2020-21 Annual Report – Trojan Transition and Assistance Center

Mission Statement: 

UA Little Rock Student Orientation & Transitions seeks to introduce and connect all new undergraduate students to the campus and facilitate a spirit of success. This mission is accomplished by connecting parents and families with resources on campus to initiate a smooth and balanced transition for their loved ones and by developing skilled and confident Orientation Leaders to assist with orientation of new students, while becoming strong and inviting campus leaders.

Vision Statement:

UA Little Rock Student Orientation & Transitions will welcome and support students while promoting a sense of connectedness to each other and the campus to better support the mission of the university to improve students’ lives and enhance our communities.

1) Enhance recruitment and retention efforts to increase enrollment

Since orientation was unable to host in person events, we planned virtual events & created virtual orientation software. The events listed below are a list of virtual & in person opportunities to enhance recruitment & retention.

• September 3 – IGTV Stay active Thursday
• October 16 – Counselor’s Luncheon
• November 11 – IGTV What I wish I would have known
• March 11 – Trojan Drive Up
• Hosted photo opportunities, orientation resources & advice from 5+ Orientation Leaders at the event
• April 1 – IGTV: Walk & Talk in West Hall on April 1 with 1,094 viewers by 4/29
• April 12 – collaboration with Student Government Association for IGTV: SGA Elections + New Students with 155 views since air date
• April 20 – All admitted student OUTREACH (completed 5/14) Freshman
• May 18 – Transfer text outreach/invitation to Pop up Orientation
• June 3 – Outreach campaign – started; not completed orientation (from Go2OR)
• June 7 – Outreach campaign

2) Strengthen student-friendly operations and customer service

• September 10 – Campus Photo Shoot organized by TTAC using Orientation Leaders
• November 10 – Advising website updates completed at ualr.edu/newstudents
• February 23 – Assessment with Higher Ed doctoral students at UA Little Rock
• March 1 – Go2Orientation created & launched to UA Little Rock campus
• March 31 – Summer Melt strategy meeting with Admissions to collaborate on strategic email timing, content and branding
• April 23 – Orientation Leaders finish 9 week training program
• April 23 – created 2 videos to assist new students in logging into orientation.ualr.edu

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

• April 23 – Orientation Leaders finish 9 week training program (includes one week of diversity & inclusion training with Multicultural Center)
• Social media content for all holidays & celebration days/weeks
• Safe Zone training completed
• Military Student Support training completed

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

n/a

5) Promote student development, engagement, and leadership

Title IX Investigator (& other roles) for UA Little Rock training completed
Collaborations with Student Experience Center each semester with Welcome Week

6) Other

n/a

• Contacted all admitted students with 2 different campaigns; more targeted areas in smaller call/text campaigns.
• Built UA Little Rock’s first professional virtual orientation.
• Trained 8 Orientation Leaders during a pandemic.
• 7 Instagram live sessions with @ualr.
• Hosted 3 virtual Spring Orientation events.
• Collaboration in 2020 with Advising & Registration to update website, onboarding process & other affected changes due to CV19.
• 1st ever Trojan Drive Up – co hosted with Enrollment Management. Response to CV19 lack of in person events.

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Operational

Goal

To assess the customer service of each department under the Division of Student Affairs.

Activity or experience being assessed

The customer service experience of the campus community.

Assessment artifacts

Survey via QR Code and web address found on easily accessible posters posted within Student Affairs

The survey asked the following questions, with an option to leave additional feedback:

I’m satisfied with how the employee handled my inquiry.
This employee resolved my issue.
This person was timely in resolving my issue.
This person communicated in a clear manner.
This person was professional and courteous.
This person made me feel valued.

Time period assessment was done

FY 2021

Results

Despite having posters everywhere and adding the link to the survey in all Student Affairs email signature lines, there were no responses to the survey.

Continuous improvement process

The Division of Student Affairs will continue to develop ways to elicit the campus community’s feedback to better assess staff responsiveness, professionalism, and competency.

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Operational

Goal

To observe preferences within UA Little Rock’s new student population and cater the online software to be student friendly, while concisely educating in appropriate offices/areas on campus.

Activity or experience being assessed

In March 2021, UA Little Rock launched a new virtual orientation program through professional services provided by Go2Orientation. After campus partner collaboration and editing process, there were over 350 certificates awarded/users completed. At the end of this 30 minute learning opportunity, students complete a 4 question survey electronically.

