2019-20 Annual Report – Donaghey Student Center

Mission

The Donaghey Student Center (DSC) contributes to the intellect of students by working with the colleges to present events, conferences, and training that aligns with their academic mission of instruction.

The Donaghey Student Center establishes a climate that encourages personal wellness and nurtures individuals to be positive contributors to society.

The Donaghey Student Center supports the mission of the University by providing a diverse facility, programs, and services to enhance the Institution’s educational environment and improve the quality of college life.

The Donaghey Student Center is a place of convergence which provides a sense of campus community and linkage to the University’s public.

Summary Narrative

1) Enhance recruitment and retention efforts to increase enrollment

Staff of the Donaghey Student Center and Campus Recreation host and coordinate many activities to keep students engaged and help them retain, including:

  • Intramural Sports collaborated with the Student Experience Center on several events this year which included the following: Staff v. Students Basketball Game, Trojans’ Night at Dave & Buster’s and Cardboard Boat Regatta
  • Worked with Orientation and Transition as well for “Favorite spots on campus” video
  • Partnered with Easterseals and facilitated monthly “Sports Activity Days” to teach sports skills and activities
  • Participated in the Trojan Critical M.A.S.S. program during the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020.
  • Fit/Well continued partnering with the Bowen School of Law, providing two-to-three on-site fitness classes for them.
  • Fit/Well Participated in the Bowen School of Law’s fall “Stress Less” Health Fair
  • Fit/Well Participated in the UA Little Rock Campus Wellness fall Wellness Fair
  • Opened the Trojan Gaming Lounge for video gaming and billiards
  • Hosted SLUFY, cheer camp, and the largest Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair (CARSEF) to date
  • Created and promoted social media sites for Facebook and Instagram
  • Campus Recreation added five (5) new activities/sports for FY20 beginning with water polo during Welcome Week, following with kickball, co-ed flag football, and floor hockey
  • Fit/Well added two new classes to the schedule offerings- Tighten & Tone, and L.I.I.T. (Low Intensity Interval Training) and. partnered with Intramural Sports for a new #Active April Program.

2) Strengthen student-friendly operations and customer service

  • Opened up the Trojan Lounge & Game Room for billiards and e-sports was successful in bringing a diverse group of students into the building and enhancing the overall  student experience for on-campus residents and non-resident students.
  • Cosmetic and signage updates for the upper concourse and the info desk in DSC101 by wrapping the desk and putting a trojan on the big window on the upper concourse. We also got new furniture for the upper course and lounge.
  • Offered virtual fitness classes due to COVID-19.
  • Environmental Services added QR Codes to each restroom in the DSC to report any issues or concerns and to help maintain the cleanliness of our facilities

3) Improve diversity and inclusion efforts to provide a safe and inclusive environment for students

  • Conference services staff grew this year with the addition of the gaming lounge. We started off with 2 work study employees in the Fall and this Spring we hired 4 work studies allowing us to extend our hours and open on Sundays.
  • Our Fitwell instructors offered personal programs to teach varying levels of fitness moves, and provide accommodations for varying levels of physical abilities as well.
  • We had two staff members participate and complete the Student Affairs Leadership Academy. This provided them the opportunity to engage with other leaders in the division and develop ideas for improvements for our campus community.

4) Align financial and human resources to operate more effectively and efficiently

  • The DSC is down 2 full time custodial positions and has had to rearrange staff schedules in order to maintain cleanliness of the building.
  • Reduced labor cost while still maintaining the same operational hours of the facility and continued programs and services in each area.

5) Promote student development, engagement, and leadership

  • We had two UA Little Rock students begin training with us this year in order to become Fitness Instructors. We had one completed her national-level Group Exercise Instructor exam in Fall of 2019, and came fully onto staff in spring 2020. She graduated in May, and is continuing to teach for us.
  • New Program- UA Little Rock Just Dance Fall 2019 Activity Challenge 16 people who had not participated in Fit/Well Programs, and 3 of our past participants. This program utilized a dance video game in our new video gaming lounge.

