Mission
The Mission of the Office of Campus Living is to provide a safe, diverse, and comfortable living environment to our residents by encouraging connection through educational programming and providing on campus resources that contribute to their overall success.
Summary Narrative
1) Enhance recruitment and retention efforts to increase enrollment
- Reviewed reapplication and programming efforts to increase retention and sustain occupancy numbers
2) Strengthen student-friendly operations and customer service
- Developed connection with new web and social media efforts
- Standardized email formats
- Worked with focus groups to improve programs
- Provide hall improvements to better the lives of residents
3) Improve diversity and inclusion efforts to provide a safe and inclusive environment for students
- Evaluated all staffing plans for more diverse interaction and staffing
- Provided training on pronoun usage and Safe Zone on campus
- Worked with programs across boundaries of diversity and inclusion for all residents
- Participated in campus committees in Multicultural Student Office, Diversity Council
4) Align financial and human resources to operate more effectively and efficiently
- Worked on procurement efforts to promote fiscally responsible spending
- Cut spending by the bulk ordering of parts and supplies
5) Promote student development, engagement, and leadership
- Participated in campus-wide programming efforts and committees
- Worked with focus groups to identify weakness in our programming for in-hall programs
Assessment 1
Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)
Operational assessment
Alignment with UA Little Rock Goal
Serve as an active partner in the community
Activity or experience being assessed
Updating old mission and vision statement for Campus Living
Assessment artifacts
Committee work groups
Time period assessment was done
October 2021-Jan 2022
Results
We made the mission and vision statement our goal and are reorganizing the building R & R plans due to the spending of CARES act funds received.
We published a new vision and mission statement for the department and continued to align a values statement.
The Mission of Campus Living of UA Little Rock:
The Mission of the Office of Campus Living is to provide a safe, diverse, and comfortable living environment to our residents by encouraging connection through educational programming and providing on campus resources that contribute to their overall success.
The Vision of Campus Living at UA Little Rock is:
The vision of the UA Little Rock Office of Campus Living is to provide residents an environment to connect to others while they participate in experiences that will allow them to learn and grow in a diverse campus and community.
Continuous improvement process
We have used the new vision statement in staff training. We are finding ways to incorporate our vision statement so it will be reflected in our online presence.
We have separated the R&R plan as a piece that will be budget and facilities. It was determined that it is a different function but will be presented by the Dean of Students to VCSA in phases.
Staffing was completed in September 2022, but an evaluation of GA positions is ongoing.
WHEN: We will finish our values statements in FY 23
Assessment 2
Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)
Operational assessment
Alignment with UA Little Rock Goal
Strengthen and support the human resources and infrastructure necessary to fulfill UA Little Rock’s mission
Activity or experience being assessed
Development of an internal training program for Campus Living and other departments on procurement flow charts and procedures
Assessment artifacts
Program development
Time period assessment was done
Began in Fall 2021
Results
Incomplete
Continuous improvement process
Shortages in staffing and unfilled positions resulted in the program not being finished. Both departments are battling staffing issues, but continue to develop training and communication modules.
WHEN: We will continue development with procurement for hopeful completion in 2023.
Stateholder involvement / Communication plan
Patti Light and Desiree Taggard
Assessment 3
Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)
Student Learning: Humanitarian and civic engagement
Alignment with UA Little Rock Goal
Prepare students for success
Activity or experience being assessed
Assessment of engagement and participation in hall-wide programs
Assessment artifacts
Focus Group report April 2022
Time period assessment was done
March-April 2022
Results
Campus Living: Assessment Partners Program Report
Dr. Kristen McIntyre kagullicksm@ualr.edu Michelle Malone mmmalone@ualr.edu May 6, 2022
Background: The Campus Living partner was interested in learning about how students were involved in campus organizations and programs. They wanted to know how students learned about campus events, and what type of events they attended and were interested in. Part of the reason for this is because students’ involvement helps retention. Another reason was to learn about potential ways to assist students to adjust to living on campus and living with roommates.
Data Collection & Analysis: After receiving IRB approval, data was collected via a focus group facilitated over Zoom by Michelle and Google form survey of the focus group questions. Participants who qualified for the focus group were invited to participate via email and a Google Calendar invite. Individuals who qualified for the focus group but were unable to attend were then emailed the Google form version of the focus group questions.
Kristen completed the thematic analysis that was used to make sense of the combined data. Themes were determined by frequency–similar ideas mentioned more than once by participants–and intensity–an idea that might not have been mentioned more than once, but was spoken about at length or with great emotion by a participant.
Participants: In order to participate in the project, participants needed to be residential students currently living on campus at UA Little Rock. There were two focus group participants and one survey participant.
