Student Development Services January 28, 1988 7-1.0 Introduction The Self-Study Committee on Student Development Services was appointed in the Spring quarter of 1986. The committee included one representative from each college in the University, with two members designated from Arts and Sciences. In addition three representatives from the Division of Student Affairs, one from administrative services, and one undergraduate and one graduate student served on the committee. Finally, two members of the Steering Committee were appointed to provide liaison. 7-1.1 Charge to the Committee The charge to the Student Development Services Committee included the following SACS criteria: * 5.5.1 Resources * 5.5.2.1 Counseling and Career Development * 5.5.2.2 Student Government, Student Activities and Publica- tions * 5.5.2.3 Student Behavior * 5.5.2.5 Residence Halls * 5.5.2.7 Health Services * 5.5.2.8 Intramural Athletics Included under 5.5.2.1 was Academic Advising. This task, along with the criteria 5.5.2.4 (Student Records) and 5.5.2.6 (Student Financial Aid), were considered by the committee on Undergraduate Educational Programs. 5.5.2.9 (Intercollegiate Athletics) was assigned to the Administrative Processes Committee. The entire committee met several times to review the charge and establish a plan of work. The members divided into various subcommittees and began investigations of programs and services grouped according to common characteristics. Within a very short time the committee recognized that the University would meet minimum standards for accreditation. The goal, thus, became to go beyond the expected, to make recommendations that would exceed the ordinary, and to offer ideas that could be included in the planning process for the University. 7-1.2 Methods Due to the scope of the University's commitment to the student community, the Student Development Services Self-Study Committee was divided into task force units. By so doing, the committee was able to assess in depth many internal components and aspects of student affairs at the University. The committee also decided that, in order to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest, no representative would be responsible for reviewing any compo- nent with which he or she was professionally or closely associ- ated. Throughout the 1986-1987 academic year the committee met regularly to review and to discuss the various task force reports. The chair of the committee and one representative met with the Self-Study Steering Committee to review the initial draft of the Student Development Services chapter in June 1987. Revisions and additional research continued throughout the summer and into the fall of 1987. Based on comments and critiques both verbal and written from faculty, students, and staff, editing and revision continued throughout the Fall 1987 quarter. Vigorous discussion and debate characterized the entire process. 7-1.3 Perspective This report of 1986-87 Student Development Services Self-Study Committee recognizes students as the vital core of the Univer- sity. The basic assumption is that universities facilitate the intellectual and personal growth of students. In that context, student organizations and activities, student involvement in University governance, and the Division of Student Affairs complement this University's academic mission; and all help students become responsible, engaged adults. This committee thinks that the time students spend on campus and the quality of their involvement in extracurricular activities strengthens the depth and value of their higher education. Enhancing the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of each individual student (Preamble, Statement of Ethical and Professional Standards, American College Personnel Association) is the ideal of the university. This report proposes a variety of recommendations that the committee thinks will contribute to closing the gap between the ideal and the real as we approach the year 2000. This self-study process has provided the opportunity to reflect on the subject of leadership, a topic of general concern of civic and professional groups during this decade. Student affairs professionals, in particular, know that in the face of the challenge to achieve excellence in education, they must exert leadership.* Thus, this report offers: constructive recommen- ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Gerald D. Welch, "Student Services and the Question of Leadership," NASPA Journal, Spring 1986, Vol. 23, No. 4. ----------------------------------------------------------------- dations designed to foster the development of leadership skills among students; recommendations designed to promote creative leadership in the search for more resources: human, fiscal, and physical; and recommendations to encourage executive officers, faculty, staff, and students to assume greater leadership respon- sibility. The need for more leadership opportunities and other personal growth activities for students is of particular concern. Accord- ing to a recent study, pre-1975 graduates rate their personal growth experiences at the University higher than do recent gradu- ates.* This study suggests that the difference provides some ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Office of Institutional Research and Planning Analysis, "Perceptions of Former Students," IRPA Vol. 87, No. 104, June 19, 1987. ----------------------------------------------------------------- basis for the long held belief that the mandatory Corps of Cadets provided students with greater opportunities for personal growth. If this is the case, then the University must pay attention to developing more and better opportunities for personal growth now that the student body is overwhelmingly civilian. The University must not lose ground in in this critical area and must meet the challenge to achieve excellence. Promoting personal growth opportunities for students will create a more involved and active student body. Some faculty and staff in the University may find a more and active student body fatigu- ing and at times irritating on a day-to-day basis. Student affairs professionals recognize that possibility; still, " . . . regardless of how much administrators want and need peace and tranquility on campus, it may indeed be counterproductive to genuine developmental growth."* The university community is the ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Paul A. Boland, "Learning to Love Instability and Conflict," Journal of College Student Personnel, Vol. 28, No. 1, January 1987. ----------------------------------------------------------------- training ground for future leaders in business, the professions, industry, and public service. Through the development of quality student affairs programs, increasing the ties between our academic mission and student affairs, and developing the entire university community we can more successfully achieve the mission and ideal of this University, the largest public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 7-2.0 Student Organizations And Activities There are approximately 400 active student organizations and innumerable programs, activities, and student meetings, at VPI&SU. The most recent information available shows that 95 percent of the student body participates in extracurricular affairs and that 75 percent of the students participate at least moderately in organizations and activities. It would be imprac- tical for this Self-Study report to survey all of the academic and non-academic student organizations and their activities. Therefore, this committee opted to research five organizations and activities with high visibility which reflect the interests and concerns of major sectors of the student community. Those organizations and activities are the Student Government Associ- ation, the Honor System, Intramurals and Recreational Services, the Corps of Cadets, and the Virginia Tech Union. 7-2.1 Student Government Association Mission And Purpose Thomas Jefferson regarded student government as "a necessary link between the educational experience and life in a democracy." The standards that govern or set the tone for student life help clarify the University's expectations, make rules understandable, and contribute to the definition of the character of the institu- tion as a learning community. Students at VPI&SU participate in University affairs and make valuable contributions in planning and decision making through the Student Government Association (SGA). The purposes of the Student Government Association are to: * represent the undergraduate student body in all areas of University life, * participate in and represent the student body concerning matters of student life and academics in the shared governance system, and * enhance student leadership skills. The Student Government Association is self-regulating. Principal Components And Responsibilities The Student Government Association is composed of the Student Senate and four executive officers. The Senate has three stand- ing committees: Executive, Committee on Committees, and Creden- tials and Elections. There are five special-interest subcommittees: Academic Affairs, Public Relations, Legislative Affairs, Off-Campus Affairs, and Student Life. The Student Government Association supports Student Legal Services, the Student Health Advisory Committee, the Virginia Tech Alliance, the Virginia Tech Chapter of the Virginia Students Association; and is represented on University and town commit- tees. Through its committees and representatives, the SGA voices student concerns. The committees define issues and establish the best means to introduce student concerns to the University and the town. Over the past decade, the SGA has been responsible for initiating dialogue and promoting new policies that respond to student needs and concerns. Major Changes Since 1975 The Student Government Association is a dynamic organization. Within the framework of the student governance structure, succes- sive generations of students have developed and adopted new procedures and policies to better represent students in the University community. For example, the Student Government Association has made great strides in streamlining its voting procedures. Under a new constitution adopted in November 1986, the SGA has changed from staggered senatorial terms with two elections per year to concurrent terms with an annual spring election. Discussion And Recommendations Student Government Association leaders recognize that their jobs are time consuming; only the most dedicated and energetic students can manage the many tasks and liaison responsibilities demanded by the University. Those students who emerge as student leaders recognize the valuable experience they have gained and the service that they have rendered to their University. In the future, as the SGA strengthens its relationship with University faculty and administrators, the value of the SGA to the Univer- sity community will inevitably increase. Over the past few years, the SGA has been a major proponent of the Blacksburg Transit System, the new student identification system, the 24-hour library study program during final examina- tion week, and the on-campus housing visitation policy. It has lobbied for a 24-hour area in the Squires Student Center, on-campus special housing, and the off-campus Greek housing project. The Public Relations committee, recognizing the lack of a coherent on-campus communication and information service, has lobbied for SGA bulletin boards in all campus buildings. Hopefully through a SGA newsletter, the students will be able to offer a rationally organized approach to an on-campus student information and communication system. The Student Life Committee has placed suggestion boxes in dining halls and has been working with the dining hall management to develop a less impersonal alternative to designating and naming dining halls. The Off-Campus Affairs Committee is currently promoting a student savings card program with local merchants and a "YES/NO" stamp that will allow establishments serving alcoholic beverages to distinguish patrons of legal drinking age from those under age. The Academic Affairs Committee is developing proposals for a more-responsive grade appeals policy and is working on a student class evaluation process that will permit open access to peer evaluations of classes offered at the Univer- sity. That committee, together with the Senate, has also been working toward a proposal to establish a policy for reading days, or "dead-days," before final examinations. The Elections and Credentials committee has long wished to modernize the system of on-campus voting to make it more conven- ient for students to participate in the voting process. Over the past few years only 10 to 15 percent of the student body has had the patience to endure the outdated designated-site, manual- checklist system currently in place. All of the students who are active in student government recog- nize that the chief problem they face in developing many of their initiatives is the lack of adequate financial resources to pay for both the current basic services and the new services they wish to offer the student body. The SGA lacks the resources for more and modern voting equipment, printing, and campus-wide information and communication services. At present, the SGA receives its budget ($39,341 for the 1986-87 FY) from the Student Budget Board; most of that budget finances Student Legal Services. Because the Student Budget Board funds are limited and must be allocated to a wide variety of student organizations, the SGA does not receive the funds necessary to achieve its goals. Recommendation 7-1: That the Office of the President and the Vice President for Finance help the Student Government Association explore and develop alternative methods of funding. One such alternative method of financing would be to establish a student government fee. Such a fee could more than double the current SGA budget, permit the SGA to continue to pay for Student Legal Services, provide the SGA with the funds necessary to expand and modernize procedures and equipment, and permit the SGA to develop and maintain a campus-wide information and communi- cation system for students. 