CHANGING THE UNIVERSITY’S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
The University of Connecticut Division of Student Affairs ANNUAL REPORT 2009 - 2010 Highlights and Accomplishments
STUDENTS FIRST To Members and Friends of the Division of Student Affairs The Division of Student Affairs is a group of dynamically engaged members of the UConn community who share a single focus: We put our students first in all that we do. This dedication reflects itself in a myriad of ways, from small gestures of kindness to bold new initiatives that are changing the University’s cultural landscape. This Annual Report gives you a glimpse into what can happen when a large group of like-minded people moves together in a positive, student-affirming direction. If something in this report stirs your curiosity, ask us about it. If you see an opportunity to jump on board, by all means, do….there’s always room! Sincerely,
John R. Saddlemire, Ed.D.
STUDENTS FIRST
Vice President for Student Affairs
MISSION STATEMENT
COMMUNITY
The Division of Student Affairs provides programs, services, and co-curricular experiences that enhance student success. Our efforts support the development of the whole person by fostering an awareness of lifelong learning and promoting the development of skills for effective citizenship in a diverse world. We promote a vibrant intellectual climate that supports an active and inclusive community. We strive to be reflective and intentional in an ever-changing environment.
VISION STATEMENT Through a strong community-centered environment, we will work together with integrity to enhance campus life by creating a sense of ownership, responsibility, and confidence in the University. We will send forth graduates who will make outstanding contributions to society.
THE UCONN CREED I will practice personal and academic integrity. I will respect the dignity and rights of all persons. I will demonstrate concern for others and live up to my community responsibilities. I will approach learning with a spirit of inquiry. I will take pride in the University of Connecticut.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES COLLABORATION
Our strength and impact on this campus as a coordinated team can and will be extraordinary.
CREDIBILITY AND CONFIDENCE THROUGH COMPETENCE
Students, staff, and faculty gravitate to organizations and individuals who are knowledgeable and thoughtful in their affairs.
INITIATIVE
We create opportunities that encourage and reward new ideas.
INTEGRITY - Play by the Rules Individually and collectively, we meet the expectations and guidelines of our colleagues and the University.
- Transparency
Our staff and constituents must know and understand the “what” and “why” of what we do. We are inclusive of those we serve in our planning and our operations.
- Stewardship Appropriately maintain and manage our resources.
- Reliability
There is no greater compliment than being that person or team others can count on in both good times and challenging times.
- Excellent Services
Offer what we do in the best way possible, while thoughtfully balancing educational needs and customer service.
ASSESSMENT AND EXCELLENCE
Measure excellence through planned assessment using recognized standards.
COLLABORATION Initiate and enhance partnerships in the Division and across the University community.
COMMUNICATION Improve communication within departments and across the Division.
COMMUNITY
Foster pride and ownership through involvement.
DIVERSITY
Demonstrate respect and support for diversity.
TECHNOLOGY
Promote thoughtful use and continued integration of technology.
CRITICAL ISSUES
CAREER SERVICES UConn students continue to take advantage of opportunities to explore the culture and environment at various employer worksites. Working through the Department of Career Services during the 2009/10 academic year, students visited the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, the Connecticut State Legislature, the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (a federal agency that directs and coordinates resources to protect property and citizens of Connecticut), and the Forensic Science Laboratory in Meriden, Connecticut (whose primary responsibility is to investigate physical evidence or evidentiary material related to a crime upon the request of any federal, state, or local agency) to meet staff in these respective operations and to learn more about career opportunities.
INVOLVED
COMMUNITY STANDARDS Five hundred and eight students participated in the UCompass program, which is designed to help students navigate their way into more meaningful involvement with the UConn campus community following interaction with the Office of Community Standards. With the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Office of Community Standards designed and implemented the Fraternity and Sorority Peer Standards Board, which manages educational sanctions for fraternities and sororities. Community Standards determines responsibility as well as major sanctions.
