January 15, 2018 Edition

2018 Vice Chancellor’s Advocacy Award

Happy 2018 everyone.  We are preparing for the 4th annual Student Affairs Corporate and Leadership Awards, which honors our 40 Under 40 recipients as well as our Vice Chancellor’s Advocacy Award.  The event will be March 24, 2018 at the Convention Center.  The VC Advocacy Award is given out each year to people who have made significant impacts on supporting Student Affairs, but are NOT in the Division of Student Affairs.  We have an internal category for faculty, staff and administrators as well as an external category, which could include donors, community partners, advisory council members or others that contribute to what we do in Student Affairs.

Too many times we plow forward to get something done, but we don’t get to thank those who helped up reach the finish line properly.  You are encouraged to please nominate someone you believe could be a recipient for this award.

Please click here to submit the nomination. The deadline is Jan. 26, 2018.  A screenshot below shows you that this is a very short, one-question nomination form. The same form is for both internal and external nominations. You may nominate more than one person; use separate nomination form. Please take a moment to nominate our advocates.

Counseling Center – New Student Appointment Process

As many of you are well aware, the mental health of college students today is nearing a crisis stage.  Our Counseling Center is becoming overwhelmed with routine and crisis appointments with students.  So much so that by early October, the Counseling Center experienced a 4-5 week backlog to get an appointment for routine counseling sessions.

The high demand for services is not expected to decrease; therefore, the Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) is forced to modify some of its operations so that we can better meet the increasing student need. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause during the transitional period, but we ask that you please work with students, faculty and staff to ensure that they are aware of these changes. As always, the staff members within the CCSD stand ready to assist our students, faculty and staff, especially in emergencies or crisis situations.

The CCSD is changing the process for making new appointments.  Effective January 1, 2018, CCSD will open new appointment slots one week at a time.  Students needing emergency services will still be seen during crisis hours (Monday through Friday, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm). Students requesting referral information or case management services can also meet with the screener/case manager during crisis hours.

Students seeking to begin or resume therapy (have been seen at CCSD previously) should call the center on Friday afternoons to schedule available triage slots for the following week (Monday through Friday). The phone lines schedule a session will open at 1:00 pm each Friday. If all appointment slots for the week are filled, students can continue calling throughout the next week to check for cancelled appointment slots.  If appointment slots do not become available, the student should begin the scheduling process again on Friday starting at 1:00 pm to secure a slot for the next week.

Students who need to be seen more immediately should be encouraged to utilize crisis screening available Monday through Friday, 11:00am-4:00 pm.

Campus Living Art Installed in Residence Hall

Written by Bre Lewis, ECU News Services

East Carolina University alumnus Daniel Peoples has converted the chant “Let’s go Pirates!” into a custom wooden voice imprint now hanging in White Residence Hall.

“The phrase that’s here is about the university and about the support of the students,” Peoples said.

Installed on Nov. 30, the sound wave is made up of 206 pieces of wood, each varying in size. The imprint was created using Peoples’ own voice and lumber from Greenville, which makes the artwork even more personal.

“As we renovate our residence halls, we believe that exposing students to pieces of art helps not only finish the overall look and feel of our lobby spaces, but also helps expose our students to new ideas and concepts that create discussion, thought and connection to the academic process,” said Bill McCartney, ECU’s associate vice chancellor of Campus Living.

The artwork is the first of several planned for residence halls across campus.

“Over the next several years, we plan on installing a variety of pieces of art that feature the talent and skills of our students and art school graduates,” McCartney said.

Peoples received his bachelor of fine arts in wood design from ECU in 1998. In 2002, he opened Tyson Creek Studio, where he creates custom furniture, cabinets and art pieces.

“Being able to take my degree and my craft and make a living out of it is something really cool,” Peoples said.

Peoples started the White Residence Hall project at the beginning of October and finished during the last week of November.

Two years ago, Peoples was commissioned to build a set of wooden benches for the pre-function space of The Sounds in Gateway West, located on College Hill. The boxes serve as both seating and art pieces.

Another art project commissioned by Campus Living will get underway in 2018.

For the complete story CLICK HERE.

