Be Well BU QEP by Belmont University

BELMONT UNIVERSITY QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN FEBRUARY 11, 2021 Revised August 25, 2021

PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM Dr. Cathy R. Taylor, Chair Dr. Sarah Gardial Mr. Doug Howard, J.D. Dr. Wayne Lewis Ms. Carol Smith Walter

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Topic Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Belmont’s BELL Core and WELL Core as the Foundation for the QEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Topic Identification Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Literature Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Examining Wellness Programs at Other Universities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Focus on Nine Dimensions of Wellness at Belmont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Aligning with Belmont’s Strategic Priorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Broad-based Institutional Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Leadership Reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Campus Wide Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Student Learning Outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Outcomes and Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Resources to Initiate, Implement and Complete the QEP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Building on Established Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 New Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Faculty Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Be Well BU Assessment Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Student Learning Outcome 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Student Learning Outcome 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Student Learning Outcome 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Belmont University’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Quality Enhancement Plan Committee (QEP) used institutional research findings, focus group information, and student, faculty and staff interviews and surveys to determine that the focus of the University’s QEP would be student wellness. From these data, the Committee learned that many wellness promotion and wellness courses and activities are available to students, but the efforts are disconnected, may not be accessible to some students and have not been consistently linked to student outcomes. Thus, the Committee recommends the creation of a one-stop-shop program for linking students to appropriate curricular and co-curricular wellness promotion and wellness activities and services and to coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of future programming. The name of the QEP and the program for student wellness will be Be Well BU. The adolescent and young adult years are critical times for decision making and the development of behaviors that impact wellness across the lifespan, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) are well-positioned to influence students’ adoption of healthy lifestyles as they transition to independence and adulthood. A review of existing literature and best-practices for campus-based wellness revealed the terms are used interchangeably. In addition, there are frameworks but no established wellness promotion models to guide university wellness programming, and while wellness education has been the primary means of promoting student wellness, recent work suggests the need for a more comprehensive approach that places greater emphasis on whole person wellness. Be Well BU will constitute a rigorous, comprehensive program aimed at producing graduates who demonstrate awareness of practices that lead to better wellness and identify ways of living that reflect a knowledge of their life’s purpose. Grounded in nine dimensions of wellness, curricular and co-curricular resources will be aligned and expanded. Faculty who are informed about the unique needs of young adults will guide these efforts to reinforce students’ healthy decision making and behaviors. This QEP directly supports Belmont’s first Vision 2025 strategic priority (BU 2025 Strategic Priorities, 2020), to attract, retain and graduate extraordinary students, thereby adhering to our institutional mission to empower men and women of diverse backgrounds to engage and transform the world with disciplined intelligence, compassion, courage and faith.

Figure 1.

STUDENTS WILL Identify ways of living

Demonstrate awareness

knowledge of the purpose

to better wellness.

that reflect a greater of their lives.

of practices that lead

  

Identify ways their

Belmont experience has helped them achieve wellness in various

dimensions of human life.

TOPIC IDENTIFICATION Belmont’s BELL Core and WELL Core as the Foundation for the QEP Belmont University is a student-centered Christian community providing an academically challenging education and currently serving more than 8,200 students from across the United States and 28 countries. With more than 100 programs of study, undergraduate students choose from on-campus, face-to-face; partially online hybrid and fully online synchronous and asynchronous course delivery models. These options present unique challenges for students’ meaningful engagement in wellness promotion programming and co-curricular activities. Wellness is vital to the overall success of individuals, communities and societies, and young adulthood is recognized as a critical time for risk-taking, decision making and adoption of lifestyle behaviors that will have lifetime impact. With unique access to this population, institutions of higher education (IHEs) have both opportunity and obligation to support their development of the healthy habits that will be vital to their future success (Okanagan, 2015). Over the last 10 years, Belmont has engaged in a series of broad institutional planning discussions to clarify its purpose, define more precisely its strategic position, and sharpen its focus on a set of challenging strategic goals designed to enable it to fulfill its educational mission effectively. Now embarking upon plans for Vision 2025, the University is perfectly positioned to design and implement a new QEP that aligns with key strategic priorities (BU 2025 Strategic Priorities, 2020). In particular, the proposed QEP strongly supports strategy number one that aims to “attract, retain and graduate extraordinary students” by “making the physical and mental wellness and safety of our students our first priority.” Historically, student wellness has been at the very heart of the Belmont mission. Belmont has taken responsibility for ensuring each of its undergraduate students engage in coursework and co-curricular experiences intended to support the development of healthy decisions and habits. This commitment to student wellness is currently most visible through its general education (BELL Core) and co-curricular (WELL Core) requirements for all undergraduate students and provides the foundation for the expansion proposed by this QEP. BELL Core. Belmont’s general education requirements are known as the BELL Core (The Belmont Experience: Learning for Life). These requirements engage undergraduate students in disciplines including humanities, social sciences, arts, quantitative reasoning, religion and wellness. Students are also required to engage in interdisciplinary learning experiences. Course requirements seek to develop students’ knowledge, skills and competencies in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and citizenship. Specific BELL Core course requirements for undergraduate students are divided into three categories: Signature Courses, Foundations Courses, and Degree Cognates. •

Signature courses are unique Belmont courses, including a First-Year Seminar, first and third-year writing and religion courses, a junior cornerstone course, and a senior capstone.

•

Degree cognates are courses that distinguish the University’s various degrees from one another (i.e., B.A., B.S., B.B.A.).

•

Foundations courses provide what the University believes are the proper foundation of every human being’s education, representing a spectrum of learning akin to the traditional liberal arts. Oral communication, social science, humanities, fine arts, quantitative reasoning, lab science, and notably, wellness courses are included in this category.

The Foundations, BELL Core wellness requirement is intended to provide undergraduate students with an understanding of wellness and fitness skills necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Students choose one of three routes to complete this requirement. Each route includes two credit hours of wellness concepts and one credit hour of activity coursework, and each includes basic nutrition science along with instruction and practice with developing and implementing a fitness program. Table 1 describes a sampling of current BELL Core wellness courses.

Table 1. Sample BELL Core wellness courses in Belmont’s undergraduate curriculum.

COURSE

CREDIT DESCRIPTION

WEL 1500 Lifetime Fitness

1 hour

Students design a personal fitness program. Nutrition, weight control, and general lifetime fitness principles are reviewed.

WEL 1600 Health and Fitness Concepts with Activity

2 hours

Wellness-based, lecture-oriented class that provides an indepth study of fitness and wellness issues.

3 hours

Introduction to wellness with an emphasis on applying the learned content knowledge to an activity (e.g., Aerobic Walking, Weight Training, etc.).

1 hour

These varied courses are designed to develop cognitive and lifetime performance skills in individual and dual sports.

1 hour

Introductory course includes nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, cancer and heart disease prevention, foodborne illness, food additives and pesticides, weight management and eating disorders. Students learn to discern between health claims, food fads, and sound nutrition advice based on a scientific approach.

1 hour

Introductory course in mental wellness issues (e.g., stress management, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, etc.) encourages students to discuss and explore relevant information and enables them to make informed decisions regarding mental wellness across the lifespan.

1 hour

Introductory course in the development of the family, based on Duvall, that stresses the wellness behaviors that are recognized as important during developmental family stages.

WEL 1700 Wellness and Fitness Concepts with Activity WEL 2000-2044 Physical Education Activities Ex. Aerobic Walking, Exercise/ Stress Management, Ice Skating, Weight Training, Hiking, Spike Ball

NUR 1100 Wellness Nutrition

NUR 1110 Wellness and Mental Health

NUR 1330 Health Promotion of the Family

WELL Core. WELL Core, shorthand for Wellness Experiences for Life-Long Learning, works in tandem with the BELL Core. While BELL Core requirements are satisfied with courses, undergraduate students meet WELL Core requirements through co-curricular experiences. WELL Core’s purpose is to “nurture in each student the capacity to live a life that is satisfying, with a sense of meaning and purpose, encompassing all dimensions of human life.” Accumulation of WELL Core credits (hours) is a graduation requirement for all Belmont undergraduate students. The total number of hours required for graduation is based on the number of credit hours students have when they begin undergraduate study at Belmont. Most undergraduate students enter Belmont as freshmen with 0-29 total accumulated semester credit hours and are required to complete a minimum of 10 credits in each of the six WELL-Core categories: spiritual wellness, cultural wellness, intellectual wellness, occupational wellness, community wellness through service, and interpersonal/emotional/physical wellness. Students may choose from a rich array of educational and service activities, and WELL Core credit is only earned for participation in designated, University-approved WELL Core events. Table 2 offers a brief sample of WELL Core events available in the spring and summer 2020 semesters.

Table 2. Selected WELL Core events, Spring/Summer Semester 2020

COMMUNITY SERVICE

CULTURE

INTELLECTUAL

PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL

OCCUPATIONAL FINANCIAL SPIRITUAL

2nd Harvest Foodbank service project

Art, Design, and Civil Discourse

AI-assistance in the Healthcare Industry

SelfCompassion

GRAMMY U: Behind the Studio

Stumbling Into Your Purpose

Rally with St. Jude Up ‘til Dawn

Chapel: MLK Panel

The Case For School Choice

Fit/Rec Bodyweight Test

Use Social Media to Grow Your Business

Practicing Our Faith Series

Pretty Shoes Collection: Soles 4 Souls

Jazz Piano Concert Series: Benny Green

Seeing the (Dis) ABILITIES

Meditation for Calm, Focus and Creativity

Prioritization & Time Management

Healing from Religious Wounds

Blood Drive

Anti-Slavery Global Efforts: What is International Justice Mission?

Wheel of Awareness: A Model for Wellness

Travel Health 101

Coffee and Careers Series

Diversity in Christ

Shape Your Future: Serve With the Census

Nursing in Northern Ireland

Meet Our 2020 Entrepreneurin-Residence

BULoveU: Fill up your “cup” while filling up others

On the Basis of Sex: Film Screening and Discussion

Science, Race and Medicine

COMMUNITY SERVICE

CULTURE

20th Annual Family Literacy Day

Reporting from the Frontlines: Newspapers’ Fight for Survival

INTELLECTUAL

PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL

OCCUPATIONAL FINANCIAL SPIRITUAL

Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air

The Unhurried Life: Be Productive, Not Busy

How to Build a Professional Resume

How the Ethics of Jesus Promotes Good Business

Best Buddies Field Day

Music and Discourse: Dr. Andrew Goldman, Columbia University

TEDx Nashville: We The People

Nutrition Bite: Truth About Carbs

Public Wellness Week: Why Housing is Important to Health?