7-2.2 University Honor System Mission And Purpose One very important part of student life is the Virginia Tech Honor System. Although honor is difficult to define, it clearly refers to relationships that govern society and accord its members immediate and tangible benefits. The Honor System is not so much a set of published rules and regulations as it is a way of life with the beliefs that the system is predicated upon are made available to each student. Falsification, cheating, and plagiarism are considered violations of the Honor Code, which are expressly forbidden by University policy. The Honor System was established to implement the Honor Code, which is based on three beliefs: 1. To trust a person is a positive force in making that person worthy of that trust. 2. To live in an academic environment that is free from the injustices caused by cheating, plagiarism, and falsification is a right of every student. 3. To live by an Honor System is consistent with and a contrib- ution to the University's quest for truth. History The Honor System was established in 1908 to provide students an opportunity to decide and maintain their own guidelines for personal conduct. The Honor System was decentralized in 1973 with the establishment of an investigative board and a judicial panel in each of the University's colleges. To evaluate the success of decentralization and make recommendations that responded to any identifiable problem areas, the Provost estab- lished a committee to study the Honor System during 1984-85. Many recommendations were made to strengthen the Honor System and its effect on student trust. As a result of the study and some problems with the constitution, a committee was formed to re-write the constitution. The revised constitution was approved by all governance committees by January 1987 and was put in effect for the Fall 1987 term. Discussion And Recommendations Education Faculty who are closely associated with the Honor System defend its purpose and effectiveness. However, there seems to be some sense of dissatisfaction with the system which is manifest in the refusal of some faculty to use it. Several reasons are given for not using the system. Some faculty do not want to get involved with the structured procedures of the Honor System. Others prefer to provide their own sanctions, such as no credit on a paper or test. Students who are punished by a faculty member frequently receive a lesser sanction than those issued by the Honor System. Some faculty feel a personal affront when a case ends with a "not guilty" verdict. Just by definition, they feel that if the student is declared "not guilty," then the faculty member must be guilty of lying. Finally, some are concerned that Honor System procedures infringe upon the students' constitu- tional right of due process and right to legal counsel. Honor System Awareness Committee In the 1984-85 study of the Honor System, only 18 percent of the students and 13 percent of the faculty consider themselves well- informed about the Honor System. Nevertheless, 80 percent of each group felt the Honor System had a moderate or substantial influence in reducing cheating. In order to inform both faculty and students, the Honor System Awareness Committee was estab- lished; the purpose of this committee is to: * provide general information about the system itself * inform students of their rights in the system * provide faculty with a working knowledge of the system so that all students are treated equally * recruit more faculty and students for panels and boards of the system. Emphasis should be placed on recruiting minority members. The Honor System Awareness Committee should meet regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of films, brochures, signs, and informational letters to faculty. A brochure listing the exact steps and appeals procedures should be designed and provided to students upon their first notification of the suspected violation. Training Students who form the Honor System investigate reported violations and thereby make decisions that may affect the rest of another person's life. Problems in the investigative process may be traced to lack of adequate training of these student investi- gators. All efforts should be made to train new members adequately. Information on due process and appeals should be included in this training. Hearing Delays One problem with any judicial system, such as the Honor System, is the inordinate amount of time it takes to gather and to evalu- ate all evidence. The current administration has emphasized the need for timeliness in hearing cases and for bringing them to closure as quickly as possible. If cases cannot be closed within a reasonable time, additional staffing should be considered. Computer Plagiarism Currently, the Honor System has no definition of computer plagiarism, even though the issue has arisen. Though difficult to determine and to establish, the Honor System should develop some guidelines for defining computer cheating. Service Sanction The new constitution permits a sanction of service to the Univer- sity for some Honor violations. Such sanctions should be controlled and evaluated by the Provost's Office in conjunction with the Honor System Review Board. All assigned hours of service should be monitored and enforced while paying strict attention to confidentiality. Since all actions of the Honor System are confidential, the monitoring of the service sanction by the Provost's Office will be difficult. Recommendation 7-2: That the service sanction be used with discretion for some Honor violations. 7-2.3 Intramural And Recreational Services Mission And Purpose The Intramural and Recreational Services program in the Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation within the College of Education is endeavoring to conduct a modern program of sports participation for the students, faculty and staff of VPI&SU, based upon the following philosophy and purpose: * That college men and women are still in the formative and active phases of their lives when vigorous participation in active games and recreation is necessary and beneficial. * That it is an educational responsibility of a modern univer- sity to promote a complete and intelligently conducted intra- mural and recreation program for the entire student body, faculty and staff. * That sports participation is an important heritage of the American people; and all students, faculty and staff should have the opportunity and be encouraged to participate. Discussion And Recommendations Participation in intramurals peaked in 1981-82, with 30,929 participants in intramural events (a participation is defined as one student registered for a sport or event). In 1984-85, a new director was named and efforts were made to bring the activities more in line with the facilities, budget and supervisory capabil- ities of the Intramural and Recreational Services program. Water basketball, flickerball, team handball and co-recreational softball were eliminated as intramural events and participations declined to 16,409. Since that time, participations have risen slightly. During the 1985-86 academic year, there were 17,649 participations in intramural sports/events. Because many students commonly participate in more than one sport or event per year, a more reasonable estimate of the percentage of students involved in intramural activities is the average number of participations per quarter divided by the number of students enrolled. This figure remains biased upward because of multiple activities by the same student per quarter. With recog- nition of the remaining bias, the approximate percentage of students participating in 1985-86 intramural sports and events was 25 percent (5,600/22,000). Comparable rates of partic- ipation, using the same criteria for a survey of three other institutions, were as follows: Michigan State University, 58 percent (26,269/45,000); Cornell University, 42 percent (7,000/17,000); University of Tennessee, 34 percent (8,250/24,500). Intramural participation and the quality of life at the Univer- sity could be improved by increasing the number of activities and enhancing promotion to improve student awareness of intramural programs. Participation could be further enhanced if activities such as skiing, backpacking, canoeing, aerobics, and bicycling are added to the traditional core of intramural sports, without charging students any additional fees. Such non-traditional recreation and unstructured play reach a type of student who may not be involved in other intramural sports. These activities would also take advantage of Blacksburg's picturesque, rural setting -- something the current program has not emphasized. The Intramural and Recreational Services program is designed to serve the entire student body as well as the faculty and staff. Its mission at a University in a non-urban setting with a large body of students in residence is a key component of the quality of student and faculty life. Therefore, the administration, staffing and budgeting for the Intramural and Recreational Services program should be most responsive to the entire Univer- sity community. This responsiveness could come from the incorpo- ration of the intramural program into the Division of Student Affairs, which would allow coordination and better communication with the other units of that division. Removing Intramural and Recreational Services from the College of Education would increase its responsibility to the entire Univer- sity community and unencumber the program from the natural self- interest of the College of Education. The reassignment, however, is complicated because the intramural program would have to share one facility, the War Memorial Gymnasium, with the instruction program of the Division of Health, Physical Education and Recre- ation. A new facility, devoted entirely to Intramural and Recre- ational Services, may be necessary to allow complete separation of the program from the College of Education. An interim step in the process of separation, sharing of responsibility for Intramu- ral and Recreational Services between Student Affairs and the College of Education, may be necessary until a new facility could be constructed. If the Intramural and Recreational Services program is reassigned to the Division of Student Affairs before construction begins on a new facility, the Director of Intramural and Recreational Services must continue as coordinator of recre- ational facilities and act as a liaison between the program, the shared facility, and the physical education classes in the College of Education. Recommendation 7-3: That a joint committee, composed of faculty from the Division of Student Affairs and the Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, study the viabil- ity of transferring the administration, budgeting, and personnel for the Intramural and Recreational Services program from HPER to the Division of Student Affairs. Understaffing in the Intramural and Recreational Services program has led to a number of deficiencies in the program, including * inadequate funding and a lack of supervision of sport clubs, * overdependence on graduate assistants and insufficient empha- sis on training of student officials, * no personnel have the responsibility to supervise or plan unstructured recreation, * no program development in non-traditional recreation, and * inappropriate opportunity for the Director to devise and/or develop a comprehensive program in coordination with other student life organizations. Additional staff positions would allow the number and quality of current programs to be maintained and provide needed enhancement of the overall program in four areas: development, planning, promotion and non-traditional recreation. Finally, there has been an ongoing problem with funding, support, and supervision of the extramural sports clubs. Recommendation 7-4: That additional calendar year positions be budgeted for and assigned to Intramural and Recreational Services. Since its construction in 1974, the War Memorial Gymnasium has been the hub of the Intramural Recreational Services program and physical education instruction. A major university with 22,345 students and 5,200 faculty and staff needs a campus facility where recreational programs are the first priority, not a second priority behind instruction. Universities similar in size to VPI&SU have built such facilities and found them to be a focal point of campus life. The construction of a recreational/fitness center would provide facilities for recreation and a comprehensive fitness and health program for the students, staff, faculty, and the community. The 28 percent increase in students, coupled with the heightened interest in fitness in this country in the last 13 years, has caused the space for indoor recreation and swimming on campus to become inadequate. A 250,000-square-foot recreation/fitness center is needed, which would house an Olympic-size pool, five basketball courts, an indoor running track, 16 racquetball courts, weight training room, four exercise/multi-purpose rooms, fitness testing laboratory, dance room, combatives room, and office space. The facility would cost approximately $25 million dollars. Recommendation 7-5: That the University begin to develop plans to construct a Recreational/Fitness Center. 