2009-2015 Plan for Excellence Significant Accomplishments Unit

2009-2015 Plan for Excellence
Significant Accomplishments
Unit: _Division of Student Development________________
Goals
IN KEEPING WITH OUR MISSION and our desire to be an institution with a transformative
spirit, Loyola University Chicago, therefore, adopts the following three overarching goals for
2009–2015:
1.
Deliver the premier undergraduate educational experience in Chicago, characterized by a
transformative educational experience in the Jesuit tradition.
Leadership for Social Change Learning Community: Established in the 2012 – 2013
academic year, the Leadership for Social Change Learning Community has had between 64
and 130 student participants each year [numbers were highest the one year when second-year
and transfer students were part of the Learning Community (LC)]. In addition to living
together, first-year students take at least one class with other members of the LC each
semester, and are together in UNIV 101 classes as well. Undergraduate student Learning
Community Assistants offer programs to support academic success, and students also
connect with Student Leadership Development staff through monthly programs based on the
theme of leadership.
Start the Fire Initiative: Leadership Education And Development (LEAD) for Change
program: One of the programs that is a part of the Start the Fire initiative is the “LEAD for
Change” program, which is coordinated by Student Leadership Development staff (in the
Office of Leadership Development & Second Year Experience). The first program was in
August of 2011. Each year, 30 to 40 new students participate in this 4-day program at
LUREC, where they engage in activities and discussions focused on values, leadership styles,
team building, and the interconnectedness between leadership and social justice. On their
program evaluations, students have consistently indicated that participating in the program
helped them to further develop as leaders, to feel more confident in their leadership abilities,
to develop meaningful relationships, and feel more comfortable with their transition to LUC.
Second Year Experience: Housed within Leadership Development & Second Year
Experience, the Second Year Experience (SYE) program was established in the 2012 – 2013
academic year. An important part of undergraduate students’ Loyola Experience, SYE
connects students with resources and opportunities through programs and services. Major
programs include: (a) a series of Welcome Back Week events to build community and
institutional affinity; (b) a retreat offered in partnership with Campus Ministry that focuses
on vocational discernment; (c) the Halfway to Graduation Celebration, which recognizes the
milestone of declaring a major, and helps students transition from being advised by First &
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Second Year Advising to being advised by their college/school; and (d) monthly Sophomore
Suppers that encourage students to engage in meaningful conversations with staff, faculty,
and students about topics such as studying abroad, internships, graduate school, and future
career paths.
Adoption of OrgSync as a student organization management system: In an effort to
integrate a student's involvement into their everyday experience, LUC contracted with
OrgSync to provide a structured online system for student organization management.
Organizations use OrgSync for all of their major operations: annual registration, funding and
payment proposals, communication with organization members, and transition of leadership
from one year to the next.
Expansion of Welcome Week: Welcome Week in 2009 encompassed approximately five
SAGA-sponsored events over the course of four days. The program has expanded to
encompass 12 days, 12 SAGA-sponsored programs, and 50+ total programs that fall under
the Welcome Week umbrella. In 2011, student leaders were incorporated into the program.
These "Welcome Week Leaders" help facilitate Welcome Week events and act as a peer
connection for new students.
Increase in Late Night Programming Initiatives: In conjunction with our student
programming board, Department of Programming ((dop)), the University increased support
for late night programs. Over the past 3 years, ((dop)) held extracurricular evening events
every Wednesday through Saturday night during the academic terms. These programs offer a
wide variety of educational, social, and recreational activities for students. Many of these
events are collaborative in nature, provide students with healthy and positive outlets, and
further the connection between students and Loyola University Chicago.
Expansion of the Registered Student Organization (RSO) & Sponsored Student
Organization (SSO) Program: In an effort to develop the RSO & SSO program, a staff
member was charged with development, education, and outreach to student organizations and
advisors. Student Activities and Greek Affairs sponsored additional programming that
focused on organization transition, policies and procedures, and recognition to provide
additional resources to student organizations. These programs enhance the student
organization experience, and assist them in applying their experiences to real life.