Soul Food Saturday

How the Kingdom of God Transcends Politics

Identity, Femininity & Spirituality

Research Symposium Keynote Speaker

Campus Security Forum

Job Search in Education, Ministry & Public Service

Faith On the Field

Global Medical Brigades in Latin America

Uses for Traditional Chinese Instruments

Scholarly Sources for News Stories

Mental Health in Entertainment

Financial Wellness

Praying the Psalms

An additional WELL Core element, Community Wellness Through Service, features active support for Belmont’s mission through group or individual direct community service, personal civic engagement, and service learning. A wide range of engagement opportunities, both on campus and across the Nashville community, are provided. An assessment of student feedback was conducted at the end of the first semester of the WELL Core program (Spring 2020). Based on more than 50,000 responses from 6,400 students, content was assessed to be engaging (greater than 90 percent). Responses indicated a desire for more programming of this type (more than 80 percent) and indicated that WELL Core programming had helped to prepare them for their desired occupation. This QEP aims to build on the existing foundation provided by BELL Core and WELL Core experiences and requirements by aligning and enhancing curricular and co-curricular resources and focusing on core aspects of student learning that can be assessed and impacted by comprehensive, whole person wellness programming. Programming will be concentrated in nine, subsequently defined dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, cultural, spiritual, environmental, financial and occupational) and overseen by faculty and staff who are well-informed about the distinct developmental needs of young adults.

Topic Identification Process Setting the stage for Be Well BU. In the fall of 2018, Provost Thomas Burns, initiated a series of discussions about the QEP topic and development process during regular meetings with various University groups. A multidisciplinary group of interested volunteer faculty, staff and students formed and began informal discussions about ways to energize University wellness programming. Tagging their efforts, Be Well BU, their discussions continued in tandem with QEP topic discussions in College and department meetings, with student groups and the Faculty Senate throughout 2019-2020. Members of this original group, listed in Table 3, offered key insights into development of this plan.

Table 3. Belmont campus wellness champions.

NAME

TITLE

SERVICE AREA

Dr. Renee Brown

Professor of Physical Therapy; Associate Dean

Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing

Ms. Angie Bryant

Assistant Dean of Students, Case Manager

Student Life

Ms. Katherine Cornelius

Director Counseling Services

University Counseling Center

Ms. Heather Daugherty

University Minister

University Ministries

Ms. Amy Guidera

Nurse Practitioner/DNP student

Health Services/Graduate Student

Ms. Leslie Lenser

Chief Human Resources Officer

Human Resources

Mr. Joe Mankowski

Fitness & Recreation Assistant Director

Fitness & Recreation

Ms. Alyssa Karmia

Graduate Assistant

Fitness & Recreation

Dr. AdriAnne Sternberg

Assistant Dean of Students, (BOLD) Student Leadership Development Director

Student Life

Dr. Marnie Vanden Noven

Associate Professor of Exercise Science; BELL Core Director

Exercise Science faculty; BELL Core

Ms. Carol Smith Walter

Director of Academic Assessment

Office of Assessment & Institutional Research

Mr. Jamie Zeller

Assistant Dean of Students, Fitness & Recreation Director

Student Life; Fitness & Recreation

Campus involvement in concept development. Responding to Provost Burns’ call for topic proposals, various interest groups submitted a total of five proposals for further review in September, 2019. 1.

Financial Literacy aimed to integrate academic and co-curricular programming to include student debt and repayment; understanding taxes and insurance; evaluating job offers; managing credit cards and alternative forms of credit; charitable giving; planning for major investments; retirement planning; banking, savings plans and investments.

Becoming the Whole You targeted development of whole-person wellness by supporting and dedicating resources to students’ development of life skills for success after college in the areas of physical and mental wellness; ethical and spiritual foundation and informed citizenship. Unique opportunities would be developed around the 2020 Presidential debates and subsequent election.

Writing for Belmont and Beyond (e-portfolios) aimed for every student to create and curate a digital portfolio of their writing and other artifacts produced during their undergraduate program of study. These portfolios would culminate in reflective, analytic writing explaining and translating what they learned from various courses into applicable work and life skills.

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) proposed engaging students with subject matter and genres of disciplines across campus using 1) writing-to-learn and 2) writing-to-communicate. Initial plans proposed use of Faculty Writing Ambassadors, Writing Fellows and Digital Portfolios to support faculty and students to achieve writing success.

Student Wellness proposed 1) re-imagining first year seminar to focus on developmental transitions, historical and current Christian thought and the science on wellness; 2) enhancing the Wellness-oriented convocation curriculum; 3) aligning the curriculum with Counseling Center, Wellness Services, Fit/Rec, University Ministries, Residence Life, graduate professional and other co-curricular offerings and 4) developing a co-curricular Capstone Wellness Plan.

Topic selection. In January 2020, Provost Burns appointed Provost Council sub-groups to explore the 5 topics and concurrently invited Faculty Senators to review them with students, faculty and staff across the campus. In February 2020, the Faculty Senate recommended merging two proposals, Becoming the Whole You and Student Wellness, as a means of addressing whole person wellness needs most directly. This recommendation was approved by the Provost Council and University Administration in April 2020. Action plan. In May 2020, the Provost appointed a QEP Development and Writing team: •

Dr. Cathy Taylor, Dean, Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing, Chair

•

Dr. Sarah Gardial, Dean, Jack C. Massey College of Business

•

Mr. Doug Howard, J.D., Dean, Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business

•

Dr. Wayne Lewis, Dean, School of Education

•

Ms. Carol Smith Walter, Director of Academic Assessment, Office of Assessment & Institutional Research

Literature Review Wellness. The focus of this QEP is student wellness. While the terms health, well-being and wellness are used interchangeably in the literature, for purposes of this QEP, wellness is defined as living a life that is satisfying with a sense of meaning and purpose, encompassing all dimensions of human life (WELL Core definition). Why focus on wellness? Prior to the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, life expectancy in the United States had begun a worrisome, decade-long decline largely attributed to increases in mortality among young and middle adults and linked to substance abuse, suicide and other chronic conditions (Woolf & Shoomaker, 2019; Kochanek, Anderson, & Arias 2020). The wellness of young adults is a vital predictor of societal success, yet a recent, comprehensive review by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the National Research Council (NRC) found young Americans to be “surprisingly unhealthy” (IOM/NRC, 2015, p. 63). Describing a pattern of declining health and risky behavior among members of this age group, roughly forty percent are obese. They are less likely to eat breakfast, exercise or get regular physical and dental checkups, and they are more likely to eat fast food, contract sexually transmitted diseases, smoke cigarettes, use marijuana and hard drugs, and to binge drink. Ongoing technologic changes, economic uncertainties and prolonged transition to adulthood leading to increasing levels of stress and sedentary behavior suggest these trends will continue (IOM/NRC, p. 5). Gaps in existing evidence. New, targeted strategies are needed to address the declining health status of young adults in the U.S. (IOM/NRC; Alderman, Breuner, et al, 2019; Dietz et al, 2020; Dooris, Powell & Farrier, 2020), but evidence to guide campus programming is equivocal, and levels of engagement vary (Travia et al, 2020). In a recent umbrella review, Dietz and colleagues (2020) described existing evidence for influencing healthy behaviors of university students as categorical and concentrated in the areas of physical activity, mental health, substance use, sleep, diet and nutrition and media consumption. Most of the studies reviewed lacked methodologic rigor. Moreover, after-effects of disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic are not yet known, but early reports suggest that young adults are disproportionately experiencing increased mental health and substance use problems (Czeisler, et al, 2020). Role of Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). IHEs have a unique opportunity to influence decisions and behaviors of young adults that can have both immediate and future impact (ACHA 2020; Okanagan, 2015). Young adults are tasked with establishing independence and lifelong wellness habits at a time when their critical decision-making capability has not matured. IHEs are positioned to “transform the health and sustainability of current and future societies, strengthen communities and contribute to the wellness of people, places and the planet” (Okanagan, 2015, p. 5).

Examining Health and Wellness Programs at Other Universities Other institutional QEPs focused on student wellness. QEPs with a health, well-being and wellness focus at other universities were also examined and informative in the development of this plan. Selected universities with QEPs that have a wellness focus are displayed in Table 4.

Table 4. Sample QEPs with a health, well-being or wellness focus.

WHERE Richmont Graduate University’s (RGU) Thrive Hollins University’s (HU) Supporting Academic SUCCESS Southwestern Adventist University’s (SAU) Whole-person Wellness Program Florida Institute of Technology’s (FIT) Global Workforce and Cross-cultural Competence Sullivan University’s (SU) Career Literacies and Competencies: Putting Care Back into Career

QEP HEALTH, WELL-BEING OR WELLNESS FOCUS

IMPLEMENTATION

Wellness and Self-care Initiative aims to promote a culture of wellness through provision of student support and resources for self-care.

Students are guided to create a wellness plan and to engage in self-care practices that include balanced periods of work and rest.

An Integrated Approach incorporates a self-care element.

Students are required to complete a physical education activity course in addition to supplemental modules on physical activity, nutrition and rest.

Aims to enhance healthy lifestyles among students using the CREATION model (Choice-Rest-EnvironmentActivity-Trust in God-Interpersonal Relations-Outlook-Nutrition).

A Wellness for Life course was introduced; CREATION elements were integrated into the curriculum. Student wellness is assessed annually.

Designed to create a culturally competent future workforce.

Developed an undergraduate minor in Global Cultural Studies, a noncredit certificate in Cross-Cultural Competence and other co-curricular cultural awareness activities and events.

Aims to promote career readiness across the curriculum using a variety of prescribed strategies.

Strategies include specified career knowledge, communication, financial literacy skills and development of robust e-portfolios.

