SMAC'D teams up with University
Administration to include student advocacy group in strategic planning
Thuy-Dzuong Nguyen
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: News
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The University's long-range planning committee is including the new student advocacy group as an idea generator.
Some of the resulting ideas, such as a campus climate assessment, have been seriously discussed among administrators.
Students Making Active Change for Diversity (SMAC'D) held its fifth meeting on Monday to discuss the strategic plan as it relates to campus diversity. As part of the University's commitment to different cultures and social justice, the Strategic Planning Steering Committee has included increased diversity as one of eight issues.
"Any feedback is good feedback," GSBA President Ben Folger said as he split SMAC'D members into six groups to tackle the Diversity portion of the strategic plan.
Folger, Vice President of Mission Fr. Pat Lee, S.J., Associate Mission Vice President for Intercultural Relations Raymond Reyes and Intercultural Education Director Bob Bartlett were present at the SMAC'D meeting. Folger, Lee and Reyes are on the Steering Committee.
SMAC'D student members brought up a solution on Monday that has been long discussed among administrators: the possibility of a campus climate assessment to get an idea of how students' Gonzaga experiences differ over different subgroups including ethnic minority and the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender group. It has been subject of a great deal of discussion but no action has yet been taken.
This would be a cross-departmental effort between offices such as Student Life and Intercultural Relations (formerly Diversity) and be ideally conducted through the Office of Student Life, Reyes said.
Such an assessment would require research methods that everyone can agree on, Reyes said.
Different from Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT), which was a series of feedback sessions, this project could include surveys, exit interviews, feedback panels, discussion about bias incidents and data analysis such as for retention rates. He suggests using an outside consultant on such a project to ensure objectivity.
Some of the resulting ideas, such as a campus climate assessment, have been seriously discussed among administrators.
Students Making Active Change for Diversity (SMAC'D) held its fifth meeting on Monday to discuss the strategic plan as it relates to campus diversity. As part of the University's commitment to different cultures and social justice, the Strategic Planning Steering Committee has included increased diversity as one of eight issues.
"Any feedback is good feedback," GSBA President Ben Folger said as he split SMAC'D members into six groups to tackle the Diversity portion of the strategic plan.
Folger, Vice President of Mission Fr. Pat Lee, S.J., Associate Mission Vice President for Intercultural Relations Raymond Reyes and Intercultural Education Director Bob Bartlett were present at the SMAC'D meeting. Folger, Lee and Reyes are on the Steering Committee.
SMAC'D student members brought up a solution on Monday that has been long discussed among administrators: the possibility of a campus climate assessment to get an idea of how students' Gonzaga experiences differ over different subgroups including ethnic minority and the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender group. It has been subject of a great deal of discussion but no action has yet been taken.
This would be a cross-departmental effort between offices such as Student Life and Intercultural Relations (formerly Diversity) and be ideally conducted through the Office of Student Life, Reyes said.
Such an assessment would require research methods that everyone can agree on, Reyes said.
Different from Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT), which was a series of feedback sessions, this project could include surveys, exit interviews, feedback panels, discussion about bias incidents and data analysis such as for retention rates. He suggests using an outside consultant on such a project to ensure objectivity.