7-2.4 Corps Of Cadets Tradition and Purpose The primary purpose of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC) is to provide a military lifestyle of the highest possible quality, conducted and facilitated by a system of military disci- pline. Traditionally, the term "cadet" has been used to desig- nate a person undergoing military training in preparation for a career in the armed forces. A career in military service is not necessarily the ultimate goal of every cadet; moreover, students who have chosen to participate in the Corps have found that they have received important assistance in preparing for their future in civilian, as well as military, careers. VTCC regulation 01-01 states that the Corps of Cadets is a recog- nized establishment within the University and is an instrument of top University administration for use in furthering the overall purpose of the University. The Corps of Cadets exists for the good of the University and at the pleasure of the President and the Board of Visitors. Its purpose is described as follows: The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is established to prepare men and women of the University student body who elect the cadet lifestyle to be more effective citizens of the United States of America. The preparation for effective citizen- ship is accomplished through military training and a self- disciplined prescription throughout the cadet's term of academic endeavor at the University. The ultimate goal is to produce individuals who are effective leaders as well as individuals (sic) who are loyal, dependable, honest and have a genuine respect for all people that they may encounter during their lifetime. The mission of the Corps is described in the organization's regulation 01-02 as follows: The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is a University program that is organized and administered to further the fulfill- ing of the purpose of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University as a comprehensive land grant institution. The Corps of Cadets serves this overall purpose in three primary ways. * First, it is a lifestyle available to male or female students that provides a quasi-military organizational structure with a wide range of opportunities to practice the techniques of leadership, self-discipline, management, supervision and develop esprit de corps within an organization. These attri- butes are directly applicable to a productive future as an American citizen either in pursuit of a civilian occupation or as a military officer. * Second, it is a lifestyle that recognizes and provides a supporting structure to achieve success through incentive, competitive recognition, tutorial and counseling assistance, and self-governing controls in the areas of activity and environment. * Third, it is a lifestyle that through its quasi-military structure and organization directly supports the mission of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs in their production of knowledgeable, trained, and proficient ROTC graduates to be commissioned as military officers. Recommendations Of The 1975-76 Self-Study "That the University study the feasibility of implementing ROTC programs that are not limited to members of the Corps of Cadets." Discussion And Recommendations After a period of serious decline in its numbers during the 1970s, the Corps has grown to meet the minimum goal of 600 members that was set in 1974 by the Corps of Cadets Select Committee. The Corps appears to be accomplishing its mission and achieving its purpose in a satisfactory manner. The results of the University's Self-Study questionnaires from students and from faculty and staff revealed that the University community, as a whole, views the Corps of Cadets as making an appropriate contribution to the mission of the University. The members of the Corps have an excellent record in securing commissions in the armed forces of the United States. Air Force ROTC faculty noted that the United States Air Force is happy with the cadets who graduate from this University and that Air Force studies indicate that VPI&SU graduates excel and outpace their peers from the Air Force Academy during their first 6 years of active military duty. There is a body of opinion among some faculty and administrators that participation in the Corps has a negative effect on students' academic performance. A study by Institutional Research reported that the average cadet QCA is about 0.2 below the average undergraduate QCA. The committee recognizes that voluntary student organizations make significant demands on the free time of their members and that the demands made by the Corps of Cadets are greater than those of many other student organiza- tions. At the same time, the committee believes that the Corps of Cadets acts in a responsible and effective manner to ensure that cadets have adequate, designated time for studies (25 hours per week); and notes that the students are also provided free tutorial assistance. As an indicator of the sensitivity and effectiveness of the Corps to the academic performance of cadets, the committee notes that since 1980, the average cadet QCA has increased from approximately 2.0 to almost 2.5. It is also notable that the QCA of each class within the Corps increases consistently from the freshman to senior year. The average QCA of senior cadets last year reached 2.58, which compares favorably to the grade point of 2.72 earned by the average senior at the University, many of whom are not active participants in time- demanding extracurricular activities. During the interviews with faculty, some made the suggestion, harkening back to the 1975-76 Self-Study recommendation, that participation in the ROTC program should be open to all students without the present requirement that they also be members of the Corps of Cadets. The ROTC departments do not support this suggestion; they believe that the high quality of their students is a direct consequence of membership in the Corps of Cadets. The Commandant of Military Affairs also stated that without requiring of the ROTC members to be members of the Corps of Cadets, the Corps could not maintain the minimum membership needed to ensure its survival. The committee believes that, if the Board of Visitors wishes to have the Corps of Cadets maintained as a viable student organization, the current linkage with ROTC is essential. Concern was expressed by the Military Affairs Unit that at times, cadets are burdened by the simultaneous demands on their free time by ROTC and Corps activities. These demands may have a detrimental effect on students who need more time for studying. The ROTC departments and the Military Affairs Unit should work out a cooperative mechanism to protect ROTC members from concur- rent and unreasonable demands from both agencies. Several sources in the University community brought to the committee's attention the particular problem that first-term freshmen encounter if they decide to resign from the Corps. Current policy of the University requires that if freshmen wish to resign from the Corps of Cadets before the end of the fall term, they must also resign from the University. This has the effect of delaying students' academic progress by causing them to lose academic credit for the courses for which they were enrolled and requiring them to wait until the next term to begin their university career anew. This requirement stems from several factors. First, the Department of Defense requires universities designated as military colleges to provide segregated military dormitories for cadet students. Therefore, if a freshman withdraws from the Corps of Cadets during the first term, he or she must leave the military dormitories. Second, the University requires freshmen to live on-campus. Because there are no other on-campus accommodations available to first-term freshmen who wish to resign the Corps of Cadets, those students cannot remain in the University. In an effort to overcome this second factor, the Office of Housing and Residence Life has stated to the committee that other accommodations could be found on-campus for freshmen who may wish to resign from the Corps. However, neither the Division of Student Affairs nor the University has a policy to ensure access to on-campus housing in the event of resignation from the Corps. This committee and many within the University community believe that it is contrary to the purpose and spirit of the University to require the resignation of any student who is making satisfactory academic progress, much less simply because that student wishes to withdraw from a voluntary student organization. Withdrawal from a student organization should never interrupt academic progress. The current policy will become even more detrimental when the University changes to the semester system. This committee, without reservation and with the strongest urging, believes that the current policy should be changed before the beginning of the Fall 1988 term. Recommendation 7-6: That the Board of Visitors approve a policy that permits first-term freshman cadets who wish to withdraw from the Corps to withdraw at any time. Recommendation 7-7: That the Division of Student Affairs develop a policy that provides access to on-campus housing for first-term freshmen who wish to withdraw from the Corps of Cadets. In the course of the research for this self-study, the Student Development Services Committee has become aware of varying attitudes and opinions, both from positive and negative, regard- ing the status, image, and future of the Corps of Cadets. Those attitudes and opinions have long been a part of the popular culture of this University. This committee has also become aware of the value of periodic comprehensive review of the Corps of Cadets, such as the 1977 study by the Select Committee. To evaluate the significance and implications of popular attitudes and opinions, a committee with more time and expertise than this one should undertake a comprehensive review of the Corps. Recommendation 7-8: That, after VPI&SU introduces the semester system, the President appoint a committee to evaluate the status, image, and future of the Corps of Cadets. 7-2.5 The Virginia Tech Union Mission And Purpose The Virginia Tech Union (VTU) is a major student organization open to all students, faculty, and staff. Its mission is to provide a wide variety of programs that enhance learning and leisure activities for the University community; and to make available to those who serve on VTU committees the opportunity to develop leadership skills and to work cooperatively to achieve identifiable goals. VTU members fulfill this dual mission by developing programs through the Films, Concert/Theatre, and Art Committees and by offering special educational experiences through the Short Course, Promotions, and Special Events Commit- tees. VTU members also respond to the social and recreational needs of the University community through the House and Hospital- ity, Travel, Dance, Recreation, Popular Concert, and Coffee House committees. Principal Components The VTU governance system has the following structure: 1. Officers - president, vice-president, secretary/treasurer 2. Executive Council - three officers, Program Coordinators, and Program Director 3. Program Council - three officers, Student Activities Unit Program Coordinators, Student Activities Unit Program Direc- tor, Director of Student Activities, and chairs of all stand- ing and special committees 4. Standing committees (7) - Films, House and Hospitality, Lively Arts, Pop Concerts, Recreation, Special Events, and Then and Now Officers and committee chairs must be students, have at least a 2.3 QCA and maintain a 2.15 QCA, and have served actively on a standing committee for a minimum of one year. The number of persons serving on each committee varies; the total number is approximately 250. Discussion And Recommendations The VTU is an independent student organization with its own charter. The Squires Student Center Program Director and Program Coordinators work directly with the organization and serve in an advisory capacity. Other than the faculty and staff of the Student Activities Unit, there is little faculty/staff involve- ment, and no basic program designed to recruit faculty/staff participation on VTU committees. Revisions to the VTU constitu- tion could encourage more faculty and staff involvement. In order to make VTU programming more responsive to the University community, many think that more faculty and staff should be recruited to serve on the standing committees and the programming staff should provide more leadership in working and communicating with VTU members. Comments by several persons interviewed indicated some confusion about the relationship between VTU on the one hand and Student Activities Unit and the University on the other hand. Some raised the question about the sponsorship of VTU programmingggIs the VTU or the University the sponsor? This question stems from concern about possible liability issues that might arise from VTU programming. What is clear is that the VTU receives its funding from Student Center Fees allocated by the Student Budget Board and from generated revenue. It is also clear that students plan, organize, and promote VTU programs. Of principle concern to the academic community is that the VTU does not offer free admission to students for most of its cultural programs. This is an issue because it inhibits the integration of on-campus cultural programming and the Universi- ty's academic mission. Faculty in some disciplines would like to incorporate films, concerts, and plays into formal academic coursework, however, they think it to be unethical to require students to pay additional fees to attend such programs since the students have already paid a Student Center Fee to support VTU programming. The VTU, operating on a lean budget, finances its activities in part through generated revenue; that approach limits the academic use of its cultural programming. By charging admission to many of its programs, the VTU stands in contrast to other major programming groups on campus, such as the Speaker's Forum, the Black Student Alliance, the International Club, the YMCA, the Cranwell International Center, and Women's Week. Establishing a free-admission policy for VTU cultural programming would enhance the educational value of that programming. Recommendation 7-9: That, in order to promote the incorporation of cultural programming into the academic mission of the University, the Provost, the Vice President for Finance, and the Vice President for Student Affairs establish means whereby students may attend VTU-sponsored and most other on-campus cultural programs free of charge. 