Inge Final Packet Capstone

Running Head: FINAL PACKET 1

To: Dr. Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas, Vice President of Student Affairs & University Advancement

From: Mr. Michael Inge, Director of Counseling and Student Health

Re: Final Packet Submission

Date: April 29, 2015

Enclosed within you will find the following documents for the Counseling and Student Health

Center at River City University:

Office mission and vision statements

Office strategic plan/goals statement

Theory Statement

Director position description

Office employee sketches

Office organizational chart

AP Performance plan

Original Budget

Revised Budget

Revised Budget Justifications

Assessment Plan

Grant-Based Program Proposal

Capstone Reflection

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of these items as we move forward with our new

leadership. Please let me know if any questions should arise.

FINAL PACKET 2

Mission Statement

The mission of the River City University Counseling and Student Health department is to

provide the best possible mental health support and healthcare by:

Initiating, implementing, and supporting clinical practices and programs that promote

effective mental and physical health

Hiring, retaining, and supporting the mental health and healthcare professionals trained in

the most effective methods and procedures available

Staying current with new trends in mental and physical healthcare

And providing responsive crisis management

for River City University students.

Vision Statement

The Vision of the River City University Counseling and Student Health department is to foster

mental and physical health for all River City students, thus enabling self-actualization.

FINAL PACKET 3

Goals Statement

As the RCU Student Health and Counseling department moves towards its vision, we strive to

provide the very best mental and physical health services so that our students may carry out the

university mission and graduate ready to contribute to a variety of communities and

environments including their personal, familial, community, and professional lives. The

counseling and student health center will continue to evolve and adapt to a dynamic counseling

and health industry and adhere to offering a standard of care only matched by the very best of

our institutional peers.

The Counseling and Student Health center will collaborate with the Athletics, Student Success,

University Advancement, and Student Affairs departments and strives to offer a collaborative

and cooperative campus-wide environment of service and helping. The Counseling and Student

Health department’s strategic goals are:

Support our staff so that they may offer the very best care

Maintain the highest level of confidentiality with our students

Maintain a standard of care that uses the most effective treatments and resources

available

Continually assess and reflect upon our work and adapt

Use our space efficiently and effectively

Through these goals, we anticipate departmental advancement towards our vision.

FINAL PACKET 4

Objectives

1. Stay current with HIPPA and FERPA regulations by completing training or workshop

upon hiring.

2. Decrease student attrition due to mental and physical illness by 20% in the next 5 years.

3. Benchmark average student mental health self-assessment upon entrance and improve

average mental health self-assessment by graduation for each cohort in the next 5 years.

4. Decrease arrests, health problems, emergencies, and other consequences from alcohol,

tobacco, and other drug use by 20% in the next 5 years.

5. Increase counseling and student health employee awareness of mental health issues, self-

esteem, body image, and other issues as they relate to students by completing training

within the next year.

FINAL PACKET 5

Implementation Plan

1. Attend monthly staff meetings within counseling and student health to discuss

programming, office environment, and other issues.

2. Improve employee professional development by mandating attendance at 2 job-related

instructional or informational seminars/trainings per year. This will be funded by the

counseling and student health department.

3. Support organizational programming by volunteering in 1 outreach program per year

within the Counseling and Student Health department.

4. Participate in one awareness and fund-raising activity within counseling and student

health every year.

5. Stay current with colleagues from peer institutions by attending 1 conference per year

(A&P). All administrative and professional staff will be funded for 1 conference each

year.

6. Contribute to the field by presenting at 1 conference every three years (A&P). This will

be funded by the counseling and student health department.

7. Stay current with student issues by overseeing or assisting with 1 student group or

program (A&P).

8. Encourage collaboration between counseling and student health by referrals when

needed.

9. Increase collaboration with professionals in Richmond to outsource when needed.

FINAL PACKET 6

Values Statement

Employees of the River City University Counseling and Student Health department will enrich

the RCU community as leaders and high quality managers in their respective jobs. The RCU

mission and vision are central to everything that we do. Integrity, confidentiality, and trust are

essential to the rapport between the professionals we employ and the students we support. We

build the trust of the students through continued professional development and learning for our

employees which allows us to offer cutting-edge practices. Collaboration among professionals

in the counseling and student health department provides a unique opportunity for sharing of

ideas and creating a strong community of visionaries in the university, regional, national, and

global counseling and student health realm. The employees of the RCU counseling and student

health department experience and exemplify the symbiotic benefits available to a selfless team

atmosphere committed to excellence.

FINAL PACKET 7

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Advanced degrees of professional staff

Continuing education of staff Collaboration within student health

and counseling Graduate assistants and medical

students Upholding standard of care in

counseling and care practices Strong crisis support in place for

students Wellness programming and

substance abuse prevention programming

More students, on average, seeking counseling when needed

Weaknesses

Number of doctors Number of full time counselors Budget restrictions on staff size Lack of established counseling

support for staff when needed

Opportunities

Cross collaboration among university resources and entities

Collaboration with Richmond, Va resources

Growth in resources as RCU advances toward vision of becoming an elite university

No silos in budget model

Threats

Cost of technology Upholding standard of care in

technology Decrease in state funding Stigma of counseling

FINAL PACKET 8

Theory Statement

The RCU Counseling and Student Health Department adheres to the human resource

frame as its organizational structure. Organizations need people and people need organizations

(Bolman & Deal 2013) and we this reciprocal relationship is what will move us towards our

vision. Our doctors, counselors, and other health and wellness professionals benefit

professionally from their experiences helping students, the professional development that RCU

offers, and the employment and advancement opportunities that they earn and maintain.

The University benefits from their investment into these professionals as they improve

and expand their skills to better serve the RCU students. The cross collaboration between

departments throughout RCU to offer professional development and continuing education for our

staff is what makes this possible. The more professional development that our staff can obtain,

the better our chance is to reach our vision in the future.

Finally, and most importantly, our students make the initial investment into their

education which supports our operations. We continually foster and encourage growth among

our student body so that whatever pitfalls they come across, they have a support system in place

which offers the very best care available. Maintaining mental and physical health in our entire

student body is the ultimate goal of the Counseling and Student Health department and the

reciprocal human resource driven relationships between the students, staff, and university make

this possible.

FINAL PACKET 9

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the driving force behind Counseling and Student Health

as students must be able to function within the safety and security step through health and social

stability, which ties in directly to what we can help students with at Counseling and Student

Health. Love and belonging can be compromised when mental health suffers and feeds into self-

esteem which fosters self-actualization. Self-actualization of our students is central to our

departmental vision and is behind everything that we do in serving the RCU student body.

Bolman, L. G. & Deal, T. E., (2013). People and organizations. Reframing Organizations, 5, p. 117.