Student Status
- Undergraduate – 2 – 67%
- Graduate – 1 – 33%
Race/Ethnicity
- Asian – 1 – 33%
- African American/Black – 1 – 33%
- Caucasian – 1 – 33%
Gender
- Female – 2 – 67%
- Male – 1 – 33%
Results:
Event Promotion: Participants mentioned flyers as the most often way they learned about events. Notably, they mentioned seeing them on doors, in elevators in the dorms as well as on campus, and in the commons. One participant mentioned that they particularly grab their attention when they are “cute” and another said that they notice them in elevators because “I’m stuck there for an extended period of time so I look at what’s around me.”
Types of Programming: Social activities were the most frequently mentioned programming. For example, participants mentioned game nights, events with food, and crafting events. One participant adamantly stated, “not education based!”
The suggestion of outdoor and off-campus events received strong support from participants. One participant proclaimed, “our landscapers work so hard to keep our campus clean and beautiful…any chance to be outside is good!” Another stated, “Yes. I love doing things in Little Rock. If I could do it with my friends for free, that would be amazing.” And another shared, “Yes–it goes back to creating engagement and helps knowing people around you.”
The second most frequently mentioned requested activities were skill-based. Specifically, participant examples included sex education, Title IX, resume building, and self defense. When asked specifically about life skills programming, participants also mentioned: learning more about where things are on campus, budgeting, “spicing” up microwave meals, and conflict management to help with roommate tensions.
When asked about service related projects, participant interest varied. One participant felt it might be more appealing to undergraduate students who need volunteer hours and felt a willingness to be involved in this type of programming was based on whether or not students have a “heart” for such work. Another participant countered, “If the benefits and value of serving were emphasized, that could spark more interest and if they understood the need, they might be more involved.” Finally, the third participant said it would depend on what was being done and where.
Strengthening Campus Culture: While not explicitly asked, the theme of strengthening campus culture through more frequent campus events and activities throughout the semester emerged. In particular, participants mentioned that the one-time student organization fair at the beginning of the semester, while valuable, needed to be repeated two to three more times throughout the semester. One participant offered, “The timing of the week is challenging–students are focused on classes, they’re feeling rushed and pressured.” They also talked about how having small activities and music (like that at BBQ at Bailey’s) throughout campus when students were walking to class and staggered throughout the semester could help the campus feel more lively. They also mentioned that this increased activity could carry over into increased engagement in Campus Living events.
Programming Board: Participants were unsure about participating in a programming board
mentioning it would depend on the type of work. One participant shared, “Yes and no. It would have to be a decent size so that it isn’t only 4-5 people doing all of the work because we are students first.” Another stated, “If we were planning big events, I’d be interested.”
Recommendations:
Continue to use flyers for event promotion: Flyers seem to be very effective for promoting events and should continue to be used. Flyers should be designed strategically to be eye-catching and placed in high-use elevators.
Provide diverse programming: Future programming should be sure to include a variety of events that touch on the following: social/fun/outdoor events, skill-building, and service. Participants mentioned the importance of Campus Living partnering with other campus organizations to offer diverse events so as not to be overly burdened with providing the events themselves as well as to provide opportunities for showcasing other student and campus organizations. For example, the University Writing Center and the Communication Skills Center could be brought in to offer resume writing sessions and conflict management workshops, respectively. Campus Safety could be brought in to offer self defense training. Campus Living could also work to partner with student organizations coordinating service projects.
Partner with other campus organizations to strengthen campus culture: Participants felt there was a strong relationship between feeling connected to campus and other organizations and engagement in Campus Living events. They spoke at length about the importance of providing students with a sense of belonging through being familiar with the campus including the services, offices, and organizations available to them and experiencing a lively campus culture as they walked to and from the dorms for class. Participants suggested that this creation of culture should not fall solely on Campus Living; but that Campus Living could help coordinate and support efforts to build stronger campus relationships. Tied to the previous recommendation, a first step could be to involve more campus offices and organizations in featured Campus Living programming.
Explore programming board viability: Since participants were unsure about participating in a programming advisory board, it would be helpful to do a follow up survey of Campus Living residents to gauge interest. The survey could be designed based on participants’ feedback so as to better explore 1) how many students would ideally be on the board to ensure distribution of work and responsibilities, 2) the type of work related to programming they feel the board should be doing, and 3) the level of commitment they feel they could realistically give to such a position.
Continuous improvement process
We have implemented building wide requirements for social programs. Example- Trojan Lane Carnival Night for midterms, Fall Breakout at UV, West Hall Fright Night for October, and Stress Break for all halls in December.
WHEN: Continuous
Stateholder involvement / Communication plan
Was coordinated by Sharon Downs and the assessment program coordinator helped us plan the focus group and held the meeting. Patti Light provided the questionnaire and development insight.