Student Affairs Making Headlines

• Sylveonna Holmes, CLCE student, is a recipient of the Community Impact Award recognized for outstanding leadership and service by North Carolina Campus Compact. Holmes is one of 23 students selected by their campus for the 2017 honor, joining more than 250 college students recognized by the network since the award was presented in 2006. CLICK HERE for the full story.
• Tamika Wordlow, Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Service to the Commission award.  The Award for Outstanding Service to the Commission is determined on the basis of a member’s contribution of effort, energy, and time on behalf of the goals of Commission for Student Conduct and Legal Issues.  This may involve work on committees, convention, and programs related to Commission for Student Conduct and Legal Issues. In addition, recruitment and retention of new members, work assisting newcomers to the Commission for Student Conduct and Legal Issues, and the student affairs profession can be used in judging merit for this award. The award will be presented at the 2018 Annual Convention in Houston, TX.
• Thanks to Alexis Hinson, OSRR Case Manager, ATIXA (Association of Title IX Administrators) will host their first ever public training for conduct boards at ECU.  The two-day training is being hosted by ECU on March 8th and 9th.
• Jessie Ashton and John Mountz, Greek Life, each presented two sessions at the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Annual Meeting in November 2017 held in Atlanta, GA. Jessie’s sessions included “She Doesn’t Even “Bro” Here: Women Advising and Supporting Men in the Fraternal World” a conversation about women advising fraternity men, utilizing research on masculinity and cross-gender/cultural advising, and  “Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Turn and Face the {Transition}” an overview of transitions from a professional perspective and how that dynamic informs and affects our advising practice with students and colleagues.  John presented “I Don’t Know Anything About Building a House, But You Asked Anyway” which shared insights in the capital project planning for Greek housing for campus administrators and he served on a panel entitled “Are You On Fire or Burned Out: Longevity as a Campus-Based Fraternity/Sorority Advisor”.
• John Mountz has also been appointed to a two-year term on the National Panhellenic Conference Fraternity/Sorority Advisory Committee.
• The Central Reservation Office and Student Affairs Technology Services were excited to host both Clemson University and Western Carolina University December 2017 to assist them in creating a central process in event management for both classrooms and event space. After success over the last 3 years since the implementation of the CRO, ECU has become a benchmark in this area.
• Justin Waters, Campus Recreation and Wellness, is North Carolina’s new Director for NoCRSA (North Carolina Recreation & Sports Association) which is the state level of NIRSA (National Intramural & Recreation Sports Association) and Jalen Courts is the new NoCRSA Student Representative. ECU will be hosting the NoCRSA workshop in the Fall of 2018.

LGBT Resource Office Scholarships and Legacy Project

First created in 2017, the LGBT Resource Office Pride Scholarship and the LGBT Resource Office Equality Scholarship are each $500 scholarships made possible by the support of the LGBT Advancement Council with funds donated to the LGBT Priority Fund in Student Affairs Advancement.  Scholarships are open to currently enrolled ECU undergraduate and graduate students.

The LGBT Resource Office Pride Scholarship is a merit-based award to recognize outstanding students who thrive academically and are committed to social justice and equality for the LGBT community at East Carolina University. The scholarship is available to current students in good academic standing, and is renewable annually.  The Pride Scholarship was created to recognize academic excellence among students actively involved in the LGBT Resource Office who promote a safe and inclusive environment for LGBT students at East Carolina University.

The LGBT Resource Office Equality Scholarship is a need-based award to support students with a motivation to complete their degree and students with a demonstrated interest in supporting the LGBT Resource Office. The scholarship is available to current students in good academic standing, and is renewable annually.  The Equality Scholarship was created in recognition of the financial need of some LGBT students whose life circumstances may create economic hardship due to limited or no family support.  Further, the Equality Scholarship is designed to support students to achieve success by easing some of the stress of financial hardship.

APPLICATION LINK
Deadline to apply is January 22, 2018.

The LGBT Legacy Project – Our stories are our history, each one a reflection of a life lived and a journey unique to each individual.  The lives of generations of people in the LGBT community have gone unrecorded due to homophobia, fear, prejudice, and, sadly, shame.

The LGBT Legacy Project is an effort to capture our stories for future generations who might someday want to know about the lives of our students in the early part of the 21st century.  To launch this initiative, the LGBT Resource Office announces an essay contest around the theme of coming out.

We welcome submissions of essays (1000 to 1500 words in length) that tell a story of the coming out experience. Stories might focus on coming out to parents or family members, coming out to allies/friends, coming out on campus to roommates, friends, or teachers — or any important moment in your coming out process, including coming out to and getting comfortable with yourself.  Stories might also reflect the experience of an ally who was there for a friend or family member who came out to them.