6) Other

  • New roof was completed this year
  • Hired a new Fitness Center Manager
  • New digital scoreboard was donated to the Aquatic Center in the sum of $80K
  • Intramurals had over 637 participants and over 114 teams register to play

Assessment 1

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Operational

Goal

Improve Conference Services customer service

Activity or experience being assessed

Customer service in facilities usage

Assessment artifacts

Survey

Time period assessment was done

January 15 –  June 30, 2020

Results

Due to COVID-19 we were unable to administer the survey since we had to cancel all events. We did however receive some feedback by email that would pertain to the survey from some of our returning renters. A Couple of examples were parking around the facility and upgrades to some of the technology in the meeting rooms.

Continuous improvement process

We plan to administer this survey in both the fall and spring of 2020-2021.

Stateholder involvement / Communication plan

The Conference Service Coordinator will share results with the Director of the Donaghey Student Center. Together they will use the data collected to make improvements in the areas highlighted in the survey for future events.

Assessment 2

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Learning outcome – practical competence

Goal

Provide excellent fitness training to the campus community

Activity or experience being assessed

Personal training with Naomi Fletcher

Assessment artifacts

Survey

Results

Unable to complete survey or assessment due to COVID-19

Assessment 3

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Operational

Goal

Integrate third-party software for work orders for the DSC to improve service and efficiency

Activity or experience being assessed

Department’s efficiency in responding to work order requests

Assessment artifacts

Two questions at the end of the google doc will ask the level of satisfaction with the reporting mechanism, and give space for comments and suggestions.

Time period assessment was done

Feb 2020 – May 2020

Results

Unable to complete survey or assessment due to COVID-19

Assessment 4

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Learning outcome – practical competence

Goal

Determine benefit of Fitwell Program when offered virtually online

Activity or experience being assessed

Online Fitwell Program

Assessment artifacts

Survey

Time period assessment was done

March 2020 – June 2020

Results

Received feedback on numerous issues, including the need to improve the trainer’s sound, to set personal alerts for classes, and to simplify the process of sending email links to participants. There was also a request for nutrition information.

Equipment repaired to improve the sound during livestream classes. The music can be heard better, and the instructors can also use a microphone to be heard over the music.

Continuous improvement process

Have ordered a Ring Light to help provide better lighting of the instructor, since that was a comment on the survey.

Have ordered an iPad for the program, which we hope will allow us to conduct Zoom sessions at the same time as the live stream recording, allowing more interaction between the instructors and participants during sessions.

Created a Google Calendar that participants can subscribe to so that they can set up personal alerts for classes, since someone mentioned wishing I could alert them when a class was about to begin.

Created an email list of participants so that instead of emailing me every week for the new links, I sent them out to everyone each week.

In response to requests for nutrition information during the spring, nutrition, health, and activity information was added to the weekly email during the summer.

WHEN: Once the equipment has arrived, and the set-up procedures can be standardized. Goal is Nov 2, 2020.

Stateholder involvement / Communication plan

The participants normally respond with issues or problems they may have with the program, either through email, phone, or in person. I do my best to respond within 24Hrs, when possible, during the week.

In addition to the emails, the day’s schedule is posted to our Facebook page.

The procedure for participants to be added to the schedule emails is posted at the top of the Fitness Schedule web page.

There are flyers posted on campus.

Additionally, to cut down on the chance of disease transmission by handing out paper flyers, I created a QR code for the Campus Recreation website, and have placed it on the posted flyers. I provided the Intramural Coordinator with the code so that she can add it to her materials as well.

I monitor each class so that I can trouble-shoot problems with sound or the internet stream.  I also put a ‘welcome’ message in the chat, and monitor the chat during the classes, in case participants want to pass information to me during sessions.