Assessment artifacts

Survey with the following questions:

The length of this orientation was: just right/too short/too long
The information I received from this online module was valuable to me as a new student: strongly agree/agree/disagree/strongly disagree
What information did you find most helpful in this module? Open answer
What additional information could we have provided that would have been helpful? Open answer

Time period assessment was done

March 2021 – June 2021

Results

Will be complete after August 2021

Continuous improvement process

Review of this assessment will finalize in August 2021

Changes made thus far:

• Marketing efforts to reach more students in response to lower early numbers (collaboration with Bookstore & Financial Aid for scholarships totalling $10,000+).
• 4 call/text campaigns beginning March 2021 to students who began, but didn’t complete orientation to clarify how to “officially complete” orientation.
• Ask Desk training with student workers to walk through steps to login in with students in real time.

Time period changes were made in FY21

March – June (as needed; reviewed daily)

Changes that will be made in FY22 based on assessment results

• More collaboration with offices to include/elaborate traditions/resources at UA Little Rock.
• Formal review timeline for offices to collaborate in a timely manner.

Time period changes will be made in FY22

Fall 2021

Stakeholder involvement / Communication plan

• Results shared with Director of TTAC; then AVC Enrollment Management; then VC Student Affairs
  Orientation Committee meetings not held since 2019.
• Email updates as needed to key partnerships during CV19.
• Results shared with Orientation Leaders to review & create a student led voice.

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Operational

Goal

Focus group with two student workers/returning Orientation Leaders to review orientation.ualr.edu and create a student led voice.

Activity or experience being assessed

Focus group involving two students who work in the TTAC office. Using a real time run through of the new virtual orientation platform, each question/section was reviewed for readability, understandability and interest.

Assessment artifacts

Focus Group

Time period assessment was done

March 1st, 2021

Results

No information provided.

Continuous improvement process

• Created login flyer based on real time reactions of students logging in for the first time.
• Added section on FAQs on Orientation website about logging in, added accessibility with Marketing & Communications.
• Edits planned for Fall 2021 based on Spring responses

When changes were made in FY21

March 2021, will be reviewed again Fall 2021

Changes that will be made in FY22 based on assessment results

• Update leading photos with students engaging on campus.
• Use more student faces with filming already purchased with Go2Orientation.
• Simplify advising & registration processes.
• Add Blackboard section for clarity & login information.
• More resources & student involvement opportunities photos/videos about campus housing.

When changes will be made in FY22

Fall 2021

Stakeholder involvement / Communication plan

• Results shared with Director of TTAC.
• Edit team will begin Fall 2021 for further findings from this focus group

Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)

Operational

Goal

Evaluate the success verbally as an office of spring orientation events in 2021.

Activity or experience being assessed

Informal focus group with TTAC office members + student workers.

Assessment artifacts

Focus group; observation

Time period assessment was done

January 2021

Results

• Virtual event knowledge of logistics & marketing.
• Enhanced participation in future virtual events of new students.
  • Round tables; discussion questions.
• Team solidarity to perform at our best after solid wrap up of 3 virtual events.

Continuous improvement process

• Virtual event knowledge of logistics & marketing.
• Enhanced participation in future virtual events of new students.
  • Round tables; discussion questions.
• Team solidarity to perform at our best after solid wrap-up of 3 virtual events.

Changes that will be made in FY22 based on assessment results

Less virtual events moving forward as students are tired of virtual interaction and crave in person events.

When changes will be made in FY22

Spring 2022

Stakeholder involvement / Communication plan

• Results shared with Director of TTAC; then AVC Enrollment Management; then VC Student Affairs.
• Orientation Committee meetings not held since 2019.
  • Email updates as needed to key partnerships during CV19.
• Results shared with Orientation Leaders to review & create a student led voice

• Integrate faculty into Orientation using interactive session.
• Build student relationships (peer to peer).
  • Potentially done through small group activities with OLs; potential of pre/post Orientation FB groups; Welcome Week activities; Campus Living; communication to small groups through CRM Advise
• Collaborate with Alumni Office/University District to help students be aware of resources within the City of Little Rock.
  • Potential sponsorship opportunities during Welcome Week/New Student Orientation
    Social media promotion @ualrnewstudents
• Integrated First Year Experience
  • Holistic Curriculum Map that shows what topics are covered in orientation, in advising, during Welcome Week, and during PEAW.