FINAL PACKET 10

Title: Director of River City Counseling and Student Health

Classification: Administrative & Professional Faculty

Division: Student Affairs

Reports To: Vice President of Student Affairs & University Advancement

Supervises: Professional, classified student, and resident staff designated to the Counseling and Student Health Office

Direct supervision: The Associate Director of the River City Counseling Center and the Associate Director of the River City Student Health Center. Also performs direct supervision of the shared administrative assistant.

Basic Function: Primarily responsible for the overall function of the Counseling and Student Health center and oversight of Associate Directors in the pursuit of the office, unit, and RCU mission.

Job Duties Direct and oversee the operations of Student Health and Counseling Center by

maintaining a department budget and establishing, reviewing, and revising all policies for Student Health and Counseling Services. This position oversees clinical practice according to Student Health Services policies and procedures.

Maintain a secure system of confidential medical and counseling records in accordance with applicable standards of practice and state and federal laws. Initiate and maintain appropriate contractual agreements necessary for the operation of Student Health Services, as needed. Train and evaluate assigned professional, clinical, and classified employees. Ensure that professional staff maintain current licensure as required by state.

Collaborate with members of the campus community and other peer institutions to implement evidence-based health service programs responsive to identified needs. Monitor and evaluate existing programs for applicability, safety, and effectiveness. Collaborate with key stakeholders (campus and community) to develop comprehensive approach to student health and counseling. Facilitate and maintain campus and community relationships to foster understanding and usage of Student Health Services. Serve as liaison with community healthcare professionals and agencies in order to make effective referrals, expand services available to students, and coordinate healthcare resources. Collaborate with school districts to facilitate transition of students to university setting.

Act as advocate for state legislation and policies promoting student health. Support campus crisis/emergency response. Serve as resource to the University community on issues of health promotion, disease prevention, vaccination, safety, and health advocacy. Work closely with campus departments to meet the health needs of the student

FINAL PACKET 11

community. Chair and/or serve on committees which address health and safety needs of the University community. Serve on other committees, as needed.

Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications Ph. D or MD. in Higher Education Administration, Nursing, Public Health, or health-

related degree. Ten or more years of progressively responsible administrative and/or supervisory

experience in health services, including health education and health promotion activities.

Preferred Qualifications Experience as a healthcare provider/administrator in student health.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Ability to interact effectively

and professionally with the RCU community, general public, and the students served. Must possess effective leadership and supervisory skills. Knowledge of current standards of college health service practice and available resources in the field. Ability to conduct research and critically review health-related professional literature. Ability to develop and conduct effective presentations. Knowledge of safety issues related to Student Health Services equipment and facilities. Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Other Information

Position requires working evening and/or weekend hours and rotating on-calls responsibilities, as necessary.

Position may require travel.

FINAL PACKET 12

Director, River City Counseling and Student Health

(A&P Faculty)Ph. D., Higher Education Administration

M.Ed., Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education Administration, University of Virginia

B.S., Sport Management, Kent State University

Mike Inge

Mike has over ten years of experience in higher education and, specifically, in counseling and student health operations and

management. Prior to arriving at River City, Mike served as the assistant director of Student Health at Kent State University and as a

career counselor in the College of Business at Youngstown State University.

This position reports directly to Karen Inkelas, Co-Vice President of River City University.

This position supervises the Assistant Director of the River City Counseling Center, the Assistant Director of Student Health, the

Wellness Programming and Outreach Coordinator, and one administrative assistant. Basic job responsibilities:

Oversees the operation of the River City Counseling and Student Health Center by hiring, supervising, and evaluating all administration

and staff working in these areasEnsures that the RCU Counseling and Student Health Center is on

the cutting edge of effective health and wellness support for students using a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach

FINAL PACKET 13

Associate Director, River City Student

Health(A&P Faculty)

M.D., University of Virginia

B.S., Pre-Med Biology, University of Virginia

Sarah Brown

Sarah has over ten years of experience as a physician specifically in student health. She has been a doctor in student health at RCU for the last five years. Prior to arriving at River City, Sarah served as the assistant director of emergency room at the University of Virginia.This position reports directly to Mike Inge, Director of Counseling

and Student HealthThis position supervises the doctors in the Student Health

Department, the medical residents, the wellness programming and outreach coordinator, and one administrative assistant.

Basic job responsibilities:

Assists in the operation of the River City Student Health Center by supervising and evaluating all administration and staff working in these

areas as well as overseeing the professional development of the medical students

Ensures that the RCU Student Health Center maintains best practices of effective healthcare for students using a collaborative and

interdisciplinary approachProvides clinical care at student health center, clinical teaching, teaching

and supervision of medical students, residents and/other learnersPerforms other duties as assigned by the director

FINAL PACKET 14

Associate Director, River City Counseling

Center(A&P Faculty)

Ph. D., Counseling, University of North Carolina

B.S., Psychology, North Carolina State

James Green

James has over ten years of experience as a counselor in higher education. Prior to arriving at River City, James served as the

assistant director of counseling and psychiatry services at the James Madison University.

This position reports directly to Mike Inge, Director of Counseling and Student Health

This position supervises the counselors in the Student Health Department, the graduate assistants, and one administrative

assistant.

Basic job responsibilities:

Assists in the operation of the River City Counseling Center by supervising and evaluating all administration and staff working

in these areas as well as overseeing the professional development of the graduate assistants

Ensures that the RCU Counseling Center maintains best practices of effective mental health care for students using a

collaborative and interdisciplinary approachPerforms other duties as assigned by the director

FINAL PACKET 15These positions report respectively to Mike Inge, Director of the Counseling and Student Health Center; James Green,

Associate Director of Counseling; and Sarah Brown, Associate Director of Student Health

Basic Job Responsibilities:

Provide administrative support to Director and Associate Directors and Staff with regard to paperwork [to include new employee/patient set up], initial daily schedules, and order

supplies.Interface daily with students, administrators, various

departments, visitors, staff, and faculty. Enter Student Data; maintain various computer-based records/files. Schedule and

coordinate multiple meetings and room reservations to include Staff, Board, Information Sessions and New Student

Orientations. Record and transcribe meeting minutes.Performs other duties as assigned

Administrative Assistant, River City Counseling Center

(Classified Staff)

Administrative Assistants (3)

FINAL PACKET 16These positions report directly to James Green, Associate

Director of CounselingThese positions may supervise graduate assistants in the

counseling center


Provide short-term counseling to studentsProvide crisis intervention and emergency mental health services; may include periodic on-call coverage on nights,

weekends, and/or holidaysRefer students to college resources or community treatment

providers as appropriateMaintain up-to-date clinical notes, monthly statistics, and any

other clinical documentation.Provide training, consultation, and support to other staff,

faculty, and graduate assistants as neededProvide professional mentorship and supervision to graduate

assistants as neededPerforms other duties as assigned

Counselor, River City Counseling Center

(A&P Faculty)

Counseling Staff

FINAL PACKET 17

This position reports directly to James Green, Associate Director of Counseling


10 clinical hours per weekMust be flexible with available hours for ease of scheduling

individual client sessions/crisis management as needed2 hours of individual supervision each week with a Senior Staff

memberConducts intake assessments

Monthly meeting with Graduate Assistant mentorMust participate in at least 2 Programming/outreach events

each semesterPerforms other duties as assigned

Graduate Assistant, River City Counseling

Center(Graduate Assistant)

Counseling Staff

FINAL PACKET 18

These positions report directly to Sarah Brown, Associate Director of Student Health


Provides clinical care at student health center, clinical teaching, teaching and supervision of medical students, residents

and/other learners, and possible administrative and programming duties as needed.

