Next Steps in the Engage to Innovate Strategic Planning Process
August 28, 2024 - Dorene DiNaro
Over the past year, the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) has prioritized development of a strategic planning process in alignment with UNM 2040. DSA employees have participated in all staff gatherings, division retreats, surveys, and strategic area-focused meetings to provide input on their perceptions, experiences, and the direction they envision for the division’s future.
Consequently, these efforts led to the creation of the following strategic priorities:
- Student Engagement and Success
- Health and Wellbeing
- Justice, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEADI)
- Community Vibrancy
- Employee Excellence
- Operational Effectiveness
The next phase in DSA’s strategic planning process involved the convening of staff members across all areas of the division to serve on a workgroup charged with serving as ambassadors of the strategic planning process, facilitating focus groups and visioning sessions with students, faculty, staff, and community members, and reporting their data and findings and recommendations to student affairs leadership. In total, 29 individuals—one or more from each unit—comprise the workgroup.
“By conducting both focus groups and visioning sessions, the DSA Strategic Planning Workgroup will be well-positioned to ensure the strategic plan is inclusive of the collective interests, voices, and values of those working within the division, the faculty, staff, and community members we partner with, and the students we serve,” said Dr. Eric Scott, vice president for Student Affairs.
In an effort to narrow the large group’s focus and further concentrate on each individual priority area, the workgroup recently formed six separate strategic priority area subcommittees (listed in the box to the right).
As part of their charge, the subcommittees will facilitate strategic priority area-themed visioning sessions this fall. All DSA professional and student staff are encouraged to attend and share their ideas for developing a pathway to achieve success for the priority. Space is limited for each two-hour session and light refreshments will be served. Staff can register here.
The Strategic Planning Workgroup will reconvene early next year and present their findings and recommendations to DSA executive leadership.
Engage to Innovate Strategic Planning Process Subgroups
Student Engagement and Success
- Chair: Rosa Cervantes, El Centro de la Raza
- Anders Flagstad, Student Union Building
- Uchme Gollette, American Indian Student Services
- José Villar, College Enrichment and Outreach Programs
Health & Wellbeing
- Chair: Lesley McKinney, Student Health & Counseling
- Benjamin Ferguson, Student Health & Counseling
- Greg Golden, Dean of Students
- Roderick Lansing, American Indian Student Services
- Cinthia León Lazcano, El Centro de la Raza
- Jim Todd, Recreational Services
Justice, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEADI)
- Chair: Kiran Katira, Community Engagement Center
- Chris Brooks, Student Activities Center
- Katlyn Cuyler, Accessibility Resource Center
- Áine McCarthy, Women’s Resource Center
- Alejandro Mendiaz-Rivera, El Centro de la Raza
- Brandi Stone, African American Student Services
Community Vibrancy
- Chair: Dennis-Ray Armijo, Student Union Building
- Patricia Lott, Student Activities Center
- DeAnna Padilla, Residence Life and Student Housing
- Daven Quelle, Student Publications
- Daniel Torres-Chaparro, El Centro de la Raza
Employee Excellence
- Chair: Ivan Olay, CAMP/HEP/RSP
- Michelle Dugan, Women’s Resource Center
- Vanisha Neha, American Indian Student Services
- Chiaki Ramirez, Veteran & Military Resource Center
- Maryanne Watrous, Career Services
Operational Effectiveness
- Chair: Jim Shrum, Student Health & Counseling
- Angela De Avila, Student Government Accounting Office
- Brooke Martinez, Recreational Services
- Lisa Ortiz, Children’s Campus
- Andrew Yazzie, American Indian Student Services
