Student Affairs Guiding Philosophy and Operating Model
To offer our students the support they need to succeed, this project seeks to develop a comprehensive service delivery philosophy and operating model across Student Affairs that incorporates multiple, accessible modalities for consistent and useful information, proactive intervention and support, clear student progress tracking of academic/career goals, and culturally responsive and inclusive interactions.
As a result of this effort, PCC students will experience easy-to-navigate, accessible, impactful, and culturally responsive services and support from all Student Affairs departments and programs. The student life cycle will be proactively monitored and interventions will be made on behalf of progress and completion. All Student Affairs staff will operate from a shared philosophy of student success that is grounded in a racial and social justice framework.
Implementation Strategies
This project will be executed through the following key strategies:
- Identify & articulate Student Affairs guiding values, beliefs, and principles
- Clarify Student Affairs division/department roles within the Academic & Career Pathways operating model
- Design and/or refine virtual and self-service delivery modalities and platforms
- Develop a services accessibility plan (language, mobility, culturally responsive, etc.)
- Establish a comprehensive program/department assessment and continuous improvement framework for Student Affairs.
- Assess the need for and provide staff training & development to execute guiding philosophy and model within the context of each service or program area.
Measures of Success and Key Milestones
The impact of this project will be measured by:
- Student satisfaction
- Student academic progress data (YESS metrics)
- Business process improvements
- Services usage & program participation data
Develop guiding values, beliefs, and principles
Purpose: Identifying a shared set of guiding values, beliefs, and principles for how Student Affairs “shows up” for the students and colleagues we serve is a critical foundational action. The process and outcomes of shared meaning-making support practitioners across the division to more effectively self-organize and execute department-level delivery systems and models that have the desired impact on student success. Managers are better able to set clear expectations for staff, as well as monitor and support staff knowledge and skill-building.
Key Deliverables
PCC Student Affairs guiding values, beliefs, and principles published document – visible to the entire PCC community
Learn more about “develop guiding values, beliefs, and principles”
- Define our deliverable and share examples with the community (student affairs and critical partners)
- Conduct scan and audit of existing “guiding philosophies” across Student Affairs divisions/departments
- Develop a process for a human/student-centered design approach to engage the community in informing – co-authoring – guidance document
- Review “situational analysis vignette” results from Strategic Enrollment Planning project
- Engage and generate input from staff and students, as impacted community members
- Identify & track specific input goals for staff and students
- Draft Guiding Philosophy to include: guiding principles, values, and beliefs that undergird and direct the efforts of Student Affairs
- Engage critical community partners in the review of the draft document
- Senior Student Affairs leaders team finalizes guiding philosophy document
- Distribute and publish the philosophy to the college community
- Establish a timeline and process for periodic review and opportunity for continuous improvement and revision
Clarify division/department roles within Academic & Career Pathways
Purpose
As a result of the college’s Yes to Equitable Student Success (YESS) effort, the decision was made to establish a “guided pathways” operating model in order to keep the student experience and outcomes centered. Six Academic & Career Pathways were established in 2019. Some Academic and Student Affairs administrative structure changes were made to align with Pathways (eg, the division of Academic & Career Pathway Guidance). Now, all divisions and departments within Student Affairs need to consider and plan for how their services and programs support the pathways operating model.
Key Deliverables
- Establish a shared understanding of the “guided pathways” framework and goals within the context of Student Affairs
- Create a student experience journey map grounded in guided pathways framework and pillars = VISUAL
Learn more about “clarify division/department roles within Academic & Career Pathways”
- Engage C-SALT to evaluate/build on shared meaning and grounding in the guided pathways framework
- Engage C-SALT in initial mapping of their 2022-23 division/department priority work to guided pathways pillars AND college strategic plan priority projects
- Identify Student Affairs practitioner to participate in faculty/advisor-led Cross-Functional Team (CFT) project work
- Ensure staff participation in faculty/advisor-led CFT project work
- Ensure Student Affairs managers’ participation in CFT project work with Academic Affairs administrative colleagues to develop cross-functional vision, leadership skills, and strategies
- Continue to engage C-SALT to evaluate/build on shared meaning and grounding in the guided pathways framework – prepare for supporting the implementation of Cross Functional Teams
- Create a student experience journey map grounded in guided pathways framework and pillars – intersects with the Strategic Enrollment Planning project
Design/refine virtual and self-service delivery systems
Purpose
This strategy addresses this Project’s aim to incorporate multiple, accessible modalities for the delivery of services and access to consistent and relevant information for students. Significant progress in virtual service and program delivery infrastructure and tactics was made during remote operations forced upon the college during the COVID-19 pandemic. Student Affairs now has the opportunity to integrate learning from the experience of the past few years to design, implement, and refine robust virtual services platforms and processes that address student desired modalities, as well as institutional ability to serve students at scale.
