The Division of Student Affairs is excited to welcome the new year and a new strategic plan, Advancing Student Affairs. The division began the planning process in May 2023 to help organize and harness the work of Student Affairs professionals, departments, and programs to serve students efficiently and effectively. Three priorities will guide our strategic plan – student access, well-being and belonging; post-graduation success; and building a strong organizational culture. These priorities align with one or more of the pillars of the 150 Forward Strategic Plan. As part of this new plan and reorganization three leadership positions were created and filled – Associate Vice Chancellors for Operations, Student Success, and Well-being. Throughout the spring semester we will launch our realigned organizational structure, finalize leadership positions, confirm priority, objective, and tactic leads, identify unit-level actions, and determine associated measures of success for each objective and action that allow us to move forward as a unified and aligned Division. We will keep you informed on our progress.
Other great stories in this bulletin include:
The Associated Student Government, in collaboration with the Black Students Association and the Distinguished Lectures Committee, held their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Vigil on Monday, Jan 15. The event was held virtually this year due to the inclement weather that hit Northwest Arkansas, but that didn’t put a damper on the celebration of MLK’s Legacy. LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, was one of the highlighted speakers along with Chancellor Charles Robinson. The Q&A with Brown was moderated by Laney Kellybrew, student, and advisor to ASG vice president.
Pat Walker Health Center’s Substance Education, Assessment and Recovery (SEAR) program offers a vital resource to University of Arkansas students – Razorback® Recovery Community, which is a confidential community group for students in or seeking recovery. Meredith Dauria, a recent December 2023 graduate, is the first recognized graduate of the Razorback® Recovery Community. Dauria received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing with a minor in substance abuse disorders.
In this issues’ Q&As we learn about two communicators from the Pat Walker Health Center. Breeanne Carter is the Health Center’s assistant director of marketing and communications. She believes that getting involved on campus plays a huge role in your overall health and well-being. Averi Pick is an advertising and public relations major who serves as the Health Center’s social media intern. Together they help inform the campus community about the great things happening in the Health Center.
The beginning of the new year also means that we open our scholarship application process. Students have until February 15 to apply for the many scholarships that we award every year. A high GPA is not necessary to qualify and most of our scholarships recognize leadership, student involvement and community service experiences. Students should apply now, and if you would like to support one of our scholarships or start a new one reach out to Ben Carter, senior director of development at bcarter@uark.edu
Thanks for reading the February 2024 issue of the Student Affairs Bulletin. If you have ideas for stories or would like more information on anything you read here, please email Scott Flanagin, executive director of communications at sflanagi@uark.edu.