CENTER FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Funding from the Kaman Foundation increased the center’s inventory of assistive and learning technologies—essentially a “Lab in a Bag” concept of portable technologies for greater accessibility to students. The creation of a professional development series—CSD Lunch and Learn—has successfully allowed the center to share information about working with students with disabilities with interested staff throughout the division.
COUNSELING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (CMHS) Counseling and Mental Health Services provided direct clinical services (individual and group counseling and medication services) for 1,455 individual students (7% of the student body), for a total of 8,755 contacts over the past year. The use of Mental Health Services by students continues to present a high demand for the staff. QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) Suicide Prevention Training was provided to 672 members of the UConn campus community (for a two-year total of 2,100+ people trained), with 3,911 UConn members receiving general Psycho-Educational Outreach services from CMHS.
AFFIRMING
DEDICATION DINING SERVICES
Continuing the unique involvement and pride in “growing our own” honey at UConn, Dining Services has installed an exhibition beehive in the rear dining room at Whitney.
Renovation and space enhancement of facilities in Shippee, the Student Union Convenience Store, McMahon, and South Campus’s Rome Dining dishroom continue to receive priority attention to enable the delivery of services.
OFFICE OF FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIFE The annual HuskyTHON inspired over 600 student participants to help raise more than $150,000 for the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Continuing the tradition of developing students in a variety of ways outside of the classroom, the IMPACT leadership institute taught 90 fraternity and sorority members to take values-based action to enact positive change.
POSITIVE CHANGE
DIVERSE EXPERIENCES OFFICE OF STUDENT SERVICES AND ADVOCACY
As a result of successful efforts to provide students with diverse experiences and to empower students to learn the art of advocating for themselves, the Office of Student Services and Advocacy was invited to participate in the Cultural Center Social Justice Conference in Spring 2010, presenting a session titled “Social Justice Engagement through Active Coalition Building and Involvement.” This workshop facilitated skill development to enhance participants’ professional portfolios as they embarked on their journey of change and leadership involvement.
Two off-campus housing fairs and one roommate fair were important events for Off-Campus Student Services. Off-campus housing fairs are designed to assist students with their housing search and to provide resources to enhance their off-campus living experience. About 600 students attend the fairs each semester to get information about area landlords, town services, university offices, and local resources. Off-Campus Student Services enhanced Husky WOW by adding programs such as Commuter Class Hunt and Commuter Dinner. There was an increase in new commuter students who participated, and feedback about their experience was very positive.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE Residential Life developed and implemented a $300 room reservation fee as an occupancy management tool. The implementation of this fee was successful and provided a fairly sturdy estimate of fall occupancy. The strength of our estimate allowed for a thoughtful approach to finalizing new student assignments. A 24/7 “Front Desk� service was brought into operation during the past year in order to centralize and enhance the ability to respond to emergencies, lockouts, and a host of other tasks that arise throughout the year.
SENIOR TRANSITION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS (STEP) This year STEP expanded its leadership efforts in attending to senior needs and services, establishing improved communication with seniors, enhancing collaborative efforts, and and fostering alumni development.
THOUGHTFUL
STUDENT ACTIVITIES The Challenge Course was brought back after a five-year hiatus. Student Activities facilitated 19 courses for 508 students and staff representing a wide variety of clubs, programs, and departments during the 2009/10 academic year. Careers for the Common Good project continues to gain momentum and generate interest. An ongoing collaboration with Career Services and the Human Rights Institute helped to raise awareness of and prepare students for service, study, and employment in the non-profit and public sectors. The Community Service Learning Community (CSLC) has been in operation for over 10 years, and in 2009 it changed from a first-year-only community to a multiyear community with over 50 students. The CSLC is a residential-based, interdisciplinary program that delves into community service as students choose from over 75 opportunities in the region. Members create and implement a service project as a group in addition to attending programs and hearing speakers on topics such as political involvement, social justice, and human rights. The past year brought an increase in the usage and usability of the Veterans House, a 24-hour drop-in center for student veterans.