Expansion of the Sorority & Fraternity Life (SFL) Program: Over the last five years, the
SFL program has evolved significantly. The program has experienced a 62% percent
increase in membership. Additionally, programs were created and implemented to encourage
service, accountability, values congruence, and meaningful peer relationships. The Greek
Conduct Board was created to facilitate peer accountability, and provide SFL students with a
platform to ensure that their organizations and members are living their values. Additionally,
the Greek Standards and Awards program was implemented to assess the sorority and
fraternity chapters. Overall, chapters are recognized for meeting set standards, and provided
feedback for areas of improvement. The SFL Program created and implemented the Greeks
for a Good Cause Program, which provides SFL students an opportunity to serve together as
a community and reflect upon the experience and how it affects others.
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Water Tower Campus Ministry, part of WTCL until January 2014, coordinated Labre
homeless ministry for both graduate and undergraduate students, providing weekly as well as
special group opportunities to share food with and relate to our homeless community members.
Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs collaborated with the School of Education’s
Higher Education Program to develop and facilitate Loyola University Chicago Empowering
Sisterhood (LUCES) program. This project was a Sistership Project, which looked at the
experience of women of color at Loyola University Chicago, and ways in which these students
make meaning and find support for their experiences.
2.
Deliver a high-quality professional education that is characterized by innovation, excellence,
ethics, service, and leadership, strategically leveraging health care, law, and business as
nationally ranked lead programs.
Not applicable
3.
Create an institutional culture devoted to public service and research, particularly in the areas
of the life sciences and health care, ethics and social justice, and children and families,
emphasizing interdisciplinary collaborations.
Not applicable
6 Strategies
Strategy 1
Deliver an undergraduate learning experience that embodies concretely the spirit and principles
of the document “Transformative Education in the Jesuit Tradition,” promoting development of
the whole person through an integrated curricular and co-curricular program.
Significant Accomplishments from Campus Ministry include the following:
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Residence Hall Chaplains have been established and assigned in six different residence
halls, including Baumhart.
A robust set of programs fostering Interfaith understanding and dialogue has been
established, with the Interfaith Ally training being the foundation.
Participation in faith-based retreats has grown to almost 1500 students in FY14 from 804
in FY11. The Loyola Phoenix placed “Making a retreat at LUREC” as their number one
bucket list item in FY13.
Participation in Alternative Break Immersion Trips has expanded to include a diverse
array of host sites coupled with increased numbers of student participants. The program
grew from 14 sites in FY13 to 21 sites in FY14, and from 116 participants in FY13 to
180 in FY14. Additional the ABI program went from 91% white, 9% students of color in
FY13 to 73% white, 27% students of color in FY14.
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The Service in Faith Learning Community was piloted in FY14, and was the premier
learning community. Stakeholders included the Faculty Coordinator of Learning
Communities, Residence Life, Community Service and Action, and Campus Ministry.
The Department of Residence Life established, and completed, the following goals and
programs in alignment with the University’s Strategic Plan:
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Goal 1 - Collaborate with Academic Affairs for integrated learning
o Develop unique Learning Communities related to LUC’s core values (Leadership
for Social Change, Sustainability, Service and Faith)
o Align Learning Community themes with core courses to fully integrate the core
curriculum with Learning Community Programs
Goal 2 – Utilize housing facilities to enhance connection between living and learning
o Accommodate mixed-usage in each residence hall (Honors in Campion and
extensive social and study spaces in Campion, Fairfield, San Francisco, Simpson)
Goal 3 – Achieve residence hall staffing model to support Strategy 1(this strategy)
o Develop and implement Residence Hall Chaplain presence in residence halls
o Implement a professional staff to resident and Resident Assistant (RA) ratio in
line with needs of each building or community (i.e. one professional Resident
Director per first-year hall)
Outdoor Experiential Education created a comprehensive outdoor program: In the past four
years, the Outdoor Experiential Education Programs has grown from an outdoor adventure club
serving 10 students to a fully integrated program providing meaningful experiences for over
6,430 students during the 2013/14 academic year. A commitment to student leadership
development and transformational experiences sit at the heart of the program’s success.