7-3.0 Students And University Governance At VPI&SU, policy is formulated in a shared governance system. In this system, administrators, faculty, staff, and students on the University Council and its subordinate commissions formulate and recommend policies to the President and the Board of Visitors. There are six subordinate commissions: Commission on Faculty Affairs, Commission on Undergraduate Studies, Commission on Graduate Studies, Commission on Student Affairs, Commission on Extension, and Commission on Research. With the exception of the latter two, students hold seats on the Commissions. Students are in the majority on the Commission on Student Affairs. The Commission on Student Affairs (CSA) provides the students an opportunity within the shared-governance system to work together for common goals and to participate in the formulation of policies that affect student life. 7-3.1 Commission On Student Affairs Mission And Purpose As stated in the Faculty Handbook, "The Commission on Student Affairs studies, formulates, and recommends to the University Council policies and procedures in the general area of student affairs and encourages student participation in the development of an environment conducive to the intellectual, physical and social development of students. Areas for consideration include student-faculty and student-administration relationships, study conditions, student organizations, military affairs, social life, employment, placement, guidance, and other matters affecting student morale." Principal Components The principal components of the Commission on Student Affairs are the Commission and its subordinate units, the Student Budget Board and the Student Media Board. The Commission on Student Affairs is composed of: * the Vice President for Student Affairs, who chairs the Commission, * one staff member of the Division of Student Affairs, * one academic dean, * the Commandant of Military Affairs, * three faculty representatives from the Faculty Senate, * elected student representatives from the Student Budget Board and the Student Media Board, and * 11 students, who represent - the Student Government Association, - the Student Senate, - the junior and senior classes, - the Corps of Cadets, - the Virginia Tech Union, - the Residence Hall Federation, - the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils, - the Black Organizations Council, and - the Graduate Student Assembly. The CSA provides essential leadership experience by giving students an opportunity to have input into student activities, to work together for common goals, and to present their viewpoints on issues that affect student life. It is a forum in which students can voice their concerns in a professional manner within the shared governance system and can vote on resolutions that are subsequently submitted to the University Council. Recommendations Of The 1975-76 Self-Study "That the Commission on Student Affairs authorize a staff member of the Student Personnel Division to approve routine matters concerning student life." While some students think that the Commission still spends too much time handling routine matters rather than addressing substantive issues that affect student life, many routine matters regarding student programs are now handled by Squires Student Center staff, University Services, the Registrar's Office, and the executive assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs. Major Changes Since 1975 The composition of the Commission on Student Affairs has been modified since the 1975-76 Self-Study, when the Vice President for Student Affairs chaired the Commission and the Dean for Student Programs (a position no longer extant) sat on the Commis- sion. Just this past year, the CSA recommended to the University Council that the Student Constitutional Affairs Board be dissolved and that recognition and registration of student organ- izations, the principal duty of that Board, become an administra- tive procedure. As with other University Council Commissions, the role and responsibilities of the CSA have become less admin- istrative and more policy-oriented over the past decade. At the same time, student organizations that were once administrative dependencies of the CSA have become independent student organiza- tions. Discussion And Recommendations Because students are in the majority on the CSA, it is the only commission of the six University Commissions that has a student majority. Students recognize the role and value of the CSA within the shared governance system; the issues and topics discussed in the CSA afford students the opportunity to influence policies affecting student life and student governance. A principle concern about the Commission on Student Affairs raised during this self-study concerns the lack of continuity in student leadership from year to year. This is in contrast to the continuity of administrative and faculty participation. Because almost all student members are elected or appointed in the spring for the following academic year, the fall quarter tends to be devoted to an extended training session in the governance system and Commission procedures and responsibilities. As a result, many issues are presented but there are few resolutions or new policies move through the Commission to the University Council during the fall quarter. Recommendation 7-10: That the Commission on Student Affairs invite all newly elected and appointed student members to attend spring meetings as non-voting observers as well as provide summer training and orientation programs for them. A second issue raised by students and some student leaders is that students on CSA may not fully represent student views, but rather, the views of some student leaders. This issue is of course a concern in many representative institutions in society. In the case of the student representatives on CSA, however, the question of adequate representation of student views is a concern because of the lack of any systematic means for dialogue and communication regarding the work of the Commission. Its respon- sibilities, procedures, and agenda remain a mystery to an overwhelming majority of students, faculty, and staff. Recommendation 7-11: That the Vice President of Student Affairs provide active leadership to develop opportunities for dialogue between student members and the student body. One of many steps that should be taken to promote such dialogue is to invite more students to attend CSA meetings. Another step might be to develop a short media program to be offered to Residence Hall Advisors. The Resident Advisors would then be able to inform students, especially freshmen, of the nature and structure of the shared governance system and the relationships among the Board of Visitors, the President, the University Council, the Commission on Student Affairs, and those student organizations represented on the Commission. Included in such a program might be a review of the issues and policies addressed by the CSA over the past several years. The purpose of such a program should be to communicate the opportunities to develop leadership skills in the various student organizations repres- ented on the Commission. The Learning Resources Center could provide valuable assistance in the development of such a program. 7-3.1.1 Student Media Board Mission And Purpose The mission and purpose of the Student Media Board, a subcommit- tee of the Commission on Student Affairs, is to promote, super- vise, and coordinate recognized student publications. The purposes of student publications are fourfold: 1. to serve as sources of communication for the University community, 2. to educate student staff with practical production and business experience, 3. to afford students extracurricular opportunities to develop their leadership and communication skills, and 4. to enhance the quality of student life. Principal Components The principal components of student media are the Student Media Board, The Collegiate Times, The Bugle, WUVT, the Photo Lab, and Silhouette. Each serves the community in a distinct fashion. The Student Media Board (previously the Student Publications Board) ensures cooperation and coordination, develops sound financial policies and procedures, is responsible for the conti- nuity of student media activities, and maintains high journalis- tic and ethical standards. The Student Media Board also elects the editors, WUVT general manager, and business managers of the student media. The Collegiate Times (once Virginia Tech, established in 1903), the student-run newspaper, is published on Tuesdays and Fridays during academic terms. The paper, with a circulation of 14,000, is entirely self-supporting through the sale of advertising. All students are eligible for positions on the staff, the only requirements are dedication, dependability, and responsibility. The 1984 "Standard Operating Procedures" fully outline the organ- ization of the newspaper, staff responsibilities, business operations, production steps, general office policies, and relevant University policies. WUVT broadcasts music, news, sports, and public affairs program- ming 24 hours a day. WUVT-AM (640) was organized in 1947, and WUVT-FM (90.1) was organized in 1969. Both stations are licensed to the University by the FCC, but are operated by students. The AM station is supported by the sale of advertising; the FM station is supported primarily by contributions from the Blacksburg community. All students are eligible for positions on the staff; however, students wishing on-air positions, must demonstrate basic knowledge of equipment and WUVT policies. WUVT "Standard Operating Procedures" are comprehensive and outline organization, staff responsibilities, operations, production, procedures, and general policies. The Bugle, first published in 1896, is the student yearbook, and is student-run and self-supporting. Staff is recruited in open organizational meetings during the spring and fall. Its "Stand- ard Operating Procedures" outline the organization, staff, and production and business operations. Silhouette, first published in 1977, is the student literary magazine. It is student-run and self-supporting through commer- cial and private patronage, minimal advertising, subscription sales, and benefit readings. All students are eligible to submit literary manuscripts and visual art works and to participate in the production of the magazine. The Photo Lab was established to avoid the duplication of photo- graphic services among the student publications. The Photo Lab provides photography and photography-related services to the Student Media Board, and is financed by billing the publications that use the services at Board-approved rates. All students are eligible for staff positions in the Photo Lab; there are obvious technical qualifications required of staff photographers and Photo Lab editors. The 1987 "Standard Operating Procedures" outline the organization, staff, policies, and business operations of the Lab. Major Changes Since 1975 The mission and purposes of student publications have not changed since 1975. New policies and higher advertising rates estab- lished over the past several years have ensured the financial stability of student media. Additionally, there have been general content, format, and production changes in The Collegiate Times, The Bugle, Silhouette, and WUVT. The changes have been positive and have accompanied changes in editors, writers, staff, and contributors. Principal Component Changes The New River Almanac, a quarterly magazine intended to provide insight into the traditions, history, and culture of the New River and New River Valley, began publication in 1974-75. It became Campus Quarterly, a student news and review magazine, in the fall of 1978. Neither publication could financially sustain itself. Campus Quarterly ceased publication in 1986 and was formally dissolved as a component of student media in January 1987. Student Opinion The 1986 Self-Study Questionnaire did not elicit responses concerning student views of student media. Based on the responses to senior exit polls between 1980 and 1985, a large majority of students have a favorable impression of student media. Based on student participation in and contributions to the various components, there is active student interest in and support of those activities. Discussion And Recommendations Like all time- and deadline-demanding activities, student partic- ipation in student media activities ebbs and flows. A chief problem confronted by all of the student media components is the lack of a consistently intense level of participation. It is clear that the students who remain active are highly capable and do develop significant communication and leadership skills, while providing major services to the University community. The Student Media Board needs to consider a variety of programs to promote greater student awareness of student media and recruit more students to participate in student media. Publicity flyers and brochures, social functions, and programs for the residence halls are some possibilities to consider. The editors and managers of the production components cite the need for more space and equipment and greater student partic- ipation in production and business operations as highly desira- ble. Space is a particular concern of the Collegiate Times and WUVT staffs. Because the current planned expansion and renovation is designed to fulfill the space needs in Squires Student Center for the next two decades, it is vital for the student media to continue to have access to the space necessary for growth and for technically advanced equipment over those decades. Recommendation 7-12: After Squires Student Center is renovated and expanded, it is recommended that the Commission on Student Affairs intermittently review the space needs for the student media. A second issue raised during the research for this report concerns the air of a confrontational relationship between student media and the Division of Student Affairs. Some in the University community believe that student media should accept the leadership of the University administration and should not question University procedures, policies, and statements. Others in the University community believe that it is the principle duty of a free press to inquire, investigate, and promote dialogue concerning all issues relevant to the community. The spirit and purpose of a university supports the latter view. Moreover, conflicts of opinion on scholarly and public issues is to be expected in a university, as they are in the larger society. While it may sometimes be difficult, the education of students can only be furthered by promoting independence of thought. 