine their vocational goals; and identify spiritual resources that sustain people committed to serving the common good.

• Occidental is participating in the White House Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, a national initiative to encourage college students to engage in interfaith service and dialogue. Highlights of the Occidental Challenge included hosting five interfaith dinners for student leaders, several interfaith vigils and worship services, the Big Questions Lunch series and the fourth annual Multifaith Student Leadership Conference.

• Hosted the fourth annual Multifaith Student Leadership Conference on Exploring Vocation, Spirituality and Social Justice Across Religious and Spiritual Traditions. More than 70 people from Southern California colleges attended.

The event featured an interfaith practitioner panel and workshops on the intellectual foundations for interfaith cooperation, nurturing student vocational discernment and understanding the nuts and bolts of interfaith work. The conference was awarded the College’s Equity Program of the Year.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

• Fellows participated in a two-credit Mindfulness and Social Justice Practicum co-sponsored by Professor Thalia Gonzalez, chair of the politics department. • Students in the Alternative Spring Break Program participated in a two-credit Mindfulness and Social Justice Practicum cosponsored by Professor Thalia Gonzalez and The Office of Community Engagement. During the week of Spring Break, the group travelled to the south to engage with critical landmarks and people significant to the Civil Rights Movement.

A highlight of the trip was having dinner with Odessa Woolfolk, an alum from Occidental College who helped to build and sustain the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Religious and Spiritual Group student leaders at the August 2014 Student Leadership Beach Retreat.

This Fellowship offered the possibility to explore my personal conceptualizations of spirituality, delve into the role of God in activism and become in touch with what values I hold dear as I move through the world.

In essence, Values and Vocations served as an opportunity to both explore my spiritual development and actualize that development through real-life work with a nonprofit.

RACHEL BUCKNER VALUES AND VOCATIONS FELLOW

performed

at their community worksites or organizations students and administrators attended at least one of the Big Questions Lunch series

The Office for Religious and Spiritual Lifestaff at the 2015 Interfaith Baccalaureate Service.

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Office of Student Life The Office of Student Life (OSL) creates intentional opportunities that develop the leadership capacity of our undergraduates by inspiring and supporting student-led enterprises, organizations and initiatives that result in more effective, responsible global citizens. OSL aims to provide strong mentorship and advisement to all students at every stage of their matriculation.

Working with a team of people has given me the confidence to work with people of all different backgrounds.

MARIEL ROWLAND ‘15 OSL PROGRAMMING ASSISTANT

HIGHLIGHTS • Students voted in a new vice president for sustainability ASOC position, with the mission of improving communication between Senate and the renewable energy and sustainability committee.

• Students voted on the creation of a new ASOC branch focused on diversity and equity initiatives.

• Starting in fall 2014, OSL added a fifth day to Orientation to allow incoming students more opportunities to interact with faculty and more flexibility with family time.

• The Green Bean collaborated with KOXY and Raw Records to showcase student talent by streaming music in the coffee shop.

• Programming Board successfully hosted two concerts this year, featuring Odesza for Fallfest and Tinashe for Springfest.

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• OSL programming assistants created a new DIY series featuring popular arts and crafts projects.

• Launched a new women’s leadership program, OWL—Oxy Women in Leadership, which featured an alumnae panel, salary negotiation workshop and focus groups.

• Added mandatory sessions during spring Orientation on topics such as alcohol and other drugs, sexual misconduct and diversity for new transfer students.

• The Occidental Agency changed its name to Occidental Design Service to better reflect services provided.

• Greek Council hosted several workshops and town halls pertaining to diversity to promote a more inclusive community.

Homecoming gets kicked off with the traditional car parade through the quad, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 Headliner artist Tinashe interacts with the crowd during Oxy’s annual Springfest concert

and

in its first semester of employment checkouts per book

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Project S.A.F.E. Project S.A.F.E. is a prevention and intervention support program dedicated to ending sexual violence on Occidental’s campus. Project S.A.F.E. seeks to provide resources, advocacy, and educational programming related to issues of sexual assault, dating violence and stalking for all members of the Occidental community.

I think it’s important that we use the word “up”: stand up, stand up and do something, stand up and take care of your classmates.