Composed of the Challenge Course, Outdoor Experiences, Rock Wall and Gear Rental
programs, Outdoor Experiential Education at Loyola is known in the region as the premier urban
university outdoor program. It is often compared to programs that have been much longer
established and is already seen as a model for outdoor programs committed to social justice.
Campus Recreation offered a number of curricular and co-curricular programing and
employment opportunities to meet the Transformative Education experience the Loyola
University Chicago students’ need. The Group Fitness Instructor Training Program offered a
chance for students to move from participant, to instructor, to leader, to mentor throughout the
four-year experience of Loyola. As each student transitioned into the leader and mentor role, s/he
was able to satisfy the hunger for integrated knowledge. While these student leaders deepened
their knowledge, they also began to understand what gifts and talents they possessed as
individuals and as leaders. Many of Campus Recreation students used this self-appropriation to
guide their career path. From 2009-2015, five students entered the field of higher education
through Campus Recreation.
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The Department of Student Diversity & Multicultural Affairs was excited to launch the first
Alternative Break Immersion (ABI) for men of color and women of color. Students partnered
with a nativity middle school, one in Milwaukee for young men, and the other in St. Louis for
young women. At the respective schools, the Loyola students assisted teachers, students, and
engaged with parents. The focus of the ABIs was college access and readiness. The LUC
students who participated in this experience also took a credit-earning class together that
examined the school-to-prison pipeline in the United States and ways to dismantle this
problematic situation.
The Wellness Center and the Office of First and Second Year Advising have worked to create a
bystander intervention program for all first-year students through the University 101 course.
Research has shown bystander intervention to be one of the few ways to effectively reduce
sexual assaults on college campuses. It can also be effective in reducing acts of bias, alcohol
emergencies, and helps to build a sense of community.
Water Tower Campus Life created the Urban Issues Summit to provide a forum for more indepth exposure to social justice issues facing urban communities. The summit focused on the
ways that people in the Loyola community and beyond were making strides to improve
conditions. The first summit focused on health disparities and the second focused on violence.
The third summit will focus on urban education.
Water Tower Campus Life collaborated with many departments to diversify the programming
offered to students. WTCL programming included themes from wellness, diversity, ministry,
service, career preparedness, city exploration, social justice, fitness, and social activities. WTCL
served an integral role in advising and programming for the Urban Issues Learning Community
that resided at Baumhart Hall until May of 2013. WTCL prides itself on the diversity of offerings
and support available to students.
Strategy 2
Recruit and retain a diverse faculty and staff who are committed to the principles of Jesuit
education; who are excellent in teaching, mentoring, research, and service; and who are
increasingly international in background and interest.
Water Tower Campus Life (WTCL) does not have a large staff, however, the professional staff
and student staff have been increasingly diverse, including international students as part of
student staff.
The Division of Student Development established a Cultural Competence Division-wide
Committee in 2009 to direct the Division’s professional development in areas of diversity. It’s
hope was to enhance the support for both diverse staff and students. The Committee has
sponsored, or co-sponsored Division In-Services, Lunch’N’Learn programs, and identity groups.
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Strategy 3
Continue the development of interdisciplinary Centers of Excellence and other research
opportunities that promote the life sciences and health care, ethics and social justice, and children
and families, and that advance the mission of the institution.
Not applicable
Strategy 4
Raise the reputations of the graduate and professional schools to national and international
prominence and ranking.
Water Tower Campus Life developed Graduate Compass in 2013 to better orient graduate and
professional students to resources available to them at Water Tower Campus. This year, WTCL
will offer five different sessions to more than 400 graduate and professional students. Its hope is
to supplement, not duplicate, individual School orientations.
Strategy 5
Create University environments on each campus that support our transformational educational
objectives, including spaces that promote academic, social, and recreational interactions and
activity.
Campus Ministry and Community Service and Action moved into a shared suite in the
Arnold J. Damen Student Center in April 2013. Each office is much more centrally located for,
and accessible to, students. The Damen Student Center also has dedicated prayer rooms and
social spaces for Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim students, supporting them in their religious identity
and practice.
The Department of Exercise Science and Campus Recreation collaborated last year to provide
the first annual “Exercise Science Week.” During this time, a number of programs and events
highlighted the integration of academics and recreational opportunities.
