Goal and Strategies: Status Update October 2011
Strategic Plan Goal 5: Enhance and enrich the quality of student life on campus in order to realize our core commitment to student success
Strategy 5.1: Build a new dormitory and upgrade existing dormitory facilities
Completed:
· new residence hall constructed and opened in fall 2008;
· the residential space of Medaille Hall was renovated in summer 2010;
· FCAP (Facility Capital Action Plan) is initiated by Sodexho to prioritize and plan for capital improvement projects several years in advance. Residence halls are a part of this on-going assessment of the physical plant. Staff members of the Residential Life and Facilities departments have initiated annual meetings to plan and prioritize residence hall facilities to support programmatic needs and housing retention efforts. It is recognized that Kearney and O’Connor residence halls are in need of significant upgrading.
Strategy 5.2: Develop programs that integrate academic affairs and student life
Ongoing through the following:
· Student Success Steering Committee - Goal #2 of the Annual Institutional Goals for 2011-2012 is, “Implement programmatic changes to achieve the retention goals recommended by the Student Success Team;”
· new undergraduate Core Curriculum, specifically, the First-Year Seminar Course and the Academic and College Success one-credit course;
· next target for collaboration will be the identification and development of experiential learning opportunities;
· multiple student success initiatives in the planning stages will further connect Student Development and Academic Affairs in 2011-2012.
Strategy 5.3: Construct a new field house that is focused on the health and wellness of students as well as faculty, staff,
alumni, and trustees
Options for a field house are included in Phase 4 of the Campus Master Plan.
Strategy 5.4: Expand services for students with disabilities and with other special needs
Expansion of services is completed with regard to this strategic plan; however, needs assessments regarding services are
ongoing and initiatives implemented accordingly.
Strategy 5.5: Provide additional services that meet the needs of graduate and part-time students to ensure that they are an
integral and welcomed part of the College community
Ongoing:
· In 2009-2010 the division of Student Development initiated a comprehensive assessment process for its departments using the self assessment process recommended by the Council for the Advancement of standards in Higher Education (CAS). The assessment process is intentionally inclusive of full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students.
· Initiatives regarding (1) recruitment, (2) academic program development, (3) curriculum delivery, and (4) academic and student support are reflected in goals 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the strategic plan. While most often thought of more broadly as the groups of undergraduate and graduate students at Nazareth, transfer, part-time, adult and nontraditional, and international students, and students with disabilities have also been considered in the work of these goals and strategies.
Additional notes regarding ongoing initiatives pertaining to Strategic Plan Goal #5, “Enhance and enrich the quality of student life on campus in order to realize our core commitment to student success.”
· An initiative underway for 2011-2012 is the creation of a new staff position, Coordinator of Veteran Student Recruitment and Support Services. Reporting to the Vice President for Student Support Services, the Coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing Nazareth’s strategy for increasing and retaining the number of veteran students in the College’s programs and for coordinating services to ensure academic success.
· Goal #3 of the Annual Institutional Goals for 2011-2012 is, “Develop plans and initiate implementation for enhancing support and integration of the following students into the Nazareth community: veteran students, transfer students, international students.”
Plan and Assessment Goal 5 Updated – pdg 10/31/2011 page 1 of 17
Administrative Assessment: Program Level
Planning Form
Department/Program: Strategic Plan Goal 5: Enhance and enrich the quality of student life on campus in order to realize our core commitment to student success
Date: 10/31/11 Submitted by: Pat Genthner
Significant Objectives/Outcomes / Evidence and Criteria / Findings / Recommendations and Follow-up / CostsProgram level objectives that are meaningful and measurable.
Column 1 / What evidence are you going to look at?
How often will it be collected and analyzed?
Be specific about information to be collected, what method will be used, schedule for collection and analysis.
Column 2 / What are you going to look for?
Expected level of performance, list the specific criteria (percent of successful activities, or positive feedback) that will indicate success or positive outcome.
Column 3 / Describe the findings garnered from the analysis of the evidence that address the levels of performance listed in the Planning Form.
Column 4 / List specific actions that grew out of the findings, including a timeline for monitoring, implementation or follow-up, and the person(s) or committee responsible for follow-up.