Physician, River City Student Health Center

(A&P Faculty)

Physician Staff (2)

FINAL PACKET 19

These positions report directly to Sarah Brown, Associate Director of Student Health


Provides care for RCU Student Health Center patients. Works in collaboration with RCU Health Center Physicians and medical

students and assists associate director with other duties as assigned.

Registered Nurse, River City Student

Health Center(A&P Faculty)

Nurse Staff (2)

FINAL PACKET 20

This position reports directly to Sarah Brown, Associate Director of Student Health


Provides patient care within the scope of their clinical privileges commensurate with the level of training, attendance

at clinical rounds, timely completion of medical records, and other responsibilities as assigned or as required of all members

of the medical staffResident Physician, River City Student


Resident Physician Staff

FINAL PACKET 21

This position reports directly to Sarah Brown, Associate Director of Student Health


Manages, supervises and coordinates the operations of RCU Wellness Program by improving the student community

through initiatives and wellness outreach, increasing positive student regard and overall awareness of the resources and offerings at the Student Health and Counseling Center, and removing the stigma associated with mental and physical

health issues by increasing awareness.

Wellness Programming and

Outreach Coordinator, River City Student


Wellness Programming

FINAL PACKET 22

This position reports directly to the Wellness Programming and Outreach Director


Assists in the management, supervision and coordination of the RCU Wellness Program by providing programming and

initiatives that promote substance abuse awareness and aid. Provides educational programming for RCU students and collaborates with counseling center and student health to

recommend mental and physical healthcare to RCU students.Oversees and advises the RCU substance abuse prevention

student group.

Substance Abuse Prevention

Coordinator, River City Student Health

Center(A&P Faculty)

Wellness Programming

FINAL PACKET 23

Resident(1)

Wellness Programming and Outreach Coordinator

Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator

Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant

*Shared*(Paid for by LGBTQ Center & Disability

Services)

Mike Inge, Director of Counseling & Student

Health

Sarah Brown Md.Associate Director,

Student Health

James GreenAssociate Director,

Counseling

Nurses(2)

Doctors(2)

Counseling Graduate Interns

(2)

Counseling Staff(7)

FINAL PACKET 24

FINAL PACKET 25

Administrative and Professional Faculty Performance Plan EMPLOYEE: Michael Inge DATE: 03/03/2015

POSITION TITLE: Director – Counseling & Student Health

POSITION NUMBER:

DEPARTMENT: Student Affairs & Wellness

PERFORMANCE YEAR: 2015

Section 1: ANNUAL PERFORMANCE GOALSNOTE: Goals should be established in accordance with the approved Administrative/Professional Faculty position description and the mission, vision and goals of the designated office, unit, division and River City University. Annual performance goals should be developed collaboratively by the employee and assigned supervisor. Goals should be clear, challenging, measurable, and achievable. Use additional performance goals continuation sheet if necessary.

GOAL 1: Ensure that professional counseling and student health staff are up to date on best practices this year as stated by the ACCA and Student Health Organization by personally attending conferences, supporting professional staff attendance, participation and presentations, and developing action plans based on current industry best practices.

GOAL 2: Coordinate monthly meetings for all staff to discuss collaboration and growth opportunities. During meetings, formulate an action plan for assessment and revision to programming. As an offshoot of monthly meetings, Director will provide 1 on 1 consultation with all Counseling and Student Health employees every two months at the least or more as needed.

GOAL 3: Increase the utilization of counseling center professionals by 5% through increased outreach programming during new student orientation, in collaboration with the first year experience program, and throughout the year as deemed necessary by the Wellness Programming and Outreach Coordinator. Further, reduce the attrition and dropout rate by 2% due to mental health issues.

FINAL PACKET 26

GOAL 4: Ensure confidentiality for students by applying industry best practices using locking filing cabinets and non-network computers for all student records and files.

GOAL 5: Increase inter and intradepartmental efficiency by linking student files in collaboration with student activities, academic affairs, athletics, and counseling and student health for the purpose of linking possible helping networks based on the particular involvement of each student, as allowed by federal laws and university regulations.

GOAL 6: Implement two new crisis management preparedness initiatives this year pertaining to student physical and mental health issues. Further, ensure that all A&P faculty are up to date in crisis response procedures by having one meeting and practice drill the week before new student orientation.

GOAL 7: Increase preventative physical and mental health education initiatives and programming by 20% this year through the support of the Wellness Programming and Outreach Coordinator.

Running Head: PACKET 3 1

Section 2: REVIEW OF POSITION DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE

PLAN

Supervisor’s Comments:

Signature: _______________________ Date:

______________________

Employee’s Comments:

Signature: Michael Inge_______________ Date:

02/23/2015_____________

For Human Resources Use Only:

Employee Position Number:

Human Resources Staff Reviewer:

HR Staff Reviewer Signature:

Date of Approval:

HR

APPROVAL

STAMP

FINAL PACKET 28

Assessment Plan

Introduction

Problem Description & Research Question

The stigma associated with speaking with a counselor about mental health issues

is a hurdle that every higher education institution counseling center must overcome.

Many students may associate mental health issues with weakness or insanity. Stress and

anxiety, the leading mental health issues facing students, can be alleviated and dealt with

in a healthy manner through counseling and healthy coping mechanisms. Often, students

turn to unhealthy alternatives such as drugs and alcohol to dull their mental health issues

making our mission and vision more difficult to attain. In alignment with our mission

and vision, the RCU Counseling Center provides mental health services to our students

with the goal that mental health issues do not inhibit any student’s ability to graduate and

lead a productive life. Understanding the needs and concerns of our students in regards

to mental health is of the utmost importance.