7-3.1.2 Student Budget Board Mission And Purpose The purpose of the Student Budget Board, a subcommittee of the Commission on Student Affairs, is to recommend to the Commission the amount of funds to be distributed to student organizations each fiscal year. The board has established procedures and criteria for evaluating proposals for funding. It schedules meetings in which proposals for funding are reviewed and discussed with representatives of student organizations. Students are then informed of any problems with their proposals and are given opportunities to revise proposals to bring them in line with Student Budget Board procedures and funding limita- tions. Principal Components The Student Budget Board is composed of: * two faculty members elected by the Faculty Senate, * two staff members appointed by the Chair of the Commission on Student Affairs, and * eight students - the senior, junior, and sophomore class treasurers; - two students elected by the Commission; - two students appointed by the Chair of the Commission; and - one graduate student nominated by the Dean of the Gradu- ate School and appointed by the Chair of the Commission. The Student Budget Board is allocated money from the University Student Center Fee by the office of the Vice President for Finance, at the request of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Over the past decade, the Budget Board has received from 20 percent to 29 percent of those fees for distribution to student organizations. Major Changes Since 1975 Both the composition of the Student Budget Board and the dollar amount of funding have changed since 1975. In 1986-87, the Commission on Student Affairs, recognizing the demands placed on class treasurers, changed the make-up of the board, substituting Senior, Junior, and Sophomore class treasurers for class vice presidents. The second area of change is the budget itself. Both funding and requests for funding have increased substan- tially over the past decade (see Table 7-1). Discussion And Recommendations One of the many learning and leadership opportunities the Univer- sity affords its students is the responsibility of managing the allocation of resources. The Student Budget Board members recog- nize the significance of such a difficult and demanding job and the importance of that job in fostering leadership skills and enhancing the cultural and social environment, not just for students but for the University and Blacksburg communities as well. Members of the budget board also recognize that an array of competing student organizations, interest groups, and individ- uals compete for scarce resources. The Student Budget Board strives to manage the allocation of resources on a fair and impartial basis through the application of established procedures and defined criteria. A concern identified by those who have requested funds from the Student Budget Board has been the confrontational atmosphere of the hearings for annual and contingency funds requests. This contributes to a perception of lack of fairness and impartiality that is essential to promote morale, mutual respect, and the sense of a university community. Most of those interviewed agree that this problem stems from a lack of understanding of Student Budget Board procedures and criteria and from increasing competi- tion for access to limited financial resources. This problem might be solved by a wider circulation of Student Budget Board instructions for preparation of budget requests, criteria for budget requests, and line-item budget codes. The Student Budget Board should consider sending this material to all student organ- izations and their faculty advisors, rather than presenting it only to those organizations that attend budget board seminars on budget proposals. Funding for the Division of Performing Arts from Student Center fees is another major concern. Because of the competition for Student Budget Board funds and the lack of a guarantee of a specific level of funds, the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs, Vice President for Finance, and the Division of Perform- ing Arts received Board of Visitors approval to provide "off the top" funding from Student Center fees to support student perform- ances. Prior to 1982-83, the Performing Arts Federation received between 2 percent and 3 percent of Student Center Fees through the Student Budget Board; since 1982-83, Performing Arts has received 4 percent of Student Center Fees. Students in the performing arts and students in the various performance organiza- tions do perform for the University and do provide a significant level of publicity for the University. Nevertheless, students and faculty are concerned about the precedent established by "off the top" funding from Student Center Fees to an academic compo- nent of the University and outside the purview of students. Students and faculty recognize that this precedent can lead to even more significant levels of funding for the Division of Performing Arts when the new addition to Squires Student Center is completed. Additionally, there are other groups and units on campus that fulfill one aspect or another of the many missions of the University and who would like to establish the same kind of arrangement with the Division of Student Affairs. Because of competition for access to scarce resources, the Provost, the Vice President for Finance, and the Vice President for Student Affairs need to reconsider the wisdom of this unique funding arrangement. In so doing, the administration should consider the implications of unequal access to Student Center Fee monies. Recommendation 7-13: That a committee be appointed to evaluate the status and development of Performing Arts in the Univer- sity since the 1978 report of the Provost's Committee on Communications and the Arts. The committee should consider the possibility of establishing a Student Performing Arts Board, as a parallel organization of the Media and Budget boards, to oversee the allocation of funds for student and professional performance programming and for the planning and coordination of performance programming currently taking place under the auspices of the VTU Lively Arts committee and in lieu of the current allocation of funds to the Division of Performing Arts. Finally, there are over 400 student organizations on campus; of those, only 18 have requested and received annual funding over the past several years. A handful of others have received contingency fund support from the $12,500 to $15,000 set aside from the total Student Budget Board budget to meet such requests. Clearly, most student organizations limit their activities to those that can be paid for from membership dues, generated revenue, and contributions. All concerned recognize that as students continue to develop and display leadership skills in their various organizations, and as the Division of Student Affairs strengthens its commitment to encourage students to develop leadership skills (desirable goals of the Division and the University), there will be an increasing demand for access to resources to develop new and expanded activities and programs. Recommendation 7-14: That, in order to address the problem of increasing demand for scarce resources, a committee be appointed to explore alternative sources of funding for campus programming. 7-4.0 Division Of Student Affairs The Division of Student Affairs was created in 1974 and has grown considerably since that time. The growth in the number of under- graduate and graduate students has led to significant increases in the volume of business conducted in the seven units that comprise the division -- Student Health Services, Counseling Services, Cooperative Education Program, Placement Services, Housing and Residence Life, Student Activities and Squires Student Center, and Military Affairs. Orientation and Greek Affairs also fall under the control of the Division. With the exception of Military Affairs, the offices, units, and activities of the Division of Student Affairs are addressed in this section. 7-4.1 Office Of The Vice President Mission And Purpose The Division of Student Affairs publishes and enforces University policies necessary for a sage and orderly campus environment. It works with other units of the University to promote a community environment that enhances learning. To enhance personal growth, the Division promotes student involvement in a wide variety of activities and experiences during out-of-class hours. Principle Functions And Components The Vice President for Student Affairs provides overall leader- ship to the Division of Student Affairs; the primary tasks of the Vice President are to: * Develop policy (in conjunction with representatives from the executive offices, the Commission on Student Affairs, and the seven Student Affairs units). * Represent student concerns to the various administrative and deliberative bodies within the shared governance system. * Advocate programs designed to benefit students and student life to the executive offices and the Board of Visitors. * Administer guidance and support to the seven programmatic and service units that comprise the Division. The Office of the Vice President is composed of the Vice Presi- dent for Student Affairs; the Assistant Vice President; an Execu- tive Assistant, who is delegated many of the day-to-day operations of the Vice President's office; and a Coordinator for Special Programs, who oversees judicial affairs not handled by the Honor System and who coordinates Homecoming, Fall Orien- tation, Parents' Weekend, Founders' Day, Commencement, and the committees that bestow various honors and awards on student leaders (see Figure 7-1). Recommendations Of The 1975-76 Self-Study "That authority be delegated to the appropriate offices of the Student Personnel Division to make routine decisions that at present are made by the Vice President for Student Affairs." A major accomplishment in the Division of Student Affairs since the last self-study has been the degree to which the Vice Presi- dent has delegated authority to the unit directors. In such important areas as personnel affairs, fiscal management, program- ming decisions, and the like, routine decisions are made in the various units. Several unit directors pointed out that this change has led to a stronger sense of professionalism. Discussion And Recommendations The Vice President for Student Affairs oversees the Division of Student Affairs. Through weekly meetings of the officers and unit directors and through annual reports, planning and coordi- nation have become hallmarks of the Division of Student Affairs. In the annual reports, each unit evaluates its major accomplish- ments and shortfalls based on the goals established in the previ- ous year's report and outlines its plans and goals for the coming year. The Division could make further strides in this area in two ways: first, the Vice President could establish a timetable for annual reports that permits a modest amount of time for review of the subordinate unit reports so that the report of the Vice President can reflect not only the accomplishments in that office, but in the Division as a whole; and second, the Vice President could create a procedure that will permit broader University input into this effectiveness evaluation program. The former would serve to enhance the ability of the Vice President to coordinate the annual report process; the latter would permit the University community to offer the Division valuable feedback. The Division of Student Affairs should create a mechanism to incorporate teaching faculty into its effectiveness evaluation program. The Vice President for Student Affairs has provided leadership in personnel matters. Major emphasis has been placed on developing a fully professional staff. This has resulted in the upgrading of the quality and qualifications of individuals holding key staff positions. All unit directors possess superior profes- sional credentials, as do virtually all professional staff and faculty within the Division. A second personnel initiative has been to implement Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action policies. Again, the results are impressive: seven out of the 40 key staff members in Student Affairs are black; and more than 50 percent of key staff are women. Nevertheless, as of the fall of 1987, not one of the unit directors is a woman or minority. The University community looks forward to the continued leadership of the Division in implementing Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action policies. The accomplishments in the Division of Student Affairs have come despite mounting problems. The first of these problems involves staffing shortages. The staff in the Office of the Vice Presi- dent for Student Affairs is stretched to its limits; and as indicated in the reports on the subordinate units, so is the staff throughout the Division. There are two solutions to this problem: decrease the workload of the staff or increase the staff. In the Office of the Vice President, it would appear most viable to decrease the workload of the office staff by distribut- ing some of the programmatic activities to other units in the University. For example, Homecoming might be transferred to the Vice President for Development and University Relations, since that office already has coordinating responsibilities for alumni and athletic affairs. Similarly, because Commencement is princi- pally an academic function, the responsibility for it might most appropriately be transferred to the Provost. At the same time, because most of the honors the University bestows on students recognize academic achievement as a criterion, the Provost should share the responsibility for coordinating the committees respon- sible for such decisions. Recognizing the limited resources of the Division and the Univer- sity, along with the desirable goal of minimizing bureaucratic growth, the University needs to develop flexible, responsive, and creative ways to assist the Division of Student Affairs with staffing shortages. Recommendation 7-15: That the Provost develop an undergraduate internship program which could be used by the Division of Student Affairs to overcome the problems associated with limited staff resources. A second issue that requires attention and is important to the University community is that many aspects of student life do not seem to command the same attention within the executive offices as do other initiatives, such as the Research Park and the telecommunication networking of the campus. This committee knows that the quality of student life on campus is essential for the academic climate of the University. To wit, the President should place greater emphasis on enhancing the quality of student life outside the classroom. Recommendation 7-16: That all executive offices give higher priority to the development of quality student life programs. 