COLLABORATE
CELEBRATE CELEBRATE CELEBRATE
STUDENT AFFAIRS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SAIT) One of the many projects facilitated by SAIT included development and release of a Residential Life work order system, including a resident software application, a management software application, and hardware support for the Operations unit. HuskyTech student technology services opened a second location in the Library Learning Commons. A significant amount of time and effort has been devoted to coordination of a Service Continuity Plan to manage risk of division information technology systems.
INITIATE AND FACILITATE
EDUCATE AND INFORM STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES A significant amount of time was devoted to preparation and management of a preventive immunization program in anticipation of an H1N1 outbreak situation. To help address the growing campus fiscal crisis within the division, the leadership at Student Health Services negotiated several additional participating provider agreements with major health insurance companies to advance the initiative of fee-for-services.
STUDENT UNION The Student Union managed 21,535 reservations from hundreds of student organizations and departments. This reflected a 12% increase over the previous year. We also coordinated 49 conferences and camps. One of the highlight events this year was hosting the first ESPN Women’s Basketball Game Day Pre-show in our Food Court. We upgraded the old concession stand and re-opened the space as the Blue Cow, a very popular snack shop. We were also able to make some minor changes in our facility to improve customer service – new A/V equipment in room 304, flexible walls in four meeting rooms to enhance room options, installed a new pizza oven, enhanced building directional signs, and created new storage spaces for our food vendors.
WELLNESS AND PREVENTION SERVICES
IMPROVE
With continued emphasis on research to practice, Wellness and Prevention Services developed a “train the trainers” model in two evidence-based programs designed to decrease disordered eating risk factors among sorority women and female athletes (“Reflections Body Image Program and the Female Athlete Body Project,” February 2010) and developed a Marijuana Abuse Prevention Program (MAPP) in Summer 2009 based on BASICS. The program was implemented in Fall 2009 with success, with staff providing over 230 BASICS interventions and 130 MAPP interventions.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, the University of Connecticut’s Student Affairs Division has been part of a remarkable transformation and reorganization.
With this magnitude of change, the Division has been challenged to implement a new vision for the student experience as represented by the new and continually emerging strategic planning process. The information reported here provides a glimpse into the fiscal foundation of this transformation as the Division works to maintain high standards for service and excellence.
MEANINGFUL NUMBERS
MEANINGFUL NUMBERS Students Housed by the Division Fall 2009
12,315
11,971
Spring 2010
Students Provided with Meal Plans Total Division Employees
866
Division Employees (State Only) Clerical/Administrative
514
47
238 Maintenance 229 Gender: Male 228 Gender: Female 286 Professional
Dining Employees (Non-State) Student Employees
1,762
352
19,814
