Dear Division of Student Affairs Team

It was great gathering with all of you last week at our annual Division of Student Affairs Kick-off Breakfast. While it would be nice to begin each week with a buffet breakfast, I appreciated the opportunity to review the successes from last year and then begin to outline our goals for this year.

There is much happening this semester both on our campus and in our world. And it’s a particularly tumultuous time in the lives of our students whether it be because of incidences occurring in our country, the presidential election, or a myriad of other personal situations that have led to diversity challenges and the politics of difference. Our students are relying on us to help them get through it. They are upset and need our support. Please take the time as you are working with students to ask them how they are doing and how UNT can better support them. Remind them of the various support units we have in our area and across campus that can provide counseling, mental health support or mentorship. It is these meaningful conversations that will resonate with them and help them know that you care. Additionally, it is because of these situations that we have created the Student Support Task Force that I referenced in our last newsletter. This task force will work to create proactive opportunities for dialogue and discussion that we believe will lead to enhanced understanding of and respect for the rich diversity we enjoy on our campus and will help our campus community reconcile the issues our country, and our world, are facing.

You all have done much work to help the University achieve our enrollment goals and I’m grateful for your efforts.  It’s because of this good work that we have almost 38,000 students to support this upcoming year.  This support will come in various ways and we will focus on the following during the 2016-17 academic year:

Programs/Services

• Finalize first floor of Sage Hall and begin renovation
• Reinvigorate UNT on the Square and integrate some new programs into the space
• Increase programming at Discovery Park
• Continue to implement findings from Graduate Student Survey
• Explore accepting student insurance at the SHWC
• Expand services and programs at New College at Frisco
• Continue to implement We Mean Green Fund programs
• Focus on wellness programs and activities

Facilities/Infrastructure/Assessment

• Conduct the Housing/Dining masterplan
• Finalize plans and break ground for a new residence hall
• Begin planning for a new dining hall
• Define plan for recreational fields
• Finalize and begin implementation of Greek housing infrastructure
• Conduct first year review of the Union
• Assess DSA learning outcomes

Focus on Staff

• Award Merit
• Offer professional development programs through Staff Development Committee
• Respond to FLSA mandates

Enrollment/Retention

• Enhance send-off parties and other yield events in which we participate
• Focus on graduate student orientation
• Continue to be innovative and responsive with withdrawal process and CARE Team
• Establish taskforce to review transfer recruitment and yield

Fundraising/Marketing

• Create fundraising goals and re-start the fundraising process
• Tell the Student Affairs story better
• Expand and improve communications
  • Launch new Division website and provide messaging on video screens

Prepare Students for Career Success

• Build Student Affairs programs for Career Connect
• Implement strategies within the THECB 60x30 plan
• Strengthen community and alumni partnerships

 Focus on Spirit and Traditions

• Integrate Cheer/Mascot/Dance into the Division
• Partner more with Athletics

 
Finally, the organization of our work through our strategic plan is coming to an end.  We have developed new Principles and Values that have been finalized and new Division Learning Outcomes and updated Division priorities that will be finalized in the next few weeks.  I am most appreciative to everyone who has helped to create and update.  My sincere thanks to Dr. Teresa McKinney for her leadership with two task forces – one that worked to finalize the learning outcomes and the other that finalized the strategic plan.  Much time and effort was required throughout and final products are ones for which we can all be proud!  Look for these finalized documents to be posted to the Division website by early October.
 
Thanks to each and every one of you and your work to support our students every day and making this campus the place Where Students Matter!

In appreciation, 

Elizabeth With, Ed.D.

This year Homecoming will be held from October 31st – November 5th. The theme is “Mean Green Eaglempics”. From the Homecoming Picnic to the Parade, we hope that your department engages in the spirit of UNT this Homecoming season! You can see the event schedule by visiting homecoming.unt.edu.

If you are looking for a way to get involved in Homecoming, Student Activities needs your help throughout this spirited week. Judges are needed to evaluate Parade Floats, Spirit Boards, Homecoming Royalty, Yell Like Hell, and much more! If you are interested in judging or volunteering at any Homecoming 2016 event, please follow the links below:

• Homecoming Judging Sign Up – Click Here [Due 10/16]
• Homecoming Volunteer Sign Up – Click Here [Due 10/16]

UNT Departments can also participate in the following Homecoming activities:

• Department Decorating Contest – Click Here [Due 10/21]
• Homecoming Picnic Tabling – Click Here [Due 10/12]
• Homecoming Parade – Click Here [Due 10/23]

If you advise a student organization that would like to participate in the Homecoming Student Organization Competitions, please encourage them to complete Scrappy Cup Entry Form found on our homecoming.unt.edu website and click here to access the Scrappy Cup Information Packet. If you have any questions regarding homecoming, please contact Daniel.Suda@unt.edu.

Help the Division of Student Affairs win the Staff Spirit Trophy provided by the Staff Senate!

As they enter Apogee Stadium, staff and faculty can register by swiping their UNT ID card at the Staff Fun Zone inside the north end of the stadium. The first 1,000 employees to register receive a free T-shirt. The UNT division with the highest percentage of registrants at the game will receive the Staff Spirit Trophy, which will be an annual traveling trophy provided by the Staff Senate and the winner will be announced at the Staff Sack Lunch on Oct. 11. The winning division will also receive 20 seats in an Apogee Stadium suite for the last Mean Green home game on Nov. 19. The vice president over the winning division will draw names from within the winning division to determine which 20 employees will attend that game and sit in the suite. Information about tickets can be found on the UNT website.