Key Deliverables
- Technology platform(s) plan for delivery of virtual and self-service student services and support
- Service modalities guide – including a description of virtual modalities options, best practices/best fit for service types, and guidance for leaders
- Employee assessment and training plan for virtual and remote service providers
- Student-facing marketing and directions/training plan
Develop services accessibility plan
Purpose
This strategy addresses the need for Student Affairs services and programming to be fully accessible to our diverse student body and the communities we serve. For purposes of this project, accessibility is defined as centering the needs of our diverse community by being curious and informed about what is preventing the use of services and participation in programs and responding with flexibility and creativity to eliminate barriers to access. Every department must establish/maintain awareness of barriers to accessing their services and programs and execute plans to eliminate or mitigate them.
Department/division plans will incorporate physical access to the built environment, communication and information access, inclusion and responsiveness to cultural identities (including disability culture), trauma-informed approaches, and multiple modalities for service access and students’ connection to staff.
Key Deliverables
- Student Affairs program/department assessment and continuous improvement process will include metrics for accessibility
- Including environment scans for accessibility, trauma-informed practices, and cultural responsiveness
- Student Affairs department/division accessibility plans that identify and address access to services and programming
- The above plans will be reflected in the development and execution of the college ADA/504 Transition Plan
Learn more about “develop services accessibility plan”
- Confirm strategy lead(s)
- Identify representatives for Transition Plan development project support
- Confirm representatives for the college Accessibility Council and define the role and accountability of representatives to the Student Affairs division – coordination to be done by ADA/504 Compliance Manager as part of the Transition Plan project
- Managers review existing student data from AEDR and other sources related to the accessibility of services and programs – coordination to be done by the ADA/504 Compliance Manager as part of the Transition Plan project
- Managers conduct a department-level data review and accessibility gaps analysis – coordination to be done by the ADA/504 Compliance Manager as part of the Transition Plan project
- Managers provide input for Transition Plan development, including their own department accessibility plans – coordination to be done by ADA/504 Compliance Manager as part of the Transition Plan project
Establish assessment and continuous improvement framework
Purpose
This project is in direct support of and alignment with the college-wide Strategic Plan Project to Establish a Continuous Improvement Framework. The project establishes a framework for a continuous improvement cycle that centers equitable student success through engagement with the college community. This framework will be implemented within Student Affairs and include analysis of administrative procedures, operations, services, practices, and student outcomes through a racial equity and social justice framework. As a result of these efforts, Student Affairs leaders and practitioners will improve their use of data-informed decision-making related to processes, practices, and resource distribution.
Key Deliverables
Student Affairs integrates an assessment and continuous improvement practice within all departments/programs that is aligned with the college’s continuous improvement framework
Learn more about “Establish assessment and continuous improvement framework”
- VPSA participates as a member of the Steering Group for Continuous Improvement (CI) project
- The Dean of Effectiveness & Planning (E&P) meets with VPSA for a review of Student Affairs’ approach to the effort, including the history of assessment practice in the division
- Dean of E&P to orient Deans and Directors regarding project timeline and plan, proposed (CI) Framework, and plan for Student Affairs division engagement
- Effectiveness & Planning to meet with staff teams from all 6 divisions in Student Affairs to review and give feedback on the draft Framework, explore CI culture, and elevate current CI practice
- Effectiveness & Planning presents an update on the project to AA/SA leaders meeting at the spring term quarterly convening
- Effectiveness & Planning to engage C-SALT to develop and apply continuous improvement framework within Student Affairs divisions/departments
Assess for and provide staff training and development
Purpose: It is Student Affairs employees that will bring to life an updated service delivery philosophy and operating model across the division. It is critical that all employees understand and are able to put into practice the division’s guiding values, beliefs, and principles in their area of expertise, contribution, and accountability. Likewise, all employees should understand the goals established through the key strategies of this project: incorporating expanded modalities of service, ensuring accessibility of services and programs, assessing for continuous improvement, and proactively providing holistic student guidance along Academic and Career Paths. This strategy acknowledges the importance of employee evaluation and development of targeted (department and/or individual) training and professional development opportunities to address needed knowledge, competencies, and skills.
Key Deliverables: 2023–2024
- Preliminary survey to assess the current landscape of employee assessment, training, and development within Student Affairs
- Full partnership and alignment with professional development and employee learning strategy and activities from the new division of People Strategy, Equity, and Culture, e.g.:
- Development and use of employee knowledge, skills, and attitude assessment tools
- Manager training for supporting employee success and performance
- Development of training and professional development calendars (Student Affairs + division/department specific)
- Full use of Cornerstone by supervisors and employees to plan and document training and development activities
Learn more about “assess for and provide staff training and development”
- Department-specific surveys/audits of training and development needs
- ACPG in progress
- All Student Affairs managers trained in trauma-informed practice
- Contracted with Trauma Informed Oregon to receive 8 hours of in-person training
- Student Affairs staff trained in trauma-informed practice
- Contract with Trauma Informed Oregon
- In consultation with the new Culture Transformation & Development department of the PSEC division, develop and conduct a survey of supervisors and employees to audit the current landscape of employee assessment, training, and development within Student Affairs
- Work with PSEC to develop a Student Affairs training and development plan