Student Affairs Looks at New Developments
And Future Areas of Focus

By Vice Chancellor Janina Montero

Vice Chancellor Montero set the tone for our 2005 Summer All-Staff when she told our assembled staff, “After a hard but very productive year, there is nothing better than being able to relax and play together, to renew connections, to laugh and have fun, and look ahead at the somewhat less pressured time of the summer.”

Our freshman admission and enrollment results for 2006 are very positive and noteworthy in some important areas of diversity such as low income, first generation to attend college, etc. Nevertheless, while our freshman class is very strong, we encountered some significant challenges. As you have probably read in the Daily Bruin and other press, over the last few weeks UCLA has been receiving considerable criticism for our current freshman admission selection process and for our freshman admission results. In particular, the fact that only 100 admitted African American students (2.1% of the total class of 4,925) will be entering UCLA as freshmen this fall, has rightly provoked expressions of concern, frustration and anger. The faculty, administrators and students with whom I have discussed this matter are unanimous in voicing their concern, want us to do more, and generally want to help and engage with this important issue. Specifically in the area of our freshman admission selection process, we must seriously consider some changes as permitted under the Proposition 209, which prohibits taking race and gender into account in admission decisions as well as instituting policies with the express purpose of benefiting a particular ethnic group. We all recognize that we cannot use Proposition 209 as an excuse and must do all we can to improve our results. 

On the other hand, I can report that results regarding transfer students are more encouraging, with 108 African American students indicating they will enroll in the fall, compared with 86 for each of the past two years. 

Second, as you may have heard from your director, we have put together a task force of Student Affairs colleagues to develop a comprehensive Performance Management Program (PMP). The purposes of the program are to 1) further foster within Student Affairs a culture of high achievement; 2) provide an opportunity for a fuller discussion between staff and supervisors regarding performance expectations and goals;   3) recruit and retain the best and strongest staff within the Student Affairs organization; and 4) reward and recognize excellence appropriately. For the past few months, the PMP task force has been meeting regularly, and we are pleased to report that it has developed a preliminary set of guidelines for managers and supervisors for the 2006-2007 performance review process. The new guidelines include a Student Affairs-wide evaluation approach that, while comprehensive in nature, is appropriate to the various levels of work requirements and to the broad range of portfolios in Student Affairs. Moreover, the PMP program is to improve the process so that there is greater consistency across the organization.

We anticipate being able to share the new guidelines with you in the next few weeks. If you have any questions regarding this program, please be in touch with the director in your area or unit or with Monroe Gorden, CAO in the Office of the Vice Chancellor. 

Third, with Student Affairs organizations nationwide playing an ever-expanding and critical role within higher education and the broad university environment, the demand for qualified professionals in the field has never been greater.  We are proud to announce that UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies (GSE&IS) and UCLA Student Affairs, through Ronni Sanlo’s efforts, have collaborated to design and offer a Masters of Education in Student Affairs (M.Ed.). This is an intensive four-quarter program of study focusing on Student Affairs theory, practice, and research in postsecondary education. The M.Ed. Student Affairs program, which students will complete within one year, is offered through the Higher Education and Organizational Change (HEOC) division of the GSE&IS. For more information on this program, please contact Ronni Sanlo, Project Coordinator of the Masters in Education in Student Affairs (rsanlo@saonet.ucla.edu).

Fourth, following the 2004 Information Technology Repositioning Initiative, EVC Dan Neuman requested Murphy Hall’s inclusion in the Repositioning Initiative through the consolidation of Murphy Hall’s networks and email systems, under the leadership of the Office of Information Technology (OIT). With the departure of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) from the Chancellor’s office, EVC Neuman redefined the position and renamed it to Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Murphy Hall.  The CTO would manage the network infrastructure within the building and would also be responsible for the improvement of the overall IT support for the Chancellor’s Office and its affiliated units. I am pleased to announce that Mitra Ashtari, Director of our Student Affairs Office Technology Center (OTC) has assumed the role of Chief Technology Officer for Murphy Hall, and that she will provide leadership to the Repositioning IT Initiative under Associate Vice Chancellor and campus CIO Jim Davis.  In addition, OTC has taken on broader responsibilities for the Chancellor’s Office. These responsibilities include integrating the IT infrastructure and user support services for the Chancellor’s Office, Academic Planning and Budget Office, Academic Senate, Academic Personnel, and Summer Sessions.  OTC has recently migrated Academic Planning and Budget from their legacy system to SAONET and, in the next few weeks, Summer Session will migrate to SAONET as well.  Mitra anticipates that the Chancellor’s Office, the Academic Senate, and Academic Personnel will also join SAONET by the beginning of fall quarter.

Finally, prior to arriving on campus this Fall, all first year and transfer students have been asked to complete an online alcohol education and prevention program called AlcoholEdu.  The new program is an addition to the University's existing set of comprehensive policy and program initiatives to minimize students’ unsafe use of alcohol.  Implemented by Health Education, under Student Development, the program provides a proactive approach to help ensure that students have the tools they need to make safer and healthy decisions about alcohol. UCLA joins 450 other universities and colleges around the country that offer AlcoholEdu. As of the date of this letter, over 3,500 first year and over 1,970 transfer students have already enrolled in the course, which students can complete in about two and a half hours.  You can find more information at www.alcoholedu.ucla.edu.  Should you have an interest in reviewing the course, or if, because of your contact with students, you might benefit from learning about the course in more detail, you can view a demonstration at http://college.alcoholedu.com (At the new user login ID screen enter the code WE1 and follow the on-screen directions to create your own account. You may return to the course using your account information at any time). If you have other questions, you may write to info@alcoholedu.ucla.edu. 

Along with our colleagues in the Executive Management Group, I want to thank you all for your hard work, dedication, and thoughtful attention to our students and the university. It is an honor and a privilege to work with you, to work through with you the many issues we face in Student Affairs, and to note with pride the quality and breadth of accomplishment in every one of our units.

I look forward to the new academic year with new aspirations and renewed enthusiasm. Best wishes to you and your families for the summer.