JAY MILLER PROJECT S.A.F.E. PA

HIGHLIGHTS

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• Hired a full-time program coordinator to oversee Project S.A.F.E.’s overall comprehensive prevention strategies and efforts. This includes prevention education, programming and training on topics that relate to power-based violence and Oxy’s Upstander bystander intervention program.

The program coordinator position is funded by a Department of Justice grant geared toward reducing sexual assault on college campuses.

• Trained and employed five student programming assistants (PAs) to lead peereducation presentations that engaged student organizations, fraternities, sororities, athletic teams and other OXY community members. PAs presented on various topics across campus, including OXY Upstander bystander intervention, healthy/unhealthy relationships, stalking, consent and sexual assault prevention.

• The full-time program manager and survivor advocate was on call 24 hours a day and provided Occidental students confidential crisis support and resources. Student survivors who experienced sexual or power-based violence of any kind were accompanied to rape treatment centers, provided case management and given assistance with every step of the Oxy adjudication process.

• Sexual assault awareness and prevention training was a mandatory program for all incoming students during orientation. A large-scale training followed by small group discussions encouraged students to discuss being an Upstander and how they could contribute to a safe Oxy community.

Additional programs and discussions were followed up during the First Year Residential Experience (FYRE).

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• Held two major events: Empowerment Week and Take Back the Week. Both involved a series of campus activities and events geared toward speaking out against sexual and gender-based violence, expressing support for survivors and becoming an Upstander.

• Hosted several keynote speakers including Jackson Katz, an expert on male violence prevention; Sharon Love of the One Love Foundation; and Dr. Marc Grimmett, director of the documentary short film My Masculinity Helps.

• Developed a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) to enhance the cooperation and collaboration within Oxy and with outside partners and agencies, including Peace Over Violence, Santa Monica-UCLA Rape Treatment Center, L.A. LGBT Center and the Los Angeles

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

Police Department. The CCRT met three times and offered members resources and training on supporting survivors on campus.

campuswide events

• Redesigned the Project S.A.F.E. website to include advocacy and prevention services; launched a social media campaign to engage students; and developed numerous marketing materials, brochures and booklets addressing issues such as “How to Be an Oxy Upstander,” “Setting Boundaries” and “Healthy/Unhealthy Relationships.” Also created a comprehensive Sexual Assault Survivor Empowerment Guide.

Project SAFE PAs at an event during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

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Residential education and Housing Services Residential Education and Housing Services (REHS) fosters safe, inclusive and educational residential environments.

It intentionally challenges and supports students to embrace global citizenship, civility and personal accountability both on and off campus. Through engaging events and meaningful interactions, REHS promotes the holistic development of all students from a liberal arts perspective.

(Left, middle) Students mix and mingle with the international community.

(Right) Residents create DIY star jars in Stewie’s common room.

HIGHLIGHTS

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• The Office of Student Conduct successfully transitioned from the Dean of Students Office to REHS. Through this transition process REHS was able to critically look at the overall operations of the Office of Student Conduct and make effective changes in policies, procedures and educational sanctioning. Two major successes this year included working toward creative solutions for off-campus student conduct and adding a consultation process to existing services.

• Served as the host site for Central RAP 2014.

Central RAP is a one-day conference geared toward student and new professional staff from college and university residential departments in RAP’s Central California region. It provides a fun environment for leadership development, motivation and training for attendees. More than 400 RAs from the region participated and presented over 80 programs focusing on how to improve leadership.

• Created a paperless method for RA recruitment and selection using Google Drive as a document storage system. This paperless process was a comprehensive system for the RA workshop, RA candidate files and RA selection process. More than 3,000 pages of printing were saved as a result of this change.

• Developed a Wellness Committee, which developed a monthly newsletter offering health tips related to sleep/rest, homesickness, healthy relationships, positivity and sexual health.

The committee also partnered with Project SAFE, Emmons Wellness Center and the Queer Straight Alliance to host programs on healthy relationship-building and mastering sex shields.

