Student Affairs Newsletter - October 2012

Greetings from Student Affairs:
Please enjoy this issue of our Division of Student Affairs newsletter. We have highlighted some new programs and hope to generate ideas from you for future improvements and collaborative opportunities that will enrich our students’ experience. We also encourage everyone to participate in the upcoming Homecoming/Alumni weekend celebration October 15-20.
Dr. Lee Krehbiel
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs  
 

As Maurice Sendak said in Where the Wild Things Are, “Let the wild rumpus start!” With the 2012 Homecoming & Alumni Weekend theme Where the Wild Things Are, from Sendak's book, and with all the activities and events planned during the week-long celebration, this is a fitting way to describe the explosion of school spirit from October 15-20, 2012. The week will consist of an annual student competition to include banners, painted boards, yells, parade floats, tailgating, and more. In addition, Friday and Saturday of Homecoming Week is also our third annual Alumni Weekend, and we are excited this year to have a street parade for the campus and local community along Grand Avenue and Waldron Road to kick-off our Homecoming Day festivities, leading into our tailgate, graduate bridging ceremony, and our Homecoming Volleyball Game and Crowning Ceremony. For more information about specific Homecoming & Alumni Weekend events and activities, please visit www.uafs.edu/life/homecoming.

Housing and Residential Life
A new milestone has been reached for Housing and Residential Life at UAFS. The two residential facilities on campus, Sebastian Commons Apartments and the Lion’s Den Residence Hall, are officially at more than 95% occupancy! This means that approximately 900 students now live on campus. One of the major efforts to get them onto campus was having an organized Fall Move-in. Over the course of three days, more than 100 volunteers were part of the Chancellor’s Move-in Crew which assisted students and parents with unloading vehicles and moving into rooms. This added up to 720 volunteer hours. All Housing and Cub Camp students were invited to our annual welcome (back) event called Fair Day on the Verde. It occurs on the Campus Green the Saturday before classes begin. Students enjoyed BBQ ribs, brisket sandwiches, corn on the cob, snow cones, cotton candy, and a variety of carnival games including Plinko!

In campus housing, we have 22 Resident Assistants who are upperclassmen peer residential leaders. They applied, interviewed, and were trained for the position. They are in charge of providing programs for residents so they may grow as individuals and also connect with others around them. By building community, the RAs assist in the retention effort of the entire institution. RAs plan all the activities at Fair Day on the Verde, and they stay busy throughout the entire year with activities, being on call, and serving as a resource to their residents. To learn more about our RAs, go to http://uafs.edu/News/news?storyid=3417.
Summer 2012 saw more than 10 residential camps stay at the Lion’s Den. Any faculty or staff member of UAFS is encouraged to host a summer camp which can range from one night to one month. Residential camps allow a unique opportunity to showcase campus life to potential future UAFS students. For more information on summer camps at UAFS, go to http://uafs.edu/housing/summer-conferences.
When the Lion’s Den opened in August 2010, it was marketed as a “green” or sustainable facility. Some of the characteristics that make it this way include low-flow toilets, recycled materials, and use of local products. Just last month, we were notified that the Lion’s Den is officially LEED® Silver certified. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is bestowed by U.S. Green Building Council, and LEED® Silver is obtained with a minimum of 33 points. A more extensive press release is on the UAFS website at: http://uafs.edu/News/news?storyid=3438.

 
The ‘UAFS Cares’ program is an umbrella campus initiative consisting of a robust array of short programs.  Each program is designed to help our campus community address an issue that is commonly faced and affects how students and employees experience the campus.  Topics are generally related to personal wellness, assisting students, and relating well with other persons.  
‘UAFS Cares’ represents a partnership between Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and the University Police Department.  Functionally, our goal is to deliver programs on a consistent and seasonally appropriate basis throughout the 2012-2013 academic year.  UAFS students and employee are invited to attend the ‘UAFS Cares’ programs. Listed below are this semester's events.
Fall 2012 Schedule:
Campus Night Walk
Wednesday, September 12, 8 p.m. at Bell Tower
Lion's Den Courtyard Party
Thursday, September 20, 7-9 p.m. at Lion's Den
Where's Your Line? Sexual Assault and Dating Violence Prevention
Tuesday, September 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Weidman Center
Oh No You Didn't: Cyber Bullying and Harassment Program
Wednesday, October 3, 12-1 p.m. at CC129
Expect Respect in Relationships
Monday, October 22, 7 p.m. at Gardner Lecture Hall
Communicating with Friends and Family
Tuesday, November 27, 12-1 p.m. at CC129

Cub Camp
The 8th Annual Cub Camp was a huge success with 234 members of the freshmen Class of 2016 participating.  In-coming freshmen were broken up into Red, Yellow, and Green camps which were led by upperclassmen.  While Cub Camp has many fun and entertaining components from PlayFair to camp dances, the primary focus is educational.  Freshmen learn about the many traditions, services and activities available to them here at UAFS.  They also learn about campus safety and responsible decision making.  Cub Camp has become a lasting tradition and has proven to be a tremendous retention tool.  71% of all 2010 Cub Camp attendees enrolled at UAFS for the fall of 2011, compared to 57% of 2010 freshmen that did not attend Cub Camp.  Cub Camp truly is the best way to start your college career here at UAFS.  We like to say it's three days of memories that will last a lifetime.

        
Lion Launch
The Office of Non-Traditional Student Support began a new program this fall called Lion Launch. The program design is based on a combination of current adult learning theory and student feedback garnered from an extensive ‘needs assessment’ survey conducted in January 2012. Peer Ambassadors, who are currently enrolled non-traditional students, led groups of new students to various locations on campus such as the Academic Success Center, Fitness Center, and the Box Office where they can receive support and get engaged in campus life. Many faculty members joined us for lunch and spoke with the students about what to expect in their programs and make personal connections. The afternoon was filled with sessions on Lions Link, library research, and time management. This program reached thirty students and will run again in January 2013.

Nearly 1,400 people were served by UAFS faculty, staff, and administrators at this year’s Campus Picnic & Block Party. Around 50 RSOs (Registered Student Organizations) and 15 non-profit organizations hosted informational booths for students to learn how to get involved on campus and in the local community. Students could also build their own “NUMA” with SGA, see live entertainment from “The Bergamot,” and some were even seen playing bean bag, Frisbee, and other games while enjoying a beautiful day on the Campus Green.