Embracing our Values
At this point, many of you have likely heard about the Adapting to Student Needs Strategic Plan. Student Affairs formally announced this strategic plan in October 2022 with a fun launch event, and the work certainly did not stop there. If you have not already, please make sure to read the past blog post updates about our Adapting to Student Needs Strategic Plan.
The ultimate goal of the strategic plan is to support student well-being and success. As staff members, understanding and connecting to the values of Student Affairs offers a helpful starting point that can lead to reflection in our work and better understanding of what exactly our role is in the strategic plan.
Our values are:
- Belonging - We will always strive for students to bring their authentic self to campus, where they feel valued and connected.
- Care - We provide a holistic well-being approach so every student feels seen, valued, and heard.
- Integrity - We approach every situation with honesty and transparency to align our actions with our values.
- Lifelong learning - We provide formal and informal learning opportunities to develop and improve knowledge and skills needed to be successful.
- Self-discovery - We believe acquiring insight into one’s own character, interests, and skills should be fostered in all aspects of student services.
- Student-centered - We consider the student perspective in all that we do.
These values provide an important perspective when planning an event or program, executing a project, or engaging with students on campus. In addition, considering these values can help you discover what is essential when carrying out day-to-day tasks. Some questions to consider include:
- How do these values help guide and inform the decisions you make daily?
- How can you approach tasks in a manner the centers one or multiple values?
- How can you balance Student Affairs values and your own?