Student Affairs Bridge Plan

The Student Affairs Bridge Plan is a short-term plan that guides our work until the next University strategic plan launches.  As a division we are committed to the goals that directly align with completing the educational mission of the university. Click the image or read the drop down accordions below for more information.

WCU Student Affairs Bridge Plan 2022-2023 A short term plan for our future. Priorities are Ram Plan: Co-curricular Transcript, Social Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclution, Sharing Our Story and Continuous Improvment

Bridge Plan Priorities

  • Ram Plan: Co-curricular Transcript
  • Social Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Sharing Our Story
  • Continuous Improvement

Bridge Plan Context

The plan was built with the following in mind:

  • WCU & Student Affairs missions
  • Current global, U.S. and PASSHE challenges
  • Increased activism related to oppression and violence toward marginalized communities
  • WCU's Moonshot for Equity initiative
  • COVID-19 recovery period
  • Largest WCU incoming class in history
  • Projected decline in number of high school graduates across the U.S.
  • Recent WCU re-organization
  • Student Affairs external review recommendations
  • Anticipation of a permanent VPSA in Fall 2024

Bridge Plan Initiatives

Ram Plan: C-curricular Transcript

Engage students in building their co-curricular transcript, create policies, incorporate the Ram Plan further into our culture, grow the number of programs, examine the impact on student success, examine the level of student learning occurring and set future goals.

Social Justice, DEI

Engage in Moonshot for Equity in eliminating barriers to retention and graduation for underserved students, recruit faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds, offer professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.

Sharing Our Story

Write an annual report, share what we know about students with other divisions, identify additional opportunities to share the good work that we do.

Continuous Improvement

Re-engage in our program review process, identify and fill gaps in policies and procedures, update facilities (particularly residence halls), engage in strategies to retain staff and build morale across the division.

Our Journey Through 2020

All members of our division were invited to contribute to the development of the strategic plan. Like our work, our strategic plan continues to evolve based on the needs of our division and our stakeholders.

  1. Download Our Strategic Plan
  2. Review Our Progress Report
  3. Read Our Final Report

Engagement & Experiential Learning

Goal Statement: Develop intentional and varied opportunities for students to engage on campus and within the broader community.

Outcomes:

  1. Leverage technology/multimedia platforms to engage students, communicate our programs and services, and provide learning opportunities.
  2. Develop stronger mutually beneficial partnerships with our internal and external stakeholders in order to better engage our students in learning opportunities.

Health, Wellness, and Safety

Goal Statement: Promote the comprehensive health, wellness, and safety of all students to create a community of care.

Outcomes:

  1. Provide education, training, and treatment for students regarding healthy living.
  2. Provide coaching to students regarding impact of decisions related to health, wellness, and safety to recognize and encourage personal accountability.

Infrastructure

Goal Statement: Promote responsible stewardship of human, fiscal, and physical resources needed to achieve success for our departments and to ensure the standards of our profession.

Outcomes:

  1. Expand existing and establish new funding sources.
  2. Provide training and professional development opportunities for staff of all levels (paraprofessional, support, entry, middle, and senior).
  3. Engage in long-range planning to ensure sustainability.

Social Justice

Goal Statement: Create an environment that understands, recognizes, and embraces social justice as a primary component of the campus community.

Outcomes:

  1. Infuse social justice knowledge into the policies, programs, and services to positively impact campus climate and beyond.
  2. Provide professional development for all Student Affairs staff, paraprofessionals, and students on how to understand and think critically about systems of oppression, privilege and equity.
  3. Conduct policy and practice reviews to identify and challenge formal and informal systems of oppression that might exist within.
  4. Analyze current data to identify salient areas and holes within the campus climate.

Student Development (Success)

Goal Statement: Create an environment of outcome/evidence-based practices and data informed decision making to engage our diverse student population and impact student success.

Outcomes:

  1. Utilize WCU’s Student Affairs Learning Domains to inform Student Affairs’ programs and services that contribute to student success from orientation through graduation and beyond.
  2. Utilize data and assessment results for program improvement.

We promote learning in Civic Engagement, Communication, Critical THinking, Integrative Learning, Intercultural FLuency, Personal Development, and Problem Solving. Through co-curriculuar programs, services and experiences in the following focus areas: Career Readiness, Community Engagement, Health and Wellness, Involvement and Leadership, Social Justice, and WCU Traditions.

Embracing the educator role. What follows is the comparison of Academic Affairs then Student Affairs. Comparison: Academic Major, Co-Curricular Focus. Program Review, Program Review. Advising Sheets, Eductational Plans. Academic Catalog, Co-Curriculuar Catalog. Courses, Programs. Theory and Learning Outcomes, Theory and Learning Outcomes. Research and Assessment, Research and Assessment. Curriculum Review Group, Co-Curriculuar Review Group. Academic Transcript, Co-Curricular Transcript.