Submissions must be double spaced with one inch margins and should be emailed to lgbt@ecu.edu. Open to all currently enrolled ECU students (undergraduate or graduate) in good academic standing.

Prizes will be awarded as follows:
First prize            $500
Second prize       $300
Third prize           $200
Winners will be announced at our Lavender Launch ceremony on May 3, 2018.

The LGBT Legacy Project is made possible by the support of the LGBT Advancement Council with funds donated to the LGBT Priority Fund in Student Affairs Advancement.

APPLICATION LINK
Deadline to apply is March 23, 2018.

Greek Life Focusing on the Positive

Written by The Daily Reflector

During a period of increased national scrutiny about Greek Life on college campuses around the United States, East Carolina Greek Life officials say their mission is to promote a culture change that emphasizes the positive aspects of the community.

The Associated Press reports that deaths of at least four fraternity pledges this year have helped fuel a re-examination of Greek systems at U.S. colleges, which have long struggled with how to crack down on hazing, alcohol abuse and other unwelcome aspects without disbanding organizations that have loyal members and alumni. Some universities in recent weeks, however, have taken the extreme step of suspending Greek activity altogether.

Changing attitudes, increased public scrutiny and a fear of lawsuits also have caused schools to take action, anti-hazing advocates told the Associated Press. Tracy Maxwell, founder of HazingPrevention.org and a longtime Greek life consultant, sees parallels with the national discussion about sexual harassment.

“People are at a breaking point, where they’re not willing to accept behavior that has been acceptable in some circles for decades or centuries,” she told the wire service.

John Mountz, director of Greek Life at East Carolina University, said ECU is always working to improve risk-management and cultivate a positive culture in its Greek community. He was hired in April and two assistant directors were hired in July and September. The new staff brings new perspectives to help the university promote positive activities in the community.

“Our goal is to help our groups focus on the positive aspects of fraternity experience that we know students can get out of this: that connection to people, that building, that sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, and the ability to actively engage in leadership and service opportunities, connecting them with the community,” he said. “Re-framing the fraternity experience around that, which has always been at the heart of it.”

He said his office is working to promote the idea that Greek life is about community involvement and academic excellence, not partying.

CLICK HERE for the full story.

Financial Wellness Survey

Submitted by SA Assessment

The Study on Collegiate Financial Wellness (SCFW) is a multi-institutional survey of college students examining the financial attitudes, practices and knowledge of students from colleges and universities across the United States. In February 2017, ECU sent out the survey to 5,000 random undergraduate students.  Out of the students who received the survey, 752 students responded which was a 15% response rate.

The survey is divided into six categories.  Five of these categories are ranged from 1-4 and one category 0-6.  The mean scores have different values associated with each category.  The financial socialization, financial self-efficacy, positive financial behavior and financial knowledge, higher means suggest more positive behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge. For financial strain, higher means suggest more strain. For negative financial behavior, lower means suggest students are engaging in fewer negative behaviors.   ECU students scored moderately high in three of the five categories.  These categories include Financial Socialization (3.07), Financial Self-Efficacy (2.97), and Positive financial Strain (3.52).  Two categories ECU students reported average scores on include Financial Strain (2.38) and Financial Knowledge (3.15).  ECU students’ lowest category was Negative Financial Behavior (1.5), indicating a majority of students avoided participating in negative financial behaviors, which is ultimately very positive.

There are three key take-a ways from the Financial Wellness survey, and this information can be used in order to help our students succeed and be financially healthy.  The first key finding is that 82% of students did not attend any finance workshop before entering college.  Understanding that a significant majority of students have not attended any sessions on finances can help us be a better practitioner at the start of their college career with regard to finances. The second key finding is that 51% of students indicated working a part time job, with 65% of them being off campus.  This information is helpful to know that a majority of students are working and a large percentage of those jobs are off campus.  This can help us think about when we program some students will not be able to attend because they are working. The last key finding is examining at the academic work load.  Just under half (47.5%) of our students reported that financial concerns never cause them to neglect academic work while only 25% indicated that these concerns sometimes affected their academic work.  ECU students compared favorably to the national sample in all three of these aspects, indicating that our students are relatively similar to students at other institutions. Understanding these trends will help Student Affairs educators recognize signs of stress within our students who might be struggling academically, allowing us to help students explore the myriad resources we have on campus.

