The Student Affairs Focus - Fall 2009
This issue: Welcome Week, "Student Voice" Assessments, Residence Life Fire Safety, and more!
Student Affairs Embarks on Assessment Mission
Every day within Student Affairs, quality programs, services, and activities designed to foster an environment for student success occur. However, it can sometimes be a challenge to know with confidence whether or not our programs are having their intended impact. For many of us, we may feel we do not have the necessary skills to conduct quality program assessments or we may think there just isn’t enough time to measure a program’s success. In response to this challenge, Student Affairs is excited to announce its partnership with StudentVoice.
StudentVoice is a comprehensive assessment company available to assist Missouri State University student affairs departments help gather concrete data for better decision making. StudentVoice will help MSU student affairs staff members design quality program assessments including survey development, data collection and analysis, data reporting, and will also provide numerous professional development opportunities for strengthening assessment skills. Already, several student affairs staff members are currently using StudentVoice to assess programs and services and make better, data-driven decisions.
For more information regarding the division’s partnership with StudentVoice, or if you have questions about how your department might be able to use StudentVoice to “better tell your story,” please contact Thomas Lane at ThomasLane@missouristate.edu. Staff members are also encouraged to check out the StudentVoice website at www.studentvoice.com.
Disability Services Connects Public Affairs, Universal Design
Missouri State University’s Public Affairs Mission theme for this year is Evolving Economic Realities. Disability Services is really getting involved this year by looking at one of many economic realities for people with disabilities, the lack of accessible, affordable housing through the utilization of universal design in housing.
A Word from the Vice President and Dean of Students
Can you believe it? It is already mid-term of the Fall 2009 academic semester! It seems just like yesterday that we were engaged in Welcome Week activities, the House Calls program in Residence Life, Legacy Day events, and the first home football game. When you are busy time does fly!
In the Division of Student Affairs we have indeed been busy this fall, from processing a record number of applications for admission that led to another record enrollment, to facilitating the selection of the new Board of Governors Citizen Scholars, to planning for the selection of the next Legislative Interns who will serve in Jefferson City during the spring semester. Everyone has been actively providing services, learning and student development opportunities for our students. While there are numerous other essential services and programs that could be mentioned, I must list the challenges of “Banner,” and the efforts being taken to lessen the impact of H1N1 flu when writing about the Fall 2009 semester. In many ways, it has been a different fall semester with many new challenges.
Challenges were also introduced by me to the Student Affairs staff during our Divisional meeting on August 11. At that gathering I outlined divisional “focus” goals for 2009 – 2010. The first goal is reflective of a reoccurring emphasis that we started last year in supporting the annual Public Affairs Theme: Support of the Public Affairs Mission ’09 – ’10 Annual Theme of “Evolving Economic Realities.” I have asked that all units take time to consider how they can contribute to the fulfillment of this annual theme. It is my contention that all units can contribute to this theme whether by providing a specific program or through attention and action related to unit budgets. A second focus goal is titled Diversity Engagement. I have challenged Divisional Units to consider and create ways to facilitate opportunities for diversity “engagement.” Diversity on our campus is steadily increasing through some great efforts in recruitment, relationship building and specific programs. I am asking what we can do now to take advantage of growing diversity to increase learning and interaction on our campus. We need to do more than count numbers! A third focus is what I want to call the Missouri State Experience. This truly relates to “customer service” and going beyond what students, families, visitors and our campus colleagues would consider good customer service. The Missouri State Experience should be going beyond what is expected and providing that “wow” contact. I have asked that our Student Affairs operations strive for creating such a standard for our campus. The fourth and final focus goal for this year relates to Assessment. We have some good evidence that the Division of Student Affairs makes a positive contribution to the students of Missouri State University. I am challenging staff to approach in a fresh manner the questions related to “are we doing what we say we are doing, and how well are we doing it.” New resources are being provided to the Division to help address this fourth goal.
Good things are happening in Student Affairs and the positive, hard working staff make me proud to call them colleagues!
Earle Doman, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Residence Life Lights Up Interest in Fire Safety
On October 12, 2009, Residence Life and Services hosted How Fast It Burns, a fire safety program. The goal of the program was to educate students on the importance of fire safety through passive and hands-on activities. The program opened with the burning of a mock residence hall room. The room was decorated like a typical student room with everything from posters to dirty laundry. It took less than five minutes for the room to be fully engulfed in flames. This reinforced the fact that fire spreads quickly and the importance of evacuating anytime a fire alarm/system sounds.
