Student Affairs
Mission
The Student Affairs division supports the holistic development of students through providing experiences and services that contribute to their overall learning in and out of the classroom, enhances the student experience at the College, and prepares students for life after graduation.
The division has goals for student learning and operational goals.
Goals for Student Learning
Overarching Goal
Our students will cultivate a clear sense of self in community including the development of their sense of ethics and values with strong leadership, communication and decision making skills. In addition, students will become engaged and responsible citizens in a diverse society to make a positive impact in the world.
Sense of self in Community:
- clear understanding of community expectations
- ability to consider the needs of the community in relation to individual needs and desires
- Self-regulation
- Acknowledging limitations
- Learning from adversity and failure
- Self-care skills and learning to make healthy choices
- Knowing when and how to ask for help and utilize resources
Developing self and identity in relationship to Diversity, Inclusion, and Global Awareness
- Understand the influence of personal background and multiple identities
- Develop identity consolidation, differentiation of self from parents and family
- Develop clear understanding of community expectations
- Develop ability to consider the needs of the community in relation to individual needs and desires
- Develop the capacity to imagine other people's perspective
- Develop tolerance and appreciation of other cultures and differences of identity and perspective
- Develop understanding and considering how your actions impact and affect others
- Align personal values with actions
Ethics / Values:
- Developing a philosophy of life
- Ability to articulate values
- Having your ethics and values guide your decision making and planning for the future
Leadership and Communication:
- Ability to work collaboratively as a leader and a follower
- Ability to help facilitate a group
- Ability to listen deeply to others and incorporate differing perspectives into your world view
- Ability to manage conflict and disagreements within a group or team setting
- Being able to manage a complex project including creating timelines, meeting deadlines, and managing large and small details
- Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully your own ideas, perspectives, and needs
Decision-making:
- ability to make decisions based on values and sense of self
- ability to thoughtfully choose between competing goods
- ability to apply critical analysis to the decision making process
- ability to thoughtfully incorporate other's perspectives into the decision making process
- develop the capacity/perspective to live and plan for the present in the context of also weighing choices and planning for the future
Operational Goals
Assist first year students in their adjustment to the social and academic demands of the institution with a particular focus on first generation and low income students.[First Year Class]
Support course registration, course and classroom scheduling, grade collection and reporting, maintenance and integrity of student academic records, and administration of Honors program in support of the faculty regulations and educational policies of the College [Registrar]
Promote student conduct that appropriately balances rights, responsibilities, and community values. [Student Conduct]
Provide the foundation for cultivating a thriving residential community and co-curricular experience. [Student Engagement]
Engage and empower our community through advocacy, dialogue, and support networks to influence campus culture and promote inclusivity and identity consciousness [Intercultural Center]
Support a thriving and inclusive black campus community [BCC]
Provide individualized holistic care and campus-wide health and wellness education in a compassionate environment. [Health center]
Provides counseling and psychotherapy, crisis intervention, psychological testing, psycho-educational programming, 24/7 on-call emergency response, and consultation and training [CAPS]
Foster student leadership practice through innovative thinking [Center for Innovation and Leadership]
Support student’s academic well-being, success, and planning through service to faculty, students, staff, parents/guardians and outside constituencies in the areas of academic advising, academic support, student disabilities, fellowships, prizes and post-graduate planning. [Academic Affairs]
Help students gain self-understanding and connect their interests, values and skills with knowledge about careers and life beyond Swarthmore College. [Career Services]