Variation among these plans is not unexpected due to the dearth of established models for promoting wellness in IHEs, but there are common elements. All aim to integrate designated wellness concepts across the curriculum. Some require physical activity and wellness-focused coursework (HU, SAU), while others augment academic requirements with cocurricular opportunities for students to learn and apply best practices in designated dimensions such as financial, cultural, career, etc. (SAU, FIT, SU). This QEP is unique in that it goes beyond traditional categorical student wellness programming. As outlined in Table 5, Be Well BU will provide coordinated, comprehensive programming in nine dimensions to equip students with the foundation for lifetime wellness. Graduates will demonstrate measurable awareness of practices that lead to better wellness for the whole-person. Ongoing assessment of the impact and value of this comprehensive strategy will add to existing evidence for promoting lifetime wellness among young adult students in IHEs. 14

Table 5. Be Well BU: Belmont’s QEP

WHERE

QEP FOCUS Equip students for lifetime wellbeing using a comprehensive ninedimension framework.

Belmont University (BU) Be Well BU

Provide the footing for student awareness of practices and resources that will help them sustain their own wellness in each dimension. The goal: to equip students with the awareness of practices and resources to manage and sustain balanced wellness throughout their lives.

IMPLEMENTATION Establish a cross-campus “hub” that will serve to consolidate curricular building blocks and student services related to whole student wellness. Triangulate assessment for curricular and co-curricular initiatives to inform campuswide conversations, monitor progress toward meeting student outcomes and add to the evidence for promotion of student wellness.

Focus on Nine Dimensions of Wellness at Belmont Clear guidelines for achieving good wellness have long been established (Healthy People 2020/2030; CDC; NIH), yet the wellness of an individual is the result of many interdependencies. For example, physical activity alone has been demonstrated in large population-based studies to decrease stress, improve mood and energy (USDHHS, 2018; Moeller, et al, 2020; Ridner et al., 2016; Snedden et al, 2019; Vankim & Nelson, 2013), to mitigate the negative impact of sedentary lifestyle (Katzmarzyk et al, 2009; Ekelund et. al. 2016) and decrease the risk of preventable illness and death (Zhao et al, 2020), but physical health is a function of far more than just physical activity. Mental and emotional health are also of primary concern, and other factors, such as sleep (Taylor, Larcus, Andes, & Gomes, 2013; Hafner, Stepanek, Taylor, Troxel & van Stolk, 2017) or interpersonal support (Hirsch & Barton, 2011; Alsubaie et al, 2019) may be equally important contributors to the overall wellness of an individual. While models for influencing students to achieve greater wellness remain in early stages of development, Belmont University has chosen to recognize these interdependencies by incorporating a nine-dimension model to engage students in multiple areas. The nine dimensions already underpin University BELL Core and WELL Core efforts though they will be consolidated further and more intentionally through the new Be Well BU program. The dimensions are: 1.

Intellectual: Features wrestling with important and difficult issues and ideas; emphasis is on the ecology of complex systems, critical thinking, artistic and literary criticism, expanded context for decision making, rational decision-making and its limitations and includes programming on complex systems such as ecosystems, mechanical systems, human organizations, and human wellness.

Physical: Reflects more than how fit you are or your fitness level. It is also your body’s overall condition and the absence of disease. The decisions you make now can influence the habits you develop over your lifetime, largely determining the length and quality of your life.

Emotional: Reflects your ability to understand and deal with your feelings. It involves attending to your own thoughts and feelings, monitoring your reactions, and identifying obstacles to emotional stability. Achieving this type of wellness requires intentional self-reflection and proactively finding solutions to emotional problems.

Interpersonal: Requires participating in and contributing to your community and society. Satisfying and supportive relationships allow you to learn good communication skills, develop the capacity for authenticity, and cultivate a supportive network, all of which are important to interpersonal wellness.

Cultural: Includes accepting, valuing, and even celebrating the different cultural ways people interact in the world. The extent to which you maintain and appreciate cultural identities is one measure of cultural wellness. Honoring all voices and experiences and believing that everyone has a seat at the table are cornerstones of cultural wellness.

Spiritual: Encompasses all aspects of a person’s life and helps a person to find meaning, purpose, hope, and peace. As a Christian university that “upholds Jesus as the Christ and the measure of all things,” we believe that spiritual wellness is found through deepening and enhancing personal and communal life in Christ. Includes programming on understanding various Christian faith perspectives, theological issues, and religiously based ethics. Also includes more traditional worship services.

Environmental: Encompasses the livability of your surroundings and appropriately stewarding resources, both natural and man-made. Practicing environmental wellness challenges you to learn about and protect Creation and actively work to make the world a cleaner, safer place.

Financial: Refers to your ability to live within your means and manage your money in a way that gives you peace of mind. It includes balancing your income and expenses, limiting debt, saving for the future, and building a healthy mindset concerning money.

Occupational: Refers to the level of happiness and fulfillment you gain through your work. By using God-given abilities, an occupationally well person finds purpose in his or her work, feels a connection with others in the workplace, and takes advantage of opportunities to learn and be challenged.

Aligning with Belmont’s Strategic Priorities The distinctive of Belmont University is that all the dimensions of wellness are connected to life’s purpose. As a Christian university we value self-care in order to serve. Making the connection not just to the practices that build wellness, but to the purpose behind those practices. In this way, it is not just the hope to influence students to do certain things while they are on campus, but to connect their wellness to the purpose they understand for their lives. The three Student Learning Outcomes (connection to purpose, awareness of practices and awareness of university support) reflect university strategic priorities in total. Developing extraordinary students within a strong community who are physically and mentally healthy and safe is at the core of this QEP and reflected in the outcomes and implementation. Historical wellness efforts at Belmont. As further witness to Belmont’s longstanding commitment to student wellness, a historical review revealed a number of student-focused wellness promotion initiatives were undertaken over the past decade. As outlined in Appendix A, some met with success, while others were short-lived. This QEP builds on previous successes and will enhance earlier work. Existing institutional data. In addition to examining national trends and collecting historical reports about previous wellness programming and activities at Belmont, the QEP Development and Writing Team examined five-year trends in student responses to standard survey items that could be mapped to the nine dimensions. These included the Belmont Spring Student Survey, CIRP Freshman Survey and NSSE Freshman and Senior Survey. In each of these surveys, students respond to three types of questions:

1. How do you assess yourself? 2. How do you assess Belmont? 3. What has been Belmont’s impact on you? Responses are five-point scales with which a student can give an indication more sophisticated than a simple yes or no. Providing additional support for the goals of this QEP, and most concerning, were student responses that either showed a decline (e.g., physical health) over the last five years or simply were a lower score than Belmont would hope for a benchmark in this wellness effort. Figure 2 displays some examples:

Figure 2. Sample student survey questions with low or decreasing responses related to wellness.

While these data were useful to guide initial planning, additional questions will be specifically tailored to address student learning objectives targeted in this QEP. Matrix survey prompts such as those below will allow students to weigh in on value (outcome 1), awareness (outcome 2) and felt need (outcome 3) while not inordinately lengthening the university’s already robust student perception surveys. Examples include a multiple choice option where students indicate the area of wellness they think they need the most help with in the next year as well as responses to: 1. How essential do you consider each dimension of wellness to your life’s purpose? 2. Thinking about your experience so far at Belmont University, how much do you feel supported in each dimension of wellness?

NOT AT ALL Intellectual Physical Emotional Interpersonal Cultural Spiritual Environmental Financial Occupational

SOME

QUITE A BIT

VERY MUCH

BROAD-BASED INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT Leadership Reviews Belmont’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Leadership team, chaired by Provost Thomas Burns, initiated a series of discussions about the QEP topic and development process during the fall of 2018. Discussion sessions were conducted with Senior Administration, Faculty Senate, Provost Council and with student government representatives and faculty and staff in individual colleges. The Provost Council (Table 7), comprising the Registrar, Deans of each College, and Vice- and Associate-Provosts responsible for oversight of various student programs and services, was charged with continuing the discussion with faculty, staff and students in their respective areas of responsibility throughout the spring and summer of 2019 (Appendix B. QEP Development Process Timeline).

Table 6. Belmont University Provost Council

PROVOST COUNCIL MEMBER

TITLE

Dr. Thomas Burns

Provost

Dr. Phil Johnston

Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Dr. Steven Reed

University Registrar

Dr. Mimi Barnard

Associate Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies & Global Education

Dr. Christopher Gage

Associate Provost & Dean of Enrollment Services

Dr. Paula Gill

Vice President & Interim Dean of Students

Ms. Patricia White

Assistant Provost for Assessment & Institutional Research

Dr. Sarah Gardial

Dean, Jack C. Massey College of Business

Mr. Doug Howard, J.D.

Dean, Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business

Dr. Cathy Taylor

Dean, Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing

Dr. Bryce Sullivan

Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

Dr. Thom Spence

Dean, College of Sciences & Mathematics

Dr. Darrell Gwaltney

Dean, College of Theology & Christian Ministry

Dr. Stephen Eaves

Dean, College of Music & Performing Arts

Mr. Alberto Gonzales, J.D.

Dean, College of Law

Dr. David Gregory

Dean, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Jhennifer Amundson

Dean, O’More College of Architecture & Design

Mr. James Pierce

Dean, Watkins College of Art

Dr. Wayne Lewis, Jr.

Dean, School of Education

Campus Wide Communications Overcoming pandemic challenges. In addition to causing an abrupt shift to remote learning in the spring 2020 semester, Covid-19 presented many operational challenges during the summer and fall 2020 semesters. With the campus in partial lockdown, gatherings were prohibited, and virtual vs. face-to-face meetings were required. Breaks in the academic calendar (i.e., Fall Break, Spring Break), holidays (i.e., Labor Day, Martin Luther King Day), and standard meeting times were eliminated to accommodate revised classroom schedules, and the fall semester was compressed to end two weeks early. Adapting to these changes, original plans for in-person QEP development, presentations and feedback sessions were revised. These included •

May-October 2020: Virtual meetings with selected campus wellness champions

•

October-November 2020: Virtual listening sessions to obtain first-hand input from students, faculty and staff.

•

November 2020: A revised draft QEP proposal was emailed to all students, faculty and staff in early November.

•

December 2020: An email was sent to faculty, staff and students that included a further revised draft QEP and an introductory video as well as a link to an online survey for feedback from the campus.