Other activities during the event included fire extinguisher training, relays in fireman gear, kitchen fire safety information, a fire hazard identification activity, ring toss, karaoke, and a BBQ. There were over 200 students in attendance. How Fast It Burns was the educational component of a FEMA grant that Residence Life and Services received in 2008. The majority of the grant money was used to install Safe-T-Elements to prevent cooking fires and new stoves in apartment kitchens in Sunvilla, Dogwood, and Kentwood South.
Submitted by Teresa Frederick.
Career Center Introduces New Staff, Implements Variety of Programs for Semester
This school year has brought several beginnings to the Career Center. In August, three new professionals joined the Career Center staff. Addye Buckley-Burnell is now working with the College of Business Administration, Chandra Johnson is working with the College of Humanities and Public Affairs, and Angie Rieves is working with the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. Margie Stewart has continued working with Employer Relations but is now a liaison to the College of Education. Two Graduate Assistants, Jason Polsgrove and Kaylyn Ogonowski, were also welcomed to the office from the Master of Business Administration program.
With these additions came new office arrangements, allowing the Career Center to offer additional services. The Graduate Assistants are conducting Walk-In Hours Monday thru Thursday from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. Students can stop by either the Carrington Hall or Glass Hall Career Center locations during that time for a brief résumé, cover letter or personal essay review, Job Tracks training, or an introduction to our counseling services. Students are assisted on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, IDS 120 has now been separated into two two-credit-hour courses. IDS 120, Exploring Majors and Careers, is targeted toward assisting first- and second-year students with making major and career decisions. IDS 320, Job Search Preparation and Career/Life Planning, is targeted toward juniors and seniors who are preparing for an internship or job search. Two sections of each course will be offered in the Spring 2010 semester as well. Lastly, the Career Center was proud to bring Monster College Advantage to campus. The program encouraged students to work hard at achieving high academic standards, to set career-related goals, and to pursue opportunities that will set them apart from other students. The presentation was a great way to further support the mission of the Career Center and emphasize the importance of early career planning to the students.
The Career Center has continued to see success in numbers. In the third quarter of this year, 497 jobs were posted on Job Tracks. Sixty employers registered for the Fall Career Fest and approximately 450 students attended the event. The Accounting, Business, and Computer days brought several employers to campus as well, and approximately thirty employers have conducted on-campus interviews so far this semester. In order to help students prepare for the career fairs, the Career Center hosted Résumé Madness. Booths were set up at three separate locations around campus and the staff conducted brief walk-up résumé screenings for students. The Career Center has also continued to participate in the A+ program with Parkview High School. Staff recently gave presentations on job search and interview preparations then followed-up with the students by conducting mock interviews. The staff was well-versed at these presentations as they have been extremely busy giving presentations on several career-related topics such as an introduction to the Career Center services, assessment interpretations, résumé and cover letter writing, and interview preparation.
Our next event will be Mock Interview Day on November 9. Ten employers from several industries have registered to conduct practice interviews with students throughout the day. As the school year progresses, the Career Center is looking forward to continued growth in the services we offer students.
Submitted by Angie Rieves, Career Resources Specialist
Disability Service Expands Universal Design Focus
The staff of Disability Services believes that when educating people about Universal Design that we are fulfilling the three major themes of our institution’s Public Affairs Mission: Ethical Leadership, Cultural Competence, and Community Engagement. Our staff fulfills these mission themes in numerous ways throughout the year. One example occurred this past summer, on August 7, 2009, when Disability Services hosted PEPNet's (Postsecondary Education Programs Network) Regional Roundtable. The purpose of PEPNet is to increase and improve secondary and postsecondary educational opportunities for individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Over 40 people attended the event here at Missouri State University with participants from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Topics covered at the event included use of assistive listening devices to advocacy and making classroom accessible.
- Do your best to create a welcoming environment in your classroom for all students. Keep in mind that your actions and the attitude you display toward students with disabilities are observed by all students in the class.
- Utilize technology in the classroom when teaching.
- Provide information in multiple modes.
- Signal new topics in as clear a way as possible.
- Include long pauses.
- Deliberately state that you are beginning a new topic.
- Outline class material in the corner of the board and point to new topics as you proceed through the material.
- Detail changes in email or an accessible course website.
- Post class notes, PowerPoint slides, and other visual aids to an accessible website.
- When presenting information with overheads or PowerPoint slides, allow time for all students to read the material shown.
- Make certain there are no line-of-sight issues. Can students see you, the board, visual aids, sign language interpreters, etc.
- Assess the sound environment of the classroom. Are students able to hear you over sounds in the room? Do you need to use a microphone?
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Repeat comments made and questions asked by other students in the class before responding.
- Make eye contact with students.
- Present material in a logical progression.
- Try to prevent unintended false starts, backtracking, or drifting off topic when you present material.
