UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE

DIVISION OF STUDENT & UNIVERSITY LIFE

MISSION,

GOALS,

& ACTION PLAN

Mission Statement:

"The Division of Student and University Life provides programs and services that promote a respectful, inclusive environment and prepare learners for success in life, career and citizenship."

Division of Student & University Life

7^th Floor, Law Building

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

Phone (207) 780-4035

Fax (207) 780-4549

Email: Craigh@usm.maine.edu

http://usm.maine.edu/sul/

Table of Contents:

May 2003

Dear Student and University Life Colleagues:

As you will recall, the USM Plan: Achieving National recognition for Regional Excellence, called for us to "institute a university life model for living, learning and working together." The staffing and organizational changes that have occurred over the last 18 months were the first steps toward realizing that goal. The mission, goals and action steps contained herein should be viewed as the "blueprint" for a successful Student and University Life model. This blueprint will be our guide as we contribute toward USM becoming a "highly regarded and vital community of inquiry and learning which provides its region with outstanding academic programs, rigorous research and creative activity" - also goals of the "USM Plan."

This document is the result of several months of work by the division leadership. These guiding principles resulted from a thorough review of current trends, best practices in student affairs and a critical look at our roles and the functioning of all division departments. I have asked your unit heads to review this document with you so that you may begin to use it as guidance for the future.

The formal introduction of our plan will occur at our Annual Division Breakfast which I have chosen to move from October to August. It will occur on August 22, 2003 at the Brooks Dining Center from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Please mark your calendar accordingly. I have made this change because I would like the breakfast to be viewed as a "kick off" celebration each year. It will give me a chance to talk with all of you regarding the upcoming year. It will also give all of you an opportunity to "check in" with each other prior to the start of the academic year. I realize that the third week of August is a very busy time but I am gambling that these two hours will become a valuable interlude and a tradition that we all look forward to.

Please ask questions of your unit heads and of me as you review this document. Your questions and comments are most welcome. Thank you, in advance, for meeting the challenges that you will undertake and for the support that I know that you will all continue to provide to the students of USM.

Sincerely,

Craig Hutchinson

Vice President for Student and University Life

DIVISION GOALS AND ACTIONS

The success of the goals and specific actions that follow depends on our recognition of Student & University Life's responsibility for supporting an environment of inquiry and learning, providing growth and development experiences and creating methods that allow articulation of the results of the university experience.

GOAL 1: Create A Welcoming Environment

Action 1a: Strengthen USM's welcoming environment and image using encouraging early student/campus community connections.

• Participate in student recruitment; support Admissions staff in this critical responsibility.
• Develop a comprehensive plan that welcomes and acclimates new students based on input from current students, faculty and staff.
• Involve all division staff and other campus community members in welcoming new students.
• Clarify and communicate opportunities for students to connect with each other, staff and faculty.
• Assist new students in finding/building their community within first 6 weeks on campus.
• Evaluate signage, web sites and publications for clarity, relevance and comprehensiveness and user friendliness.
• Streamline publications and provide electronic presentations where appropriate.

Action 1b: Develop mechanisms that welcome new faculty and staff and connect them to student and university life.

• Provide a student and university life component at "Welcome Matters."
• Invite faculty and staff to join us as we welcome students.
• Thread rewarding involvement opportunities throughout our co-curriculum programs.

Action 1c: Craft a university life environment that encourages and supports respect for individual difference.

• Ensure that early, and subsequent messages to new community members reflect a standard of personal respect and civility.
• Encourage inter-cultural and multi-cultural competence for all staff, student employees, and student leaders.
• Interweave the goals of the Diversity Plan throughout planning and implementation of division programs, services and the co-curriculum.

Action 1d: Develop a "front door and living room" concept for our campuses.

• Determine specific needs for and create common community space, "safe places," relaxation areas and service provision venues, for our various constituencies.
• Re-envision our campus and student centers, along with their programs and services, using an expanded delivery venue philosophy. Recognize that the campus "front door and living room" concept may be found in a variety of physical locations.

Action 1e: Ensure effective image and communication mechanisms for a mobile and diverse community.

• Develop division image in conjunction with university image.

GOAL 2: Nurture A Culture of Support and Mentoring

Action 2a: Know who our students are and what is important to them.

• Gather background data describing students in each incoming class.
• Dialogue with students in cohort groups early in their university experience in order to assist them in developing a "university involvement plan".

Section 2b: Continuously develop staff advising and mentoring skills guided by professional standards.

• Cross-train staff; broaden staff knowledge of learning styles, student development principles and "how USM works."
• Develop personal and electronic "briefing" mechanisms that allow student support personnel to gain knowledge of critical university functions and programs.
• Recognize the unique role of para-professionals, interns and graduate assistants in student support roles; train them for success while providing them with relevant growth experiences.
• Develop collaborative working relationships and initiatives with colleagues in student support services. ( i.e. Advising and Academic Assistance, Financial Aid, International Programs, Disability Support, Multi-cultural Student Affairs, Academic unit student affairs personnel, University Extension, Graduate Student Affairs and LAC Student Affairs, etc.)

