The Division of Student Life fosters student success by creating and promoting inclusive educationally purposeful services and activities within and beyond the classroom. The departmental program review process empowers departments within the Division of Student Life to critically evaluate their work and their effect on the UI student experience through a lens of continuous improvement. Leadership & Engagement (formerly the Center for Student Involvement & Leadership) engaged in a Council for the Advancement of Students in Higher Education (CAS) Standards program review in December 2018. The process included a self-assessment review by staff members in Leadership & Engagement, selection of two external reviewers, Dr. Angela Batista and Dr. Don Stansberry, and an internal reviewer, Dr. Mike Schluckebier, and meetings with staff members, stakeholders, and campus partners. Leadership & Engagement created the following action plan in response to the program review team's recommendations.

Table of contents

Recommendations:

1. Review organizational structure
2. Establish a comprehensive sustainable budget
3. Cross train staff
4. Enhance staff skills and competencies
5. Explore how graduate assistants or student interns can be added to address staff shortfalls
6. Develop an onboarding process
7. Build collaboration within the department
8. Define student engagement
9. Develop a comprehensive programming model that guides decisions
10. Implement a comprehensive assessment plan
11. Consider aligning the leadership classes with the Pomerantz Career Center
12. Develop a mission and assessment plan for civic engagement
13. Enhance support provided to student organizations and advisors
14. Develop and advising model for USG
15. Clarify the ‘getting to yes’ philosophy
16. Empower staff for decision making
17. Develop a relationship with Academic Affairs to strengthen partnerships for retention and student success
18. Develop a master calendar of events
19. Develop branding plan for L&E
20. Develop outreach plan for L&E
21. Develop specific metrics for late night programming
22. Develop web presence and marketing of Late Night grant and programs to promote increased participation
23. Late night programming should be a part of a comprehensive high-risk drinking prevention efforts

Recommendation #1

Continue to review the organizational structure.

Effective and focused leadership will be critical to the department's success and we strongly recommend a dedicated Director position be hired. Realign staff so all areas are reporting to one person. Eliminate the co-leadership model. In order to be most effective, oversight should be separated from the operation of the Iowa Memorial Union (IMU). Consider a model that does not have the department reporting to the Director of the IMU to eliminate pressure from the IMU to program, use the facility, etc. Reevaluate what it means to be part of the IMU, whether that means the department is a tenant or part of the team, who gets discounts, who is invited to holiday events, etc.

Consider renaming the department to better reflect its mission and services. As space becomes available consider relocating the department to be better connected to the student organization complex.

Critical tasks

• Assess and realign the most efficient and effective structure for the department.
• Determine what is necessary for supporting and advancing the department.
• Realign programs, services, and staff members to better support mission and vision
• Separate oversight from IMU operations through reporting realignment
• Assess the needs for a new name or names for the department or the units within the department.
• Assess the needs for a new mission that supports the need for increased engagement on campus.

Success measures and updates

• Have a defined organizational structure that supports the needs of students, staff, and the priorities of the Division of Student Life (completed summer 2019)
• Associate Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life, Associate Director of Leadership, Service, & Civic Engagement, and Associate Director of Student Engagement & Campus Programs report to the Associate Vice President & Dean of Students (completed summer 2019)
• Determine names that capture the mission, vision, and services provided among the units (completed summer 2019)
• New Director of Leadership & Engagement (LE) (formerly CSIL) has been hired. LE has been shifted to be a part of the DOS portfolio. There has been consistent progress towards good assessment measures and practices. The LE leadership team is actively working to update campus partners of the name change to LE from CSIL. (completed spring 2021)
• Leadership & Engagement now has an Associate Director for all the reporting areas: Student Engagement & Campus Programs, Leadership, Service, and Civic Engagement, and Fraternity and Sorority Life. (completed spring 2022)
• Identified space needs for the new structure

Recommendation #2

It is highly recommended that where possible the department be provided dedicated and long-term funding streams to engender confidence with the staff, students and others. A comprehensive sustainable budget must be developed to ensure long term planning and funding for programs.

Critical tasks

• Collaborate with Associate Dean, University of Iowa Student Government (UISG), Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG), and Associate Directors to review current funding and make determinations regarding priorities

Success measures and updates

• Established funding model that provides a sustainable budget

Recommendation #3

Staff must critically evaluate their roles, duties, and responsibilities. This should also include cross training staff and assignments to projects and programs beyond a specific area of responsibility. Cross train staff in all areas to better understand the mission of the department and assist students as they visit the office with questions.

