Division of Student Affairs Newsletter

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Colleagues,

What a pleasure it is to welcome you back to another spring semester. I hope your winter break was rejuvenating. Spring is all about new beginnings and transformations; it’s a season that symbolizes starting fresh and starting over. We have tremendous opportunities throughout the spring semester to connect students to many ways to engage in the Brockport co-curricular experience. This semester, we will welcome transfer students to campus and welcome back our returning students. Transfer students will participate in the Golden Eagle Transfer Orientation, which means exposing students to the many resources available within the Student Affairs Division and campus-wide. The Student Engagement Committee has developed the Spring Welcome Week schedule, which includes events and community-building opportunities for the first 6-weeks of the semester. I encourage you to take an active role in rolling out the green & gold carpet to help create a community for our students.

Reimagining How We Work Together

The Division is actively pursuing strategies to optimize efficiency and align our actions with our mission and vision. We’re presented with an exceptional opportunity to realign our focus towards enhancing student well-being in line with the University’s strategic plan and the strategic priorities of our Division of Student Affairs. I’m eager to introduce professional development opportunities aimed at enhancing our capacity to enrich the campus experience for students.

• Division Professional Development: Campus Trends and Student Support on January 11, 2024. We will review data from our mid-year survey to illuminate how we cultivate a trauma-informed practice to build a culture of care throughout the division.

• Wellness Within Your Reach communicates our holistic approach to addressing student mental health needs, including sharing the plethora of mental health resources available to students, faculty, and staff. The following mental health projects were funded with the support of SUNY: Wellness Within Your Reach.

• Leadership Trainer Certificate Program – May 28th – May 31st. Division leaders will participate in a 3.5-day professional development designed to enhance training strategies and facilitation techniques. The program utilizes a curated and powerful ‘training story’ methodology to maximize learning for participants.

I am excited about how these opportunities will fuel our commitment to creating a vibrant campus community for every student every day. The success of our division is because of your dedication to our students.

Thank you for all you do to support the success of students. I look forward to engaging with you all this semester.

Lorraine Acker, Ph.D.

Vice President for Student Affairs

Student Affairs 2023-2024 Strategic Goals

1. WELLBEING: Improve and enhance the health and well-being of our communities through outreach programs and in collaboration with campus and community partners. (SP: 1B, ID, 2B; 4E)
2. ENGAGEMENT: Foster a vibrant campus community by providing inclusive opportunities for student involvement in co-curricular activities, clubs, organizations, and leadership development programs. (SP: 1A. 1B, 1D, 2D)
3. INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE: Cultivate an inclusive and equitable environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported.  (SP: 1C, 1D, 2D, 4E)
4. LEADERSHIP: Build a culture of excellence that inspires innovation and professional growth for every employee within the division.  (SP: 4A, 4B, 4D, 4E)
5. ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Promote responsible stewardship of human, fiscal, and physical resources to maximize our opportunity for organizational success. (SP: 2C, 2D, 3B, 3D)

FOCAL POINT

To increase discussion and decrease stigma around common student experiences, we’ll be sharing Campus Focal Points with you each month. In January, our goal is to help students debrief on their experiences, reflect on accomplishments and to set goals or resolutions for the semester.

Debrief: Holidays are a wonderful time of year for some people. Others may have experienced loss, stress, or hardships. Be sure to check in with your colleagues and students as they return and to allow time to debrief as necessary.

Reflection: Brene Brown on Empathy

Resolutions: What are your plans and goals for the spring semester?

How do they align with our campus and division goals? It’s not too soon to be planning for events around graduation now.

WELCOME TO BROCKPORT:

We are excited to welcome:

Kristina Collier, Associate Director for Student Programming & Activities

Tim Durfee, Emergency Manager

Jesse Bair, Residence Hall Director

Jackie Bors, Residence Hall Director