- Ensure a learning space that accommodates both students and instructional methods.
Disability Services Announces New Blog Site
In an effort to promote the importance of Universal Design, the Office of Disability Services has created a blog on the topic. Articles and additional information can be found at their website:
http://blogs.missouristate.edu/universaldesign/
Welcome Week Activities Engage New Students
In the days leading up to the beginning of the semester, the Office of Student Engagement coordinated a number of activities to introduce students to campus, network them with their peers, and help both students and parents prepare themselves for the Missouri State Experience. Here are the events of Welcome Week:
Friday August 21, 2009
8:00 pm, North Mall, Welcome Ceremony and Family Appreciation Event – This event, which welcomes students and their families to campus, featured Dr. Earle Doman, Vice President for Student Affairs, Christopher Polley, Student Body President, Mike Jungers, Dean of Students, and Dave Embree, Missouri State parent and Christian Campus House campus minister. At the conclusion of this event students and families said their goodbyes as students left to attend PLAYFAIR.
8:30 pm, Intramural Field, PLAYFAIR – This high energy, interactive event was the perfect way for students to make new friends at Missouri State! During PLAYFAIR, students take part in various ice breakers and team building exercises with other Missouri State students and PLAYFAIR facilitators. Approximately 1800 students attended this event sponsored by the Residence Hall Association and the Office of Student Activities
10:00 pm, North Mall, Outdoor Games – Students were invited back to the North Mall to enjoy inflatable games and refreshments while waiting for the outdoor movie to begin – sponsored by Christian Campus House.
11:00 pm, North Mall, Free Outdoor Movie, Star Trek – Students were invited to stay on the North Mall and watch the summer blockbuster film Star Trek under the stars on a 15 by 20 foot inflatable movie screen – sponsored by the Student Activities Council.
Saturday August 22, 2009
10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Bear Paw, Oops I forgot … − Many students quickly realize on their second day of their college experience that they may have forgotten some things at home. This program was created to help students take care of any last minute shopping or just get off campus and explore some of Springfield. From 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, shuttle busses were offering free rides from campus to Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Over 400 students took advantage of this great event sponsored by Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and the Office of Student Engagement.
7:30 pm – 1:00 am, Plaster Student Union, Bear Bash – This was a complete night of FUN! It started with a Bear Bash Tailgate at 7:30 pm and the official doors opened to Bear Bash at 9:00 pm. The first 1000 students received a free Missouri State t-shirt. There was also free food, Deal or No Deal (students won money!), Texas Hold 'Em, Bowling, chainsaw juggler Mad Chad Taylor and much more! This event was sponsored by the Office of Student Engagement, Plaster Student Union, Student Activities Council, Residence Hall Association, and the Dean of Students office.
Sunday August 23, 2009
12:30 pm, Hammons Student Center, Greek Reception – This presentation was for any students who were interested in learning more about how involvement in a fraternity or sorority can benefit a student at Missouri State – sponsored by Greek Life.
2:00 pm, JQH Arena, New Student Convocation – The New Student Convocation officially marked the start of the 2009-10 academic year. Kelli Wolf Moles was the featured speaker, and students learned more about the university’s public affairs mission in addition to this year’s public affairs theme of “Evolving Economic Realities.” – sponsored by the Provost Office and the Office of Student Affairs.
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm, Plaster Student Union, New Student Festival – Over 200 student organizations and departments at Missouri State set up tables in the Plaster Student Union to share information and recruit new students. Approximately 3000 students attended this event sponsored by the Office of Student Engagement.
About The Student Affairs Focus:
For questions, comments, or submissions relevant to The Student Affairs Focus, please contact Andrew Crain in the Office of Student Affairs: (417) 836-5526.
Staff Development Committee Kicks Off Another Year
The Division's Staff Development Committee has begun the Fall 2009 semester with another series of excellent workshops and presentations. Thus far, the group has organized sessions on "Enhancing the Missouri State Experience" (Sept. 18), and "Student Affairs Assessment 101" (Oct. 15). A number of additional sessions have been planned for the remainder of the year, including the following.
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"Dealing with Students in Stressful Situations" - November 20
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"Exploring Creativity" - December 10
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Professional Communication - January
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Motivating Self and Others - February
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Getting Involved in the Springfield Community - March
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Improving the Student Employee Experience - April
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End of the Year Celebration - May
For questions, comments, or topic suggestions, please contact committee Chairman Thomas Lane at (417) 836-5886.
The Student Affairs Staff Development Committee consists of the following members: Chandra Johnson, Vicki Elders, Suzann Ferguson, Jeremy Schenk, Vlada Buck, Andrew Crain, David Mariott, and Cheri Ellis.