BRICK OF THE WEEK AWARDS
BRICK OF THE WEEK AWARDS The Brick of the Week Awards are given to nominated members of the UConn Community who were observed demonstrating one or more of the Division of Student Affairs’ Guiding Principles or Critical Issues. These individuals were recognized by their colleagues and supervisors as helping to fulfill the mission of the Division and support of the academic mission of UConn. Department of Career Services
Jaclyn Calovine Larry Druckenbrod Rachel Larsen Ashley Reichenbach Janet Stephens
Center for Students with Disabilities Bryanna Anderson Shirley Armenteros Wade Gibbs Donna Korbel Megan Kress Diep Luu Christine Wenzel Elisabeth Werling
Community Standards
Cinnamon Adams Jane Benoit-Bean Cathy Cocks Pier Gutierrez
Conference Services Kate Copeland Steve Rugens
Counseling & Mental Health Services Perry Mandanis Arlene Thompson Maritza Lugo-Stalker Betsy Cracco Jenn Fox Barbara Melady Barry Schreier
Dining Services
Rachel Arpin Denise Beal Linda Bergeron Sue Brock Gloria Bustamante Frank Cameron Trish Cameron Terry Cook Jamie Coppola Peter Duel William Elliott Drew Gibson Dave Gould Marty Grimason Amy Gronus Regina Hackett Ethan Haggerty Scott Harmon Peter Haynes Andy Iverson Eric Janssen Lorraine Kjellquist Sharon Kulo Roselyn Lamont Rob Landolphi Steve Lavallee Deb Lee Charlotte Levasseur Nancy Manuel Sue Meduna Dawn Meduna Gail Merrill Helen Mesi Bea Nerbonne Susan O’Keefe Kevin Ostrowski Dennis Pierce Larry Rayment Jim Rogers Tracey Roy Carlos Sanchez Casey Senechal Heidi Slater John Spejewski Adam Wentworth Katherine Woodward
Residential Life
Nancy Abohatab Liz Ackell Maureen Armstrong John Armstrong Ryan Barone Jordan Bennett Marisa Birdsell Steph Boykin Martha Brewsczynski Sandra Brind-Amour Shante Brown Courtney Buchanan Harold Butler Dallas Carter Lauren Cecchi Drew Cekada Lindsay Chiappa Nikki Cole Lurman Colon Ruben Concepcion Scott Connolly Tracy Cree Amy Crim Shalice Culbreath Sharon Daggett Matt DeGuire Wayne Desilets Katelyn Donovan Catherine Dubuc Trudy Dufresne Dana Dunnack Pete Dunnack Keith Fernandez Hoween Flexer Stacy Flowers Caely Flynn Velda Forte Kevin Fowler Scott Gallo Ben Gelb Elsie Gonzalez Douglas Goodstein Tom Gray Chrys Grigoriou Tanya Hartwig Ray HeBert
Beth Helinski Donna Huff Zach Humphrey Mary Anne Ives Billy Jimenez Neil Kaufman Craig Kell Abi Kennedy Steve Kremer Melanie Lawson Sanchez Leonardo Christie Letarte Jeffrey Lyle Gabriel Malave Mark McDonald Nora McGee Sheila Morgansmith Sheryl Nasansky David Norman Katherine O’Connell Robert Otto Jordan Owens Marta Pagan Ismael Pagan Rob Palmer Doreen Peloquin Elba Perez Gerard Perry Ryan Purves Mike Richards Aristide Ristau Andrew Roberts Emile Rogovich
Joseph Sanborn Juan Sanchez Pam Schipani John Sears Kevin Sella Timothy Smith Niki Sol Logan Stern Acy Stone Linda Sumner Charles Sundquist Heather Swick Kayla Ten Cate Russell Theroux Jacquline Thompson Erica Thompson Thomas Tourigny Howard Vizthum Mike Welles Jasmine Willis Bob Wylie Drew Zimmerman
Department of Student Activities Ada Elderkin
BRICK OF THE WEEK AWARDS Fraternity & Sorority Life
Crystel Maldonado Will Jones Lindsay Sell Todd Sullivan Greg Fink
HESA Program Caroline McCall Sue Saunders
Off Campus Student Services Jim Hintz Akeya Peterson
Office of Student Services & Advocacy