The purpose of this assessment is to use student and campus culture research to

gain further information on the attitudes of current RCU students towards mental health

illness and treatment and to use that knowledge to design initiatives that increase

awareness and decrease stigma. It is our intention to use these initiatives to create a

campus where mental health issues are not taboo and are subjects that can be discussed as

easily and openly as a physical injury. It is our goal that students will learn to recognize

mental health issues as they arise and seek help from friends, teachers, advisors, and

counselors before turning to self-medication or other possibly self or outwardly

destructive behaviors. Through this type of mental health active bystander and self-

FINAL PACKET 29

aware culture, RCU and the Counseling and Student Health Center can achieve their

missions and follow their visions.

Methods

Assessment Method

For the purpose of gaining more information to measure the most pertinent issues

facing attitudes toward mental health illness and treatment at RCU, we will use a Student

Culture and Campus Environment Assessment. This type of assessment will be

necessary to recognize where we should focus our efforts as we will uncover where our

campus culture is coming up short in its support of student with mental health illnesses.

Our concerns are with the personal development of our students with mental health

illnesses and whether or not they feel comfortable seeking help from our counseling

resources. The stigma associated with seeking therapy is our main concern and through

this assessment, we will be able to offer the most effective informational programming

because we will be able to identify the strongest facets of mental illness stigma and other

reasons why students may not seek help. When the sources of stigma are identified, we

can address them with programming featuring speakers, student advocates, testimonials,

data, and other awareness resources.

To support the mission and vision of the Counseling Center, we strive to help

students develop towards self-actualization where they can experience the strongest sense

of personal and professional fulfillment. Mental health illness is not a permanent barrier

to these goals but presents a hurdle that needs to be managed. Increasing awareness and

solidarity of students at RCU with people with mental illnesses is an effective way to

ensure that students will support each other and feel comfortable enough to seek help

FINAL PACKET 30

when needed. It is not in the vision of the Counseling and Student Health Center to

eliminate physical or mental illness, but to make sure that it does not get in the way of

our students’ goal attainment.

Data Sources

Being that the measurement of campus climate regarding mental health is the

focus of this assessment, measuring the attitudes and knowledge of RCU students will be

the most effective. While measuring the attitudes of other stakeholders is important in

many instances, students are the most transient members of the RCU community and will

presumably have the widest margin of knowledge, awareness, and efficacy in the

Counseling Center’s mission of supporting mental health for all students. Students also

spend most of their time in manners of their own choosing; away from faculty, staff, and

other stakeholders, so the Counseling Center feels strongly that students are the most

crucial advocates to be gained.

Our assessment team will use aggregate student data to establish benchmarks so

that we may measure whether the use of the Counseling Center matches with peer

institutions, our institution’s usage in past years, and the effectiveness of our initiatives at

the end of the school year. We will use our past aggregate student health and counseling

records to determine how many students have documented mental health illnesses that we

have either helped treat or been made aware of. We will also use past data from all

colleges at RCU to measure instances of Alcohol, Tobacco, or other Drug (ATOD) use

violations by their respective students and whether they match with key times during the

year where workloads are higher and stress and anxiety may become an issue. Finally,

we plan to use data from our Dean of Students office to measure correlations between

FINAL PACKET 31

instances of mental health illness and overall student involvement. Since much of the

Counseling Center data is protected by HIPPA, we will not make any of our results

public and will only use the data in the aggregate to take a percentage snapshot from year

to year. Our counseling team will gather data from their personal caseloads and it will be

combined to provide a ratio of the total RCU student body.

Participants

In order to gain a full picture of student attitudes, we will use a random sample of

the full population for the focus groups and survey instrument. It is our priority to gain a

sense of all major sources of stigma and barriers to seeking help at the Counseling Center

so we will be thorough in our data sourcing. We also have concerns with “outing”

students dealing with mental illness so we feel that a random sample is the best way to

ensure that students only share information with which they feel comfortable with other

students. This method is also appropriate as we aspire to measure the attitudes of the

“typical” student at RCU. This is important to us because students without conscious

exposure to mental health illness will be the focus of our programming. While it is

important to increase awareness in all students, the students who lack awareness and

solidarity will create the most potential for change.

Data Collection Instruments

We will use mixed methods, interview protocol and survey, to determine where

the greatest sources of stigma and misinformation lie. Our focus group interview

protocol will be designed by Mike Inge, Director of Counseling and Student Health and

James Green, Associate Director of Counseling, and will cover a wide array of ideas and

issues facing mental health illness and data will be collected, transcribed, coded, and

FINAL PACKET 32

interpreted by their research team. The most common themes found in the interviews

will used to shape the survey instrument. The survey instrument will gather

demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal data to help the Wellness Outreach and

Programming Director determine the best way to effect change in the campus climate and

student attitudes.

For the interview protocol, we will conduct 6 focus groups of 7-10 people to

ensure that we are able to cover a large enough sample of the student population. The

focus groups will last for 1 hour and will be conducted by James Green, Associate

Director of Counseling. There will be one facilitator and one data collector during the

focus groups consisting of our Counseling Center staff. Three of our counseling staff

members will assist in transcribing, and coding the data.

Interview Protocol Example Questions

What comes to mind when you hear mental illness?

What is the most pressing issue at RCU regarding mental illness?

Describe what mental health means to you.

What are your first or second-hand experiences with mental illness?

How do you or your friends deal with stress/anxiety?

o Describe your ATOD use when you are stressed.

For the survey instrument, we will send out 900 electronic surveys to ensure that

we reach the 375 participants needed to satisfy the confidence interval for our 16,000

student population at RCU. As previously stated, the survey will be heavily influenced

by the focus group results and will be designed by Mike Inge and James Green after the

focus groups conclude. Some examples of possible questions include:

FINAL PACKET 33

Survey Instrument Example Question

Demographic (Drop down box with ability to check multiple boxes or line for

other)

o Age, Race, Ethnicity, SES, Education Level, Geographic Origin

Knowledge (Likert Scale: Very Sure, Somewhat Sure, Neutral, Somewhat

Unsure, Very Unsure)

o As an RCU student, counseling sessions are free of charge.

o If I need to talk with a counselor at RCU, I know where to go.

Behavioral (Likert Scale: Very Much Like Me, Somewhat Like Me, Neutral,

Somewhat Unlike Me, Very Much Unlike Me)

o I tend to drink more when I am stressed out.

o I tend to keep my feelings bottled up inside until I explode

o When I am feeling down, I talk things over with other people to help

myself feel better

Attitudinal (Likert Scale: Very Much Like Me, Somewhat Like Me, Neutral,

Somewhat Unlike Me, Very Much Unlike Me)

o I see seeking help as showing weakness

o I can handle my problems on my own

o I could see myself dating someone with a mental health illness

Data Collection Procedure

Due to the sensitive nature of the results of our assessment, our team will consist

of our HIPPA trained staff in the Counseling Center. This will include our Wellness

Programming and Outreach Director, Mike Inge, James Green, and our counselors.