In total, 469 students, faculty and staff reviewed the plan and responded to the December survey. Survey responses and listening session feedback indicated general support for the proposed QEP wellness theme; opportunities to build on existing curricular and co-curricular programming; expanded options for interdisciplinary collaboration and student wellness programs. Concerns included the need to maintain the University’s Christian identity; minimize any additional student burden and secure adequate resources to support meeting QEP goals. A thematic summary of listening sessions and survey responses can be found in Appendix C.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Outcomes and Approach Based on these inputs and assessment data, and directly aligning with Belmont’s Vision 2025 Strategic Priorities for “student physical and mental wellness and safety” (BU Vision 2025 Strategic Priorities), three student learning outcomes emerged for this QEP. 1. Students will identify ways of living that reflect a knowledge of the purpose of their lives. 2. Students will demonstrate awareness of practices that lead to better wellness. 3. Students will identify ways their Belmont experience has helped them achieve wellness in various dimensions of human life. A Three-pronged Approach. The Committee determined, and campus feedback affirmed, a 3-pronged approach is needed to support students’ ability to successfully meet these learning outcomes. This approach is outlined in Table 8, and a graphic rendering of the framework for this plan can be found in Appendix D. Appendix H also shows how assessment process planning and implementation fits into the wider range of activities related to the QEP.

Table 6. Three-pronged Approach

PROGRAM PLAN 1. Establish the Be Well BU Program. The Be Well BU Program will provide an administrative hub for organizing, delivering and evaluating effectiveness of current and future curricular and co-curricular efforts to improve student wellness. Program staff will work collaboratively with the BELL Core Committee, Student Life, the Teaching Center, Health Services, Counseling Center and others.

ACTIVITIES •

Create an inventory and schedule of available wellness curricular and co-curricular activities and services for undergraduates based on the nine dimensions of wellness;

•

Develop a training and structure for a peer-coaching Health Ambassador program for students who have achieved a level of investment in Be Well BU to guide and influence their peers;

•

Develop the structure for advanced achievement (see #3 below), a means of recognizing students who complete wellness work beyond core requirements and

•

Participate in the data collection, coordination and analysis of ongoing evaluation of program effectiveness. This will encompass both student programming as well as the ongoing assessment of key offices associated with Be Well BU.

PROGRAM PLAN

ACTIVITIES •

2. Provide Faculty Development Targeting Young Adult Needs.

The Teaching Center provides workshops where faculty will learn about special young adult topics: the impact of Covid-19; brain science; rapid proliferation of technology; economic challenges and extended transition into adulthood linked to their increased stress, risky behavior and sedentary lifestyle choices.

•

For students to understand the dimensions of wellness and their responsibility to themselves within the nine dimensions will require these concepts to be integrated into not just co-curricular activities but throughout the curriculum.

Faculty Forums. The Office of Provost for Academic Affairs hosts regular faculty forums. These sessions provide Belmont faculty with information about campus happenings, spiritual growth as academicians, and faculty development opportunities. They focus on “need to know” topics about campus administration, University Learning Goals, and special topics such as Be Well BU. They provide a platform for interprofessional dialogue and collaboration.

•

Be Well BU faculty events. New faculty events hosted by Be Well BU will focus on specific student needs driven by the student perception surveys and key office surveys. In the fall of each year, after this data is analyzed over the summer, findings will be presented in multiple forums, but most specifically discussed in the Be Well BU faculty events. It is at this point that faculty themselves collaboratively shape practices and processes for addressing student wellness needs across the curriculum.

•

Faculty Senate. The Faculty senate comprises representatives from all colleges. It is the funnel through which decisions are made and information is dispersed. Minutes are readily available to the whole campus. A Be Well BU faculty representative will present to the senate yearly as a strategy for informing all colleges about the mission and progress of Be Well BU.

Belmont University has wellestablished frameworks for supporting faculty development and promoting teaching excellence. This effort links to Belmont’s Vision 2025 strategic priority “building a strong community” (BU Vision 2025 Strategic Priorities).

PROGRAM PLAN

ACTIVITIES

3. A dvanced Achievement Recognition. The portfolio framework already exists on the university campus as a leadership development effort (BOLD). Through BruinLink, a software platform, students choose focused events to attend that provide a deeper engagement with the content related to leadership. Many of the events already exist, for instance, WELL Core convocation events, but they are connected through thematic pathways and engagement practices (such as reflection and presentation) to give students room to dig deeper. In the same way, Be Well BU will use BruinLink to connect events and engagement practices through which student can dig deeper into the dimensions of Wellness within themselves, within the world around them, and within their personal tools and abilities through which they will engage and transform their world.

•

Establish WELL Core event pathways linked to the nine dimensions

•

BruinLink portfolio choices for students (reflections and presentations)

•

BELL Core engagement through the Wellness Courses and potentially through Signature courses in collaboration with Be Well BU goals and initiatives.

•

Health Ambassadors opportunities will allow students to not only dig deeper into their own wellness, but to invest in the wellness of student colleagues.

Through these three prongs: the Be Well BU program, faculty support for curricular integration, and the advancing achievement pathway for students, the nine dimension wellness themes will be woven throughout the campus.

RESOURCES TO INITIATE, IMPLEMENT AND COMPLETE THE QEP Building on Established Foundations The campus must realistically assess and support its ability to achieve the QEP goals. Specifically, this entails an evaluation of both existing resources/assets (writ large), as well as the need for additional resources. In addition to a robust BELL Core and WELL Core infrastructure, Belmont has a history of successful resource allocation and sustained growth when building upon existing programs and expanding them into better-coordinated and sustainable initiatives. Prior QEP success. The previous QEP (Growth and Purpose for Students, or GPS) is an excellent example of Belmont’s prowess for moving a program from innovative concept to sustainable reality. GPS was designed to support student academic and career preparation and success, and began, much like the proposed QEP, with seed money and a ½ time director. From that modest start, GPS now supports thousands of students annually, and it has grown to engage a fulltime director and a staff of five student success coaches over the last decade. GPS is now a fully established and funded initiative on our campus.

Recent program success—BOLD. Launched in 2018, Belmont’s Office of Leadership Development (BOLD) is a recent example of successful program innovation and growth. Rooted in Greenleaf’s (1970, 1977) theory of servant leadership, Burns (1978) and Bass’ (1999) theory of transformational leadership, and guided by Jesus Christs’ model of servant leadership, BOLD is intended to “prepare and empower students with a toolbox of leadership skills and experiences through a seamless, integrated, high-impact leadership development presence in both curricular and co-curricular spaces.” BOLD’s values-driven, multi-level framework is used to align leadership development programming and opportunities across the University. Last year, more than 2,500 Belmont students took advantage of the BOLD framework and database, participating in optional levels of engagement, with the opportunity to earn a leadership development badge at the completion of each level. Successfully completing all BOLD levels of engagement qualifies students for a cocurricular leadership achievement. A similar system will be used to recognize and evaluate students’ progressive wellness program achievements. Robust BELL Core and WELL Core infrastructure. The delivery of programming for Be Well BU will occur through the two, well-established campus curricular and co-curricular programs, BELL Core and WELL Core, respectively. Be Well BU will begin with an inventory of relevant, existing courses, activities and events that align with the nine wellness dimensions. This inventory will also provide direction for developing new content to address gaps in our current offerings, e.g., financial literacy. Staffing and infrastructure of these programs will create both functional support for Be Well BU, as well as facilitate student awareness and access. Input from students during the QEP development process showed notably favorable student attitudes toward embedding a more robust wellness initiative into existing processes and graduation requirements. Office of Assessment & Institutional Research. Throughout the development of this QEP, the committee worked closely with Belmont’s Office of Assessment & Institutional Research. While the assessment plan is further elaborated in a subsequent section, and graphically displayed in Appendix E, the following aspects of current student data collection efforts will facilitate the QEP implementation. •

The QEP assessment plan will be integrated into existing surveys and data collection activities and will not require additional data collection vehicles.

•

The identification of a subset of relevant, existing metrics, although not as complete as the QEP ultimately requires, will be used to create an initial baseline for assessing program impact over time.

BRUINLINK software Support. The BOLD program has customized software allowing the program office as well as students to register and track their participation in various elements of the leadership program. This includes tracking minimum requirements, as well as student advancement through additional levels of achievement. This software provides an available template for adaptation (or expansion) for Be Well BU tracking. Graphics and design features. The original Be Well BU workgroup has created an overall brand and sub-brands for the nine wellness dimensions (see Appendix F), all of which will be available for QEP use. Interdisciplinary campus leadership and support. The QEP Writing Team conducted conversations and meetings with a multidisciplinary array of individuals and groups who are recognized champions for wellness promotion programming and who contributed to development of BELL Core and WELL Core elements. Representatives from the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) contributed to measurement and evaluation planning from the beginning. Individuals who participated in these virtual (due to Covid-19) discussions, conducted over the course of developing this plan were listed previously in Table 3. Current wellness programming strengths and opportunities identified through these efforts are captured in Table 9.

Table 8. Existing wellness programming strengths and opportunities.

STRENGTHS

OPPORTUNITIES

Some existing tools provide aggregate faculty/staff and student wellness scores

Improve data quality to enable sorting to distinguish students from faculty/staff in aggregate data and identify trends

Expert therapeutic listening and holistic coaching

Improve coordination and communication across service areas; need proactive student support resources;

Blue Health Rewards, can track trends in healthcare utilization, can reward chronic health management and maternal health

Provide clinical care and wellness coaching resources Focus on whole person wellness vs. current heavy reliance on physical fitness

Integration of wellness concepts in some parts of the curriculum

Break down service “silos”

Broad framework for early Be Well BU efforts

Increase clarity about and alignment between 9 BELL Core dimensions and 6 WELL Core categories

BELL Core & WELL Core

Establish a clear “brand” with “sticky messaging”

Growing interest and engagement among students, faculty and staff

Create clear communication with consistent terms and messaging

Online counseling

Create a vision of success with metrics to track

Facilities and program resources

Expand programming in wellness dimensions not currently wellcovered

High quality programming and leadership in some dimensions of wellness Faith-based tradition Successful GPS (Growth and Purpose for Students) and BOLD (Belmont’s Office of Leadership Development)

Include Christian speakers and related course assignments across the BELL Core experience. Integrate Christian themes into academic programs Provide regularly scheduled programming across the dimensions Expand access to wellness programming for all students Increase upstream focus on prevention Dedicated staff to coordinate curricular & co-curricular activities and services Central location for most used services

New Resources New resources for implementing and growing the Be Well BU QEP have been approved by the Provost and University Administration. In overview, these include the following: Program Coordinator. A ½ time release for non-instructional workload will support the faculty program coordinator. This person will work collaboratively with campus leaders and experts to cast vision for Be Well BU; collect and analyze wellness data to identify trends and opportunities for programming and intervention; provide coordination for programming in partnership with leaders from other areas of the campus, including the Teaching Center, BOLD, BeWell at BU, the Rec Center, WELL Core and BELL Core. Graduate Assistant. A graduate student assistantship will support the faculty program coordinator, specifically focusing on data gathering, reporting, and communications. Operating budget. Belmont will provide a budget of $50,000 annually to support the operating needs of the program, which would include but not be limited to the following: printing and office supplies, technology and software, support for new content creation to fill identified “gaps” in current Belmont offerings, additional assessment activities, communication expenses (see below), faculty and graduate student research related to wellness, and travel. Communications strategy. Student and faculty awareness of this program is critical, especially in the inaugural year. However, we are also aware that new students will enter the campus in subsequent years, so communications will need to continue over time, albeit at a lower level. The plan invests resources heavily in the first year when awareness is being built, with a continued but diminished budget available annually. The major goal is to target students “where they are,” including the use of digital and social media, well-placed posters across campus, and communications directed to the classrooms and summer orientation. Student will be involved in both developing and delivering the plan in specific contexts, e.g., the classroom, reinforcing student engagement and enthusiasm. Finally, wide-spread participation in promoting the QEP will be coordinated through various campus offices/programs addressing student wellness, as well as through student organizations. See Appendix G for more details on the Communications Strategy.

