Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Annual Report, September 2016

Transcription

1 Department Overview Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Annual Report, September 2016 UH Wellness is an integral part of university and student life, as it promotes healthier choices and a healthier learning environment for students. On a daily basis, we promote our motto, Choose Well, Do Well, Be Well and emphasize our belief that wellness is multidimensional across nine core areas. For students to be successful in and out of the classroom, they must take care of themselves across many areas, including their physical, emotional, spiritual and social well-being. The department is an information clearinghouse for a wide array of health topics. Consultation and information is provided by both staff and volunteers on a variety of health related concerns. In addition, referrals are offered to those who seek counseling or health care services or those who are in search of appropriate venues for health related issues not provided at UH Wellness. The department routinely conducts campus wide outreach programs around sexual assault prevention and awareness, mental health, and alcohol and other drug education all with an interest in working with specialized populations. The department has also established several campus-wide events like World AIDS Day, Unwind with Wellness, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The certified Cougar Peer Educators are an integral part of UH Wellness and after a renewed recruitment process, will being training in Fall UH Wellness also serves as a central campus point for the Substance Abuse Prevention Advisory Board, the Sexual Violence Prevention Strategies Committee, the Biennial Review of the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Policy and the Healthy Cougars 2020 coalition. This past year, staff have also been heavily involved with the Tobacco Policy Task Force as well as the Faculty and Staff Wellness Committee. Finally, UH Wellness collects campus-wide data regarding health and wellness perceptions, behaviors and attitudes we conducted our Campus Wide Health and Wellness Survey in Spring Department Mission Empower the campus community to make healthy choices across all dimensions of wellness through evidence-based programs and services that contribute to student success. Department FY16 Goals Strategic Initiative 1: To facilitate student development and the student learning process through IMAGE, our workshop series, and new sexual violence outreach efforts; (UH 1,2; DSAES 1.c) Accomplished: redevelopment of our marketing strategies ( Potty Talks, social media, website restructuring) have allowed the increase visibility of our signature programs for students to take advantage of these learning opportunity. Strategic Initiative 2: Expand collaboration and networking within the university and surrounding community by expanding the message of who UH Wellness is and what we offer UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 1

2 through increased programming, campus involvement and that appeal to a wider audience (UH 2, 5; DSAES 6.a). Accomplished: UH Wellness has seen an overall increase of signature programs and events campus-wide (ex: World AIDS Day, Unwind with Wellness, Sexual Assault Awareness Month), including collaboration with new campus partners. New partners have included Cub Camp, Human Resources Faculty/Staff Wellness, College of Pharmacy and the Department of English. Strategic Initiative 3: Increase the use of programs that use research based, theory driven prevention model (UH 2,4; DSAES 4.c). Accomplished: in the process of creating a booster program from one of our signature programs IMAGE to reach all students and those students who have already completed IMAGE. In addition, UH Wellness has also adopted Mental Health First Aid Training, which will debut in Fall This is an internationally recognized training that is research based and theory driven. Through new assessment, we also hope to expand our new Sexual Violence Prevention and Education area to ensure it is strongly rooted in the latest research and evidence based. Strategic Initiative 4: Promote comprehensive campus wellness by offering a variety of programs and services that seek to educate and develop the mind, body and soul. (UH 2,3; DSAES 5.c) Accomplished: UH Wellness has begun a monthly wellness dimension focus. During the regular academic year, the office focuses on one of nine dimensions: physical, mental, spiritual, cultural, occupational, financial, social, environmental and intellectual. Summer 2016 saw plans to increase the amount of education around mental and emotional wellness with the inclusion of Mental Health First Aid Training, and free weekly mindfulness meditation sessions. Strategic Initiative 5: Promote professional and student staff progression toward advanced professional competencies by maintaining a culture of assessment before, during and after employment (UH 6, DSAES 2.c). Accomplished: UH Wellness continues to evaluate student staff progression toward competencies through one on one meetings, regular monitoring of their work, and pre/post survey each semester. Success is determined by how the student evaluates their own work in the competency areas they have identified as needing more work to improve. Department Major Accomplishments 1) UH Wellness Individual Utilization: Increase use of UH Wellness programs and services across the board an overall 41% increase from FY15 (14,513) to FY16 (20,394). This accomplishment allows us to spread the message of healthy decisionmaking while in college. Statement: 41% increase in individual usage of programs and services UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 2