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs Margo Bertram Denielle Burl Janice Canniff Neeta Chandreshekhar David Clokey Cathy Downs Michelle Kiely Lauren Kodiak Gina Onidi Stefanie Landsman John Saddlemire Ashley Vrabely
One Card Office Elly Prairie
Laura Beltran Karen Bresciano Justin Aguado Amanda Ambriano Kate Bailey Anila Bakullari Chantal Bouchereau Jenique Brown Gareth Chatkin Gay Douglas Andrew Fitch Michael Gurdijan Brett Hewitt Ashley Hudd-Trotter Lisa Lemaire Erin McClellan Ranisha Miller Dan Padover Komal Sandu Josh Zarkin
Residence Education
Office of the CEO
Residential Life The Front Desk
Roxanne Roy
Office of the Controller Charlie Eaton Peggy Selleck Michael Virone
Office of the President President Hogan
Terrence Abney Alisa Geller Donna Hoff Kaylyn Jennik Robert Yanez
Residential Life
James Chapman Kevin Gelormino David Goldstein Benjamin Gramlich Stephen Hakenjos Rebecca Painter Daryl Wu
Residential Life Housing Mary Falzo Jessica Petriello
Evelyn Hunter Smith
Student Activities Lacey Mazzilli Jayce Watson Will Reddy Toya Ambrose
Jill Andruskiewicz Melissa Arroyo Nikki Augustine Diane Bordeleau Joseph Briody Jacquelyn Brown Jonathan Burros Liz Catalano Fritz Chery Diana DeFeo Nancy Depathy Bethany Desjardin Gina DeVivo Brassaw Lauren Dittmeier Danielle Dorsey Benjamin Dunlavey Kate Durant Kevin Evringham Kevin Fahey Alexandra Fidellaga Henry Fischer Chelsea Fischer Mark Flynn Jenna Frechette Paul Gaines Sylvie Godbout Kelly Green Kaitlyn Haggerty Katlyn Harrington Heather Heimann Becca Herman Rob Huggins Olafemi Hunter Ashley Jeznach Destynie Jones Taylor Kielpinski-Rogers Andrea Lama Shawna Lesseur Michael Levenduski Melissa LoStocco Chris Marceau Eric Markow Paige Martin Sheena Mayes-Boyle Brittany McKeown Sarah Mikels Janella Mildrexler Anna Milot Cynthia Morrissette Krista Muise Lisa Okscin Lillian Palacios
Chelsea Pellegrino Jody Poth Cheryl Povilonis Karen Provost Rachael Ramonas Liz Rapoport Kate Rubnitz Catherine Ryan Kristen Schmalbach Sarah Scranton Cara Seidner Amy Sevigny Mary Shaw Alyssa Stoner Samantha Strumolo Rachael Sullivan Danielle Sullivan Amy Thees Ryan Toussaint Vu Tran Donna Vail Benedict Vetter Jessica Wahl Heather Wilhelm Christine Wilson Christopher Woodside Katharina Young Sevan Angacian Miguel Colon Sara Dudley McDermott Olafemi Hunter Ben Cannon
Student Affairs Information Technology Tom Bloom Chris Boucher Juan Canela Dan Capetta Ginny Eaton Marc Jones Evelyn Lang Ryan Mankus Reuben Painter Valerie Puffet-Michel Krista Schulz
Student Health Services Information Technology Laurie Loehr Mary Bey Holly Bisaccia Valerie Kiefer Kathy Leahy
Mary Ellen Powers Kathy Aldrich Jane Bainbridge Karin Denley Jane Desrosiers Linda Dobosz Kathy Hampton Deb Hubbell Arlene Kerlin MD Priscilla Kessler Renee Krukoff Diana Laster-Gagne Mary Manton Tina McCarthy Laura McConnell Stephanie Moore Patricia Moriarty Sheila Patchen (LeBeau) Josie Puccia Marie Santi Tresca Smith Martha Sternberg M.D. Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley Nancy Tatro Claire Verdier Donna Vose Cindy Walsh Linda Page
Student Union
Mike Bolduk Shane Cote Sarah Guillimette Abby Morales Tony Noel Corey O’Brien Matthew Perreault Monica Rudzik Kim Schwarz Faith Sumpter Carlos Villa Connie Vong Patricia Gilligan Britney Bidmead Chris Cipriano
Wellness & Prevention Eric Crumrine Anne Thompson Joleen Nevers Amy (Pumerantz) Dunham Beth DeRicco Nisha Hardnett Kayla Olson Liz Prince