We are fast approaching a new Fall semester and Student Affairs staff have been preparing all summer for the return of students to campus. From the Arkansas Union to University Housing to University Recreation, we have been getting the campus ready for a large enrollment. While we are not totally through the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that the more students, faculty, and staff who are vaccinated, the safer we are as a campus community. Although we cannot require vaccination by Arkansas state law, we have been actively trying to inform our community about the benefits and opportunities to becoming vaccinated.
In-person classes and activities are key to providing the energy, chances for collaboration and overall experience that make a University of Arkansas education unique. It’s what we do best. There are lots of opportunities for students to re-engage with the campus when they return.
Since the early 2000s New Student & Family Programs has been hosting an extended orientation program called R.O.C.K. Camp (Razorback Outreach Community Knowledge). Matt Meyers attended his first camp his freshman year, and today he is a fulltime staff member running the program. This year, there are new camp formats with academic partners in the School of Art, Honors College and the College of Engineering. We have a story about those new camps and what students have experienced with these new R.O.C.K. Camp partnerships.
In our Q&As we get to know staff member Matt Meyers and student Noelle Chesser. Both Matt and Noelle work in the New Student & Family Programs (NSFP) office. Noelle is a senior from Katy, Texas and has helped plan A-Week and Welcome Week events, as well as mentor first-year students. Matt is currently the associate director of NSFP, but he has been on campus since he was an undergraduate student in 2009. He helps plan and organize A-Week and all the R.O.C.K. Camps that are part of an extended orientation for first-year students.
Working with students is something at which Adrain Smith excels. Smith has been with Student Affairs since he was a graduate assistant on this campus in 2002. He has held several roles in his time at the University of Arkansas and they have all helped lead him to his new position as Director of the Center for Multicultural & Diversity Education.
This summer saw the retirement of one of our senior staff members, David Davies, associate vice chancellor for finance and administration. David came on board to help guide the Division’s finances a decade ago when we saw a record number of first year students enter the University. And turns out, as he leaves, we are anticipating another large first year student enrollment. We had a celebration for David with many of his colleagues, family and friends in attendance. You will find that story, photos and more in this issue.
Thanks for reading the August issue of the Student Affairs Bulletin. If you’re interested in more information about anything you see here, or have other story ideas, please email Scott Flanagin, executive director of communications at sflanagi@uark.edu.