3 2) UH Wellness Potty Talks: Increase of monthly posters across campus an overall increase of 233% placement in 7 campus buildings from Fall 2015 (12) to Spring 2016 (40). These posters provide tips and strategies on a variety of health topics and provide campus resources. Statement: 233% increase of monthly placements over the year of Potty Talks. 3) UH Wellness Survey: Increase of participation in our yearly campus health and wellness survey an overall increase of 85% from FY15 (436) to FY16 (827) of participants in a random sample. This data helps UH Wellness assess the beliefs and attitudes of a variety of health issues as a way to update and reassess all current programs and services. Statement: 85% increase of student participation in annual health and wellness surveying. Utilizations Report Entire FY 15 Entire FY 16 Change in Percent Outreach Workshops/Trainings 6,690 15, % Informational & Events 2,872 2, Special Programs (Minors in Possession, % Marijuana 101, wellness coaching) Walk-In/Consultation* Walk Ins 4,290 1, % Consults % Total** 14,513 20, %** The numbers above reflect utilization for the entire FY15 against numbers from FY16. *Due to a recategorization of what we counted as a walk-in, those numbers have decreased. Starting in FY16, we only counted the physical number of students who entered our space with a question or appointment. Previously, these included any contact whatsoever phone call, someone in the wrong place, etc. While the department has focused on efforts outside of our office, for FY17 we will have a renewed focus on bringing campus community members into our space with new services and programs like Wellness Consulting, Mindfulness Meditation, and BASICS. UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 3

4 **As you can see, our overall numbers increased 41% in FY16 compared to FY15. This total is due to a significant increase in our outreach numbers with the introduction of our new sexual violence prevention and education program, new student orientation sessions, and established fall/spring events. Assessment Projects (listed by project) Assessment Highlights o Marketing Campaign: our increased social media presence, 21 LCD advertisements on screens across campus, updated website and 40 monthly Potty Talks campaign have begun to show us that our reach is starting to expand. As evidenced in our utilization numbers, our overall outreach has increased 125.6% - significantly outpacing where we were at this point last year. o Internal Program Assessment (IMAGE, workshops): IMAGE data consistently shows us that participants can identify risk behaviors and are confident in their ability to make decisions to avoid such situations. Our general workshops continue to show that students are leaving with an increased understanding of a particular topic be it time management, nutrition, etc. and have confidence in identified behaviors they can employ to lead to a healthier lifestyle. In FY17, we will be streaminlining our workshop assessment to include an initial Baseline assessment, followed by a 3-month follow-up to measure learning and behavior change. o Yearly Campus-wide Health and Wellness Assessments: UH Wellness has moved to a yearly survey assessment to track trend data. Our localized Campus-wide Health and Wellness survey was conducted with a randomized sample of students in February and March From our randomized sample, 827 students took part an 85% increase from the previous year s National College Health Assessment. o Student Employees, Student Interns, and Graduate Students Self Evaluation: Assessment data has continuously shown that confidence has grown in the competencies identified by Graduate Assistants, student workers, and student interns. We will continue to do pre and post assessments to cater each individual experience to each student. All our students identified 5 or more competencies that they improved in over the school year. Of those, 60% of them increased from Need Some Improvement to Excel in this Area in regards to know and use referral sources, Understanding campus culture in regards to their work, and fundamentals of teamwork in a work setting. More than 3/4 of our student employees report growing in confidence in skill in the area they designated. Areas for Continuous Improvement: Growth and opportunities o Sexual violence prevention and education: Dr. Laura McGuire is continuing to develop a comprehensive set of trainings and workshops focusing on consent, bystander intervention, and healthy relationships with various campus partners. This past summer, she has begun solidifying training times with Greek Life, Athletics, the Learning Culture Center, and Residence Life. UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 4