There is an abundance of information in the Collegiate Financial Wellness study, to help Student Affairs educators understand the financial wellness of our student population.  In the spring semester, be on the lookout for presentations regarding this survey that will provide a deeper dive into the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of our students’ with respect to their financial wellness.  If you would like to know more about the results of this survey, prior to the presentations, please contact the Student Affairs Assessment, Research, and Retention Office.

ECU Creed Nominations

Each year the Office of the Dean of Students hosts the East Carolina Creed Recognition Ceremony.  This event recognizes faculty, staff, and students who exemplify the pillars of the Creed.We ask that you think about who in our Pirate community displays integrity, diversity, responsibility, and citizenship.

Please take a few minutes to nominate a faculty member, a staff member, and/or a student for this prestigious honor. If you would like to nominate for more than one pillar, you may fill out the survey additional times once you have submitted each nomination. At the end of this survey, we ask you to provide your name and email address so we can invite you to participate in this ceremony if your nomination is chosen.

Deadline for nominations is Friday, March 9th, 2018.  The Awards Ceremony will be held Thursday, April 5th, 2018, in the Grand Room at the Health Sciences Campus Student Center.

CLICK HERE for NOMINATION FORM

Alcohol Skills Training Program

Greek Life is looking to bring Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP) to campus as a program for our students. The Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP) is considered the gold standard for alcohol education for student organizations. Developed by Dr. Jason Kilmer out of the University of Washington, it focuses on educating on alcohol-related behavior, while increasing members’ interest in critically examining their drinking patterns and eventually implementing the skills they learn. In doing so, members can minimize the potential negative consequences through prevention, reduced consumption or abstinence. It’s not a “Just say No” program, but it is also not a “Just say Yes,” program. It gives students the choice but allows them to make more informed decisions in a less dangerous and less risky way.

With 19 varsity athletic teams, 39 club sport teams, 43 Greek organizations, and 500+ student organizations, we believe a cohort of prevention education facilitators has the potential to mitigate incidents for our students. During our roll out of this program, we would require all Greek chapters participate in an ASTP session. In doing this, we could move to a model of working with new member classes as they enter or organizational communities. We know alcohol is not just a Greek or Club Sports or Athletics problem, but we do know those students are often at a higher risk due to the groupthink dynamics of these organizations. We hope this prevention education will be a step in the right direction for our entire student population, allowing our student groups to lead the way.

So, where do you come in? We are looking for 50-60 campus based professionals who would be willing to attend a day and a half long training focused on motivational interviewing and education on facilitating the program. This is an awesome professional development opportunity for folks to learn about facilitation skills of motivational interviewing, the science behind alcohol consumption, and tactics for helping students mitigate risk. The skills learned in ASTP training are not just useful with student organizations and individual students, but personal experiences as well! After being trained, we’d ask you to commit to doing 1-2 facilitations a semester for a student organization you’re paired with. This is about a 4-hour commitment per semester.

If you are interested at all or have any questions, please contact Jessie Ashton at ashtonj17@ecu.edu.

Picture Your Horizons

Provided by WITN

A long-running program at ECU is helping students get s “head” start on their post-graduation plans.

The university’s career center has been offering students free headshot portraits as they start preparing for life after college. The portraits are offered free of charge to all students, not just those about to graduate.

Students who have taken advantage of the portraits said they are especially important for use on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, Jobcase and others.

Student Affairs New Hires / Departures

Student Affairs New Hires Since November 15

• Jarecia Jacobs – Administrative
• Support Associate – Greek Life – November 16
• Esther Smith – Administrative Support Associate – Student Involvement & Leadership – November 16
• Crystal Waters – Career Counselor – Career Services – December 1
• Lynn Copeland – Administrative Support Associate – Career Services – December 18
• Matthew Turnage – Pharmacist – Student Health Services – December 18
• Amanda Wright – Coordinator – Campus Living – January 2

Student Affairs Staff Departing Since November 15

• John Herron – Student Services Specialist – Student Media – December 11
• Janis Steele – Associate Director for Facilities – Campus Recreation & Wellness – January 2
• Robert Taylor – Case Manager – Counseling & Student Development – January 15
• Nadirah Pippen – Associate Director – Career Services – January 19