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• Used staff meetings as opportunities for professional development. REHS selected readings for conversations and activities in weekly staff meetings. In addition to the readings, it employed online training site Lynda.com, invited campus partners to provide trainings and held discussions on emotional intelligence, delivering employee feedback and using LinkedIn. • Added an additional graduate position with the responsibility of engaging with students through student conduct, housing services and the SAE house. This position was successful in helping to adjudicate conduct cases through a global and educational lens. As an adviser to SAE, the GHC developed student-engagement opportunities for all students to build community within the house and the greater campus. The GHC also was instrumental in expediting our bed-lofting and work-order requests.

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STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 Applications received for “Create Your Own Theme” living communities this year representing approximately

400 INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

individual conduct cases Professor Paul Nam accompanies RA staff and students to a Hello Kitty exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum.

• Created the Global Diversity Floor in collaboration with the International Programs Office. Students living on this floor will be able to build friendships with like-minded students, as well as those from other cultures and countries; immerse themselves in an environment that helps contribute to international understanding; and participate in programs, outings, service projects and lectures that broaden global interests and knowledge.

• Created a mandatory off-campus housing orientation to provide support and resources for students planning to live within the neighborhood.

I learned about the differences between assisting, mentoring and empowering. This workshop provided me with leadership insights that I will be able to take with me beyond the RA position, regardless of employment.

For that, I am grateful for having been able to participate.

The average time from the case creation to adjudication

RA WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT

AVERAGE RESIDENCE HALL CAPACITY FOR THE YEAR 23

UPWARD BOUND The Occidental College Upward Bound program assists underrepresented, lowincome and first-generation students in the central and northeastern sections of Los Angeles with secondary education completion and post-secondary matriculation and completion. This is achieved through one-on-one academic advisement using a case management approach, weekly academic enrichment services and workshops, and summer residential programming. These transformative experiences in turn promote resiliency, leadership, integrity, self-actualization, and the embodiment of competitive greatness with the goal of creating lifelong learners who can advocate for themselves and their community.

It is not until you walk onto a college campus away from your community and have the privilege to speak with current students and staff that you can believe it’s possible. Upward Bound showed me that college and college graduation are possible.

EZEQUIEL RAMOS JUNIOR AT FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

HIGHLIGHTS • Created the Upward Bound Parent Institute, focused on college awareness for parents, and saw more than 85% attendance throughout the year.

• Launched the workshop “Community Cultural Wealth From a Deficit Framework to Notions of Inclusion for Students of Color,” which sought to shift the mindset of staff and students from “I can’t” to “I can.” The workshop also highlighted the wealth of knowledge and experience that can foster greater resiliency and tenacity. Eighty-three percent of participating students reported a gain in selfconcept and self-esteem.

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• Developed a new program, “The Detrimental Impact of Heteronormative Language on Student Inclusiveness,” which highlights the power of language and explores how heteronormativity stunts progression, excludes groups and fosters negative school climates. UB students discussed recognizing heteronormative language in practice and ways to use more inclusive language.

• With a newly implemented leadership model, all UB students engaged in the following workshops: What Is Leadership; Leadership and Social Responsibility; Leadership and Ethics/Morality; Leadership With Others and Notions of Communication; and Leadership in Practice.

New admits began their UB workshop series exploring the challenges and rewards of effective communication.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015

of UB seniors enrolled in post-secondary education upon graduation from high school

UB students on a Northern California college and cultural activity tour. For most of the students, this was their first time on an airplane.

Through Upward Bound, parents in the northeast sections of Los Angeles are able to dive deep into the issues their students face as they prepare for and enroll in college. Through empowerment dialogues, UB designs a strategic link that completes the support network for students with high potential.

CYNTHIA CORTEZ PARENT COORDINATOR AT UPWARD BOUND

UB senior Jose Meneses. Through Peace Over Violence, Jose started his own organization with the goal of bringing awareness to domestic violence as it affects adolescents.

of our college freshmen with the support of the Upward Bound College Retention Program

Student Affairs CAMPUS SAFETY DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE EMMONS STUDENT WELLNESS CENTER INTERCULTURAL AFFAIRS NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL LIFE OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE PROJECT S.A.F.E. RESIDENTIAL AND HOUSING SERVICES UPWARD BOUND