2015-16 Student Affairs Annual Report

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Executive Summary 3

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strategic Themes

Key Achievements

Divisional PointsOf Pride

Shay Davis Little, PhDVice PresidentDivision of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs intentionally develops the whole student through transformational experiences. We passionately engage our diverse student population through quality programming and resources that enhance the educational process to ensure student success.

More than 400 administrative and professional staff, 30 graduate assistants and more than 2000

student employees work together to support students in becoming their best selves. From

traditional to non-traditional, domestic to international, commuters to residents, the division

endeavors to enhance the co-curricular lives of all Kent State students.

Cultivate an enhanced, intentionally designed, inclusive and engaging student experience that enhances student success.

Distinguish Kent State University as an exemplar healthy campus environment where physical health and general wellness pervade the community by adopting and implementing a recognized standard for wellness.

Educate the campus community regarding mental health issues, resources and appropriate responses for distressed and disruptive individuals. Assess current mental health services provided to students on all campuses using standards from the Jed Foundation Campus Program.

Develop a culture of assessment and data driven decision making in the division by creating an assessment plan, identifying learning outcomes, and appointing a team representing each unit to coordinate the process.

Exemplify a culture of lifelong learning, understanding (and utilization) of professional standards, implementation of student affairs best practices within Division of Student Affairs employees.

Division of Student Affairs

2015 - 2016 Goals

OUR MISSION

Division of Student Affairs Reorganization

With the changing landscape in higher education - and given the vital importance that student life has

on the success of our university - we have moved to a model that has been widely adopted by other

growing and thriving universities across the nation to strategically focus on the co-curricular experience.

We have successfully transitioned into a newly organized division with a new leader. In addition, we have

adopted the aforementioned mission and goals that comprehensively support the university priorities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

#1 College Dining Experience

KENTtalks

Kent State Dining Services earned the top spot on College Rank’s list of the “50 Best College Dining

Experiences.” College Rank is an independent organization whose mission is to make it easier for students

and parents to identify the best college for their individual needs and preferences. In selecting Kent

State for the top position, College Rank cited the abundance of vegetarian and vegan dining options

available, as well as its unique Veggie-A-Go-Go program, which allows students to place call-ahead

takeout orders for vegan and vegetarian items. University Dining Services offers healthy choices such as

the Mindful program, which emphasizes healthy cooking techniques that maximize flavor while minimizing

calories, fat and sodium, and make available a registered dietician to offer nutritional guidance.

A collaboration between the Division of Student Affairs, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and

several student leaders led to the enhancement of KENTtalks. KENTtalks is a series designed to promote

university-wide education through civil discourse. Approximately 400 students attended the three

KENTtalks that were focused on issues related to diversity and inclusion. The topics were:

Student Voices: Climate at Kent State University

Gender and Sexual Diversity and Faith

Less Talk, More Action - Introduction of the Student Diversity Action Council (SDAC)

04STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT

10 ACCOMPLISHMENTS2015 | 2016TOP

1.

2.

Undergraduate Student Government ‒ Charter Revision

Student Affairs facilitated the process revising the Undergraduate Student Government charter

to establish a unified student government across all Kent State campuses. In March 2016, a Kent

Campus student referendum vote was held and the revised charter was approved by the Kent State

Board of Trustees. Each campus’ Undergraduate Student Government is now recognized as the

representative voice of the students’ interests, concerns and needs. A president on each campus

will serve as the liaison between the student body, Undergraduate Student Government and university

administration.

3.

TOP TEN ACCOMPLISHMENTS

FLASHperks

Strong Partnership with Barnes and Noble Campus Bookstore

Professional Standards Review

FLASHperks is our rewards program in which students simply attend designated events to earn

points that make them eligible for prizes. FLASHperks is becoming an increasingly powerful tool

in promoting student engagement as we partner with departments to approve and list events for

FLASHperks eligibility. FLASHperks recorded more than 15,000 unique participants at nearly

800 activities throughout the academic year, with close to 40,000

student participation scans.