FINAL PACKET 34

Initial data collection has already taken place in the form of a needs assessment

(Appendix Figure 1) and has brought us to our present state of inquiry.

Controlling for data from participants who do not know that counseling services

are available or would not use the services, data will be analyzed by observing where the

greatest amount of stigma lies in the minds of the participants. First, if the students

would consider using the services, we will see how students typically deal with stress and

anxiety to determine where our programming might effectively target unhealthy or

destructive behaviors. Next, we will interpret data to see towards which mental illness

classifications student attitudes are most negative. We will use that data to initiate

programming that increases awareness, understanding, and solidarity with these specific

issues and, when possible, include a noteworthy spokesperson to shed light on these

issues and put a face with them. Finally, we will use the collected data to interpret how

we can determine why students don’t seek help and most effectively help students

recognize when they have a mental health illness and that it is okay to seek help.

Implications and Reporting

This assessment will allow us to focus our educational outreach on subjects of

mental illness that are the most in need. While we would like to be as comprehensive as

possible, our resources dictate that we should be as thorough as possible in one area

instead of offering a watered-down version of many. When the assessment process is

complete, we will use the information gathered to dictate our programming, possible

recruitment of experts, and which students we will involve and in what capacity. This

information will be reported to Vice President Inkelas and the plans for implementation

will be shown to support our mission and vision. It is our intention for our wellness

FINAL PACKET 35

programming and outreach coordinator to lead the outreach campaign and for s/he to

consult with our mental health professionals and others in the Richmond community to

determine the most impactful way to address the results of the assessment. We will also

use the information gathered to determine future programming and outreach ideas. Next

year, we will use this same assessment information to cover other areas that we were not

able to reach in this year’s programming. The Counseling Center will decide when the

next assessment is necessary to determine future programming initiatives at the end of the

school and fiscal year in June.

FINAL PACKET 36

Counseling & Student Health Annual Budget Justifications

Introduction

Counseling and Student Health (CSH) agreed to a $65, 582 budget cut, equal to

4.6% of its total budget. While this figure may seem small, it should be noted that

personnel makes up 91% of the overall budget in CSH so cutting 10% or $141,611.20

would take away all of our funding outside of personnel and it still would not be enough.

With this in mind, CSH revised its budget with the mission, vision, and goals of the

office at the center of every decision. Many tough decisions were made but overall, the

office will still be able to deliver exemplary services and programming to RCU students.

Personnel (-$25,447)

In response to the departmental budget cut, Counseling and Student Health

decided that it would be least disruptive to the operation of the office to transform both of

our programming and outreach coordinators to part-time positions. While this was a

difficult decision, we felt that our healthcare and counseling professionals were of the

highest priority and could not be compromised. A competitive total of $30,000 has been

allocated to each hourly position so we expect to either have our current employees stay,

or a very competitive employee search if it is necessary. While it is in our mission to

provide programs that promote mental and physical health, we felt that keeping the

Wellness Programming and Outreach Coordinator and Substance Abuse Prevention

Coordinator, even as part-time, was better than eliminating one position all together.

While we expect possible resignations from our current employees in these positions, we

fully expect that in the future, we will be able to provide the same quality programming

FINAL PACKET 37

that we are known for with part-time employees. We will do everything possible to

retain our current full-time employees through this transition.

Supplies, Materials, & Equipment (-$32, 635)

CSH found most of its savings in eliminating our plan to purchase new computers

for all of the office’s employees. We will continue on a plan to replace 4 computers per

year so that each employee’s computer will be replaced every 4 to 5 years. The computer

exchange system will be staggered so that 4 different employees will receive computers

on a cycle; putting the most recent replacements on the bottom of the list. We also

decided to scale down our furniture replacements with a similar system to the computer

replacement. The 4 offices with the most need will receive new couches, chairs, or

desks.

Our medical supplies, when itemized, gave us a savings of $8,675. We were still

able to update the basic equipment for the Doctors and Nurses in Student Health.

Unfortunately, with the budget cuts, we will not be able to provide the standard of care

that was outlined in the office goals of maintaining the most up to date medical

equipment. Technology in healthcare changes so rapidly that in the span of a few

months, a certain piece of technology could be taken over by a more advanced updated

technology. It is our goal as an office to provide our students with the most up to date

technology available. To aid us in this goal, we are in the process of partnering with St.

Mary’s Hospital in Richmond to set up referrals, when needed, to make sure that RCU

students receive the best care possible, even when that is not possible at Student Health.

Our Director of Student Health, Sarah Brown, is currently establishing a strong

collaboration with St. Mary’s that will see us through this budget cut. We are also

FINAL PACKET 38

collaborating with the Allison Maupin and the Office of Academic Success and Access

for students that do not have access to insurance to make sure that they are covered

through assistance programs for students living under the poverty line.

Items such as catering at monthly meetings and extra paper supplies (121500)

were cut or consolidated to other areas to save money. The monthly meetings will be

framed as “brown bag” lunches this year and we have formed a partnership with our

neighboring offices of Intramural and Recreation Sports to relieve some pressure on

paper costs.

Yearly Programming (-$200)

Though we only saved $200 in our yearly programming, we found that after

further consideration, our funds could be better used in other areas of the programming

budget. To better fit the mission and goals of our office, we were able to take some funds

away from initiatives such as the keynote speaker for our mental health awareness

initiative and put it towards our HIPAA and FERPA training, incentives for our office

assessment survey instrument, and making a contribution to the RCU Trust proposal.

Though our keynote speaker was such a success last year, we are hoping to find someone

who could come speak free of charge.

Travel (+$3700)

After further review, our travel budget was underestimated in our original budget

proposal. This was one area that increased in budget allocation but will ensure that our

staff has every resource needed to continue a high level of professional development.

FINAL PACKET 39

Wellness Week & Continuing Education Grant Proposal

Disability Resources; Amanda Burns- Director

Counseling and Student Health; Michael Inge- Director

Academic Success & Access; Allison Maupin- Director

FINAL PACKET 40

Grant Proposal

Table of Contents

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………...p. 41

II. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE……………………………………………………p. 42

1. Academic Success & Access

2. Counseling & Student Health

3. Disability Resources

III. PROJECT INFORMATION……………………………………………..…...p. 46

IV. PROJECT BUDGET……………………………………………………...…...p. 52

1. Anticipated Response Time

2. Contingency Plan for Funding

3. Sustainability

4. Detailed Proposal Budget

V. EVALUATION……………………………………………………..…………p. 55

1. Criteria for Success

2. Methods

3. Expected Results

FINAL PACKET 41

I. Executive Summary

What resources are available to students when they cannot afford to take

preventative health measures?

How can we ensure that every student has access to essential self-care products

regardless of ability to pay?

