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CONNECT  |  Wednesday, March 12|  Message from the VP

Message from the Vice President

Dear Student Affairs Colleagues,

 We have reached the halfway point of the semester and spring break is just around the corner. On the other side of spring break, we enter the annual gambit of celebrations, recognitions, and fun events that lead us all the way to commencement. Commencement is my favorite time of the year because it is so affirming to see students who have successfully completed their journey with us as they propel to the next step in their lives. I was recently asked to comment on college preparation and readiness through the scope of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity (WIOA) act and how Student Affairs can best support students from a myriad of backgrounds in a successful college experience. I want to share with you my reflections on that topic:

 For many students and their families, access to and support in completing a postsecondary education is one of the most effective mechanisms by which they can expand their life chances and positively impact life outcomes. For those students, resources that help contextualize the postsecondary experience, activities or messaging that helps identify goals and motivations, programs that strengthen a sense of belonging and self-efficacy, and interventions that strengthen strong academic and personal wellbeing practices are key to optimizing the opportunity and likelihood of successful college access, completion, and postgraduate success. For this reason, our division has prioritized the implementation of culturally responsive and evidence-based practices with attention to the diverse and distinct needs of University of New Mexico students. Through assessment and continuous improvement, we are constantly finding mechanisms by which we can better serve students with an asset-based approach that affirms their skills, identities, values, and aspirations across a myriad of support units in a coordinated and collaborative environment.

 I believe our programs and services continue to be aligned with this lodestar. Our work, to put it simply, is all about student success and since student success is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, so too are we and we must continue to be. I am proud to be engaged in this work with you and will endeavor to continue to strengthen it in service to our students and community. 

 With appreciation,

 Eric