Faculty Development Faculty members’ ability and willingness to integrate wellness topics and activities into their teaching, scholarship and service activities will require workshops and training to improve faculty knowledge regarding the relationship between the nine dimensions and student success and wellness. A series of faculty-directed workshops will be delivered to support the integration of the QEP and best-practices for meeting unique, young adult learning needs into the academic efforts on campus. Finally, pulling all of these pieces together (existing resources and additional resources needed, major program elements, and a timeline), the Basic Budget and 5-Year Project Schedule is outlined in Appendix H. Based on similar all campus projects, including our most recent QEP and the BOLD program, the proposed annual budget of $50,000 provides a financial commitment consistent with other successful projects at this phase of their development.

BE WELL BU ASSESSMENT PLAN The Belmont University QEP Proposal—Be Well BU—is aimed at producing graduates who demonstrate awareness of practices and strategies of practical implementation that lead to improved holistic wellness and identify ways of living well that reflect a knowledge of their life’s purpose. The three student learning outcomes established for Be Well BU are: Students will: 1. Identify ways of living that reflect a greater knowledge of the purpose of their lives. 2. Demonstrate awareness of practices that lead to better wellness. 3. Identify ways their Belmont University experience has helped them achieve wellness in various dimensions of human life. This addendum to the original Be Well BU proposal document seeks to provide additional information about how Belmont will assess each one of these three SLOs; who will be responsible for assessing and responding to each SLO; and how Belmont plans to use the results of this QEP project to impact future campus decisions.

Student Learning Outcome 1: Students will identify ways of living that reflect a greater knowledge of the purpose of their lives. Belmont University believes that all students were created by God for a purpose and that experiences and learning in college —both inside and outside the classroom—will help each student prepare for living out that purpose. Those experiences involve formal curricular (through our BELL Core liberal arts curriculum), co- curricular (WELL Core) engagements focused on wellness, extra-curricular (Be Well BU) programmatic implementation of wellness activities, as well as opportunities that provide opportunity to explore, engage, and thrive in community, service, and personal wellness. How will we assess SL0 1? Surveys: CIRP: As students enter Belmont University each fall, they are invited to participate in the CIRP Freshman Survey (offered through HERI – Higher Education Research Institute) which is a nationally available instrument that allows students to share their attitudes and actions prior to entering college. Belmont has participated in this survey for the past 20 years. The CIRP survey asks students questions about their “best guess” as to whether they will engage in, or participate in, various future activities or whether they consider various life goals to be important to them. Many of the activities and goals that students can select can help us understand how students leaving high school and entering college perceive the purpose of their lives. Belmont University Spring Survey (BUSS): Each year Belmont encourages all current, non-graduating undergraduate students to participate in the Belmont University Spring Survey (BUSS). This survey encourages current undergraduate students to share their perceptions, attitudes, and opinions of various aspects of their campus life, campus engagement, academic experiences, etc. Belmont University Graduating Student Survey (BUGSS): Each year Belmont encourages all current graduating undergraduate students to participate in the Belmont University Graduating Student Survey (BUGSS). This survey invites graduating undergraduate students to share their satisfaction with various campus experiences (academic,

student support, and interpersonal), the impact of their participation in various educational practices, as well as information about their post graduate plans, career objectives, and the impact of their Belmont experiences. By asking students to participate in these surveys throughout their engagement with Belmont, the University can evaluate student growth over the course of their college experience. Table 1, below, lists questions that reflect student perceptions of ways that they can live out the lives of purpose that are part of the CIRP and the BU GSS, as well as four-year goals (BU GSS Goals – 2025) for each question.

Table 9: Survey Questions Addressing Ways of Living Reflecting Purpose Including Goals for 2025

OBJECTIVES CONSIDERED TO BE OF PERSONAL IMPORTANCE TO YOU:

CIRP 5 YR AVE

BUGSS 2020

BUGSS GOALS 2025

Becoming a community leader

50%

53%

60%

Becoming involved in programs to clean up the environment

35%

50%

55%

Developing a meaningful philosophy of life

57%

71%

75%

Helping others who are in difficulty

83%

85%

90%

Helping to promote racial understanding

54%

61%

65%

Improving my understanding of other countries and cultures

71%

78%

85%

Influencing interpersonal values

57%

64%

70%

Influencing the political structure

27%

24%

40%

Integrating spirituality into my life

63%

56%

65%

WHEN THINKING ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH, HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS?

CIRP 5 YR AVE

BUGSS 2020

BUGSS GOALS 2025

Opportunities for educating/mentoring others

68%

75%

Working for interpersonal change

55%

65%

Participating in a religious community

44%

55%

Developing/Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

93%

95%

PLEASE INDICATE THE PERSONAL IMPORTANCE TO YOU OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING GOALS:

Notes: Scale: 1 = Not Important; 2 = Somewhat Important; 3 = Very Important; 4 = Essential Percent represent students selecting either “Very Important” or “Essential” In addition, Table 2 provides questions that have been part of the BUSS or BUGSS that also illustrate student’s perceptions of their growth in areas reflective of living out one’s purpose in various ways, along with four-year goals (BU GSS 2025) for each question.

Table 10: Existing Survey Questions Addressing Ways of Living Reflecting Purpose Including Goals for 2025

IN THINKING ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE UP TO NOW, TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE GAINED OR MADE PROGRESS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS?

BUSS 5 YR AVE

BUGSS GOAL 2025

Understanding yourself, your abilities, interests and personality

91%

95%

Becoming a lifelong learner

87%

90%

Developing your own values and ethical standards

87%

90%

Developing the ability to get along with different kinds of people

85%

90%

Developing an awareness of moral and ethical issues in society

76%

80%

Becoming aware of different philosophies, cultures, and ways of life

72%

75%

Developing global perspectives on issues and problems

57%

60%

Spiritual growth and development

53%

60%

My life has a clear sense of purpose

66%

70%

Courses in my core curriculum have increased my awareness of my purpose in the world

41%

50%

Notes: Scale: 1 = Not at all, 2 = Some, 3 = Quite A Bit, 4 = Very Much Percent represents students selecting either “Quite A Bit” or “Very Much”

BUGSS 2020

We will add the following questions to the BUSS in annual administrations beginning in spring 2022. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements: •

My Spiritual wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Physical wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Emotional wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Interpersonal wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Cultural wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Environmental wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Financial wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Intellectual wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

•

My Occupational wellness is essential to the purpose of my life.

For each of the above questions our goal is that 50% of respondents will indicate that six or more of the dimensions are essential to their purpose in life by the 2025 administration. As Belmont implements the Be Well BU program, we intend to: 1. Begin surveying students entering in the Fall 2021 first–year student cohort a.

using the CIRP prior to matriculation in Fall 2021

as part of the First-Year Seminar courses (FYS) that includes all BU GSS questions NOT in the CIRP in Fall 2021 through an encouraged pilot program

annually, via Qualtrics, using all of the questions identified above (both the CIRP and BU GSS questions), in the spring of each year (2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025)

2. In Fall 2021, complete the formation of the Be Well BU Advisory Board (QEPAB) made up of one programmatic staff and one faculty expert in each of the nine dimensions of wellness, the Be Well BU Director, and BELL Core Director. a.

The QEPAB is tasked with developing additional survey questions pertaining directly to the nine dimensions of wellness. These will be incorporated with the existing CIRP and GSS questions starting Fall 2022 to track student wellness progression from time of entry to graduation.

The Be Well BU Director and BELL Core Director will work directly with the FYS, Third Year Seminar, and Senior Capstone coordinators for writing and class implementation plan.

Starting in Fall 2022, FYS will incorporate the entire survey as outlined above with additional resources and training provided to FYS faculty members to discuss, interpret, and analyze the results with students.

Writing assignments stipulated in Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone will be implemented starting Spring 2023. These will be developed in collaboration with the Be Well BU Director, WELL Core Director, Junior Cornerstone coordinator, Senior Capstone coordinator, and teaching faculty.