7-4.2 University Student Health Services Mission And Purpose The purpose of the University Student Health Services (USHS) is to make available a wide range of services, on a 24-hour basis, which will provide comprehensive, high-quality care on a prepaid basis to students. It is hoped that the students will make a commitment to use the USHS practitioners and facilities appropri- ately, to familiarize themselves with the USHS system of care, and to participate in the health care process as a member, not just as a patient. The following features of the University Student Health Services distinguish it from more traditional modes of health care: * Comprehensiveness - either provides or arranges for outpa- tient services (physician and nurse visits, periodic health assessments, laboratory, x-ray and pharmacy services, mental health consultation, nutrition counseling, etc.) as well as inpatient services (hospitalization and intermediate-level care). * Health maintenance - emphasizes preventive services, early diagnosis and treatment, and health education focused on the development of healthier lifestyles. * Prepayment - covers nearly all of a member's routine health care for a fixed fee. * Group practice - combines the training and skills of physi- cians and a wide variety of other health professionals to make possible the coordination and provision of a wide range of services at a single location. * Member responsibility - shares the goal of health maintenance by developing a positive lifestyle, reducing risk-taking behavior, appropriately utilizing health care services, and becoming involved in the health care process. Functional Areas of Student Health Services * Outpatient Department (Nurses' Clinic) * Inpatient Department * Medical Records * Business Office * Gynecology * X-Ray Department * Laboratory * Pharmacy * Health Education Department * Allergy Injection Clinic Historical Perspective The University Student Health Services has a professional staff that consists of a director, an administrator, 11 full-time physicians, 20 full-time registered nurses and medical technologists, and a pharmacist, all available to provide a wide range of medical services. There has been an increase of two full-time registered nurses or medical technologists over the past 10 years. There has also been a 9.6 percent increase in student enrollment on campus during this time. Ten years ago, the physician/student ratio was 1:2000, currently that ratio is 1:2017 (when fully staffed). The American College Health Associ- ation recommends a physician/student ratio of 1:2000 as minimally acceptable. In addition to the staffing level being below the minimally acceptable standard, there are also staffing gaps; for example, USHS employs neither a radiologist nor a psychiatrist. In contrast to increases in staffing, the space occupied in Henderson Hall has been reduced to two-thirds of the available floor space, compared to 10 years ago. The third floor of the building was transferred from USHS to University Placement Services. This reduction in available working space, storage facility, bed space and office area occurred while outpatient services increased by 40 percent (from 56,489 visits in 1975-76 to 79,374 visits in 1985-86). The inpatient admissions of neces- sity decreased by 9.4 percent (from 1,059 in 1975-76 to 959 in 1985-86); students who required inpatient care were referred to other hospitals on a more frequent basis during this past 10-year cycle. The concentration of activity into a smaller working environment has had a direct effect on services, morale, and student contentment, which will be discussed later in this chapter. Overall, the services have expanded, and continue to do so, since the 1975-76 Self-Study (see Table 7-2). The records management and storage system for patient data was entirely manual at the time of the 1975-76 Self-Study. Internal and external audits performed periodically during the 10-year period since then recommended that pharmacy records be automated, a project still in progress. The October 21, 1986 "Internal Audit Report of the University Student Health Services" states that the current manual system in the Business Office and Patient Records is very time-consuming. The strategic plan for the five years following the 1985 report, written by USHS Director Dr. C.W. Schiffert (now retired), calls for the following objectives to be fulfilled: * Work with University officials in an effort to obtain funding for a new health services facility. * Increase University officials' awareness of the need for additional staff. * Support University non-student programs if resources are made available. * Review the Student Health Services programs for possible reduction in services provided if requested funds are not made available. * Provide quality care to its subscribers. The required resources to accomplish these objectives were stated as: * Approximately $4.0 million for a new health service facility. * Increased health fees to cover the cost of additional staff. Discussion And Recommendations University Student Health Services treated nearly 80,000 students in 1985-86, the most recent statistic available. The evaluation of the range of services offered and the quality of care given to patients is generally favorable, although the staff has operated under unfavorable conditions and the pressure of heavy patient loads. During this study the committee identified three crucial areas in need of immediate attention at the USHS: facilities, financing, and administration. 1. Facilities The current facilities are critically inadequate to provide even the most basic services (see Historical Perspective for description of facilities). Although enrollments have increased in the past 10 years, the space for USHS was decreased by one third when University Placement Services moved into Henderson Hall. The worst features of the facil- ity are explained below. * Critical shortage of space Lack of space is critical in virtually every area of USHS. Students waiting to be seen must sit in poorly ventilated hallways and often must sit on the floor. This increases the likelihood of disease transmission among patients. Physicians' examining rooms also double as their offices, so the physician must leave the office and leave a patient in the room while the patient dresses and undresses. Rooms that are too small for the intended use must be used anyway, because no adequate space is available. The gynecology department has half the number of examining rooms needed. * Poor, inefficient design Traffic patterns are poor, with functions that produce long lines too close together. There are dead ends and few signs to provide information and directions. Even more critical is the fact that there are very small bathrooms/changing rooms, with doors that open inward, so there is no access if a patient falls. All doors in a medical facility should open outward. Design and construction provide little or no soundproofing; privacy is a problem because conversations in examining rooms can be overheard in waiting rooms. * Unventilated or poorly ventilated areas Students must wait in unventilated corridors. The Nurses' Clinic on the ground floor has an unpleasant smell and little ventilation. The steam pipes for the building are in the Nurses' Clinic and it is always very hot. Three half-sized windows are kept open for fresh air. One room in the clinic has no vent, fan, or window. Exhaust fumes from trucks in the loading area enter the building through the Nurses' Clinic. The building is not air conditioned and becomes very uncomfortable in warm weather. Since the major USHS traffic is on the first floor, all the problems of poor ventilation, unpleasant smells, and crowded conditions are magnified in warm weather. Summary The facilities for USHS are critically inadequate for the provision of quality health care. The inadequacy of the facilities detracts from staff morale and increases patient discomfort. With the loss, in 1982, of one third of the space for USHS, the problems of building design and mainte- nance were sharply increased by overcrowding. A new facility is needed to provide adequate space for projected staffing and patient loads during the next 25 years. The design of the facility should incorporate current practices for health care facilities, with regard to privacy, safety, and techni- cal needs of staff and patients. The facility should be located to allow the greatest possible access for students, preferably near residence halls and with adequate parking to allow for patient transportation. It should be noted that both the 1965-66 and 1975-76 Self-Study reports pointed out that attention should be paid to the problem of poor USHS facilities. This unattended problem has only become more exacerbated over the past 20 years. Recommendation 7-17: That a new, properly designed Student Health Services facility be a top priority. 2. Financing University Student Health Services operates as an auxiliary service financed by a student health fee and a limited number of user fees for particular services. Efforts to secure an additional increase in the health fee met with success this academic year when the Board of Visitors approved an increase. Still, current funding levels adversely affect operational and salary budgets. Although USHS is fully staffed, the salaries that can be offered are not competitive with other medical facilities. The quality of the staff cannot be easily improved without competitive salaries. The lack of adequate funding for salaries and medical operations exacerbates the facilities problems. One means of supplementing the income from health fees is to charge individuals for particular services. Most recently, a charge of $2.00 per injection, payable by the quarter and in advance, was instituted for allergy shots. This policy has received some criticism, but provides a needed supplement to the budget. The three critical issues regarding funding are: (1) whether the health fee can be raised high enough to provide adequate levels of funding for salary and operations; (2) whether individual user fees should be established for more services to cover the costs of those services; and (3) whether the University and students can afford to continue to promote growth in on-campus health care programs. Recommendation 7-18: That a committee be appointed to study the fee structure for Student Health Services and alternative ways to deliver student health care. Such a study should be done in conjunction with or following a pre-accreditation review by an appropriate accreditation agency. 3. Administration The major administrative issue concerns the lack of effective grievance procedures and supervision of problem employees. The Student Health Advisory Committee, through its patient's suggestion form, has identified several physicians who are frequently the objects of complaints by patients. The Self- Study Committee was also approached confidentially by several physicians on the Student Health Service staff to register their concern about the professional demeanor and behavior of some of their colleagues. Nurses have also commented to this committee on their reluctance to refer students to physicians whose demeanors are unprofessional. Recommendation 7-19: That the USHS, the Vice President for Student Affairs, and Employee Relations should publicize the current grievance policy and procedure so students and USHS staff can be better informed about grievance options if individual USHS personnel behave in an unprofessional or inadequate manner. 