West Chester University Student Affairs will be nationally respected among public universities for its excellence in achieving inclusivity while creating transformative experiences for every student that inspire life-long discovery and positive action.

West Chester University Division of Student Affairs is a community of educators who design and facilitate co-curricular experiences to develop students’ personal, professional, and intellectual talents, preparing them to learn, lead, and serve.

 

Accountability

We value an outcomes-based, socially and fiscally responsible environment in which integrity, open communication, and assessment demonstrate the impact of our work.

Collaboration

We value mutually beneficial partnerships, both within and outside of the University, to accomplish shared goals.

Holistic Student Development

We value acknowledging and developing the whole individual, supporting their intellectual, emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual needs.

Learning

We value acquiring knowledge and skills, fostering healthy behaviors, and clarifying values –both in and out of the classroom.

Social Justice

We value the respect, worth, and dignity of each member of the West Chester University community, fostering equitable access for all, and challenging systems of oppression.

Our Path to 2020

Download the Full Strategic Plan

 

Engagement & Experiential Learning

Goal Statement: Develop intentional and varied opportunities for students to engage on campus and within the broader community.   

 Outcomes:

1) Leverage technology/multimedia platforms to engage students, communicate our programs and services, and provide learning opportunities.
2) Develop stronger mutually beneficial partnerships with our internal and external stakeholders in order to better engage our students in learning opportunities.

Health, Wellness, and Safety

Goal Statement: Promote the comprehensive health, wellness, and safety of all students to create a community of care.

 Outcomes:

1) Provide education, training, and treatment for students regarding healthy living.
2) Provide coaching to students regarding impact of decisions related to health, wellness, and safety to recognize and encourage personal accountability.  

Infrastructure

Goal Statement: Promote responsible stewardship of human, fiscal, and physical resources needed to achieve success for our departments and to ensure the standards of our profession.

Outcomes: 

1) Expand existing and establish new funding sources.
2) Provide training and professional development opportunities for staff of all levels (paraprofessional, support, entry, middle, and senior).
3) Engage in long-range planning to ensure sustainability.

Social Justice

Goal Statement: Create an environment that understands, recognizes, and embraces social justice as a primary component of the campus community.  

Outcomes:

1) Infuse social justice knowledge into the policies, programs, and services to positively impact campus climate and beyond.
2) Provide professional development for all Student Affairs staff, paraprofessionals, and students on how to understand and think critically about systems of oppression, privilege and equity.
3) Conduct policy and practice reviews to identify and challenge formal and informal systems of oppression that might exist within.
4) Analyze current data to identify salient areas and holes within the campus climate.

Student Development (Success)

Goal Statement: Create an environment of outcome/evidence-based practices and data informed decision making to engage our diverse student population and impact student success.

Outcomes:

1) Utilize WCU’s Student Affairs Learning Domains to inform Student Affairs’ programs and services that contribute to student success from orientation through graduation and beyond.
2) Utilize data and assessment results for program improvement.

 Civic Engagement

Civic engagement encompasses actions wherein individuals participate in activities of personal, political and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community.  

• Adapted with permission from "VALUE: Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education."  Copyright 2018 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Civic Engagement Rubric

 

Integrative Learning

Integrative learning is an understanding and disposition that a student builds across their personal, curricular and co-curricular lives, from making simple connections among ideas and experiences to synthesizing and transferring learning to new and complex situations.

• Adapted with permission from "VALUE: Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education."  Copyright 2018 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Integrative Learning Rubric

 

Intercultural Fluency

Intercultural fluency means valuing, respecting, and learning from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. The individual demonstrates, openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people and understand individuals’ differences.

• Adopted with permission from "Career Readiness for the New College Graduate: A definition and competencies." Copyright 2017 by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Intercultural Fluency Rubric 

 

Personal Development

Personal development includes both intra- and inter-personal elements. Intrapersonal development refers to an individual’s self-understanding and the extent to which they engage in selecting and living by their personal values and beliefs. Interpersonal development refers to an individual’s ability to build and maintain meaningful and healthy relationships, work collaboratively, and lead others.

• Adapted from the CAS Learning and Development Outcomes. 2015. Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. 

 Personal Development Rubric

 

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.

• Adopted with permission from "VALUE: Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education."  Copyright 2018 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Critical Thinking Rubric

 

Problem Solving

Problem solving is the process of designing, evaluating and implementing a strategy to answer a question or achieve a desired goal.

• Adopted with permission from "VALUE: Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education." Copyright 2018 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Problem Solving Rubric

 

Communication

The exchange of information orally, non-verbally, and in writing, with individuals, groups and external audiences using multiple modes, including technology and related applications.

• Adapted from "Connecting Credentials: A Beta Credentials Framework". 2015. Lumina Foundation. 

Communication Rubric