What is being offered to ensure that each student’s standard health needs, both

preventative and reactive, are being met?

These are questions that prompted Counseling and Student Health (CSH), the Office of

Disability Resources (ODR), and the Office of Academic Success and Access (OASA) to

evaluate the offerings at River City University and determine where programming and

resources were needed. Through collaboration and strategic partnerships, the three

aforementioned offices will implement a series of initiatives that will serve all students at

RCU with a focus on those who do not have the financial means to attain a standard of

self-care that is expected at a world-class university. The programs and initiatives will

focus on three major areas: preventative and reactive health care programs through RCU

and community partnerships, a “wellness week” with 5 days of targeted programming

and education, and an ongoing initiative of discrete wellness kit provisions. These three

areas will accomplish our mission of providing preventative education and resources to

RCU students, which will ensure that basic needs are being met, thus allowing them to

pursue their education without these avoidable inhibitions. Our offices alone cannot fund

this essential programming that has been absent at RCU in any formal manner. Our

diverse yet strategic office partnerships will ensure that the proposed programming has

the highest chances of success and is fully attainable with the financial aid of this grant.

FINAL PACKET 42

I. Proposal Narrative

Academic Success and Access

The Office of Academic Success and Access (OASA) strives to provide effective

academic support programming through self-empowerment to all students, regardless of

the students’ financial background. All agents of the office, whether through

programming or outreach, aim to improve self-authorship and promote holistic

development. The philosophy of OASA is to facilitate connections and cultivate a

community between RCU’s underrepresented student populations and community

partnerships.

The OASA is currently enhancing its extensive community outreach

programming directed towards low-income and racially diverse high schools in the state.

This program allows RCU to provide education and awareness of the college application

process with the hope to increase diversity amongst RCU’s student population. In

return, the OASA implements and executes a number of programs to not only aid in the

academic success of RCU students, but also support these underrepresented student

populations, to ensure that all students get the full RCU college student experience. Our

current challenge is the number of students we reach through our on-campus

programming. We hope by receiving additional grant money, it will create community

partnerships and donor relationships to aid in reaching a larger student population at

River City.

Although this is challenge, the OASA currently collaborates with the Office of

Financial Aid, to ensure low-income students are receiving maximum need-based aid.

In addition to Financial Aid, the OASA has partnerships with corporations and alumni

FINAL PACKET 43

donors, who have provided scholarships to low-income students. In regards to academic

success, the OASA has a partnership with RCU’s Athletic Academic Success Office to

provide undergraduate tutors to increase academic success amongst all RCU students.

Counseling and Student Health

Counseling and Student Health (CSH) is currently focusing on generating

awareness around mental and physical health and their connection to the success of each

student at River City. Our mission is to keep our practices up to date so that we may

offer the most effective mental and physical healthcare and education possible. The

CSH Center’s overarching philosophy is based upon Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and

how students must have their basic physical and mental needs met before they can reach

higher levels of development. Our outreach and programming is focused on mental and

physical health issue awareness and preventative medicine and maintenance. Our staff

makes great efforts to be on the cutting edge of the latest and most effective methods to

assure our students mental and physical health needs are being met.

Mental health stigma prevention and preventative medicine are two of our

greatest challenges at CSH and therefore are of the highest priority. Our programming

is educationally driven and focuses on empowering each student to take their physical

and mental health into their own hands. As young adults, students are ultimately

responsible for themselves. Our programming ultimately gives them the information

that they need to make healthy lifestyle choices and to know when they may need

assistance from our healthcare professionals.

Our wellness programming and outreach professional is responsible for many of

the initiatives that are generated in this department. The programming and outreach

FINAL PACKET 44

coordinator employs the aid and expertise of the mental and physical health care

professionals at RCU to offer the most relevant and effective initiatives available. For

instance, our most successful program of the fall semester was “Removing the Stigma,”

a mental health awareness event. During this event, we had a panel of speakers that

have dealt with mental health issues and went on to lead fulfilling lives. They shared

details of their difficulties during their college years and how they successfully dealt

with and overcame them. The keynote speaker, who is a motivational speaker, received

a resounding ovation after the talk about coping mechanisms and how finding healthy

alternatives, such as exercise, to deal with stress and anxiety is imperative to managing

mental health.

The CSH Center collaborates with Disability Resources to ensure that any

accommodations that are recommended by our staff are communicated and fulfilled by

the professionals in SDS. Often, mental health issues are not diagnosed until students

get to college. Stress and anxiety can be major issues on any college campus. SDS and

CSH form an essential partnership that ensures efficiency and allows us to achieve our

mission.

Disability Resources

Disability Resources is working towards increasing the usage of the office and

reaching a greater population of the RCU community. One way that we are aiming to

do this is through our Disability Advocate program, an initiative to change campus

climate towards disabilities and to educate students, faculty, and staff members. We

have already seen a great interest in this area and are excited to see the outcomes.

However, we are limited in the population for whom we can provide accommodations

FINAL PACKET 45

and reach. Students, faculty, and staff must disclose their disability on their own, so the

best way to attract more students to our office is to spread information around campus in

regards to what our office can provide and to create partnerships with others

departments at RCU. Unfortunately, as a small staff with a limited budget, we do not

always have access to the resources we need to provide the best, most innovative

accommodations or to make the greatest impact on our campus.

The partnership with the offices of Counseling and Student Health and Academic

Success and Access will allow us to have a greater impact on the campus; reaching more

members of the River City community. Two populations, in particular, that Disability

Resources is not able to serve optimally are students with temporary disabilities and

students that are a part of Access RCU; a program to create greater access to education

and a support network for low SES students. Often, students are required to purchase

crutches, a boot or cast, or a wheelchair at a great expense because of a temporary

disability. Disability Resources is not able to cover the cost of these accommodations,

although we can work with the student to provide parking or classroom

accommodations. It is difficult to see students that have a physical need that cannot be

met simply because of cost. Furthermore, we have encountered a number of students

that are legally blind but have not been able to afford prescription glasses or contacts.

Once again, Disability Resources is unable to use accommodation funds to purchase

glasses for students, as our funds are restricted. These partnerships, including the

mutually beneficial collaborations we seek with several local businesses, will allow us to

meet student needs that have previously been neglected, in a resourceful, sustainable,

and low-cost manner.

FINAL PACKET 46

II. Project Information

Within the River City University community, there is a lack of preventive health

initiatives and education being provided to all students, but more specifically to low-

income students. By creating a hybrid program that addresses different elements of

health and wellness education to the entire student population, and provides additional

resources to RCU’s low-income student population; the offices of Counseling and

Student Health, Disability Resources and Academic Success and Access can greatly

impact our community. Both Counseling and Student Health and Disability Resources

have a low rate of low-income students utilizing facilities and services, and the OASA

has an increasing influx of advising and student needs for low-income students. After

extensive discussion and deliberation, the three offices created a program to better meet

the needs of low-income students without marginalizing them, all while creating

preventive programming which benefits the entire RCU student population. The goal of

this grant is reach a student population whose needs are not being met through current

health and wellness initiatives within the RCU and Richmond community.