We continually strive to provide our students with affordable options for textbooks and other learning

materials. More than 20,000 new & used titles were rented this past academic year and our students

experienced savings of $941,000 from our used, rental and digital course material options. We

partnered with the Office of the Provost in the textbook affordability system-wide implementation.

Barnes and Noble invested more than $900,000 in capital improvements in the bookstores on

all of our campuses. As evidence that the University Bookstore has embraced our students first vision,

Barnes and Noble has committed to providing $25,000 towards book scholarships for students

in need this academic year.

Each unit in the Division of Student Affairs was charged this year to complete a self-assessment

utilizing the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). CAS consists of 42

professional higher education associations which have developed best practices to identify

opportunities for the enhancement of student learning and development. Through this process we

identified areas of strength and opportunities for growth and developed action plans. As a result,

Student Affairs has identified that all units and departments are more than 70%

compliant with best practices. This effort is paramount towards cultivating a culture of assessment

and data driven decision making that will guide our practices.

International Student Life

Our division is strongly committed to enhancing the student experience for all of our students –

domestic and international alike. In collaboration with the Office of the Provost, the position

International Student Affairs Director expands our reach to the international student population.

Through deliberate programs and services we foster intercultural understanding and promote

engagement through educational, cultural, professional, social and service-oriented programs. We

are impacting the quality of student life for our international students - more than 1,000 students

attended the International Homecoming Celebration last fall; the Kent State International Mentors,

a student organization dedicated to building relationships between domestic and international

students, has more than 300 members; and more than 80 partnerships were forged through the

International Friends Program which connects international students with faculty and staff who

provide advice about academic life and insight into American culture and customs.

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4.

5.

6.

7.

Healthy Campus Initiative

Blue and Gold Pride

Infrastructure Investment

The Division of Student Affairs is partnered with the Division of Human Resources to transform the Kent

State culture of health and well-being. Key strides thus far include, but are not limited to, the creation of

the initiative steering team, implementation of the health insurance requirement for international

students, enforcement of the immunization requirement of Kent Campus students (increasing in a

16% increase in compliance in one calendar year), launch of the new FlashFleet bike rental program,

and approval from the Board of Trustees for a new smoke-free, tobacco-free campus beginning July

1,2017. Lastly, Dining Services reports 77% of all beverages sold on the Kent Campus are

noncarbonated.

The Division of Student Affairs promoted Blue and Gold Pride Days last fall as a way to unite members of

the university community and promote Kent State pride. The tradition continued throughout the

school year and system-wide as every campus designated a day each week for students, faculty

and staff to show their Blue and Gold Pride. We have partnered with Academic Affairs, Alumni

Relations, Athletics, Undergraduate Student Government, and University Communications and

Marketing, to name just a few, to promote this initiative and make Kent State pride and school spirit

evident throughout the university community. Thus far, the committee established a student pledge

and an event rubric.

The Division of Student Affairs has intentionally been good stewards and re-invested money back

into the infrastructure of the Kent Student Center, Ice Arena, Beall Kitchen (shared space with

Hospitality Management), Recreation and Wellness Center, and the residence halls. The approximate

investment totals more than $10 million this academic year.

STUDENT AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT 06

8.

9.

10.

STRATEGIC THEMES


The Division of Student Affairs intentionally develops the whole student through

transformational experiences. We passionately engage our diverse student population through

quality programming and resources that enhance the educational process to ensure

student success.

1.

2.