Action 2c: Ensure that students develop relationships necessary to guide them through the university experience.

• Initiate a structure of student and university staff contact for all new students that complements faculty, academic advising and personal support relationships.
• Develop deliberate opportunities for faculty to interact with students outside the classroom.
• Include formal and informal student and dispute resolution as a operative part of our community standards program.
• Encourage and provide methods for family and other non-university relationships to support student success.
• Encourage connections and traditions that ensure students continued involvement as active alumni, mentors for future students and advocates for the "USM Experience".

GOAL 3: Provide Outstanding Relevant Services

Action 3a: Develop necessary services for students, staff and faculty that allow all to focus on student success.

• Create an operational definition of services necessary to maximize student learning.
• Define a finite menu of division services.
• Recognize that staff and faculty have service needs that can be addressed on campus that will allow them to focus on support for students.
• Review and revise service offerings, as needed, to ensure contextual relevance.

Action 3b: Systematically assess and address the basic service needs of new and continuing learners.

• Organize physical and technological access to services to meet the unique needs of our diverse community.
• Provide access to relevant services in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Action 3c: Maintain quality service standards.

• Ensure professional development opportunities for service providers.
• Utilize research (benchmarks) to ensure appropriate service menu and standards.
• Develop a method to evaluate relevance to mission, efficiency and successful application of current and proposed services.

Action 3d: Provide "user friendly" services.

• Broaden the pool of existing personnel able to be effective "front line staff."
• Train all front line staff in basic interaction skills as well as skills unique to service provision in the higher education environment.
• Model respect, guard confidences and follow up completely when providing service.

GOAL 4: Build A Dynamic Co-curriculum Presented Through Creative Learning Communities

Action 4a: Shape a co-curricular model using the Developmental Advising Inventory as a framework (see page 9).

• Gather information regarding prior experiences of incoming students in order to better inform development of the co-curriculum.
• Plan and implement the co-curriculum recognizing differing learning styles and life circumstances.
• Recognize specialization of all division units and the need to apply that specialization in a collaborative fashion when developing the co-curriculum.
• Develop linkages with other divisions and off-campus entities broadening the co-curricular "faculty".

Action 4b: Present the co-curriculum through learning communities and mini-communities.

• Identify finite number of traditional and creative learning communities to pilot this model.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management to align co-curricular and curricular expected outcomes.
• Develop co-curricular traditions and celebrations that help new students identify a desired learning community.
• Create and renovate physical plant in a manner that physically supports student learning communities.

Action 4c: Provide experiential education opportunities designed to complement curricular programs and prepare learners for success in life, career and citizenship.

• Partner with academic affairs in developing opportunities that complement the curriculum.
• Utilize community connections and partnerships to ensure a broad range of opportunities for our diverse and unique population.
• Craft a university life environment that models the civic responsibility necessary for success in a global society.

The considerable breadth and depth of our mission and the reality of finite resources indicate a need for....

CREATIVE RESOURCE SOLUTIONS

- That include a regular review of financial, human and technological resources.

- That recognize successful strategies within units that can be implemented in meeting division and university goals.

- That utilize cross-unit planning and action-group application.

- That utilize alternate funding opportunities developed and nourished in conjunction with University Advancement.

- That allow for more efficient delivery of routine and core functions (e.g., entering work orders, ordering supplies).

- That seek efficiencies through collaboration with other campus and off-campus entities.

- That flow from effective fiscal management principles, including:

- Cost/benefit analysis

- Internal vs. external service/program provision analysis.

- Allowing staff to move within the division in recognition of their skills, career desires and changing staffing needs.

- Creating more flexibility in meeting the demands of a dynamic university environment through staff empowerment.

- Reviewing roles, responsibilities and unit mission when resources or attrition provides the opportunity.

In the final analysis, it is critical that learners realize an added value as a result of their university experience and are able to articulate that value.

INTEGRAL CONCEPTS IN ACHIEVING ADDED VALUE FOR LEARNERS INCLUDE:

• Determining desired Student and University Life co-curricular program learning outcomes.

• Defining general categories of valued learning outcomes (i.e. leadership skills) as well as specific outcomes (i.e. how to motivate volunteers).

• Providing the learner with methodology for measuring the valued added gained from the "USM Experience" and for articulating results.

• Using research data as the base for determining learning objectives.

• Committing to a program implementation model that utilizes graduate assistants, interns, para-professional staff and peer educators not only to extend the reach of regular staff but to optimize learning opportunities for individuals in those positions..

• Utilizing developmental transcripts and (web-based) portfolios as methods for learners to articulate results of their university experience.

Return to Table of Contents

Return to the Student & University Life homepage at U.S.M.