The Wellness Center opened a satellite facility at Water Tower Campus offering medical and
mental health services. This facility provides easy access to services for the WTC student body
and additional opportunities to partner with academics to provide counseling psychology and
social work interns’ practicum experience.
The Wellness Center also moved its Lakeshore Campus offices into a new facility in Granada
Center. This space adds numerous medical offices, mental health offices, health promotion
offices, a designated group therapy space and a multipurpose room. This increase in space
improves student’s access to services.
Finally, the University recognized, in developing its last strategic plan, the critical need for
additional student facilities and space. In response to those needs, the university constructed
substantial additional facilities as well as renovated some existing facilities. These newly
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remodeled and constructed facilities are now known collectively as the Student Complex. The
Student Complex encompasses all of the student service facilities including the Student Centers
(Damen Student Center and Terry Student Center, Centennial Forum), Norville Center for
Intercollegiate Athletics, Gentile Arena, Halas Recreation Center, Sean Earl Field, Hoyne Field,
Winthrop and the West Quad.
Loyola committed itself to dramatic improvements in student centers, culminating in the
replacement of the Centennial Forum Student Union with the Arnold J. Damen, S.J. Student
Center. The Damen Student Center, a 125,000 square foot facility, opened its doors in April
2013. This magnificent center has had a significant impact in the way students engage in the
Loyola University Chicago campus. The facility supports the student academically (study space,
opportunities to connect with classmates, professors, etc.) and in a co-curricular sense (student
activities, club meeting space, socialization, etc.) throughout the center, in the Damen Dining
Hall, the Joan M. Steinbrecher Atrium which includes a seating area under an 80’ by 40’
skylight, next to the four-restaurant food court, a 125 seat cinema, ample lounge space in the Den
on the first floor and on the second floor (including a relaxing fire place). There are meeting
rooms on the first and second floor with reservation priority going to student clubs, as well as the
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM Multi-Purpose Room. The lower level has additional
recreational space with a gaming area and Ireland’s sports lounge.
The Damen Student Center houses several university departments (Student Activities and Greek
Affairs, Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Campus Ministry, Community Service and
Action, Dean of Students, Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, Office of the Vice President
for Student Development) dedicated to providing guidance, support, and resources that students
are seeking in their experience at Loyola. The Damen Student Center, with its proximity to the
Halas Recreation Center, Gentile Arena, and future West Quad, will continue to serve as a hub
for student activity while supporting and promoting recreation activity and athletic participation.
Centennial Forum also continues to provide additional space for students to practice and
perform.
The renovations at Terry Student Center located on the Water Tower Campus continue to
provide students with convenient services and resources with LU’S deli and Pub, a bookstore,
Wellness Center (mentioned above) and Fitness Studio.
In 2011, Gentile Arena was transformed into a true arena in both look and feel. As a 4,000+
stadium seat, multi-purpose facility for athletics, recreation and special events, Gentile Arena has
become and continues to be a huge recruitment benefit for athletics programs as well as an
incentive for athletes to come out and play in a vibrant student atmosphere. With the updated
facilities, Athletic successfully procured the bid to host the 2014 Men's Volleyball National
Championship last spring. And, Loyola not only hosted the Championship, but the entire Loyola
community was able to witness the Loyola Men’s Volleyball Team win its first Men's Volleyball
NCAA Championship!
Norville Center for Intercollegiate Athletics, a three-story, state of the art facility became a
home for athletes, coaches and the Athletic Department in 2010. The amenities for athletes range
from updated locker rooms, team meeting rooms, and study areas, state of the art fitness
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equipment, strength and training areas. With the enhancements, Loyola University Chicago has
placed its athletics program in the same class as its competition in the Missouri Valley
Conference.
Additional space was added to Halas Recreation Center in 2014, with a state of the art cardio
space that features 27 treadmills and 31 elliptical machines, a spin room, group exercise rooms
and a newly renovated 25 yard, 8-lane pool.
Strategy 6
Enhance and foster meaningful joint activities in teaching, research, and service that link the
Medical Center and the lakeside campuses.
Not applicable
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