We put Students First in all that we do and know that there is great power in the co-curricular

experiences that we provide our students. More than 21,000 students were actively engaged in

student organizations last year raising money for philanthropy, learning valuable communications

skills, building relationships that crossed cultural boundaries, and honing leadership and

management skills that leave them well-prepared for their lives beyond Kent State. We engaged

with student activities coordinators on the regional campuses to expand the electronic student

organization registration process to all campuses. Website enhancements were completed to more

easily identify all registered student organizations, no matter the host campus. Lastly, we

encouraged USG leaders to visit every campus and broaden the USG Charter to incorporate a stu-

dent government structure on each campus. Beginning Fall 2016, eight USG presidents will repre-

sent students across the Kent State System. A new position, International Student Affairs Director,

leads the process to intentionally engage international students. This role leads collaborations with

many departments across the University to enhance internationalization and campus life to best

serve our students.

Cultivate an enhanced, intentionally designed, inclusive and engaging student experience that enhances student success.

The Healthy Campus Initiative is underway and we are confident that it will contribute to a

Distinctive Kent State as we aim to be the healthiest campus in the country. Our first action

item, the smoke-free, tobacco-free campus policy, was approved by the Board of Trustees

and will go into effect July 1, 2017. This policy will have unprecedented Regional Impact as our

students embrace healthy behaviors that will influence their families and communities for generations

to come.

Distinguish Kent State University as an exemplar healthy campus environment where physical health and general wellness pervade the community by adopting and implementing a recognized standard for wellness.

The work that we do every day in the Division of Student Affairs supports the five strategic priorities as outlined in The Roadmap. Our mission embodies a students-first perspective and fervently contributes towards a Distinctive Kent State:

STRATEGIC THEMES09

3.

We put Students First by ensuring that every Kent State student has access to mental health

services and other preventative resources. Numerous studies have shown the link between mental

health and student success - the American College Health Association (2010) found that 27.4

percent of students report that stress adversely affected academic performance in the past 12

months. Our partnership with the Jed Foundation guides the implementation of campus-specific

best practices around suicide prevention, alcohol and other drug use, and complex mental health

issues that our students are facing. Key needs identified are increased mental health services,

updated policies incorporating the impact of health, and the implementation of a system-wide

mental health emergency response plan and postvention guide. A steering team representing

Academic Affairs; Athletics; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and the Office of the General Counsel

is led by the Division of Student Affairs. In August 2015, more than 5,000 Step Up and Speak Out

(SUSO) packets were distributed to faculty and staff with resources and strategies to address indi-

viduals who are disruptive or distressed. The SUSO website was also enhanced to more clearly

communicate resources and response strategies.

Educate the campus community regarding mental health issues, resources, and appropriate responses for distressed and disruptive individuals. Assess current mental health services provided to students on all campuses using standards from the Jed Foundation Campus Program.

4.

5.

Our quest for continuous improvement exemplifies strong organizational stewardship in each

and every department and unit within the Division of Student Affairs. Our examination of best

practices and adherence to professional standards inspires us to perform at the highest levels.

Exemplify a culture of lifelong learning, understanding (and utilization) of professional standards, implementation of student affairs best practices within Division of Student Affairs employees.

This year is a foundational year to build a strong culture of assessment. We strive to be the nation’s

model student affairs division that other universities hope to emulate. Our continuous assessment

efforts will lead to a Distinctive Kent State as the Division systematically evaluates our programs and

services and develops action plans for implementation of best practices, innovation, idea generation,

and national distinction.

Develop a culture of assessment and data driven decision making in the Division by creating an assessment plan, identifying learning outcomes, and appointing a team representing each unit to coordinate the process

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

PROGRESS ON ULI'S


1.

2.

3.