7-4.3 University Counseling Services Mission And Purpose The mission and purpose of the University Counseling Services (UCS) is two-fold: to provide direct service to students in the areas of educational/career development, mental health, and learning skills; and to provide consultation to faculty and staff and assist in the management of matters involving student mental health, student adjustment to university life and student learn- ing. The central concept in the structure of the UCS is integration of services. This approach does not treat educational/career decisions, study problems, and personal problems as fragmented segments of the student's life. It assumes that these issues are interrelated in such a way that each individual must be served with as much continuity and coordination as possible in respond- ing to these various needs. Primary Services Students are assisted in selecting college majors and correspond- ing careers that are consistent with their abilities, interests, and needs. A critical part of this process is the identification of appropriate alternatives to primary objectives and goals. Mental health services is the designation given to programs specifically aimed at reducing problems and promoting skills in personal and social adjustment. UCS' mental health services are designed to: * Help the student manage, control, and reduce the effects of personal or social problems that may interfere with learning and educational progress. * Provide the opportunity for students to acquire personal and social skills that are necessary to the educational process. * Provide comprehensive assistance in more serious forms of personal disturbance in order to minimize disruptive effects on the student's education. * Provide and coordinate medical and psychiatric referral. * Provide consultation to students and parents of students whose University attendance has been interrupted by personal problems. * Provide consultation and assistance to faculty in the manage- ment and referral of students with personal adjustment problems. Students are assisted in improving the skills required to survive and advance in a university setting. Specific services may include individual counseling, reading improvement classes, study skills workshops, speed reading classes, and special workshops in test taking, listening skills, memory training, note taking, or time management. Outreach And Support Programs A full range of tests are available for the purposes of assessing interests, aptitudes, personality, and for the diagnosis of reading and learning deficiencies. Additionally, all of the national testing programs for graduate and professional school admission are available (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.). UCS cooperates with Housing and Residence Life to train resident advisors. Training opportunities are also made available in UCS for students and interns from Clinical Psychology and Counseling and Guidance. The UCS operates and houses the Reading and Study Skills Lab. The lab is a self-help facility that contains individualized self-paced programs in techniques of reading or studying. During the past year, several new programs in developmental mathematics, chemistry, and languages have been added to make the lab signif- icantly more useful to disadvantaged groups. The Career Resources Center (CRC) is a self-help facility that houses information on thousands of careers, academic areas of study, and educational programs. It is one of the outstanding facilities of its kind in the nation and has been used as a model by many other universities. UCS provides coordination, maintenance of records, and clerical assistance in the University's comprehensive program of Pre-Medical/Dental/Veterinary advising. Each specific pre-professional area has its own faculty committee that works through the central office at UCS. UCS coordinates a University-wide network of career advisors, one of which is designated in each academic department. UCS maintains a current directory of career advisors, provides current educational and career information to the advisors, and maintains a referral contact with each advisor. At the request of any academic career advisor, UCS provides classroom programs for their department on study skills, career planning, or personal adjustment. Special services include tutoring, the Peer Helper Program, and special classes and workshops specific to the needs of minori- ties. The tutoring and Peer Helper programs have become partic- ularly well established as part of the University's total effort to recruit and retain minority students. During 1985-86, there were especially notable improvements in the effectiveness of selecting and training tutors and peer helpers. Forty undergrad- uate students served as peer helpers during the past year, to provide regular group meetings, monitor, and generally assist other undergraduates in areas of learning and college survival. There were 289 students served in the Tutoring Program in 1985-86. Past evaluation data indicates that tutoring resulted in an average 0.5 increase in QCA in the course for which tutor- ing was received. Major Changes Since 1975 Program Changes The significant change has been the inclusion of the Minority Tutoring Program and the Minority Peer Helper Program into the umbrella of counseling services. Before 1979, these programs were under the direction of Admissions. A second, more general change has been the increased emphasis placed on outreach programs. Changes in Student Use Two categories of increased student use are apparent. According to the 1975-1976 UCS Annual Report, 2,546 students received major in-house services; the 1985-1986 Annual Report shows 2,843 students received the same type of services (an increase of slightly more than 10 percent). However, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of outreach programs. During the 1985-1986 academic year, 24,705 users participated in outreach, testing, and special consultation programs. This compares with only 8,787 users of similar programs 10 years earlier. Changes in Staff There has been no increase in the number of counselors since 1975. This situation has occurred despite the increase in the University population in general and despite the increased services offered to students. Qualitatively, there has been a decrease in the specialization of the jobs associated with the center. Facilities The UCS was relocated to Henderson Hall from Patton Hall. While some advantages of this relocation are evident, such as the physical proximity to other related services (Student Health and Placement), they are outweighed by the poor physical condition of Henderson Hall. The survey of the administrators, counselors, and staff of the UCS conducted in February 1987 reinforces this conclusion. Inadequate heating and cooling, as well as the lack of space, are the most frequently mentioned concerns. However, inadequate security has caused some concern for the safety of students, staff, and more realistically, confidential student records. In addition, the location of Henderson Hall is on the edge of campus, away from the hub of resident student activity. According to the 1985-1986 Annual Report, poor attendance and attrition in study skills groups appears to be related to the location of the UCS. Student Opinion Student surveys suggest that, in general, the counseling center is meeting perceived needs. This conclusion is based on the 1986 Self-Study Questionnaire and an exit interview questionnaire administered by the University Placement Service. The Self-Study Questionnaire asked students to respond to the statement: "The services of the Counseling Center are adequate." The mean value of the responses was 3.13, where a value of 4 indicated "agree," and a value of 1 indicated "disagree." Over one half of the students responding to the survey did not answer this question. The Self-Study Questionnaire used the statement: "The services of the Counseling Center have been useful and beneficial to me." Over half of the students found the statement "not applicable." Of the students who had knowledge of the counseling center, over 27 percent agreed with the statement, and another 44.6 percent tended to agree. Discussion And Recommendations The strongest point of the UCS is its ability to meet the needs of the students. Surveys of the UCS staff, the University faculty, and students universally indicate that known counseling needs are being met. This has been accomplished in several ways. Most importantly, the staff seems to be highly qualified and concerned about the students. In addition, the types of services offered by the center have increased dramatically, to ensure that new and changing student needs are met. Finally, there is adequate publicity of the services that the center has to offer. The weakest point of the counseling center is the building in which it is housed. Problems other than the building itself seem to be surfacing as well, but they seem to be somewhat related to the physical facility. Overall. it appears that the UCS has tried to meet all the needs of all the students, but in doing so, has diverted its talent and its available space from their primary functions. Thus, the University Counseling should be relocated in a larger facility, which is more accessible to students. A second problem area involves academic tutoring programs; these programs, which are loosely supervised by counseling center staff, deal with specific academic material that is taught by students who are paid, and are not part of the mission of the counseling center. This arrangement has caused problems for the UCS primarily because of space limitations. It makes it more difficult to arrange for group counseling and may, in the future, compromise the confidentiality of counseling records. While a central tutoring facility may be desirable, during the 1985-1986 academic year over 90 percent of the tutoring was related to courses offered in the College of Arts and Sciences, and to a lesser degree in Engineering and Business courses. These colleges and the Provost should identify and allocate space that can be designated as a tutoring center. Recommendation 7-20: That the Provost establish an Office of Special Projects and Programs responsible for academic tutor- ing programs. A third problem area is mental health care. The absence of a staff psychiatrist is of special concern. Anecdotal evidence from students and faculty indicate that there may be a need for a staff psychiatrist; this is an area of concern that should receive serious attention. 7-4.4 University Cooperative Education Program Mission And Purpose The Cooperative Education Program (CO-OP) is an alternative academic program which provides opportunities for students to gain professional expertise by working with professionals in fields they plan to enter. Administratively, this program is under the control of the Vice President of Student Affairs; its staff includes a director, assistant director, and three coordi- nators. The assistant director and three coordinators handle over 1000 CO-OP students annually. Their work includes all student recordkeeping, personal interviews, recruitment, and job site visits. Principal Responsibilities Originally developed by the College of Engineering in 1952, the CO-OP program has evolved to include cooperative education oppor- tunities for students in the colleges of Business, Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Human Resources. The Director are to serves as a liaison between the University and the national business and industry communities and oversees the efficient operation of the program. The Assistant Director manages the day-to-day operations of the office in the absence of the Director, administers one-fourth of the student files, updates student interviews, recruits students, and conducts some job site visits. The coordinators have many duties and responsi- bilities, some of which are to maintain and update student files, recruit students, conduct interviews, monitor student perform- ance, provide information to interested students, and promote the CO-OP program. Discussion And Recommendations One of the key issues identified concerns the inability of the staff to conduct student interviews properly, update student files, and recruit at an optimum level. Moreover, there is great concern about the academic viability of the program, because it is now segregated from the academic component of the University and administered under Student Affairs. There is concern over the academic standing of the participants and concern that the program is not providing the dynamic leadership needed to sustain the traditional vibrancy of the CO-OP program. All those inter- viewed felt the program had lost stature in academic circles and needed careful evaluation and re-assessment. The consensus view expressed by persons interviewed for this report was that the CO-OP program currently lacks academic integ- rity and respect. Within the academic community, the program has lost prestige since its reassignment in 1976 from the academic sector to the Division of Student Affairs. Closer linkages to the academic sector of the University are vital. It is important for executive officers to recognize that CO-OP programs must be inherently academic. Moreover, in a 1984 survey of United States and Canadian Cooperative Education Programs, only 13 percent of the respondents noted that their CO-OP programs reported to non-academic officers. Recommendation 7-21: That the responsibility for the University Cooperative Education Program be reassigned to the Office of the Provost. Engineering, which has historically had more participants in the program (74.9 percent in 1986), has recently raised the QCA requirement to a 2.5 in the major. According to the College of Engineering, some participants in CO-OP were discovered to have a QCA lower than a 2.0 in their departmental major. Regardless of employer standards (some requiring a QCA of 3.5), minimum stand- ards in the departmental major should be set for the program. Once transferred to the Office of the Provost, the CO-OP program should require a minimum QCA of 2.0 in the departmental major of all CO-OP participants, with a 2.5 required of third-, fourth-, and fifth-year participants. Because the overwhelming majority of the students participating in the CO-OP Program are in Engineering, any additional staffing in the program should be sensitive to the needs of the students in that field. Because the University has developed a computer network for routine communication and management of student records, it is imperative that each coordinator in the CO-OP Program have a terminal and access to the University's mainframe computer. This would enhance the efficiency of the staff members as they coordi- nate work and class schedules and manage student files. Without terminals and mainframe access, the staff cannot provide efficient service to students or prospective employers. It is inexcusable that the CO-OP program lacks the basic equipment that virtually all other departments and offices on this campus have to perform routine work. The CO-OP program fees structure has not changed in over 30 years and the program is far from self-supporting. The fee for enroll- ment in the CO-OP Program should be brought in line with compara- ble fees for non-resident registered students. Such a change in the fee structure of the CO-OP program will contribute signif- icantly to establishing a self-supporting Cooperative Education Office. Recommendation 7-22: That the CO-OP Program become self- supporting by requiring a student fee equivalent to that paid by other registered non-resident students. 