Who is responsible for assessing SLO 1? The survey assessments identified above are administered as follows: CIRP: The CIRP is managed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR). The CIRP administration is assisted by staff members from the Office of New Student Orientation Programs and the Office of Residential Life. The survey is administered electronically to all entering students and is then processed by HERI. Data is returned to the University by HERI in early spring and is then analyzed by OAIR. OAIR will provide a summary report of the responses related to the Be Well BU program to the Be Well BU director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, BELL Core Director, Faculty Senate, and BELL Core coordinators. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee, Provost Council, Faculty Senate, and BELL Core coordinators. BUSS: The BUSS is administered and distributed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) and distributed electronically each spring to all enrolled undergraduate students who are not graduating in the spring term. OAIR analyzes the survey data and will provide a summary report of the responses related to the Be Well BU program to the Be Well BU director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, and the director of the BELL Core. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. BUGSS: The BUGSS is administered and distributed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) and distributed electronically each spring to all enrolled undergraduate students who are graduating in the spring term. OAIR will analyze the survey data and will provide a summary report of the questions related to the Be Well BU program to the Be Well BU director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, and the director of the BELL Core. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. First Year Seminar Discussion – After provided training in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, First Year Seminar faculty will summarize student comments, identify major themes, and highlight specific examples from in-class conversations and share this with the Be Well BU Director. The discussion format will be developed in Fall 2021 through collaboration between the Be Well BU Director, BELL Core Director and FYS Coordinator. Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone Rubric – Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone faculty will evaluate student essay content using a rubric developed by the Be Well BU Director and BELL Core in consultation with the Junior Cornerstone Coordinator and faculty and the Senior Capstone Coordinator and faculty, to evaluate learning experiences that reflect a greater knowledge of the purpose of student’s lives. Training for faculty teaching Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone will be provided in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 for implementation the following year. How will we use the assessment results? Once data from these surveys for each year are analyzed, OAIR will prepare an annual (eventually longitudinal) summary of student responses disaggregated by various student characteristics (cohort and cohort progression, for example) which will be shared with the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, the BELL Core Director, Faculty Senate and BELL Core coordinators. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups to adjust orientation programming, residence life programming, and educational opportunities (faculty training, course/curriculum content in FYS, etc.).

Student Learning Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate awareness of practices that lead to better wellness. All Belmont University undergraduates are connected to the Be Well BU program through a variety of required activities (BELL Core and WELL Core requirements, for example). While their connection to this program is tied to their progression through, and ultimately graduation from, the University, connection to the program does not provide a direct measure of awareness of practices that lead to improved wellness. As with SLO 1, the existence of survey instruments and data provide a way for us to measure students’ awareness of wellness opportunities within our campus community and available to support their wellness development. How will we assess SL0 2? Surveys: Belmont University Spring Survey (BUSS): Each year Belmont encourages all current, non-graduating undergraduate students to participate in the Belmont University Spring Survey (BUSS). This survey encourages current undergraduate students to share their perceptions, attitudes and opinions about various aspects of their campus life, campus engagement, academic experiences, etc. Belmont University Graduating Student Survey (BUGSS): Each year Belmont invites all current graduating undergraduate students to participate in the Belmont University Graduating Student Survey (BUGSS). This survey encourages graduating undergraduate students to share their satisfaction with various campus experiences (academic, student support, and interpersonal), the impact of their participation in various educational practices, as well as information about their post graduate plans, career objectives, and the impact of their Belmont experiences. By asking students to participate in these surveys throughout their engagement with Belmont, the University can evaluate student growth over the course of their college experience. Table 3, below, lists existing BUSS questions that reflect student awareness practices that support better health and well- being across the nine dimensions of wellness in the Be Well BU program.

Table 11: Survey Questions Addressing Awareness of Improved Wellness. Including Goals for 2025

BE WELL BU DIMENSION

Intellectual

Physical

Emotional

BUGSS GOALS 2025

I know how to schedule my time to accomplish tasks

91%

95%

I am a very good student

84%

90%

I enjoy taking courses that are intellectually challenging

84%

90%

I know how to study to perform well on tests

82%

85%

I am good at research and writing papers

78%

80%

I choose foods I know are healthy for me

64%

70%

I get at least 8 hours of sleep at night

36%

40%

I get one hour of physical activity in a day

51%

55%

I feel anxious

50%

I feel depressed

50%

I feel overwhelmed by all I have to do

50%

I am successful at developing friendships

71%

75%

I am successful at fitting in socially

68%

75%

It is important to me to improve my understanding of other countries and cultures

78%

85%

It is important to my education to learn about different cultures

79%

85%

It is important to me to integrate spirituality into my life

62%

70%

My faith influences my interactions, choices, and activities

64%

70%

My spiritual/religious beliefs provide a sense of strength when life is difficult

68%

75%

My faith shapes how I see the world

66%

70%

Environmental

Becoming involved in programs to clean up the environment is important to me

44%

50%

Financial*

High income potential is important to my career goals

51%

60%

Occupational

I have talked with a faculty member about career goals

34%

50%

Interpersonal

Cultural

Spiritual

BUS 5 YR AVE

BUSS/BUGSS QUESTION

Notes: *Additional questions to be added. Scale: 1 = Not at all/Never, 2 = Some/Rarely, 3 = Quite A Bit/Sometimes, 4 = Very Much/Often Percent represent students selecting either “Quite A Bit”/”Very Much” OR “Sometimes”/”Often” We will add questions to the BUSS in annual administrations beginning in Spring 2022 assessing awareness of opportunities and practical implementation of holistic wellness initiatives. These questions are being created in consultation with the OAIR, Be Well BU Director, BELL Core Director, and faculty of Wellness courses. Example of the awareness questions is shown below: If a person was seeking to improve or work on their emotional wellness, which of the following practices could help them? (Select all that apply) •

Engage in spiritual practice(s) (i.e. journaling, daily prayer, devotions, meditation, silence etc.)

•

Join a Faith Development Organization or on-campus small group

•

Find a local church or faith community

•

Give and/or receive spiritual mentorship

•

Participate in a mission or service trip

•

Practice gratitude

•

Acknowledge emotions

•

Build self-awareness

•

Journaling

•

Practice mindfulness

•

Get 7-9 Hours of sleep regularly throughout the week

•

Physical activity at least three days a week

•

Develop healthy boundaries

•

Eating a diet that consists of a variety of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients

•

See your doctor annually for a preventative wellness exam

•

Keep immunizations up to date

•

Maintaining a substance-free lifestyle

•

Practice healthy hygiene habits

For each of the above questions we have set as a benchmark that 70% of respondents will correctly identify three or more practices for improving wellness. Who is responsible for assessing SLO 2? The survey assessments identified above are administered as follows: BUSS: The BUSS is administered and distributed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) and distributed electronically each spring to all enrolled undergraduate students who are not graduating in the spring term. OAIR analyzes the survey data and will provide a summary report of the responses related to the Be Well BU

program to the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, the BELL Core Director, Faculty Senate and BELL Core coordinators. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. How will we use the assessment results? Once data analysis from the survey for each year is completed, OAIR will prepare an annual (eventually longitudinal) summary of student responses disaggregated by various student characteristics (cohort and cohort progression, for example) which will be shared with the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost and the BELL Core Director. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups to adjust programming/planning with student life (BOLD, residence life, student services, Offices of Career and Professional Development, etc.), the creation of new educational programming and faculty development opportunities.

Student Learning Outcome 3: Students will identify ways their Belmont experience has helped them achieve wellness in various dimensions of human life. As with SLO 2, since all Belmont University undergraduates are connected to the Be Well BU program through a variety of required activities, we will track identification of experiences that have helped students be aware of ways that they could improve their wellness across the nine dimensions. The existence of survey instruments and data provide the way for us to identify the Belmont experiences and offices that helped students be aware of ways that they could improve their wellness. How will we assess SL0 3? Surveys: Belmont University Spring Survey (BUSS): Each year Belmont encourages all current, non-graduating undergraduate students to participate in the Belmont University Spring Survey (BUSS). This survey encourages current undergraduate students to share their perceptions, attitudes and opinions about various aspects of their campus life, campus engagement, academic experiences, etc. Belmont University Graduating Student Survey (BUGSS): Each year Belmont encourages all current graduating undergraduate students to participate in the Belmont University Graduating Student Survey (BUGSS). This survey encourages graduating undergraduate students to share their satisfaction with various campus experiences (academic, student support and interpersonal), the impact of their participation in various educational practices, as well as information about their post graduate plans, career objectives and the impact of their Belmont experiences. QEPAB Wellness Dimension Survey Questions: As outlined in SLO1, the additional survey questions pertaining to individual dimensions of wellness will be added to our yearly tracking. These questions will be specifically developed by experts in each of the nine dimensions. The survey addition will be completed by the expert board in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 for implementation starting Fall 2022. By asking students to participate in these surveys throughout their engagement with Belmont, the University can evaluate student growth over the course of their college experience. Table 4, below, lists questions that appear on both the BUSS and the BUGSS surveys. These questions assess student satisfaction with campus services or offices that helped them achieve improved wellness, or their overall impression of how their Belmont experiences have impacted their awareness of wellness, across the nine dimensions of wellness in Be Well BU program. 36

Table 12: Survey Questions Addressing Experiences that Helped Students Achieve Improved Wellness Including Goals for 2025

BE WELL BU DIMENSION

Intellectual

Physical

Emotional

Interpersonal

Cultural

Spiritual

YR AVE

BUGSS GOAL 2025

My courses gave me the opportunity to reflect on my learning to reach deeper or broader understanding

83%

85%

I am satisfied with tutorial help or other academic assistance

59%

65%

I am satisfied with the amount I am learning in college

81%

90%

I am satisfied with the intellectual environment on campus

68%

75%

I am satisfied with the fitness and recreation programs

75%

80%

I am satisfied with the University Health Services

59%

65%

I am satisfied with the Wellness programming

62%

65%

I am satisfied with Counseling Services

58%

75%

I feel that I have made progress in understanding myself, my abilities and my personality

90%

95%

I am satisfied with the sense of community on campus

64%

75%

I am satisfied with the interpersonal life on campus

61%

65%

I am satisfied with residential life on campus

59%

65%

I am satisfied with the interpersonal activities on campus

53%

55%

I feel connected to the campus community

58%

65%

My Belmont experience has increased my understanding of the worlds needs

66%

70%

My Belmont experience has helped me develop the ability to get along with different kinds of people

85%

90%

My Belmont experience has helped me develop an awareness of moral and ethical issues in society

76%

80%

My faith has grown because of my experiences during college

54%

60%

I understand Christian faith better because of my experiences at Belmont

50%

65%

Through Belmont activities or courses I better understand my purpose in life

77%

85%

BUSS AND BUGSS QUESTION

BUSS 5

Environmental

Additional questions to be developed

Financial

I am satisfied with Student Financial Services/ Student Accounts

51%

65%

I am satisfied with Career Services

66%

75%

My Belmont experience has better defined my career goals

82%

85%

My Belmont experience has helped my understand my passion(s) in life

80%

85%

Occupational

Notes: Scale: 1 = Not at all/Never, 2 = Some/Rarely, 3 = Quite A Bit/Sometimes, 4 = Very Much/Oft+A2:D29en Percent represent students selecting either “Quite A Bit”/”Very Much” OR “Sometimes”/”Often” We will also add the following question to the BUSS and BUGSS in annual administrations beginning in spring 2022. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements. As a result of my experience so far at Belmont University, I am better equipped to improve: •

My Spiritual wellness

•

My Physical wellness

•

My Emotional wellness

•

My Interpersonal wellness

•

My Cultural wellness

•

My Environmental wellness

•

My Financial wellness

•

My Intellectual wellness

•

My Occupational wellness

For each of the above questions we have set as a benchmark that 50% of students will indicate that they feel better equipped to improve six or more dimensions. Beyond the survey questions identified above, each Junior Cornerstone course will include a group discussion, writing prompt, or other interactive activity developed by the Be Well BU Director, BELL Core Director, and Junior Cornerstone Coordinator and faculty that asks students about Belmont experiences, offices, events, or activities that have helped them be aware of behaviors leading to improved wellness. Developed by the Be Well BU Director, BELL Core Director, Senior Capstone Coordinator and faculty, each Senior Capstone course will also ask students to reflect on what learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, have helped them be aware of behaviors leading to improved wellness practices. The developed activity and assessment of student responses will be shared with the OAIR, Be Well BU Director, BELL Core Director, BELL Core coordinators, Provost Council and Faculty Senate.