There are three main programming initiatives that will be put into place if grant

money is awarded: Wellness Week wherein wellness kits containing essential healthcare

items will be distributed, ongoing preventive educational programming, and community

business partnerships. This proposal directly aligns with the Trust’s mission in that it

enforces collaboration between RCU and external community partnerships with Fleet

Feet Sports and Prevent Blindness America, it demonstrates a clear commitment to

RCU’s student population, and it demonstrates innovation and leadership all while

advancing the mission of River City University.

FINAL PACKET 47

Initiative Activity and

External

Partnerships

Explanation Responsibility

Wellness

Week*

Monday

Activities

Partnership:

Athletics for

student athletes to

collect toiletries

from travels,

collect donations

from community

Pick up your Wellness Kit:

thermometer, advil/medicine

sample packs, band-aids, vitamins,

self-breast screen shower tags,

hand sanitizer, mini-toiletries

(toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner,

deodorant, floss), chapstick,

feminine hygiene products.

Wellness Kits will be

put together and

distributed by student

workers from all three

offices.

All leftover kits and

supplies will be

housed in OASA for

low-income students

continued use

Wellness

Week

Tuesday

Activities

Resource Panel/Presentation: an

informative session open to all

students to detail all resources that

are located at RCU and within the

Richmond community

Hosted by Mike Inge

(Director of

Counseling and

Student Health),

Amanda Burns

(Director of Disability

Resources), and

Allison Maupin

FINAL PACKET 48

(Director of OASA)

Wellness

Week

Wednesday

Activities

Focus on physical health

screenings & focus on mental

health education and screenings

(Blood pressure, Cholesterol,

Blood Sugar, Eyesight, and

Hearing Screenings)

Counseling and

Student Health

Wellness

Week

Thursday

Activities

Partnership:

Helen Chandler,

Director of

LGBTQ

Resources

Safe-Sex Talk: free contraceptives

and presentation

Helen Chandler,

Director of LGBTQ

Resources

(In need of

contraceptives? Drop

by the health &

wellness center)

Wellness

Week

Friday Activities Dietician/Nutritionist “How to

make healthy diet choices in the

dining halls” &

Substance Abuse Prevention

Discussion

Counseling and

Student Health

FINAL PACKET 49

Preventive* Fit Bit

Distribution-

monthly

Students may use for 1 month and

meet weekly with wellness

programming & outreach

coordinator to discuss health goals.

Wellness week participation

prizes. Students are randomly

selected.

Counseling and

Student Health

Preventive* Eyesight/Hearing

Screenings-

monthly

Eyesight and Hearing Screenings

are also available on the first

Monday of each month through the

Wellness center between 12-4pm*

Counseling and

Student Health

Community

Outreach*

Partnership with

Fleet Feet shoe

store

Partner with local shoe store for

athletic shoe scholarship program

(free shoe/gait analysis for each

shoe we purchase, if we refer

customers)

Referral by Student

Health, distribution

through Disability

Resources

Community

Outreach*

Partnership with

Prevent Blindness

America

Partner with Prevent Blindness

America, a non-profit, which gives

free eye exams and glasses each

year to low SES students.

Referral by Student

Health, distribution by

OASA

FINAL PACKET 50

Community

Outreach*

Partnership with

local offices and

community

members

Start a community fund for lightly

used (or new) crutches,

wheelchairs, glasses, boots,

running shoes, etc.

Referral by Student

Health, distribution

through Disability

Resources

*Denotes continuing event throughout the academic year

All three offices will have a major role in carrying out different elements of this project.

The Office of Academic Success and Access will mainly be responsible for collecting, preparing,

distribution, and storage of Wellness Week kits. The OASA will continue collection of these

donated and purchased items after the conclusion of Wellness Week, and these items will be

distributed to low-income RCU students. Counseling and Student Health will be providing

clinicians to aid in the physical and mental health screenings not only during Wellness Week but

also throughout the academic year. Physicians will also aid in the delivery of multiple

presentations regarding preventive health throughout Wellness Week. Disability Resources will

primarily be responsible for navigating community outreach (with aid from both Outreach

Coordinators for OASA and Counseling and Student Health). Disability Resources will regulate

the collection of donated medical equipment and distribution. All three offices approached this

project with the mindset of how can we help as many students as possible, that need the most aid

in this area, and provide them with lasting and preventive education.

FINAL PACKET 51

IV. Detailed Program Budget

1. Total Overall Program Cost $62,000.00

2. River City Trust: Of the Total Overall Program Cost, what amount is being requested from the River City Trust? $50,000.00

3. Applicants: What amount (if any) of the Total Overall Program Cost are you, the applicants, contributing? This might include person contributions or departmental contributions.

$ 5,000

If you are not contributing, why not? The Disability Resources office is unable to provide monetary funds, due to an already limited budget; however, we will provide personnel and staffing support at all events through our Director, Assistant Director, and student advocates. Counseling and Student Health is also providing their staff to volunteer their time at Wellness Week, conducting physical and mental health screenings. This includes 2 Residents, 2 Outreach Coordinators, and 2 Graduate Interns. They will also provide the funding for the physical health screening equipment and upkeep of current equipment that they will lend us for the screenings. The Academic Success and Access office is also volunteering their staff to make the Wellness Week Kits and volunteer at the event. This includes an Outreach Coordinator, a Graduate Assistant, and 12 Undergraduate Tutors.4. Firm Funding Sources: What amount (if any) has been or will be funded by other sources (e.g., Government agencies, other private foundations, businesses, individuals)? Please list sources and amounts below. Do not include funds listed in items 2 or 3 above.Source: The RCU Community, including students, staff, and faculty will contribute to our fund of lightly used crutches, wheelchairs, glasses, boots, and other reusable items that can benefit students with disabilities, whether temporary or permanent.

$ 2,000

Source: Fleet Feet Sports Richmond has agreed to donate one pair of running shoes for each shoe that we purchase (with a value no greater than $100 per pair), up to 20 shoes per year. This includes a free gait analysis. We have also agreed to refer all of our students to Fleet Feet Sports Richmond through Student Health.

$ 2000.00

Source: Other Sources-firm funding TOTAL: $4000.00

Other Sources – firm funding TOTAL:

5. Other Sources Pending: What amount (if any) is not yet funded but is under consideration by additional sources? Please list sources and amounts. Do not list amounts in items 2, 3 & 4 above.Source: We are in the process of working with Prevent Blindness America to partner with us in providing students in the Access RCU program with free eye exams and glasses each year.