Critical tasks

• Identify processes that create a ‘bottleneck’ effect for students and cross train staff so all are able to provide support (EIF, for example)
• Consider development of materials for students to take with them

Success measures and updates

• Creating an efficient process for students who access services within units
• Create training, including materials or resources, for units to be better able to respond and refer students as needed
• Include the units in the onboarding of staff in the departments in order to ensure cross-training and decrease potential for inefficiencies or misunderstanding
• Cross training amongst the three LE units started this past academic year, specifically with engagement advising. Moving forward the plan is to have all team members within the LE portfolio to be able to assist with overarching LE student initiative needs (i.e., engagement advising, volunteer advising, student organization questions) (completed spring 2021).
• Cross training on engagement advising occurred in the three LE units. (completed spring 2022)
• LE staff will be trained to support student use and engagement with the new Engagement Record. (in process fall 2023)

Recommendation #4

Enhance staff skills and competencies. Adopt staff competencies such as NACA/ACPA/NASPA to be incorporated as part of the staff performance evaluation process. Develop a professional development plan for staff members that focuses on enhancing skills such as dealing with change, working together as a team, and assessment. Establish an ongoing staff development program.

Critical tasks

• Establish an ongoing staff development program for each office
  • Schedule and design staff development events
  • Currently, end of semester celebrations as a team
  • Identify where staff development and professional development overlap
  • Clearly define and communicate differences as necessary
• Develop a professional development plan for each office
  • Conduct a needs assessment of current staff
  • Schedule professional development annually and have on calendars at the beginning of the academic year
  • Develop an annual request form to limit duplication

Success measures and updates

• Adopt staff competencies
• Staff members will be able to identify competencies related to their role
• Implementation of a structured staff development process

Recommendation #5

Explore how graduate assistants and/or student interns can be added to address staff shortfalls.

Critical tasks

• Add Student Involvement Ambassadors to supplement student organization training and development needs
• Work closely with Division of Student Life Development Officer to create strategies for “friendraising,” and identify potential sources for increased funding

Success measures and updates

• Establish student involvement ambassador program (completed summer 2019)
• Continue to assess opportunities for offering graduate assistantships
  • Two anticipated graduate fellows for fall 2023 (spring 2023)
• Create and develop graduate student practicum experiences within the units
• Working with a division-wide team to identify areas of need for graduate assistants (completed spring 2022)

Recommendation #6

Develop an onboarding process for staff that highlights the division and the department to allow each new member to understand how they fit into the mission.

Critical tasks

• Review current onboarding program, documentation, and assessment

Success measures and updates

• Establish a formal onboarding program for staff in each office, consistent across unit and aligned with the Division Student Life Human Resources practices (in process fall 2023)

Recommendation #7

Consider creating a committee structure in the department to build collaboration. Committees could be focused on assessment, branding, outreach, etc. The department must address the silos in the department and eliminate reporting disparities and/or salary inequities.

Critical tasks

• Discuss with staff potential committee structure, with the ultimate goal of addressing silos among offices

Success measures and updates

• Create support for collaboration and discussion around focus or priority areas among the offices.
• Develop a plan to work with Human Resources and supervisory units to discuss options for addressing disparities.

Recommendation #8

Define “student engagement” more clearly and implement a strategic communication plan for its stakeholders.

Critical tasks

• Define “student engagement”
  • Work with staff in August retreat to develop working definition
  • Staff take working definition to student groups for feedback
  • Seek feedback from colleagues and other stakeholder groups
  • Identify multiple pathways to solicit feedback from uninvolved students (defined based on working engagement definition)
• Collaborate with Hawkeye Engage team and the Co-Curricular committee in order to share in process, progress, and defining student success through engagement.
• Strategic communication plan development
  • Map out student communication plan based on responses to Swipe data collected at orientation (based on interest)
  • Create communication plan for colleagues and other stakeholder groups, in alignment with student communication plan
  • Fall 2019 – communication with students who indicated interest at orientation. Students will receive tailored messaging based on their response to Swipe
  • Revised communication plan in alignment with final definition of student engagement to be implemented Spring 2020

Success measures and updates

• Create a campus wide definition student engagement (complete summer 2021)
• Working to infuse definition into departmental work (complete fall 2022)
• Outline outcomes related to student engagement (complete fall 2022)
• Promote the implementation of the Hawkeye Engage Initiative (complete fall 2022)
• Maintain and update strategic communication plan related to student involvement (in progress summer 2023)

Recommendation #9

The department needs to do less. While the department hosts a large number of programs, the department and its students will be better served by focusing their energy on quality programs. Develop a comprehensive programming model that guides decisions for funding and staff priorities. This includes attaching a comprehensive assessment plan to determine if goals are being met. This shift will require an effective assessment of programs and how the department contributes to the overall quality of student life at the University of Iowa.

Critical tasks

• Review feedback from Division of Student Life budget hearing presentation
• Complete a comprehensive audit of programming

Success measures and updates

• Annual audit of programs and services provided within units as related to staff capacity, student success, and divisional priorities (ongoing)
• Realignment of work as needed to meet outcomes of student engagement, student needs, and division priorities (ongoing)

Recommendation #10

A comprehensive assessment plan needs to be developed and implemented to better equip the staff to make data driven decisions. All programs should be evaluated for effectiveness, return on investment, relevance, and contributions to student success. Data collected from swipes should be correlated to pre-determined learning outcomes, conduct cases, academic performance, and retention efforts.

