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In 2022, the Division of Student Affairs embarked on a strategic thinking and planning process. The resulting plan, developed with input from students, staff, and faculty, aligns with the University’s Strategic Plan 2022-2027, and will serve as the road map that ensures we focus on the most critical needs of current and future students.
Our success derives from the strengths of the relationships we build. Therefore, we endeavor to deliver high-impact programs and services and nurture those staff whose accomplishments contribute to this goal.
I appreciate the work of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, the UW Tacoma communities, and Dr. Toya Barnes-Teamer, Teamer Strategy LLC, for the generous engagement with the planning process. The Strategic Plan is a living document that will evolve to incorporate new opportunities as they emerge. I invite you to follow our progress.
Mentha Hynes-Wilson
Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs
The Goal Areas
The Steering Committee led multiple opportunities to engage with the Student Affairs Team and the campus and local communities to determine what areas would best help the Division of Student Affairs move forward in supporting our mission and vision. The following goal areas ascended to the top:
STUDENTS ENROLLMENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT CAMPUS PARTNERSHIPS
Each goal area has four to five specific measurable objectives that will help us delve into these areas further.
Co-Chairs: Amanda Figueroa, Victor Flores, Bernard Anderson
Action Team Members: Deaglan An, Francisco Rangel Alamanza, Kelly Tyrell, Michael Maratas, Shelley Eisenberg
Key Performance Indicator 1: Retention – overall, Y1 to Y2, and Y2 to Y3
Key Performance Indicator 2: Full-time employment or continuing education within 6 months of graduation
1.1 Foster a vibrant student-centered campus.
1.1a Prioritize defined student populations (e.g., commuter, residential, evening/weekend) and offer co-curricular options that center student identities, interests and promote well-being.
1.1b Engage all students in at least two co-curricular opportunities that enhance their sense of purpose and belonging in their first year at UW Tacoma.
1.2 Enhance infrastructure and resources that promote holistic well-being of all students.
1.3 Create and sustain a high-impact Student Affairs student employment program.
Co-Chairs: Shannon Carr & Stephon Harris
Action Team Members: Andrea Coker-Anderson, John Langston, Marie Perez, Megan Cooley, Wyatt George
Key Performance Indicator 3: Net tuition revenue
2.1 Develop a five-year Strategic Enrollment Plan through a unified and collaborative University-wide process.
2.2 Achieve right-sized enrollment through the implementation of the Strategic Enrollment Plan.
2.2a Diversify the mix of students enrolled, e.g., increasing the proportion of non-resident students.
2.2b Implement a student information system to communicate critical student needs to support student persistence and retention.
2.2c Increase enrollment through the development and implementation of a program to re-engage stop-out and returning students.
2.3 Implement continuous improvement practices in communications that impact student enrollment and persistence.
2.4 Audit the business systems and processes in each unit of Student Affairs to identify and correct barriers to enrollment, particularly practices that prevent achieving campus equity and inclusion goals.
Co-Chairs: Bernard Anderson & Dawn Williams
Action Team Members: Crystal Gonsalves, Heather Ruiter, Jesse Cooley, Martha Hughes
Key Performance Indicator 4: Staff report access/use of professional development that supports/enhances professional growth
3.1 Create annual professional development plans in partnership with all staff (classified, professional, and student staff), including elements of supervisor support in terms of finance and time; development of specific goals and methods; and documentation.
3.2 Integrate growth in diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism competencies into all staff professional development plans.
3.3 Contribute to a transparent and collaborative culture that supports a positive staff experience in every stage of their employment.
3.4 Create an annual series of in-house professional development opportunities.
3.5 Integrate growth of supervisory skills into all supervisors’ professional development plans.
Co-Chairs: Cassandra Nichols & Sean Schmidt
Action Team Members: Daniel Nash, Eric Hilldorfer, Madie Brown
Key Performance Indicator 5: % of staff that provide specific examples of using data to inform decisions in their quarterly reports
4.1 Define and create a culture of assessment across the division that informs program and process improvements.
4.2 Designate an assessment champion from each department and create a set of metrics for each unit, including key performance indicators.
4.3 Coordinate ongoing training and support for developing, tracking, and acting upon metrics in a way that makes data tracking accessible to all constituents.
4.4 Establish an Assessment Council to advise ongoing metrics tracking and analysis.
Co-Chairs: Amanda Figueroa, Surtida Shelton, Shannon Carr
Action Team Members: Brian Burhenn, Conor Leary, DJ Crisostomo, Erynn Littlefield, Genevieve Conley
Key Performance Indicator 6: Faculty & academic staff confidence in helping students navigate to Student Affairs resources
5.1 Document each department’s community-engaged work in Collaboratory annually.
5.2 Incorporate student voices into each department’s annual plans for continuous improvement practices.
5.3 Develop and implement an annual faculty-focused communication plan to improve awareness about Student Affairs resources.
5.4 Encourage and facilitate opportunities for bidirectional learning with faculty every quarter.
5.5 Provide biannual professional development opportunities to enhance staff skill sets for partnership development and community engagement in higher education.
