Student Affairs Division Priorities & SWOT Analysis 2024-2025
This SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis provides a
comprehensive overview of the current state and future direction for the Division
of Student
Affairs, helping to inform strategic decisions and initiatives. These efforts aim
to help our students
succeed and persist at WSU. The Division of Student Affairs is dedicated to enhancing
the student
experience by connecting Shockers to applied learning opportunities, on-campus engagement,
community resources, and each other. As key retention agents with the vision of 鈥淐onnecting
Every Student,鈥� Student Affairs staff foster networks of support through mental and
physical
health services, wellness outreach and prevention, wraparound care, accommodations
for
students with disabilities, on-campus housing, and various programs in recreation,
leadership,
engagement, and belonging.
The Division comprises several departments, including our Wellness area (Counseling
and
Psychological Services, Student Health Services, Health Outreach and Prevention Education)
Student Services area (Student Outreach Services, the Office of Student Accommodations
and
Testing, Shocker Strengths Assessment and Staff Experiences, Student Affairs Marketing,
Assessment and Staff Experiences, Student Conduct and Community Standards) Auxiliaries
area
(Rhatigan Student Center, Shocker Stores, WSU Dining, & Child Development Center)
and
Student Life area (Student Engagement & Belonging, Housing and Residence Life, Student
Affairs
Operations, and Campus Recreation). Together, these offices collaborate across the
university to
create a supportive and engaging campus environment.
DIVISIONAL PRIORITIES
1. Innovate Student Engagement: Enhance and diversify engagement strategies to connect every student.
2. Expand Students鈥� Applied Learning: Increase paid student learning opportunities and student employee engagement.
3. Address Departmental Needs to Optimize our Service to Students: Focus on staff engagement to improve student and staff retention and satisfaction.
Student Affairs SWOT Analysis
- Dedicated and Diverse Staff: The Division benefits from a committed and varied team.
- Student Engagement: Strong involvement through leadership opportunities, group development, and applied learning experiences.
- Service Delivery: Exemplary customer service with a wide range of programs and platforms.
- Financial Opportunities: Various funding structures including grants, student fees, and self-generated revenue.
- Collaborations: Strong partnerships within the Division and across the campus.
- Shared Purpose: Unified commitment to 鈥淐onnecting Every Student.鈥�
- Resource Limitations: Challenges with staff, funds, and space.
- Demographic Diversity: Lack of diversity at higher staff levels.
- Bureaucratic Challenges: Issues with communication, financial operations, and changing university processes.
- Staff Turnover and Initiative Persistence: High turnover and difficulties in sustaining new initiatives.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Potential for improved partnerships within the Division and university.
- New Revenue Streams: Exploring additional funding opportunities.
- Increased Awareness: Elevating the Division鈥檚 profile through intentional storytelling and presence.
- Technology Utilization: Leveraging technology for better accessibility and efficiency.
- Re-imagining Student Engagement: Innovative approaches to engage isolated, online, and non-traditional students.
- Enrollment Uncertainties: Impact on budgets and service effectiveness.
- Funding Limitations: Challenges with securing consistent funding.
- Wellness Concerns: Social and mental health issues among students and staff.
- External Factors: Political climate and changing student engagement trends.