The Division of Student Affairs embraces the Students First philosophy

The Division of Student Affairs champions A Distinctive Kent State

The Division of Student Affairs endeavors to increase our Global Competitiveness

Engaged more than 21,000 students in student organizations

Partnered with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion , and Academic Affairs on DEEDS – (Dynamic

Education and Engagement of Diverse Students) project

Developed LEADtogether, the nation’s first leadership training academy happening entirely in the virtual

world, to launch in Fall 2016

Implemented a new policy for student withdrawals due to health reasons

Created a living/learning community open to all students interested in learning about sexual orientation

and gender identity, with a focus on social justice for LGBTQA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer

and asexual) persons

Launched the Healthy Campus Initiative as we aspire to be the healthiest campus in the nation

Partnered with the Jed Foundation Campus Program to conduct a campus-wide assessment of mental

health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug services and programs toward the goal of a mental

health strategic plan

Adopted a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus policy

Promoted Blue and Gold Pride Initiative

Coordinated efforts to integrate the student co-curricular experiences on all campuses

Created Director of International Student Affairs Director position

Encouraged students to create and register 15 new international student organizations

Hired International Community Assistants to serve international students living in the residence halls

Appointed a psychologist with an international student focus who has established connections with Middle

Eastern students as a trusted liaison

OUR PRIORITIES13

4.

5. The Division of Student Affairs promotes Organizational Stewardship

The Division of Student Affairs stimulates Regional Impact

Realigned the Associate Dean of Students position to focus on student engagement on the regional

campuses (connecting all eight campuses)

Revised the charter for Undergraduate Student Government to create a USG president on each campus

Invested $900,000 in infrastructure improvements at Barnes and Noble Campus Bookstores on the re-

gional campuses

Established an all business managers/officers team within the Division of Student Affairs to ensure consistency,

cost-containment and efficiency

Completed a self-assessment based on CAS Standards (Council for the Advancement of Standards) in

each student affairs unit

Evaluated the selection of a new Customer Relationship Management system (CRM)

Redesigned the FlashLine portal in collaboration with the Division of Information Services, resulting in

updated appearance and functionality to better serve the university community

DIVISIONAL POINTS

OF PRIDE


Student Affairs partnered with United Students Against Sweatshops Local #27 to advocate for

Kent State’s membership in the Worker’s Rights Consortium.

Kent State was accepted as of June 1, 2016

Center for Adult and Veterans Services (CAVS) scored

100% accuracy in an audit conducted by the

Department of Veterans Affairs

University Health Services secured 96% compliance with the student immunization policy, resulting

in a 16% increase in one calendar year

More than 26,000 unique students used the

Recreation and Wellness Center in 2015-2016

Dining Services earned the top spot on College Rank’s

list of the "50 Best College Dining Experiences"

Fraternity and sorority members volunteered 12,879 service hours in our community and raised more than

$56,000 in support of King Kennedy Community Center

Divisional Points of Pride17

Center for Student Involvement experienced a 256% increase in Peer Involvement Advisor appointments

from last year. PIA’s connect students with activities and or-

ganizations in an effort to aid in retention

Students experienced savings of $941,000 through

Barnes and Noble College Bookstore because of used, rental

and digital course material options

Student Accessibility Services collaborates with the Office

of Global Education to provide interpreters for

students studying abroad

Kent Student Center and Center for Student Involvement

implemented a student employee development

program for 95 student employees

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) served more than

1,320 students and provided 3,400 hours of

classroom interpreting services


Office of Student Conduct collaborated with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to conduct an audit of

their practices and procedures to ensure a fair and inclusive

process for all students

28% of all students living on campus reside in living-learning communities

University Health Services gave 1,718 flu shots at 14 clinics held on each of the Kent State campuses

Residence Services reports a 9.5% reduction in the

number of alcohol violations over the last five years

Lifeshare Blood Drive Program administered through

University Health Services raised $12,500 in scholarships and 1,001 units of blood.

77% of beverages sold on the Kent Campus are

non-carbonated

Divisional Points of Pride19

6 International students were candidates for

Undergraduate Student Government positions; 2 will

serve on USG for 2016-17

Overhaul of the Parents and Family Initiative to include a

Parents and Family Association and other

programs and activities to support their engagement

Kent State Unversity's cricket team earned "Best Debut Team in Ohio" award by Buckeye Cricket Club

Introduced a Parents and Family social event

during DKS

2015-16 Student Affairs Annual Report

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