Column 5 / Proposed/
Estimated Costs / Approved
Budget Allocation
Column 6
1. Enhance quality of student life on campus.
Strategy 5.1
Strategy 5.2
Strategy 5.3
Strategy 5.4
Strategy 5.5 / Depth and breadth, usage, and satisfaction with:
· Residence halls
· Athletic facilities
· Student services
· Co-curricular activities
Compare with best practices, and regulations and laws, where applicable. / Residence halls:
· Residence hall capacity at 100%
· High level of resident student satisfaction with on campus living experience
Athletic facilities:
· Provide athletic spaces for both intercollegiate and intramural teams, 7 days per week, 18 hours per day
· High level of satisfaction for users of athletic spaces, including coaches, students, faculty, staff
Services:
· Adequate spectrum of services provided to students
· Meeting industry best practices and comply with laws/ regulations that may apply
· High level of user satisfaction of student services
Co-Curricular Activities:
· High level of student involvement in co-curricular activities
· Adequate spectrum of activities provided to students
· Evidence that high level of student involvement increases opportunities for employment and/or graduate school / Residence halls:
· 62 tripled rooms in fall 2006 caused overcrowding of residence halls
· Desire to provide some housing for graduate students on campus
· Swing space required for renovating Kearney, Medaille, Founders and Lourdes
· Renovation requires facility upgrades to systems, and review of the configuration(s) of space
Athletic facilities:
· The Shults Center was built in 1976 to serve an undergraduate population of 900 students and four varsity athletic teams. An auxiliary gym was created in 1989 to provide a recreational space.
· Today, there are 2,000 undergraduate students, 1,100 graduate students, and 23 varsity athletic teams.
· Gym space is programmed from 6 a.m.-12 midnight, Monday-Friday. Intramural sports can only be offered on weekends.
· Demand is high and not being met for internal and external community usage of Shults Center space for events in addition to athletics.
Services – students with disabilities:
· The number of students who self-identify a disability has increased since 1997 from an average of 35 each year to over 145.
· Staffing consists of a ½ time Director to the Office for Students with Disabilities. This is inadequate support for the students and the faculty.
· It is necessary to enhance campus accessibility for students with disabilities to remain in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the basic requirement of Section 504 in Postsecondary Education, Education of Handicapped Act of 1975, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 1990.
Services – graduate students:
Overview of campus-wide services from surveys and focus groups in fall 2007 indicated:
· acceptable availability of hours and services campus-wide
· professional development funds for graduate students fell short in FY08
· little interest in organized clubs or organizations
· moderate interest in professional development opportunities such as colloquial dinner series
· very small market for on-campus housing, however, this does not include needs of prospective international students
Services – part-time undergraduate students:
· all services on campus that are available to full-time undergraduate students are similarly available to part-time students registered for a minimum of one credit bearing class; however, this excludes participation in intercollegiate sports and on-campus housing
· no financial aid available for part-time students
· class offerings are limited for part-time undergraduates wanting to attend in evenings only
· on-line courses are limited
Co-Curricular Activities - Status Update: There has been on-going discussion in the Student Development division since summer 2008 on how to operationalize connections between academic affairs and student life. A new Vice President for Student Development begins July 1, 2009. He and the VPAA are committed to collaborating in the development and implementation of programs that integrate academic affairs and student life. / Residence halls:
· Build new facility to house both lower and upper class students
· Build a facility with classroom space connected to the residence hall
Follow-up:
· Construction on 149 bed facility with classroom space began summer 2007; opened fall 2008
· Inventory of upgrades to existing residence halls and estimated costs are in process
Update 2010: The residential space of Medaille Hall was renovated in summer 2010 that resulted in a 72-bed space. Work included upgrades to plumbing, installation of a sprinkler system, painting and carpeting, new furniture, and significant work to kitchen and bathroom spaces
Update 2011, Residence Halls:
Facilities-
Residence halls are a part of an on-going assessment of the physical plant. Staff members of the Residential Life and Facilities departments initiated annual meetings to plan and prioritize residence hall facilities to support programmatic needs and housing retention efforts. It is recognized that Kearney and O’Connor residence halls are in need of significant upgrading.
