Objectives Focus on Academic Experience of Students

The public affairs mission has resonated with students. For them, it is a noble cause and a call to action. To fully realize the potential impact of the mission, however, it must be further incorporated into all aspects of the curriculum – in the syllabus, in class discussions, in related co-curricular events and activities, and in research projects, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Toward this end, there are four major objectives under the Public Affairs Integration strategic objective:

Objective 1: Demonstrate improvement in student learning outcomes specific to the competencies and content knowledge articulated by the public affairs mission

Measure 1: Results of assessment of public affairs learning objectives by program

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Establish baseline by evaluating program assessment plans and providing feedback for revisions Office of the Provost and Assessment Division of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
Establish campus-wide public affairs competencies
Office of the Provost and Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs
Establish opportunities to enhance students' knowledge of global issues Office of the Provost

Measure 2: Gains on public affairs scale from first-years to seniors

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Establish baseline and target for gains on public affairs scale from first-years to seniors Office of the Provost and Assessment Division of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning

Measure 3: Percentage of general education courses with public affairs integration

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Establish targets in conjunction with new general education plan Office of the Provost

Objective 2: Develop scholarship, curricular materials and educational practices that promote teaching and learning in public affairs

Measure: Number of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) publications and presentations with public affairs focus

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Establish definitions for SOTL with public affairs focus and targets through Digital Measures Office of the Provost and Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning

Objective 3: Increase student involvement in the co-curricular activities relevant to the learning outcomes of the public affairs mission

Measure 1: Number of students who complete the Distinction in Public Affairs program

2016 Target

Increase from 46 to 550 in five years
Source: Aspirational

Tactics Accountability
Evaluate the current Distinction in Public Affairs program to ensure the learning outcomes have been met and the level of satisfactions of both the student and facilitator Vice President for Student Affairs
Identify essential costs for the program and secure funding to cover those costs Vice President for Student Affairs
Determine staffing needs as the number of participants increases Vice President for Student Affairs
Involve students who have earned the Distinction in Public Affairs in University events to increase awareness about the program (i.e. New Student Convocation, Public Affairs Conference, spotlight on University website, etc.) Vice President for Student Affairs
Develop a marketing plan to ensure faculty, staff and students are informed on both the selection process and benefits of the program Vice President for Student Affairs

Measure 2: Number of students participating in public affairs initiatives outside of the classroom like the Public Affairs Conference, Public Affairs Week, opportunities through the volunteer office

2016 Target

50% of student body attending at least one event annually
Source: Aspirational

Tactics Accountability
Establish tracking system for public affairs events Office of the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs
Promote events more extensively to University community Office of the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs
Encourage integration of public affairs co-curricular activities into courses, especially those that promote the learning objectives of the course Office of the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs

Measure 3: Number of students utilizing Campus LINK, the co-curricular transcript, to record public affairs work

2016 Target

Increase from 440 to 1,000 annually
Source: Office of Student Engagement

Tactics Accountability
Provide faculty development session on the value of integrating public affairs co-curricular events into their courses Office of the Provost and Vice President for Student Affairs
Create a Campus LINK handbook for students, student leaders, advisors and student organizations to promote the capabilities of the system, including an instruction guide Office of the Provost and Vice President for Student Affairs
Enroll first year students into Campus LINK during the summer SOAR program Office of the Provost and Vice President for Student Affairs
Create a promotional campaign for Campus LINK targeting sophomores, juniors and seniors Office of the Provost and Vice President for Student Affairs

Measure 4: Number of students participating in volunteer activities within the community

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Establish tracking system for volunteer activities within Campus LINK
Vice President for Student Affairs
Develop new measures and tactics (new volunteer director)
Vice President for Student Affairs

Measure 5: Number of students who participate in cross-cultural activities and programs designed to develop cultural competence

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Develop programs that integrate domestic and international students to promote meaningful and intentional cross-cultural dialogue Vice President for Student Affairs, Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs, International Services and Study Away
Implement programs that offer joint community engagement experiences to promote inclusive excellence beyond the campus Vice President for Student Affairs and International Services

Objective 5: Enhance student opportunities to directly apply their knowledge to solving issues of public concern

Measure 1: Number of students participating in undergraduate research, particularly community engaged scholarship

2016 Target

Increase from 241 to 325 annually
Source: Aspirational

Tactics Accountability
Establish undergraduate research tracking mechanism, including ability to distinguish public affairs related research Office of the Provost, Vice President for Research and Economic Development and Associate Vice President for Research

Establish committee to oversee and promote undergraduate research*

*See tactic noted under Engaged Inquiry Objectives regarding undergraduate research

 Office of the Provost and Associate Vice President for Research

Measure 2: Number of mutual and reciprocal partnerships within the community (relationships may yield service-learning projects)

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability

Include marketing of service-learning:

  • Develop a Service Ambassador Program in which students would receive an incentive for assisting with recruitment of students to component service-learning courses and support CASL or other service efforts/initiatives. Programs could include focus on increasing diversity of students that participate in service-learning and other service projects (race, socioeconomic, etc).
  • Develop workshops for students such as reflection sessions and meetings over topics that connects to a variety of service-learning students (hunger, poverty, education, healthcare, etc.) and partner with the Volunteer Center and Public Affairs Support to open the workshops to the general student population.
  • Develop a summer workshop in conjunction with a community partner task force to increase support/understanding for community partners of service-learning, reflection, communication with faculty, as well as community impact
  • Develop a CASL and Volunteer Center Advisory Board consisting of community partners, students and faculty to improve identification of needs, potential collaborations, programming, etc.
 Office of the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs and Citizenship and Service-Learning

Align faculty rewards for service-learning:

  • Work to create consistency across colleges/departments
 Office of the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs and Citizenship and Service-Learning

Measure 3: Number of reciprocal partnerships with international partners

2016 Target

TBD

Tactics Accountability
Increase awareness of the opportunity to blend study away and service learning Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs in cooperation with Citizenship and Service-Learning, Study Away, International Center, Deans and faculty
Increase international connections Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs in cooperation with Citizenship and Service-Learning, Study Away, International Center, Deans and faculty

Measure 4: Number of students who participate in internships/co-op

2016 Target

Increase from 2,300 to 3,000 annually (these include estimates for academic and non-academic experiences)
Track progress
Source: Aspirational

Tactics Accountability
Develop a tracking system for internships and co-ops
Office of the Provost, and Vice President for Student Affairs
Name a faculty member in each department who will serve as the co-op/internship advisor for that department
Office of the Provost, and Vice President for Student Affairs
Ask each academic department to develop a list of employers who offer co-op experiences and internships; visit those employers; create a regular engagement process
Office of the Provost, and Vice President for Student Affairs
All departments will be encouraged to provide options for students
Office of the Provost, and Vice President for Student Affairs
Develop curriculum flexibility/plans that allow students to participate in an internship away from Springfield on a full-time basis during a fall or spring semester, in conjunction with a summer, i.e. able to work May-December or January-August
Office of the Provost, and Vice President for Student Affairs

Measure 5: Number of students who participate in study away

2016 Target

Increase from 289 to 450 annually
Track progress
Source: Aspirational

Tactics Accountability

Increase marketing of study away:

  • Align with Master Advisor program to increase faculty awareness of study away
  • Develop a leadership program for former study away students to pre-advise students
 Office of the Provost and Study Away

Align faculty rewards with study away:

  • Review funding formula for study away faculty
  • Offer study away research stipend modeled after the CASL research stipend
 Office of the Provost and Study Away
Connect students with external sources of funding Office of the Provost and Study Away