In organizations, there can be many causes for this experience.  It can be hard to keep track of all that is happening or to know how the College of XYZ’s activities relate to the bigger plan.  Sometimes it is a failure to articulate the connections between our work and the planning documents.  Other times, it can be that we wait for direction from ‘above’ rather than jumping in, claiming the parts that are ours and getting to work.

So, let’s address each of those.  First, Team 2016 has been meeting regularly and working diligently on developing the implementation plan, i.e. what has to be done to make the strategic plan a reality. Provost John Frederick is speaking to groups all over campus to share this information.  He will be attending the next Student Affairs Council to deliver his presentation.  All staff members in Student Affairs are welcome to attend. (Details will be forthcoming.)

Second, to articulate connections between our work and the plans - within Student Affairs, we have taken these steps forward:

• Our Student Affairs nametags are one way to live our mission of creating a “culture of engagement… across campus.”  I know many of you are being asked to ‘engage’ with students as they ask questions we can’t answer.  As a result, we’re all learning more about our university just by walking across campus.  I also hear of the nametags increasing interaction among Student Affairs staff members as we can now identify each other.

• We are working on the first action step of both Goal 1.1 (Create and implement a division-wide conceptual model for program development and delivery that engages students in a university experience that develops the whole person – academically, socially, personally, and professionally.) and Goal 3.1 (Create and implement a division-wide conceptual model for service delivery.)  Members of the Student Affairs Council are taking the lead in our process of developing a shared understanding of the UTSA experience and excellence in service and programming.

• The Assessment Team is working to help us use the available tools such as TracDat to move toward more effective assessment and planning process as part of Goal 2.1. (Develop a culture of data-driven assessment and planning leading to a research and dissemination process that supports decision-making across the division and the university and provides contributions to the field of Student Affairs.)

• The Professional Development and Education Teams are developing and implementing programs and opportunities, such as True Colors® and the first round of departmental Open Houses, to implement Goal 5.4 (Create an ongoing education program for staff to help them develop to their fullest potential as Student Affairs professionals) and Goal 5.5 (Student Affairs members embrace the concepts of transformational leadership, engage in effective interpersonal communication, and work successfully in a diverse community.)

Third, what steps have you and your department taken to bring the strategic plans down off the shelf?  You might be implementing a program that supports your department's plan, or serving on a Student Affairs or university committee, or using what you learn in True Colors® to help you be more effective communicating within your office.  Sometimes we forget to see our work in the larger context so we don’t give ourselves enough credit for the value of what we do.  Sometimes, we forget to acknowledge that a plan as large as UTSA 2016 is made up of all sorts of mundane tasks on the way to the grand ones.  Yes, the university leadership has a responsibility for using our Strategic Plan to make the big decisions, but that is not enough.  In fact, in some ways it is the least important part.  If each of us doesn’t claim ownership and bring energy to the parts of the plan that fit into our job responsibilities, then the plan really will stay on the shelf.

I seem to be working on a theme recently – yes the bureaucracy gets in our way, but we’re part of the bureaucracy, so how do we work on fixing it?   We’re not the only ones responsible for creating community on our campus, but we play an important part in that effort.  And while we can’t implement the entire UTSA strategic plan, we certainly can put energy into those parts that connect to our work.   So I hope each of us will “jump in head first.”

To be of use

The people I love the best

jump into work head first

without dallying in the shallows

and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.

They seem to become natives of that element,

the black sleek heads of seals

bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,

who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,

who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,

who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge

in the task, who go into the fields to harvest

and work in a row and pass the bags along,

who are not parlor generals and field deserters

but move in a common rhythm

when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.

Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.

But the thing worth doing well done

has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.

Greek amphoras for wine or oil,

Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums

but you know they were made to be used.

The pitcher cries for water to carry

and a person for work that is real.

-Marge Piercy

Poem from Leading from within - Poetry That Sustains the Courage to Lead.  Edited by Sam M. Intrator and Megan Scribner.  Published by Jossey-Bass, Copyright 2007.

Announcements/Events 

50 Exhibitors at Health and Wellness Expo DT Campus

Elect HEALTH 2008!  Come on by to the annual DT Health and Wellness Expo on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Frio Building Commons.  Featuring over 50 exhibitors, health screenings, line-up activities and wellness resources from all over San AntonioScreenings are available: 

Special events line-up include Rolando Roman speaking on wellness, Death By Alcohol movie, and mind and body demos (see below for the scheduled line up).   FREE to UTSA students, faculty and staff.  

Schedule of Events(PDF) ------- PDF Flyer to Print and Post

Business Procedures Tips

Please check names and titles on forms (such as Business Expense Forms) when you have pre-loaded titles into the documents.  If you have pre-loaded your forms with titles, make sure if another individual signs that the title is updated.  Returning forms to departments causes delays in processing.

More Business Procedures Tips

Area October 18 - 31 All Sports Schedule:

From Theresa Yackeyonny:

I am happy to announce the following:

The RA DELEGATION from Campus Living Villages at the University of Texas at San Antonio came back with the award of MOST SPIRITED SMALL DELEGATE 2008 at the Southwest Association of College and University Housing Officers (SWACUHO) RA CONFERENCE recently held at UT-Pan Am.

This is one of three of the biggest awards presented at SWACUHO RA Conference. Our team represented Campus Living Villages AND the University of Texas at San Antonio very well and did it with class, enthusiasm, pride, and style! From head to toe our RAs showed the very passion and spirit our RESLIFE Team stands for!

The delegation consisted of Resident Assistants from Chisholm Hall and University Oaks: Nick, Danielle, Amanda, Amanda, Christopher, Jessye, Mac, and Samira.  Christina Garcia was the Residence Life Coordinator who also attended this conference as sponsor.

From: Sherry Lindsey

To: Nikki Lee

Event: Congressman Rodriguez's Event

Hello Nikki,

I just wanted to thank you for staying on top of this morning’s media event.  I was especially thankful for Jason Haynie’s assistance on site; he was so proactive in problem solving for us and took care of some last minute details that often occur at these high profile events.  We really appreciate all of you at the UC!

Thanks so much!

Top