5 o National College Health Assessment: UH Wellness will launch this survey for the second time in February 2017, and continue to share and use data to guide campus programs and services. We hope to increase the completion rate from our FY15 numbers. o Cougar Peer Educator Recruitment and Training: A new class of five Peer Educators will being training in Fall This new cohort will go through the Certified Peer Educator training through NASPA and BACCHUS that is instructed by UH Wellness staff members. It is our hope that this group will plan their own events and assist with office outreach. o BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students): UH Wellness will be implementing BASICS in coordination with the Dean of Students office in September Five campus facilitators were chosen and participated in training to host these conversations with students. This oneon-one program is research-based and focuses on individual drinking and risk behaviors. It is estimated that between students will go through this program next year. o Mental Health First Aid: Dr. Patrick Lukingbeal is now a trained instructor for this program. This 8 hour training provides education to students, faculty and staff on the risk factors and warning signs of mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to assist someone in crisis and non-crisis situations, and how to connect with professional resources. A special workshop will be held for DSAES staff in October, followed by an open campus training every semester. o Mindfulness Meditation: Starting in September 2016, UH Wellness will be home to a weekly meditation session led by staff member David Dumonde from Continuing Studies. This program will be held weekly during the academic year, and it is our hope that attendance is consistent throughout the year. o Sexual Health Education: With the addition of Dr. Laura McGuire s background, UH Wellness now has the ability to expand our outreach to include more sexual health initiatives. Student organizations and classes will be able to request workshops, as well as Laura will be exploring ways to engage sexual health questions on social media. Critical Challenges o Office visibility: the physical location of our office has always been a challenge, as we have found that many patrons are on their way in or out of Campus Recreation. By increasing our offerings (both programs and services) within our space, we hope to expand the understanding of our role o Office identity: while our increase of outreach and marketing has begun to be effective, we still continue to have challenges with the campus community knowing who we are. While most who we interact with have heard of our office, we still find confusion about how we are different than Campus Recreation, CAPS and the UH Health Center. o Staff changeover: two new Graduate Assistants and two student workers will transition to UH Wellness this upcoming semester. UH Wellness professional staff will be training these employees to ensure quality service delivery. UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 5

6 Budget/Fundraising/Grants In Fall 2015, UH Wellness was successful in requesting a base augmentation for FY17. This augmentation will give UH Wellness a base budget of $311, starting in FY17. This request included increased programming expenses and professional development resources for the new Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program Manager position, as well as funds to conduct yearly health and wellness campus assessments, including the National College Health Assessment in Spring At present, the only source of income comes through program fees collected through the Minors in Possession (MIP) program. Finally, UH Wellness does not see applying for or receiving major financial grants in its immediate future. Marketing Highlights Established (branding, marketing, strategies, etc.) o Social Media Presence total increase of 86% since FY16 across three platforms. Currently, we have 866 on Instagram (a 44% increase), 537 on Twitter (a 17% increase), and 470 on Facebook (a 25% increase). Initiated (branding, marketing, strategies, etc.) o Potty Talks now located in 40 restrooms in the Student Center, Campus Recreation & Wellness Center, UH Law Center, CAPS, Health Center, CSD and Cougars in Recovery. Staff Highlights Personnel Updates/Achievements o Dr. Laura McGuire joined the UH Wellness staff in December 2015 as the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program Manager. She completed her EdD in Educational Leadership for Change from Fielding University in December o Dr. Laura McGuire received her ASSECT (American Society of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists) sexuality educator certification in Summer o Dr. Patrick Lukingbeal graduated with his PhD in Educational Psychology from the College of Education in December Presentations, Involvement/Oversight and/or Awards and Recognition o Staff involvement in Campus committees and/or National, Regional, Local and Campus Recognition and Leadership o Dr. Patrick Lukingbeal 1. Serving on the leadership team for NASPA s Wellness and Health Promotion Knowledge Community. 2. Served on the planning team for The Family Project, a new professional LGBTQ mentoring group within NASPA s GLBT Knowledge Community. UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 6