The Senior Year Experience hosted the first annual Senior Day in August. The event is 24 hour experience designed to help high school seniors connect to the UNT campus, gain confidence in their major, and meet new friends. We had over 22 area high schools represented and wonderful attendance rates. We collaborated with offices such as TRIO, housing and dining, and the career center. High school students benefited from the direction of the Orientation Leaders (called Small Group Leaders for this event) and reported 100% satisfaction with the event. The entire OTP office provided great support for this first signature event and it was a huge success.

We are going to be offering free workshops in the Union to learn about Apple devices and how they can impact everyone’s day to day.  It is sponsored by the campus store The Mainframe and will happen every Tuesday at 11:30 am and 12:30 pm in room 249 covering a variety of topics from introductions to macOS to iCloud issues, and accessibility to iPads.  Free for all students, faculty, and staff at UNT.
 
Upcoming Workshops:

• October 4 – ios10 on iPad and macOS Sierra on MacBook
• October 11 – Enhancing productivity with iPad

Do you have a topic or expertise you would like to share with our students? Student Activities is collecting a list of presenters with unique topics and expertise who we can contact for our various workshops and trainings. If you are interested in being on the list, please contact Kally Jorgensen.

UNT and Denton County Friends of the Family will host a variety of programs and events for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. The goals of this month’s activities are to raise awareness and bring together those who want to work to end relationship violence. Please see the above calendar for a full list of events that will take place throughout the month of October. For more information, please email us. 

If you would like additional training on working with individuals who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault, Denton County Friends of the Family has developed a 2 hour and a 4 hour training. These trainings are open for anyone to attend, who wants to know how to respond to those that need our help. You are able to register for a training here.

The Rec Center is far more than just a place to work out! October is a great time to sample all of our offerings, including 12 free events including our Aquatics “Swim Across Texas Lakes” challenge, Outdoor Survival clinics and Vertical Happy Hour (free climb), Intramural Table Tennis and Racquetball tournaments, Fitness “Learn to Lift” workshop and Halloween Zumba Party.

Interested in instructor led experiences? We have 11 different programs to participate in including Yoga Rocks (yoga and climbing), Women on Weights, Outdoor climbing and camping trips, Swimming instruction and Lifeguarding classes, and more.
 
Come check out what Rec Sports has to offer you and your family. Visit our website, stop by the Member Services Desk in the Rec Center, or call 940-565-2275 for more information.
 
And don’t forget! October 13 is the final payroll deduction deadline of the semester! This is a simple way to pay for you membership by having it taken out of your paycheck each month. You can find a copy of our payroll deduction form here!

In an effort to prepare our students for the professional world, the Career Center will be holding the second annual “Suit Up” event this November 2nd, from 9-2:00 in Chestnut Hall 120.  We are asking our DSA staff community to support our students by donating new or gently used men’s and women’s professional clothing and accessories to help them make a great first impression in their upcoming interviews and professional interactions.
 
This year we are looking to assist a greater number of students and your support is essential for us to accomplish this goal.  Please consider looking through your closets for clothing and accessories you no longer wear regularly.  A donation of even one piece of clothing can make a great impact on a student’s future.
 
To impact as many of our students as possible we also ask you to spread word of the event to students that you meet and work with.
 
If you are interested in donating, contributions will be accepted at the front desk of the Career Center in Chestnut Hall, Suite 103, the BLB room 262 and in Discovery Park room C111. On-campus donation pick up can also be scheduled by calling 940-565-2105. We will also have a table at the Denton Community Market on November 15^th from 9:00-1:00. The Career Center is also accepting donations of non-perishable food items and toiletries for the UNT Food Pantry.

Upcoming Events
 
Please encourage students to attend! For more information about our events, please visit our website.
 
Engineering & Computer Science Career Fair
Thursday, September 29^th
11am-3pm
Discovery Park
 
Journalism Fair
Journalism, Media, Communication & Design Internship & Career Fair
Thursday, October 6^th
1-4pm
Gateway Center
 
Business Expo Week
 
Information Technology & Business Analytics
Tuesday, October 11^th
10am-12pm
BLB Atrium
 
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate Expo
Tuesday, October 11^th
1-3pm
BLB Atrium
 
Logistics/Operations & Supply Chain Management Expo
Wednesday, October 12^th
12-2pm
BLB Atrium
 
Management Leadership, Business Development & Human Resources Expo
Thursday, October 13^th
10am-12pm
BLB Atrium
 
Sales Expo
Thursday, October 13^th
1-3pm
BLB Atrium

On Tuesday, Oct 4 at 12:00 pm, RTI in partnership with the National Council on Disability will be hosting a live Twitter chat on student mental health services and supports in institutions of higher education, using the National Council on Disability Twitter account: @NatCounDis.
 
NCD and our panelists from a wide range of backgrounds in the mental health arena will discuss the current status of the field, the challenges faced by students with mental health issues, and the most promising practices to provide them support. The feedback we gather will be used by NCD to inform Congress and The White House. You can join us on Twitter by following the conversation using the hashtag #NCDcollegementalhealth and giving us your feedback.
 
When: Tuesday, October 4, 12PM CST.
Where: Twitter - @NatCounDis, using the hashtag #NCDcollegementalhealth How to participate: search Twitter and Tweet us your ideas using the hashtag #NCDcollegementalhealth

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