Capacity-
The residence halls have not been at 100% capacity in several years; however, two initiatives were implemented to address residence hall numbers.
(1) Beginning fall 2009 a residency requirement was put in place for entering first year full-time undergraduate students. The requirement is for the students to live on campus for their first and second year of college. Research indicates that students who live on campus are more likely to achieve higher academic success, stay in school, graduate in four years, be more involved in campus life and make friends more readily. Therefore, this policy was implemented to maximize the integration of in-class and out-of-class learning, and enhance the potential for success in college.
(2) Residential Life and Marketing and Communications collaborated on a marketing effort to increase upperclass student retention in the residence halls. “Life on Campus” was a multimedia campaign that ran for two months in winter 2011. The goal was to deliver a core message in a fun way that would resonate with the daily life of students and would stress that these four years are the only time in your life you can do this – hence, “don’t cut it short”. Campaign materials consisted of print, promotional (e.g. buttons, t-shirts, etc.), events, and email blasts. Results to date indicate the following percentage comparisons of the total class living on campus:
2010: seniors 28% and juniors 44%
2011: seniors 33% and juniors 43%
Athletic facilities:
· New field house required. Build in phases if necessary.
· Phase 1: 62,000 square foot space that can also be used for large events, e.g. commencement. Phase 1 includes 200 meter indoor track; 5 tennis courts; 4 basketball courts; curtain system to divide courts for simultaneous practices.
Follow-up:
· Options for a field house are included in Phase 4 of the Campus Master Plan
Services – students with disabilities:
· Expand services for students with disabilities and other special needs
· Ensure compliance with laws and regulations
· Recommendations were sent in July 2007 from the Students with Disabilities Strategic Planning Committee to the VPAA, VPF, and Facilities.
Recommendations in priority order with follow-up as noted:
1. convert ½ time director position to full-time; approved effective July 1, 2008
2. increase graduate assistant hours; this took place for 2008-2009
3. pay note takers as tutors are paid; it was determined that no funding is required because the need for note takers is rare due to technology and the availability of other resources, including peer volunteer note takers
4. while compliant with ADA requirements, review opportunities to enhance accessibility throughout the campus (Also see 5 and 6 below.) 9 items in the original request of spring 2007 that is available on Saturn 2
· 8 of 9 have been completed
5. relocate Shults Center elevator; renovation of the Shults Center is included in Phase 4 of the Campus Master Plan
6. renovate space in the first year residence halls for handicap accessibility; handicap accessible rooms were constructed for student occupancy in new hall, Clock Tower Commons, for total accommodation of 15 students over 9 rooms
7. increase operating budget, for Office of Students with Disabilities; budget increased $15,915 effective FY09. Also, money realigned to significantly increase the miscellaneous budget line
8. provide readers for blind and disabled students; there are state funds available, Readers Aid Funds
9. increase training for faculty and staff; a new director began March 2008. She will collaborate with Center for Teaching Excellence in a program Sept 2009. This will launch future programs.
Updates 2010:
1. The Office for Students with Disabilities is now staffed by a full-time administrative Director and a full-time support Coordinator of Students with Disabilities and Graduate Assistants. Regarding the office operating budget, this unit is difficult to budget for because services provided often cannot be anticipated as they are in response to student self-disclosure. However, the College continues to meet the needs as illustrated by the annual operating budget information.
2. The Office for Students with Disabilities conducted a student opinion survey infall 2009 and spring 2010 regarding the testing center. Areas of interest included the level of ADA compliance from the perspective of the environment, the location, and staffing of the center. The responses were overwhelmingly positive and confirmed that testing center services provided to students with disabilities are meeting their current needs and adhering to the guidelines set forth by the ADA(AA) as amended in 2008. Changes made in response to the survey results: (1) the testing schedule form was adapted to different formats, e.g. electronic version; (2) a silencing keyboard was acquired for the testing center to eliminate distraction; (3) specific hours for the testing center were posted with availability of arrangements by appointment. Please contact the office of Institutional Research and Assessment for further information regarding the opinion survey.