Critical tasks

• Partner with Assessment, Improvement, & Research to initiate an assessment plan to implement in year two

Success measures and updates

• Implement a comprehensive assessment plan for each office
  • Working with assessment coordinators in each area to address assessment culture, while also being sure the work of each coordinator is connected and aligned. (ongoing)

Recommendation #11

Consider aligning the leadership classes with the Pomerantz Career Center. This would allow the reallocation of staff time to focus on developing advisor training and an emerging leaders program.

Critical tasks

• Maintain current relationship with the Pomerantz Career Center
• Research other Big Ten and aspirant institutions practices

Success measures and updates

• Leadership courses have been moved to PCC. (complete spring 2022)

Recommendation #12

A fully developed mission and launch and assessment plan needs to be developed for civic engagement

Critical tasks

• Collaborate with Undergraduate Student Government (USG) to create Civic Engagement center with an official opening in August 2019, grand opening in September 2019
• Work with Vista Corps to establish a civic engagement position
• Mission statement will be in place by opening date

Success measures and updates

• Establish a Civic Engagement Center (completed fall 2019)
• Market and communicate civic engagement opportunities to students
• Maintain close alignment with student government priorities
• Work with the Office of Community Engagement on CE throughout the University (in process fall 2023)
• LSCE will cross-train civic engagement student organizations to share about Hawk The Vote, Student United Way, and Hawkeye Service Breaks opportunities (in process fall 2023)

Recommendation #13

Enhance support provided to student organizations and advisors. Processes should be evaluated to ensure they are effective and easy to understand from the student-user perspective. Evaluate processes and procedures to determine what can be done online. Training needs to be evaluated and updated. If it is offered each year, variations should be offered to returning leaders in contrast to those that are new to their leadership roles.

Critical tasks

• Advisor newsletter sent out on a regular basis
• Hire Student Involvement Ambassadors to support student organization work
• Develop a timeline for completion of training development
• Develop communication plan/timeline for training
• Outline ongoing duties to ensure updated and accurate training materials
• Evaluate student organization and advisor training for effectiveness
  • Review current assessment or design new, if none exists.
• Deliver training online
• Evaluate processes to ensure they are effective and easy to understand from the student-user perspective
  • Seek feedback from current student users, utilizing Swipe data from office visits
  • Consider adding Swipe to Student Organization Business Office to solicit other process feedback

Success measures and updates

• Establish student organization training opportunities
  • Beginning AY 21 there will be robust student organization training offerings in place for student organization leaders – training will be offered in several formats and at tiered levels (completed spring 2021)
  • Training for student organizations and advisors will continue in AY 22 (completed and ongoing)
• Create a communication plan regarding student organizations and training
• Maintain assessment practices as related to student organizations to ensure units are meeting student needs and operating efficiently

Recommendation #14

Develop an advising model for Undergraduate Student Government (USG) that does not bind L&E to implementing its projects or ideas. USG should be trained on how ideas come into existence and are implemented.

Critical tasks

• Determine advising and collaboration structure

Success measures and updates

• Advising relationship between USG and LE has been clarified (completed spring 2022)

Recommendation #15

Clarify that a ‘getting to yes’ philosophy means staff should think intentionally in determining the best plan of action based on fulfilling L&E's mission. It does not mean saying yes to every initiative, but it also does not provide permission to search for excuses to say no.

Critical tasks

• At retreats, discuss the ‘getting to yes’ philosophy and clarify expectations with staff members

Success measures and updates

• Ensure staff are responsive to student needs based on existing student needs evidence and division priorities (in process fall 2023)
• Now post-Covid and with a fully staffed leadership structure, LE will work to be more aligned with priorities and initiatives throughout the team (in process fall 2023)

Recommendation #16

Empower staff for decision making (i.e. what decisions must go up and what decisions can be made by the staff).

Critical tasks

• Work with Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Associate Dean, and Associate Directors to generate a philosophy and discuss logistics
• Share expectations and philosophy with staff to ensure clarity and confidence

Success measures and updates

• Identify expectations and philosophy regarding decision-making
  • Focus for the 2021-2022 academic year (completed fall 2021)
  • LE team is moving forward in a positive direction (completed spring 2022) 

Recommendation #17

Develop a relationship with Academic Affairs to strengthen partnerships for retention and student success across the department.

