The University of Texas at Arlington

Strategic Plan

The Student Affairs strategic plan was created in Summer 2012 by the Student Affairs Strategic Planning Committee. Each of the initiatives are currently being researched at a divisional level by Student Affairs committees. Implementation for the tasks associated with each of the initiatives is set for Fall 2013.

Imperatives to the Plan’s Success

Building a Culture of Accountability through Assessment

• To measure the success of the strategic initiatives, departments must constantly evaluate and assess student satisfaction, program effectiveness, and outcomes in order to improve programs, services, and initiatives. Departments must evaluate current programs and make decisions based on assessment data.

Aligning our Financial Resources to the Plan

• In response to the financial climate, the Division will utilize resources responsibly and in ways that directly support the seven strategic initiatives. In addition, the Division must be committed to securing financial support from new internal and external sources.

Intentional Collaborations On and Off Campus

• By building collaborations with partners on and off campus, the Division can reach a broader audience, share financial and human resources, and strengthen our services and programs.

Strategic Initiatives and Action Steps

Initiative #1 – Student Success
Implement strategies that will foster student success and result in an effective transition to college, retention, and timely graduation.

Action Steps:

• Implement student development and academic success plans for student employees, leaders, and volunteers across the Division.
• Identify, review, and create new hallmark experiences that will help students to transition through their collegiate experience.
• Expand peer-to-peer mentoring and peer education programs throughout the Division.
• Expand employment opportunities that are competitive for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Initiative #2 – Intentional Student Learning and Personal Development
Engage students in intentional active learning opportunities outside the classroom.

Action Steps:

• Develop and assess Divisional learning outcomes.
• Provide quality co-curricular educational programming that relates to classroom and career readiness.
• Develop and implement a plan for division-wide student employee training.

Initiative #3 – Leadership Development
Create opportunities for students to learn about leadership through their co-curricular, academic, and employment experiences.

Action Steps:

• Adopt a shared Divisional approach to leadership.
• Provide leadership training for employees and volunteers related to practical and transferrable skills.
• Position The Leadership Center as the University-wide resource for leadership initiatives.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs to offer a bachelor’s degree in leadership studies and to expand the leadership minor.
• Develop graduate assistant positions and undergraduate and graduate internship opportunities in Student Affairs with various schools and colleges.
• Develop division-wide support of the co-curricular transcript.

Initiative #4 – Student Programs and Services
Provide comprehensive programs and services for all students that are recognized for excellence.

Action Steps:

• Ensure that current programs and services are aligned with university and divisional priorities.
• Utilize research and best practices to implement new programs and services that meet the needs of off campus students, international students, transfer students, distance education students, graduate students, and other underserved groups as needs arise.
• The staff will seek educational opportunities to learn more about the populations that may be underserved.

Initiative #5 – Engagement, Citizenship, and Civility
Encourage campus and community involvement, engagement, citizenship, civility, and Maverick pride.

Action Steps:

• Create and support campus initiatives focused around community standards such as expectations for conduct, service, academic integrity, civility, and engagement.
• Create initiatives that increase student awareness about Maverick traditions.
• Improve major programming initiatives such as Welcome Week and Homecoming.
• Encourage greater student involvement in the development and implementation of traditions and events.
• Encourage students to be good citizens through civic engagement and service opportunities on and off campus.

Initiative #6 – Diversity and Inclusion
Cultivate a supportive campus atmosphere based on respect and understanding that embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds and prepares them for a global world.

Action Steps:

• Create a diversity plan that includes staff recruiting, hiring, and staff training.
• Provide identity-based training for student employees and volunteers.
• Provide opportunities for intergroup dialogue related to diversity and inclusion.
• Encourage and promote an awareness of global issues outside the classroom.
• Implement programming and education related to spirituality and religion, ability and disability, gender, sexuality, nationality, and other groups as needs arise.

Initiative #7 – Safety and Wellness
Provide educational programs and services that promote student safety and foster student physical, emotional,
and personal wellness.

Action Steps:

• Collaborate with campus, community, and national partners to improve alcohol education and programming for our students.
• Enhance health and wellness programming and services to students.
• Improve risk management education including student organization training, bystander intervention programming, hazing prevention, personal decision making.
• Implement required annual professional staff training on issues related to mental and emotional health of our students.

Click here to view a PDF of the strategic plan.