Who is responsible for assessing SLO 3? The survey assessments identified in Table 4 are administered as follows: BUSS: The BUSS is administered and distributed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) and distributed electronically each spring to all enrolled undergraduate students who are not graduating in the spring term. OAIR analyzes the survey data and will provide a summary report of the responses related to the Be Well BU program to the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, the BELL Core Director, Faculty Senate and BELL Core coordinators. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. BUGSS: The BUGSS is administered and distributed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) and distributed electronically each spring to all enrolled undergraduate students who are graduating in the spring term. OAIR will analyze the survey data and will provide a summary report of the responses related to the Be Well BU program to the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, and the BELL Core Director. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. QEPAB Wellness Dimension Survey Questions: The Wellness Dimension Survey Questions will be administered and distributed by the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR) and distributed electronically each spring to all enrolled undergraduate students who are not graduating in the spring term. OAIR analyzes the survey data and will provide a summary report of the responses related to the Be Well BU program to the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, and the BELL Core Director. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone courses – Following development and consultation with the Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone Coordinators and faculty, each Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone instructor will collect class-level data from the developed activity using a standardized rubric and will report data to their BELL Core course coordinator. BELL Core course coordinators will compile data for their respective courses by semester or year to report to the BELL Core director, who will share the data with OAIR. OAIR will analyze the data and provide a summary report of the responses and cross-cutting themes to the Be Well BU director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, the BELL Core Director, Faculty Senate and BELL Core coordinators. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups. How will we use the assessment results? Once data analysis from all surveys and responses from the Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone courses for each year are analyzed, OAIR will prepare an annual (eventually longitudinal) summary report of student responses disaggregated by various student characteristics (cohort and cohort progression, for example) which will be shared with the Be Well BU Director, the Provost, the Vice Provost, the BELL Core Director, Faculty Senate and BELL Core coordinators. These results will be discussed with the BELL Core Committee and the Provost Council as well as with other engaged constituency groups to adjust orientation programming, residence life programming, and educational opportunities (faculty training, course/curriculum content in FYS or Senior Capstone, etc.). The data and information shared with BELL Core course coordinators (Junior Cornerstone and Senior Capstone) will be collected by the BELL Core Director and shared with the Be Well BU director as well as with the BELL Core committee.

Appendix A. Belmont University Wellness Activities Timeline

Appendix B. QEP Development Process

DATE

ACTIVITY

August 2018

Provost Burns initiated QEP topic and development discussions during his State of the University address to students, faculty and staff

Fall 2018

FitRec faculty/staff invites campus wellness discussions. Previous BeFit BU and other wellness promotion initiatives reviewed

Spring 2019

QEP topic discussions continue among student, faculty and staff groups and at College/ Department meetings

April/July 2019

QEP topic proposals submitted to Provost Burns. Students, faculty and staff in their areas to survey QEP topic areas of need and interest

August 2019

Provost Burns outlined aims of the QEP and requested input into development of QEP topics in his annual presentation to all faculty and staff

September 2019

5 potential QEP topics (see below) were presented to Provost Council for review and discussion with students, faculty and staff

November 2019

Initial feedback from students, faculty and staff reviewed with Provost Council

December 2019

Provost Burns presented the QEP topic proposals and early feedback to Faculty Senate for review

January 2020

Provost Burns appointed exploratory workgroups to review all QEP proposals and provide feedback and recommendations

January 2020

Additional discussion in Faculty Senate. Senators urged to review further with students, faculty and staff in their Colleges and to submit comments and suggestions

February 2020

Continued QEP topic review and discussion by Faculty Senate. Senate suggested that Whole Person and Student Wellness proposals be merged to align with new WELL Core elements and as a comprehensive way to address financial literacy and student mental health needs more directly

March 2020

All QEP topic recommendations due to Provost Burns

March 2020

University moves to remote learning due to COVID19

April 2020

QEP Recommendations reviewed by University Administration. Student Wellness topic approved for QEP development Provost appointed QEP Proposal Development Team to begin work on a comprehensive proposal targeting wholistic student wellness:

May 2020

• Dr. Cathy Taylor, Dean, Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing, Chair • Dr. Sarah Gardial, Dean, Jack C. Massey College of Business • Mr. Doug Howard, J.D., Dean, Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business • Dr. Wayne Lewis, Dean, School of Education 41

DATE

ACTIVITY

May-August 2020

Baseline assessment data collection; virtual focus groups and individual interviews; literature review

August 2020

Multiple listening sessions with students, faculty and staff to explore University culture related to diversity, equity and inclusion

October 2020

Assemble findings and draft proposal

November 2020

Review draft with Provost and Provost Council

November 2020

Virtual presentations and listening sessions with faculty, staff and student focus groups to review draft proposal for Be Well BU

November 2020

QEP draft video posted for review and feedback by faculty, staff and students

December 2020

Integration of faculty, staff and student feedback; submission of final draft to University Administration for revision and approval

January 2021

QEP draft presented to the Board of Trustees for approval

February 2021

QEP proposal submitted to SACSCOC for review

Appendix C. Summary of Themes from QEP Proposal Feedback Sessions Positives 3. Wellness Defined. Overall, there was very positive reaction to a “wellness” program, generally, as the focus of the QEP, as well as the holistic, multi-dimensional definition of wellness. 4. Existing Initiatives. There was a positive response to building the QEP on existing campus initiatives, pushing them to function more strongly through coordination and integration. Several comments were specific to the opportunity to better connect WellCore with BellCore, creating a stronger vision for both. 5. Curricular Integration. The QEP, while largely focused on extra-curricular activities through the current WellCore initiative, is viewed as creating significant opportunities for greater connectivity with the curriculum. 6. Thoughtful. Several of the comments referred to the proposal as thoughtful, innovative, and providing a good framework for moving forward. Areas of Concern or Needing Additional Proposal Development 7. Graduate Students. The plan was viewed as more targeted to our undergraduate student population, with the need for clearer inclusion of graduate students. 8. Alignment with Diversity. Several comments underscored the need for this plan to be broadly inclusive and consistent with the recent push for campus diversity. 9. Christian Focus. Several comments requested the proposal more strongly reflect the Christian roots of the campus. 42

10. Faculty Participation. The role of the faculty participating in, modeling, and delivering this program needs greater clarification, as well as means to incentivize such participation. 11. Resource Sufficiency. Several comments questioned whether this QEP would be adequately supported through resource allocations. Specific areas of resource adequacy concerned: 1) the need for a full-time (rather than half-time) faculty program coordinator, 2) financial/budgetary support, 3) branding and communicating support, and 4) the need for additional graduate and undergraduate counselors. 12. Student Burden. There was the concern that this program would add additional requirements to students who are already time-constrained. 13. Outcome Metrics. The need for attention to performance-monitoring and tracking outcomes was underscored. 14. Programming. Although the proposal did not elaborate on specific programming needs and opportunities, there were several requests for the inclusion of specific topics, including: a.

More attention to elements of “wellness” that are currently viewed as under-developed on campus.

Mental health and eating disorders were mentioned several times as issues in need of more campus attention

How does this program articulate other areas of campus, including the Honors Program, the First Year Seminar, the freshman experience, the senior capstone experience, student fieldwork and our faith-based programming?

Consider the addition of “digital wellness.”

Appendix D. Conceptual Framework

Quality Enhancement Plan Be Well BU Conceptual Framework January 2021

Curricular/Co-curricular Dimensions of Well-being Foundation Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, Interpersonal, Cultural, Spiritual, Environmental, Financial, Occupational

Be Well BU Programming

Consistent Feedback Loop

Expanded current well-being programming, Progressive recognition, Interdisciplinary collaboration, Faculty training & development, Linked curricular & co-curricular programming, Progressive student recognition path

Triangulated Assessment Data: Student Perception Surveys, WELL Core Convo Assessment, Be Well BU Key Office Process Assessment, Health Ambassador Peer Mentoring Feedback, Wellbeing Student Achievement Reflections

Student Learning Outcomes

Identify ways of living that reflect a greater knowledge of the purpose of their lives

Demonstrate awareness of better health and wellbeing practices

Improved Student Understanding of Their Own Well-being

Identify ways Belmont helped achieve well-being in various dimensions of human life

Appendix E. Five Year Timeline for Data Collection and Assessment

TIMELINE Fall 2018

Proposal of a variety of ideas by Provost council

2019

One idea accepted: Be Well BU

Fall 2020

Initial draft of narrative

Feb 2021

Presentation and approval of narrative by SACSCOC

June 2021

Part time leadership in place (Director and Admin) On-Campus team established (for data collection, analysis, and decision-making) Planning for the fall implementation

Summer 2021

Common assessment across WELL Core Course established to be included in syllabi Plan for WELL Core assessment of initial key Wellness Events and the structure necessary to identify them (software: Campus Labs) Implement Summer Plans and Plan for the Be Well BU Ambassador Program Student Survey Questions modified or established to be used in spring

Fall 2021

Process data collection of key offices established with online platform in place for collection Initial pilot of Wellness course Assessment WELL Core Events in Place Run programs with data collection, Launch Wellness Ambassador

Spring 2022

Use of all Assessment pieces: • Wellness courses • K ey Offices Data collection • Student Survey Questions • W ELL Core Events Launch of Wellness Coaching and Wellness Ambassador Program

Summer 2022

Aggregation and Analysis of Data collected Discussion of first year with proposed changes for 22-23 Fall: Implement programming incorporating changes from summer discussions

AY 2022–2023

Spring: Continue programming and track improvements Summer: Aggregation and Analysis of Data collected Fall: Implement programming incorporating changes from summer discussions

AY 2023–2024

Spring: Continue programming and track improvements Summer: Aggregation and Analysis of Data collected Fall: Implement programming incorporating changes from summer discussions

AY 2024–2025

Spring: Continue programming and track improvements Summer: Aggregation and Analysis of Data collected Draft Five Year Report 45

Appendix F. 9 Dimensions of Wellness WELLNESS State in which each of the nine identified dimensions of the holistic self are balanced according to one’s own circumstances.