Critical tasks

• Conduct outreach related to collegiate based student organization advisors
• Conduct an audit of ways the office interfaces with academic units
• Discuss with staff possible opportunities to engage more deeply with academic units

Success measures and updates

• Maintain established partnerships with academic affairs colleagues (ongoing)
  • Ongoing process to establish and maintain relationships. ( completed spring 2021)

Recommendation #18

A master calendar of events needs to be developed and reviewed to eliminate competing events and or having times when no programming is occurring.

Critical tasks

• Work with Administrative Services Coordinator to research public facing calendar options available both currently at the University and otherwise
• Partner with Student Life Communications and Information Technology Services on options
• Define for staff what goes on the calendar and what does not
• Share expectation with staff the requirement of program submission

Success measures and updates

• Master calendar of events is widely distributed and communicated to students and campus partners. (ongoing)
  • With the recent hire of the administrative coordinator position, LE will now be able to produce a master calendar to share with campus partners. (completed summer 2022) 

Recommendation #19

Develop branding plan for Leadership & Engagement. Create a ‘who to contact’ sheet for students, faculty, and staff that outlines the duties of the L&E staff.

Critical tasks

• Brand and have specific signage that points students to a physical location for information
• Review current branding and peer branding to determine what may be feasible for promoting each office
• Create a ‘who to contact’ sheet
• Collaborate with the Dean of Students team on the current development of the “Who Does What” online website

Success measures and updates

• Develop a brand for each office that is in alignment with outcomes of student engagement and Division priorities (in process fall 2023)
• Creation of a “Who Does What” document or website that provides access to staff and programs (in process fall 2023)

Recommendation #20

Develop outreach plan for Leadership & Engagement. Identify strategies to engage and support underrepresented students (by demographics, but also transfers, commuters, graduate students, and nontraditional students). Initial information can be gathered by conducting focus groups with smaller student organization leaders, residence halls, sports clubs, students in library, etc. This involves being in the residence halls, partnering with academics, and identifying where students are that are not connected to the major programs and student organizations. Create a list of services that are available in L&E for the unengaged student.

Critical tasks

• Outreach specifically to students who via the Excelling@Iowa survey demonstrate interest in getting engaged
• Connect with Academic Support & Retention staff facilitating Excelling@Iowa to ensure engagement question and information is aligned with other data collected
• Outreach specifically to students who via Swipe at Orientation identify interest in getting engaged in one of the engagement categories
• Work with Division of Student Life Communications to develop a comprehensive annual outreach plan
• Connect communication plan for Swipe data from Orientation to Excelling@Iowa data communication
• Provide an easy way for students to request additional information and/or a staff member who can follow up with them as students explore opportunities for involvement

Success measures and updates

• Outreach plan that focuses on connecting with underrepresented student populations and students who are consider unengaged based on engagement definition
• Outreach templates for specific topics and programs that can be used to efficiently outreach to students based on Swipe data

Recommendation #21

Develop specific metrics with clearly defined goals, objectives, and desired outcome, and conduct a cost benefit analysis for each program to better understand if the use of late night funds supports positive outcomes.

Critical tasks

• Create metrics aligned with the University of Iowa National College Health Assessment (NCHA) data related to high and low risk drinker categories
• Develop a “desired outcome”
• Report return on investment (Cost per student; Cost per high risk; Cost per low risk)

Success measures and updates

• Clearly defined metrics that are used to outline priorities for funding and programming
  • Implemented a Late Night Programs interest survey to low and high-risk groups each year to share with partners. (spring 2021)
  • Making improvements to the LNP dashboard including refined demographics and adding in GPA, retention, and sense of belonging questions from Excelling@Iowa Survey. (spring 2021)
• Proposal for long term, sustainable funding based on metrics
  • Working on a proposal for long-term funding using data from surveys, Swipe, and national trends. (spring 2021)

Recommendation #22

Develop the web presence and marketing of the Late Night grant and programs to promote increased participation.

Critical tasks

• Establish a late night programming web presence

Success measures and updates

• Web site for late-night programming
  • Late Night Programming (LNP) branding was developed in fall 2019 and implemented by spring 2020. (completed spring 2020)
  • With increased communication, campus partners are becoming more aware of the LNP grant and are delivering different types of late-night programming opportunities (completed spring 2022)

Recommendation #23

Late night programming should be a part of a comprehensive high-risk drinking prevention efforts that engages all members of the University community.

Critical tasks

• Establish a late-night programming web presence to include specific information about the University of Iowa Alcohol Harm Reduction (AHR) plan
• Include connections to the AHR plan in annual reporting
• Ensure coordinator is highly engaged in university prevention efforts as an important part of this effort

Success measures and updates

• Tactics in the 2019-2021 Alcohol Harm Reduction Plan connected to late-night programming events (completed spring 2023)
• Late Night Programming Coordinator serves as a member of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Committee and Partnership for Alcohol Safety (completed fall 2020)
• LNP has seen tremendous growth over the last year and will continue to grow with the support of key campus partners (completed spring 2022)