$ 3000.00

Source: Other Sources- pending funding TOTAL: $ 3000.00

FINAL PACKET 52

Anticipated Response Time

We anticipate a finalized decision from Prevent Blindness America by the end of May.

This will provide us with plenty of time to negotiate any terms, if necessary, and organize the

program before the beginning of the school year.

Contingency Plan for Funding

Partial funding could allow our project to move forward in two distinct ways. First,

partial funding to cover solely the Wellness Week events would allow us to have a week-long

event each semester that not only educates students about preventative measures of wellness, but

also provides them with resources and advice for the here and now. The total funding necessary

for Wellness Week is $40,500. The second option for partial funding is covering the cost for our

community fund of lightly used (or new) crutches, wheelchairs, boots, glasses, and running

shoes. The minimum funding necessary for this is: $5,500, but it is better to have a larger supply

in case demand is high, an item is lost, or an item becomes too worn or broken.

Sustainability

Upon expiration of this grant, we plan to sustain the community fund through donations

and continued partnerships with students, staff, faculty, community members, Prevent Blindness

America, and Fleet Feet Sports Richmond. We are also planning to provide evidence of the

effectiveness of the program to University administration, asking for funding in future years. We

also have partners on campus that are willing to talk at our Wellness Week without payment, and

bring some prizes or goodies from their office as incentive for students to attend, including Helen

Chandler, Director of LGBTQ Resources, Evan Teague, Director of Campus Recreation, and

representatives from our own offices. In order to fund the Wellness Kits, if the University is

unable to fund them, we would reach out to local hospitals and organizations for donations, work

FINAL PACKET 53

with Eric Spencer, Director of Travel, to collect toiletry items for the kits while they are away on

travel, and work with Justin Smith, Director of Alumni Relations, to promote Wellness Week to

Alumni.

Detailed Proposal Budget

Item Cost Revenue secured or pending?

Required for successful project completion? Y/N

Crutches $1,000.00 Pending YBoots for broken feet or ankles $2,000.00 Pending Y

Wheelchairs $500.00 Pending YThermometers $8,000.00 Pending YMedicine sample packs $2,000.00 Pending YBandaids $1,000.00 Pending YEmergen-C packs $3,000.00 Pending YBreast Cancer Self-Exam Shower Card $4,900.00

PendingY

Hand Sanitizer $5,000.00 Pending YToothpaste $5,000.00 Pending YMini-Toiletries $1,000.00 Pending YChapstick $3,500.00 Pending YAdvertisements $100.00 Pending YFeminine Hygene Products $1,000.00 Pending YPhysical Health Screening Supplies $8,900.00 Secured Y

Mental Health Screening Supplies $1,000.00 Secured Y

Fit Bits $1,000.00 Pending Y

FINAL PACKET 54

V. Evaluation

Criteria for Success

To measure success, this initiative will evaluate OASA student data, Student Health’s

wellness kit distribution, student participation during Wellness Week, and Disability Service’s

utilization and distribution of medical products to aid students with temporary and permanent

disabilities. Our ability to initiate and maintain partnerships with local businesses will also

determine how effective this program will be.

For this program to ultimately be successful there should be an increase in retention and

an improvement academically among our high-risk students that are a part of the initiatives at the

Office of Academic Success and Access.

Methods

A mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative instruments and reviewing past

institutional data will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of this program. OASA student data

will be measured before and after the program, which we will use to compare to previous years.

Data that we are most interested in is if students who take advantage of our programming

actually persist at a higher rate and have lower rates of attrition due to health reasons. We will

gather retention and persistence data as it relates to health reasons from the 5 years prior to this

programming to determine if our program has any immediate effects. Counseling and Student

Health will provide aggregate data for this purpose to make sure that we are in compliance with

all HIPAA guidelines.

Students in the Academic Success program will also form focus groups to gather

qualitative data, which will let us know how well their needs are being met and their perceptions

FINAL PACKET 55

of what they need to be healthy enough to perform at the highest level, academically. Some

questions that we will ask include:

Describe your state of physical health since you came to RCU?

If you had the financial resources, would you be able to take better care of yourself?

o What would you do to take better care of yourself?

What are some basic healthcare needs that you would like to have available for little to no

cost?

Describe the effects that your health has had on your academic work.

This data will be valuable to the formation of a quantitative survey instrument to be issued to a

larger portion of students who have benefitted from this wellness program. A team of directors

and personnel from CSH, OASA, and Disability Resources will form different parts of the

instrument specific to their professional areas. CSH has allocated funds for $5 incentive gift

cards for participants to make sure that the limited population that we are focusing on actually

participates in the assessment. This mixed methods approach will provide a high degree of trust

in the results of our assessment.

Expected Results

The collaborating offices expect an increase in retention and academic success for the

students aided by the Office of Academic Success and Access. While this programming is

available to all RCU students, our primary focus for assessment is this population. Our offices

believe in a holistic approach to student success; including physical and mental health and well-

being. The services and products that will be made available to RCU students through this

program should increase preventative healthcare access for the target population and help

students with temporary and permanent injuries and disabilities acquire the crutches, boots, or

other medical products that they otherwise would not be able to afford.

FINAL PACKET 56

Capstone Reflection

Capstone has done the job of preparing me more for the environment in which I am about

to work. Though a research paper would have been interesting, I can never replicate this type of

experience again. I applaud you, Christian, and Sarah for your innovative and realistic ideas and

for the vision to bring all of this together with chances to revise our work. I also appreciate the

critical nature of my colleagues as any real-life situation will have critics and dissention in the

ranks. Questioning what we are doing both privately among ourselves and openly in class

discussions is as real as it gets.

As director of student health and counseling, I found myself getting frustrated at times

because my budget was so difficult to prepare and my staff was more specialized and

complicated than most others. I took ownership of the responsibility because it is probably a

reflection on my abilities to be able to handle more. I immersed myself into this role as our unit

discussed budget cuts and fought to keep my staff intact when I was not close to cutting 10%.

My unit understood when they realized what my staff consisted of and I was glad that I stood up

for myself and cited the mission in my justification.

Though it was frustrating at times to keep quiet when I wanted to advocate or argue for a

certain position, I learned to choose my battles wisely to keep credibility within my unit. We

were an amicable group that listened to each other so I do not think that we would have had

issues but I decided that it was best to know when to let some ideas go. I liked the challenge of

the budget cuts and thought that it was useful to have the grant proposal be inter-unit. I felt like

we all put similar amounts of time and effort into our grant proposal and expect that the trust will

recognize our innovative yet sustainable idea with the grant award. I would hope that the grant

proposal is one part of the project that will be kept around for next year.

Inge Final Packet Capstone

Documents