WELL-BEING Process by which individuals acknowledge their current standing within each dimension of wellness, commit to implement practices of improvement, and execute said practices with the overall goal of contributing to their wellness.

MISSION Be Well BU is an institutional initiative that inspires and supports a culture of wellness by empowering members of the Belmont community to prioritize their wellness. The Be Well BU initiative promotes integrative and collaborative practices and programs that highlight the nine identified dimensions of wellness.

VISION That Belmont students, faculty, and staff will prioritize holistic self-care, creating a foundation upon which they can fully engage and transform themselves and their surroundings.

Wellness Dimension Definitions and Practices PHYSICAL WELLNESS Physical wellness is more than how fit you are or your fitness level. It is also your body’s overall condition and the absence of disease. The decisions you make now can influence the habits you develop over your lifetime, largely determining the length and quality of your life. As you take better care of your physical needs, you ensure greater physical wellness. Examples of Practicing Physical Wellness • Physical activity at least three days a week • 7-9 Hours of sleep regularly throughout the week • Eating a diet that consists of a variety of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients • See your doctor annually for a preventative wellness exam • Keep immunizations up to date • Maintaining a substance-free lifestyle • Practice healthy hygiene habits

EMOTIONAL WELLNESS Emotional wellness reflects your ability to understand and deal with your feelings. It involves attending to your own thoughts and feelings, monitoring your reactions, and identifying obstacles to emotional stability. Achieving this type of wellness requires intentional self-reflection and proactively finding solutions to emotional problems. Examples of Practicing Emotional Wellness • Practice gratitude • Acknowledge emotions • Build self-awareness • Journaling • Practice mindfulness • 7-9 Hours of sleep regularly throughout the week • Physical activity at least three days a week • Develop healthy boundaries

INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS Intellectual wellness requires constantly challenging the mind. People who enjoy intellectual wellness never stop learning.

They seek knowledge and embrace

challenges to enrich their understanding of the mysteries of the world. Examples of Practicing Intellectual Wellness • Read a book, listen to a podcast, or watch a documentary film • Try something new • Seek out a mentor or tutor • Immerse yourself within a different environment, culture, or locale • Attend convocations that may challenge your way of thinking • Respectfully engage in complex conversations

INTERPERSONAL WELLNESS Interpersonal wellness requires participating in and contributing to your community and society.

Satisfying and supportive relationships allow you to learn good

communication skills, develop the capacity for authenticity, and cultivate a supportive network, all of which are important to interpersonal wellness. Examples of Practicing Interpersonal Wellness • Build friendships around a shared interest or experience • Make eye contact and engage with people you know walking from class to class • Leave your phone in your pocket during interpersonal situations • Call someone instead of texting them • Volunteer In Your Community • Join a club or organization on campus • Participate in service learning opportunities

CULTURAL WELLNESS Cultural wellness includes accepting, valuing, and even celebrating the different cultural ways people interact in the world. The extent to which you maintain and appreciate cultural identities is one measure of cultural wellness. Honoring all voices and experiences, and believing that everyone has a seat at the table are cornerstones of cultural wellness. Examples of Practicing Cultural Wellness • Immerse yourself within a different environment, culture, or locale • Participate in a study abroad or mission trip • Attend convocations that may challenge your way of thinking • Respectfully engage in conversations with people who are different than you

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS Spiritual wellness encompasses all aspects of a person’s life and helps a person to find meaning, purpose, hope, and peace. As a Christian university that “upholds Jesus as the Christ and the measure of all things,” we believe that spiritual wellness is found through deepening and enhancing personal and communal life in Christ. Includes programming on understanding various Christian faith perspectives, theological issues, and religiously based ethics. Also includes more traditional worship services. Examples of Practicing Spiritual Wellness • Engage in spiritual practice(s) (i.e. journaling, daily prayer, devotions, meditation, silence etc.) • Join a Faith Development Organization or on-campus small group • Find a local church or faith community • Give and/or receive spiritual mentorship • Participate in a mission or service trip

ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS Environmental wellness encompasses the livability of your surroundings and appropriately stewarding resources, both natural and man-made. Practicing environmental wellness challenges you to learn about and protect Creation and actively work to make the world a cleaner and safer place. Examples of Practicing Environmental Wellness • Appropriately dispose of recyclable products • Use a refillable water bottle • Turn off lights when leaving the house • Walk, when possible, to class or other obligations • Rideshare/Carpool

FINANCIAL WELLNESS Financial wellness refers to your ability to live within your means and manage your money in a way that gives you peace of mind. It includes balancing your income and expenses, limiting debt, saving for the future, and building a healthy mindset concerning money. Examples of Practicing Financial Wellness • Build a budget • Start saving money • Live within your means • Understand the terms of your credit cards/loans • Take personal finance classes or workshops

OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS Occupational wellness refers to the level of happiness and fulfillment you gain through your work. By using God-given abilities, an occupationally well person finds purpose in his or her work, feels a connection with others in the workplace, and takes advantage of opportunities to learn and be challenged. Examples of Practicing Occupational Wellness • Find a mentor in your desired industry • Create or update a resume based on personal strengths, skills, and values • Rehearse interview questions • Visit the Office of Career and Professional Development • Attend a job/internship fair • Build a personal and professional network at work or in other interpersonal circles • Create boundaries that allow for a healthy balance between your work life and personal life • Stay current on trends or developments through regular reading or research

Additional WELL Core Category COMMUNITY WELLNESS THROUGH SERVICE Community Wellness Through Service features group or individual direct community service, personal civic engagement, and service learning. Includes a wide range of engagement opportunities, both on campus and across the Nashville community.

Appendix G. Be Well BU Strategic Communications Plan Goal: Create campus-wide awareness of new QEP—Be Well BU

OVERALL NOTES: •

To reach students, think about location. Where are they? How can I reach them in their everyday life? Students are actively on social media (especially Instagram), in class, and for residential students, in their dorms/on-campus apartments. Target those three areas for marketing purposes.

•

If a “cool” factor can be identified, that is ideal, too! Is there a famous guest we can have at a WELL Core event to draw in students as we’re marketing the program?

KEY ELEMENTS AND TIMELINE OF THE PLAN: Digital Marketing •

Spring 2021— Campus-wide email announcing and explaining the new program. (Students and faculty/staff)

•

A social media announcement for multiple platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) will follow the original campus-wide email. »

Coordinate all Belmont-related social media accounts to post the announcement on the same day.

Follow up postings will continue to message Be Well BU using short promotional videos, graphics for branding logos, etc. (Focus on Instagram and Tik Tok)

•

Summer 2021 - Build QEP website.

•

Weekly “Wellness Check-In” emails, including upcoming Wellness events start in August 2021.

•

Include Be Well BU events in the Bruin Breeze email and other weekly student emails.

•

Brand all Be Well BU events with appropriate Wellness logo. »

Ex. All Curb College events offered for Occupational Wellness WELL Core credit will include the corresponding logo on digital marketing materials.

Physical Marketing: •

Create posters for dorms and appropriate bulletin boards across campus.

•

Create booklet for new freshmen, provided in dorm rooms upon move-in.

•

Flyers in student mailboxes.

•

Merchandise giveaway during Welcome Week events, Opening Convocation, etc., and at Be Well BU events throughout the year. »

•

T-shirts, reusable water bottles, stickers, notebooks, etc.

Student Promo Team: Fall 2021—identify a team of students within each academic college to help share the information in classes, dorms, student organizations, etc. »

Ex. Students on this team are prepped with a brief 5-minute presentation about Be Well BU. Each college promo

team works with their faculty to give the short presentation at the beginning of a class. Provide merch giveaways (buttons, stickers, etc.) to each class visited. »

Information provided directly in the classroom will be the most helpful since students HAVE to be in class (they

don’t HAVE to read emails). Word of mouth among students is the most powerful way to share the information. »

Following the Student Promo team visits to classes, faculty will present a brief recap of Be Well BU initiative. (They will be provided outline/key talking points.)

Other Initiatives: •

Work with the Towering Traditions team to share information about Be Well BU with incoming freshmen during Summer Orientation in June 2021 and Welcome Week in August 2021.

•

Create a multiple department initiative to host Be Well BU events in the fall semester. »

Include these events in Student Engagement’s “First 40” initiative, where 40 events are held in the first 40 days.

Ex. FitRec hosts a Physical Wellness event (a 5k), UM hosts a Spiritual Wellness event (a worship night or Chapel), Counseling Services hosts an Emotional Wellness event (Managing Stress WELL Core event), etc.

•

Student organizations to host at least one event in a Be Well BU category.

•

Identify a few “signature” Be Well BU events that happen either each semester or each fall. »

Ex. Curb College Internship Fair as a signature event for Occupational Wellness.

Appendix H. Basic Budget BeWell BU Account

Program Title 60125 70019 70030 70100 70155 70260 70320 70362 70390 73050

Graduate Assistantships Advertising Awards Administrative Copies Instructional supplies Office supplies Promotional merchandise Retreats, seminars, workshops Speaker fees and honorariums Equipment Purchases < 5000

Draft Budget $17,432.50 $1,525.00 $2,230.00 $6,000.00 $10,000.00 $500.00 $4,312.50 $6,200.00 $1,000.00 $800.00

$50,000.00

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