1
CENTERING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND VOICE
To create more student-centered and vibrant learning environments at USU, we invite student engagement and their perspectives in decision-making to contribute to the overall success of the institution.
Division-wide initiatives:
- Students to be represented on 95% or greater of hiring committees for 1 FTE Exempt staff
- 100% of units to collect and report student feedback on services, with required reporting in the 2025-2026 annual reports
Example goals from unit strategic plans:
Student Involvement and Leadership Center - Increase amount of individual committee and scholarship students by 5% Center for Community Engagement - Survey, at the end of each semester, attitudes toward Community Engagement (CE) among students actively engaged in CE programs with a goal of 75% of students identifying CE as valuable to their education
Center for Community Engagement - Survey, at the end of each semester, attitudes toward Community Engagement (CE) among students actively engaged in CE programs with a goal of 75% of students identifying CE as valuable to their education
2
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND READINESS
In an effort to empower, engage, build real-world skills and apply learning, Student Affairs aims to give all USU students opportunities to develop workplace-readiness, participate in student leadership and community engagement.
Student Affairs is the largest employer of students on campus where students gain professional experience and on-the-job training.
Additionally, we have identified specific initiatives relevant to engagement and readiness.
Example goals from unit strategic plans:
Center for Community Engagement - increase the number of vetted, committed community partners to expand partnership opportunities for students across the institution by 100% every 5 years
Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) - Increase contribution to workforce development through internships, practicum, and undergraduate training programs
Veterans Resource Office - More fully develop the VITAL Peer Mentoring Program
Campus Recreation - Provide students experiential learning and leadership opportunities through recreational programs and services, including clear pathways into leadership roles
3
WELLBEING
Student Affairs provides wellness services and programs to promote an environment which supports every student’s success with tools to identify safety and well-being needs, and programs to support the development of each student, especially relative to their physical, mental and emotional health.
Example goals from unit strategic plans:
Connect Assist Refer Empower (CARE) Office - Increase self-referrals by 80% (via awareness outreach to students) to assist students in connecting with the support they need to navigate challenges to their wellbeing earlier
Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) - Increase utilization of clinical services by 20% and increase availability of crisis support during business hours by 10%.
Campus Recreation - Promote a Healthier Campus by offering programs and services that build a foundation of play, wellness and adventure. Continue to utilizing attendance numbers and satisfaction surveys to assess changes that need to be made to availability of spaces and programs.
4
CONNECTEDNESS AND THE AGGIE FAMILY
To encourage student success and engagement, we aim to foster connectedness as an essential component of Aggie Culture, inviting all students to be part of the Aggie Family.
Example goals from unit strategic plans:
Student Involvement and Leadership Center - goal of 75% of Undergraduate students engaging at least once with co-curricular programs during the fiscal year
Residence Life - Evaluate resident awareness of, and involvement in, Residence Life services and programming via pre- and post-assessments
5
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
In recognition of the evolving needs of students and our community, we strive for excellence and continuous improvement of our programs and our staff in accordance with best practices. The Office of the VPSA embraces a collaborative approach to addressing continuous improvement via promoting a culture of assessment, inter-departmental committees and division-wide efforts like “Make it Easy,” to help address barriers to accessing services and facilitate students staying successfully enrolled.
Additional Example goals from unit strategic plans:
Veterans Resource Office - Achieve 100% GI BILL certification accuracy rating
Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards - Create a cross-disciplinary committee with a singular focus on academic integrity processes and policies