7 3. Served on the content advisory committee for the 2016 NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students. o Reuben Parrish 1. Currently serving as President-elect for University Staff Council for FY 17. Previously served as a general representative in FY Currently serving as a Member-At-Large position with the Health Promotion Section of the American College Health Association. Intentional Staff engagement with students outside of job duties o Dr. Patrick Lukingbeal o Served as evaluator for the Fraternal Excellence Program through the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life. o Served as a facilitator for Cougar Ally Training in the LGBTQ Resource Center. o Taught EPSY 6310 Research Methods in Education for graduate students in the College of Education in Fall 2015 and Spring 2015 o Reuben Parrish o Served as evaluator for the Fraternal Excellence Program through the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life. Student and Faculty Shared Governance Advisory Board/Committee Work: o Dr. Patrick Lukingbeal 1. Chair for the Substance Abuse Prevention Advisory Board 2. Chair for the Biennial Review of the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Policy 3. Chair for the BASICS Implementation Committee 4. Co-Chair for the DSAES Professional Development Committee 5. Member of the Healthy Cougars 2020 coalition 6. Member of the Faculty and Staff Wellness Committee 7. Member of the Tobacco Policy Task Force 8. Member of the Co-Curricular Competency Steering Committee 9. Member of the Chancellor s Sexual Violence Education and Prevention Advisory Board 10. Member of the Sexual Violence Prevention Strategies Committee Vice-Chair of the Women and Gender Resource Center Advisory Board o Reuben Parrish: 1. Chair for Healthy Cougars 2020 coalition 2. Member of the Commencement Speaker Review Committee 3. Member of the BASICS Implementation Committee 4. Member of the Faculty and Staff Wellness Committee 5. Member of the Be Healthy Co-op 6. Member of the Assessment Committee UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 7

8 o Dr. Laura McGuire 1. Chair for the Sexual Violence Prevention Strategies Committee 2. Chair for the Student Sexual Violence Prevention & Education Advisory Committee 3. Member of the Chancellor s Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Advisory Board 4. Member of the Be Healthy Co-op 5. Member of the Assessment Committee 6. Member of the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council 7. Member of the Mobilizing Men Task Force Student Organizations o Cougar Peer Educators Reuben Parrish, advisor o Zeta Phi Beta Reuben Parrish, advisor o Modern Abolitionist Coalition Laura McGuire, advisor o Former Igniters Reunited Eternally (FIRE) Laura McGuire, advisor Collaborations/Partnerships Internal to the DSAES o CAPS: UH Wellness served as a weekly site for the Let s Talk program o First Year Residential Experience (SHRL): UH Wellness launched a new workshop series to focus on first year student wellbeing through time management, stress management, and nutrition o UH Health Center: partnered for World AIDS Day, which saw a community tabling day, visual display of the impact of HIV/AIDS, and information all week long about testing on-campus. o Center for Student Involvement: launched LeadWELL a self-paced leadership track program as part of the new LeadUH initiative. This program addresses health and wellness as part of successful leadership through selfcare, time and stress management, and healthy relationships. o Student Center Event Committee: Volunteer host and coordinator for the Cat s Back event for all students. o UIT: implemented the usage of Fusion to track students attending our programs and visiting the office. External to the DSAES o Athletics: partnered to present education and discussion around consent and sexual violence prevention to all male and female collegiate teams. o Human Resources: partnered with Courtney Stein to promote and plan new faculty and staff wellness activities for FY16 (ex: mindfulness meditation and yoga). o Dining Services: worked with campus dietician Travis Ramirez to office in UH Wellness monthly, providing nutrition and dietary counseling to students, faculty and staff. UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 8

9 o M.D. Anderson Library: assisted with the implementation of a micro grant funded program aimed at workplace wellness; presenting various workshops to staff throughout the academic year. o Honors College: partnered for World AIDS Day via our community tabling day and evening events o Academic Affairs (Engineering Department): worked with Dr. Tom Holley to provide short presentations called "Wellness Bursts" to his PETR 1100 class. o Cub Camp (Provost s Office): presented to almost 300 new students and upper class mentors at the 2 nd annual offsite orientation. o Texas Dows Employees Credit Union (TDECU): as part of Weeks of Welcome, UH Wellness coordinated a workshop in September 2015 with TDECU on financial wellness while in college. o UH Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston: as part of Weeks of Welcome, UH Wellness coordinated a workshop in September 2015 on the importance of sleep quality and how to address sleep issues while in college. o Department of English: assisted in the planning of their new Teaching Assistant Orientation, as well as presented on The Whole TA focusing on self-care while in school. o College of Pharmacy: planning an all-day workshop focused on wellness for all incoming pharmacy students to take place in October This program will focus on self-care as well as students identifying dimensions of wellness they want to actively improve on. UH Wellness FY 16 Annual Report 9