The Departmental Program Review process empowers departments within the Division of Student Life to critically evaluate their work and its effect on the UI student experience through a lens of continuous improvement. The review process is an opportunity for departments to take a comprehensive and critical look at the unit, clearly evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and outline a plan for future action. The review for the Division of Student Life central service units (Human Resources, Business & Finance, Information Technology, and Student Life Communications) focused on two central questions:

  • “What staffing levels, processes, and resources are necessary to enable the unit to adequately support the fulfillment of the Division’s mission and strategic plan?”

  • “Are current staffing levels, processes, and resources supportive of central services staff member satisfaction, engagement, and well-being?”

     

Recommendation: Communicate purpose and processes

Implement and communicate SLC purpose and processes including project intake processes that provide clear pathways for engagement and project initiation and development within SLC.

Year 1 Critical tasks

  •  Intake form training and usage.
  • Create intake form and link to it from Connect.
  • Identify recurring issues regarding internal communication.
  • Identify recurring issues regarding external/partner communication.

Success measures and updates

  • The form is live capturing work that partners need, and communication is still happening with communications representatives for each area around specific needs.
  • Review form usage 6 months after launch to gather feedback from partners and SLC team.
  • Analysis and follow-up with SLC team.
     

Recommendation: Establish consistent visual identities

Assess departments, units, and programs to determine when and where to establish consistent visual identities.

Year 1 Critical tasks

  • Establish a committee to review the approach to visual identity in the Division of Student Life. 
  • Determine categories under the umbrella brand of DSL and establish visual identities that allow audiences to quickly recognize content from each area. Focus on how each area within DSL (Rec, IMU, UHD) folds into the greater UI brand approach.
  • Create a collection of assets to be utilized locally, to limit the number of tasks requested by DSL departments and units.
  • Establish quarterly "team" check-in meetings with departmental leaders.
  • Implement a material and need review with DSL departments.

Success measures and updates

  • A firm understanding of how brand is applied within DSL.
  • A solid collection of resource options.
  • A landing page with resources published to the SLC site.

  • Report based on responses from partners who are tapped for feedback.

     

Recommendation: Enhance project management processes

Enhance project management processes within SLC.

Year 1 Critical tasks

  • Establish SLC workflow and create a document outlining the process.
  • Implement a unit-wide project management system, Asana, that follows a consistent project workflow process, and ensures collaboration among all SLC areas.
  • Hire an administrative services coordinator (1 FTE) to provide daily administrative and project management support.
  • Create strategic communication plans for the DSL and local plans for DSL departments and units that align and complement DSL priorities.
  • Create Asana training guide for new hires.
  • Hold Asana training sessions for current SLC members.
  • Provide annual Asana refresh training.

Success measures and updates

  • SLC team is following workflow approach outlined in workflow document.
  • All team members utilizing the same project managment system. 
  • An ASC is hired and is in their role. 
  • A comprehensive plan is created that is informed by local department/unit/program plans. The plans become the building blocks for out strategy in communicating with both internal and external audiences. We do a better, more holistic job telling the student life story. 
  • Formalized document to help new Asana users.
  • Training sessions provided.
  • Scheduled annual training session.
     

Recommendation: Encourage professional development opportunities

Encourage professional development opportunities for SLC staff.

Year 1 Critical tasks

  • Host large group SLC team workshops, seminars, and meetings that create connections and build team relationships.
  • Create individual professional development plans and encourage staff participation in university, local, regional, or national opportunities. SLC staff should have a community of practice outside of our team they can lean on for industry information, higher education norms, and idea workshopping.
  • Encourage professional staff to join a professional association relevant to their working area.

Success measures and updates

  • Team dynamics improve, new skills are demonstrated and acquired, and employee engagement increases along with satisfaction. Staff are able to utilize feedback as growth. 
  • Staff are attending local, regional, and national professional development opportunities. Staff have outlined professional development goals. 
  • Staff are achieving and meeting individual professional development goals. Staff gain skills and feel they have the ability to make decisions more independently. Staff build connections with colleagues at other institutions to compare best practices and share professional approaches to similar work. Performance improvement, possible career advancement, etc.  
     

Recommendation: Develop web strategy

Develop a web strategy that aligns with university expectations and emphasizes the needs of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.                              

Year 1 Critical tasks

  • Explore web strategy and development best practices and educate team members.
  • Review DSL web architecture. Create a framework and best practices that are optimized for the current student audience. 
  • Adjust current staffing positions to align with division needs in this area.
  • Develop standardized analytics and evaluation tools and educate on use. 
  • Form a DSL Web Strategy Workgroup to develop, manage, and respond to web strategy issues in DSL. 

Success measures and updates

  • Web architecture reviewed and framework created.
  • Staffing positions adjusted as needed. 
  • Page on Connect bringing these resources together created. 

  • Group formed and overall strategy created.

     

Recommendation: Create social media strategy

Create a comprehensive social media strategy that meets the needs of the Division of Student Life and undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

Year 1 Critical tasks

  • Conduct a landscape analysis of current practices and trends within higher education and student affairs/life.
  • Enhance our social media strategy, as part of the broad DSL and local communication plans for each department and unit.
  • Redefine current staffing positions to align with division needs in this area.
  • Invest in social media strategy through both on and off-campus professional development opportunities.
  • Review institutional strategy to ensure alignment.

Success measures and updates

  • Analysis of findings from landscape analysis. 
  • Updated social media strategy. 
  • Staffing positions adjusted as needed. 
  • Development opportunities taken or created.
  • Creation of strategies for each account, including sunset plans.

 

Recommendation: Refine funding model

Refine the SLC funding model.

Year 1 Critical tasks

  • Continued focus on shifting from a revenue-generated funding model to a centralized service model.
  • Assess the funding allocated to SLC from both auxiliary units and the OVPSL.

Success measures and updates

  • External clients are transitioned from SLC and a funding model is adopted that is supported by DSL and DSL's auxiliary units. 
  • A clearer understanding of resources available and funding sources.