BUSINESS AFFAIRS DIVISION
GOALS FOR FY 2006
IMPROVE STUDENT SERVICES AND CAMPUS LIFE
SYSTEMATICALLY RECRUIT AND RETAIN STUDENTS USING UNIVERSITY-WIDE HUMAN RESOURCES
Strategies: Develop Student Financial Services Program to Aid Retention
Develop program in coordination with Financial Aid and Student Affairs to provide counseling to student on emergency loans and/or installment payment plans. Financial counselors will be hired to provide assistance on financing options for tuition and fees for students who do not qualify for needs based financial aid.
Resources:
Emergency Loan fees have been budgeted in FY 2006 to support this initiative. Dollars are also available to include support personnel. A search for a director of this program will begin before the start of the fiscal year to ensure that personnel are available to develop this project.
Progress Measures:
Program will be developed during the Fall of 2005. The program will begin to provide counseling services to address student needs in the Spring of 2006. The program will target delinquent Fall loans to provide long-term strategies to students who may otherwise drop out in the Spring due to financial blocks resulting from the delinquencies.
Major Obstacles:
No major obstacles are foreseen.
Strategies: Identify and Develop Internship Opportunities for Students to Aid Retention
Each department in Business Affairs will develop an internship program, in coordination with Student Affairs and their Student Employment Initiative, specific to their area and enroll as a Career Services employer. Departments will use memberships and participation in related associations to identify career opportunities for students in related fields. The internships will be for pay or credit depending on the arrangements made with the academic units on campus.
Resources:
Departments will utilize existing part-time budgets to fund internships developed for compensation. Departments will work with the academic units to identify ‘for credit’ opportunities that will not require an allocation of resources.
Progress Measures:
Each department will develop an intern contract, student profile and identify fields of students by the end of the Fall semester. At least two student interns will be enrolled during the Spring 2006 semester. At least one external internship opportunity will be identified by each department. Departments will communicate with at least one academic department during the Spring 2006 semester to discuss the possibility of ‘for credit’ internships for students.
Major Obstacles:
No major obstacles are foreseen.
Strategies: Develop Policy to Provide Sustainability for Scholarships to Aid Recruitment
The Budget Office and VPBA will evaluate funding mechanisms, in collaboration with Student Affairs, to provide sustainability for campus scholarships. The project includes benchmarking against other universities and identification of strategies employed by other campuses to achieve this objective. The VPBA will also provide assistance to the VPSA for the development of a scholarship plan for our campus.
Resources:
This strategy will not require additional resources. Existing personnel will be utilized to perform the benchmarking and evaluation of strategies that may be used.
Progress Measures:
The compilation of benchmarking/strategies data will be completed by the end of the calendar year. By January 31, 2006 strategies for sustainability will be identified and recommended to the campus for implementation. The VPBA will assist the VPSA in the development of a scholarship program by September 2006.
Major Obstacles:
No major obstacles are foreseen.
Strategies: Develop Student Legal Services to Enhance Student Life
The campus attorney will cooperate with the Cameron County Young Lawyers Association, Civic Engagement, and Student Affairs to develop a legal services program for students. The campus attorney will allocate some of his time to provide legal services, present topics or assist others in the presentation of seminars on various topics.
Resources:
The campus attorney will utilize existing resources to provide legal services to students.
Progress Measures:
Campus attorney will establish an office to provide legal services to students. At least five (5) attorneys from Cameron County will be identified to assist with this project. At least three (3) topics of interest will be developed for presentation at seminars for students. Work will be completed by May 2006.
Major Obstacles:
No major obstacles are foreseen.
Strategies: Develop and Assist in University Branding Activities
The division will identify university “branding” initiatives to develop a college town environment to aid in recruitment and/or support alumni development. BA will work with Student Affairs, Development, and Enrollment Management to implement these initiatives and/or assist others with this project. Businesses and products will be identified for branding opportunities and partners will be determined to assist with this strategy.
Resources:
Partnerships will be utilized to carryout this strategy. Minimal divisional resources, mainly in the form of cash flow, will be required.
Performance Measures:
At least ten (10) local businesses will be branded as university supporters. Arrangement with the local businesses will include a special discount to student/employees, a “Scorpion Night”, or contribution to a general scholarship fund. At least two retailers will be committed to carry university merchandise and one product will be identified for possible branding opportunities. Strategies will be completed by August 2006.
Major Obstacles:
No major obstacles are foreseen.
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