June 2014, Issue 6
Message from VPSA
Sam Gonzales
“Hello. Vice President for Student Affairs office, this is Sam. How may I help you?”
“I can find that answer for you.”
“Our event begins at 8:00pm. We look forward to seeing you there.”
“Thanks for stopping by; I will get you that information right away.”
Sound familiar? These are statements that we regularly hear at our departments’ front desks and counters. Whether it’s by email, phone or an in-person visit, superior service at the front line is vital to our success. Our students depend on us to be proactive and seek to understand their needs. The Four C’s are always present as we interact with students. In that initial front desk or counter interaction, we aim to connect, communicate and be the last serve. We strive for excellence in service and programming in all that we do.
Because of all of this, the front desk is an environment in which we place great effort. In order to create and maintain great operations on the front line, departments provide staff training, information resources, manuals and a lot of coaching. It takes a lot to be this good.
I believe the same should be true for efforts in social media.
Social media is where our students go first with initial questions, curiosity, and to seek guidance – both from their peers and our offices. They use social media as their front line. That is where they go first.
So, it’s time to treat our social media platforms like our front line. We want to reach a point where everything that happens at our desks are also available on the appropriate social media platform. Let’s do it and do it better than any other university.
Plan and implement with the same level of intensity, train with similar eagerness, strategize year-round improvement and foster the same level of excitement. Social media may not get administered from your front desk, but it is every bit the front line for our students. Treat it the same.
At Student Affairs Council, we heard about the social media impact of the Class of 2018. I am inspired by their spirit. I am excited each time I see students and families arriving to their Orientation in full Roadrunner gear, and the evidence is all over Twitter and Instagram. Get your office together and talk about some of what you see in social media on #UTSA18 and celebrate how far UTSA has come in spirit and pride. Brainstorm new approaches for your department. What would your social media presence be like if it worked like a front desk?
I congratulate the departments that are already seeing great success on multiple platforms and I encourage others to think creatively and strategically about new ways to use them. Let us help - we will be glad to send the appropriate staff member over to assist. It’s a team effort and, as with anything new, it can be daunting. We are here to support you; take advantage of that support. I look forward to hearing more of your ideas as we move forward.
Best wishes,
Sam
We Are UTSA! We Are Student Affairs!