7-4.5 University Placement Services Mission And Purpose The mission of University Placement Services (UPS) is two-fold. As the University's centralized placement office, UPS is charged with providing assistance in career planning and placement to students from all colleges and at all degree levels. Secondly, UPS acts as a liaison among its constituent groups (students, alumni, potential employers, faculty and administrators), as such, it keeps these groups informed of each other's needs and expectations related to career planning and placement. Services On-Campus Recruitment -- This is the most visible and the most requested UPS program. This program involves scheduling employer visits, providing publicity to the University community about employer visits, providing data about the University to employ- ers, supervising the day-to-day operation of the on-campus inter- viewing program, summarizing and collecting data about on-campus interviewing, and exploring opportunities for expanding and streamlining the program. UPS does not actively seek new employ- ers for this program because there are already more employers who request campus visits than can be accommodated. This is partic- ularly true in the fall quarter when half of the interviews are scheduled. Time slots are awarded to companies on a first-come first-served basis and reservations are often made a full year in advance of the scheduled interviews. Student Advising -- The staff of UPS engages in both individual and group advising/counseling as related to the mission of UPS. Advising begins by teaching students about the job search process. Further, student advising provides students and others assistance with individual job searches, summer and part-time jobs, federal and other public employment, and internships. UPS career advising occurs after students have completed most of their academic program and does not constitute career planning in general. That service is provided by the University Counseling Center. Alumni Placement -- Job search assistance to alumni of the University is provided through a bimonthly job bulletin, direct advising about the job search, and off-campus programs. Educational Placement Files -- Students and alumni may keep their educational placement papers on file for quick mailing to poten- tial employers. Once created, a placement file is retained at UPS as long as periodic updates are received from the former student. Some files created in the early 1970s are still active. Pre-Graduation Program -- UPS staff meets with graduating seniors prior to completion of their degrees to assess their opinions related to academic programs and the University. General infor- mation about UPS is also disseminated at these meetings. Academic Career Advisor System -- The University Counseling Center coordinates a program called the Academic Career Advisor (ACA) system. Each department of the University designates at least one faculty member as a career advisor. ACAs work with both the Counseling Center and the Placement Center. Major Changes Since 1975 The University Placement Center's mission and primary services have not changed since 1975-1976. Recognizing that UPS resources have not fully met the demands of students and potential employ- ers, efforts have been made to use available resources more efficiently. Services -- Scheduling for the on-campus interviewing program has been computerized. This allows records to be processed faster and more efficiently under normal conditions. However, the services occasionally become very slow and inefficient when computer problems are experiences and manual backup procedures must be used. The number of on-campus interviews has increased by 33 percent in the past decade (see Table 7-3). In addition, the number of employers has increased by over 20 percent. Still, there is far greater demand for on-campus interviews, both by potential employers and by students, than can possibly be met with the physical structure of the current UPS. Therefore, a greater emphasis has been put on other programs, such as group seminars and workshops. In addition, more information is constantly being made available to students to use on an individual basis through the Placement Information Center and through various UPS publica- tions. There has also been a dramatic drop in the use of educational placement files (see Table 7-3). The number of new files created has dropped by 52 percent and the number sent to employers dropped by 8 percent. This decrease reflects a change in the type and format of information requested by employers. Once widely used, placement files are now requested regularly only by employers in education and public service. Staff and Facilities -- Changes have been made in the staff size and in the location of UPS since 1975. Currently, UPS has nine administrative and six support staff positions, a 25 percent increase over the six administrative and six staff positions allocated in 1975 (see Table 7-3). In 1975, Placement was located on the third floor of Patton Hall, a building near the center of campus. Four years ago, UPS was relocated to the third floor of Henderson Hall, a location far from the center of student activities and traffic patterns. While the peripheral location has resulted in some advantages for interviewers, such as easier parking and proximity to Squires Student Center, the new location occupies only 4000 square feet. This represents approximately 25 percent less space than the old location. Additional space has been rented by UPS from Squires Student Center, but this space does not represent a permanent solution and does not address the need for further growth in UPS services. Pre-Graduation Interview -- This program has been an administra- tive requirement for over 20 years. During the 1985-1986 academic year, 3,609 students participated. This program has been expanded during the 1986-1987 academic year to include questionnaires developed by five of the seven colleges of the University. The first year of this expanded program is considered a success by the administration of UPS and will be continued. Discussion And Recommendations Lack of Space -- UPS currently occupies approximately 4,000 square feet for office and service space. The space has limited the number of persons in attendance at large group meetings for the various UPS outreach programs and the number of interviewing rooms available to employers. For the past three years, additional interviewing space has been obtained in Squires Student Center. The number of interviews has increased by 33 percent and the number of employers conducting interviews by 22 percent. Students and alumni participating in the outreach programs (individual counseling, seminars/workshops, and place- ment information center) significantly increased in number. Recommendation 7-23: That the Vice President for Student Affairs study the physical space requirements of UPS and explore how information technology tools might increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Placement Service. Lack of Support Staff -- In over 10 years, the support staff has not increased to meet the demands of the work loads. On-campus interviewing is a labor-intensive process and there is insuffi- cient staff to support the program during seven months of the year. With increasing demands for services related to the program, tension and frustration have become apparent among the support staff, and appear to have an impact on staff morale. Due to the Fair Labor Standards Act, support staff cannot work more than 40 hours per week, unlike the administrative staff. Additional nine-month support staff positions would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the UPS. Recommendation 7-24: That the Division of Student Affairs place high priority on providing for the staffing needs of the UPS. Use of UPS by Academic Colleges -- UPS has the mission of serving all students, regardless of major and academic degree level. Generally, faculty and students of the various colleges report a good working relationship between them and UPS. However, some concerns have been expressed and inequities are sometimes perceived to exist. Specifically, members of some departments have expressed the view that UPS devotes too much of its time and resources to serve the College of Engineering. It has also been noted that UPS is of little assistance to students receiving advanced degrees. While less than one-third of the graduates in 1985 were engineers, nearly two-thirds of those interviewed were engineer- ing students (see Table 7-4). In part, the figures reflect the current state of the job market. There are more job openings for students with degrees in engineering than in many other fields. However, this fact alone does not fully explain why such a large proportion of the on-campus interviews are for engineering positions; other factors are involved. As mentioned earlier, space and staff limitations make it impos- sible to accommodate every employer's request for on-campus interviewing appointments. Firms that have not interviewed on-campus in the past may be unaware of the need to schedule as much as one year in advance. Even if aware of the need for advanced planning, many firms are unable to predict staffing needs making it impractical for many small firms to use UPS's services. Some colleges minimize the limitations of UPS by scheduling on-campus interviews in their own facilities. These interviews require the use of College resources for services that are part of the UPS mission. UPS should continue to schedule campus visits on a first-come, first-served basis and colleges and departments should continue to act as an additional liaison between their students and employers. Changing the appointment booking system would not represent an overall improvement in terms of service or fairness to students. Colleges and depart- ments must continue to fill this need for interviewing space and staff, at least until significantly more resources are devoted to UPS. Recommendation 7-25: That UPS enhance its cooperation with the colleges to assure employers who cannot use UPS facilities can contact appropriate students. This cooperation can best be accomplished through increased use of the Academic Career Advisor system. UPS should use this system to refer employers to colleges and to inform colleges of employers who have expressed an interest in VPI&SU graduates, but who have been unable to schedule on-campus interviews at the centralized placement facility. 7-4.6 Orientation Mission And Purpose The purpose of the orientation programs is threefold: to provide an introduction to the academic environment, thus aiding in the transition to this higher education setting; to acquaint students to student life opportunities; and to serve as a positive public relations force. The process of providing orientation activities for new students takes many forms; the University's summer and fall orientation programs are the most well known. These consist of planned activities designed to acquaint new students with the academic and student life aspects of the institution. Other orientation activities are carried out throughout the year by University and college academic offices, student activity groups and special support offices, such as the University Counseling Services. For the purpose of this report, Orientation is defined as the summer and fall orientation programs and activities that exist to aid students in their transition to the University. Activities The summer orientation program has remained much the same for the past several years. The program runs on a 5-week schedule that corresponds to the first session of the summer academic session. There are daily sessions, except for the 4th of July holiday and when there are schedule conflicts with large conferences on campus. The program begins at 8:30 a.m., with the first two hours dedicated to presentations by representatives of the Division of Student Affairs and the Provost. The remainder of the day is devoted to the issues of academic affairs, the sched- uling of classes, and getting pictures taken for student ID cards. During the academic session, a representative from each student's college (a faculty member, or an assistant or associate dean) meets with individual students and their family members. A general college and curriculum overview is given, and then the students are given the opportunity to prepare their academic schedule. Later in the day, students may have their pictures taken for their IDs, take a campus tour, attend an open house in the Corps of Cadets area, and, if eligible, attend a luncheon for prospective honors students. Fall orientation is designed to introduce students to university life through a series of activities scheduled over the three or four days preceding the first day of class in the fall term. The activities focus primarily on adjustment to the social and academic environment. Picnics, residence hall activities, student organization presentations, tours, and spirit rallies are but a few of the social activities. Also, individual academic college sessions and a transfer student orientation are held. There is also as session to describe the special academic support services, such as those provided by reading and study skills specialists of the University Counseling Services. There is specialized academic testing of selected freshmen students in the fall, but no other academic placement examinations are given during either the summer or fall orientation sessions. Recommendations Of The 1975-76 Self-Study "That the summer orientation programs be continued and that more time and financial resources be provided for their support." Discussion And Recommendations The major issue concerning Orientation is how to represent the three purposes of orientation programs. In other words, given space and funding constraints, what should be the balance between academics, student affairs and public relations when introducing students to the University? This issue includes the following questions: * Do students receive an accurate picture of academic and student life at the University as a result of participation in the orientation programs? * Are the needs of certain subgroups (e.g. minority, transfer and international students) adequately addressed? * Should academic placement examinations and/or diagnostic measures be included in orientation activities? * Are the timing (e.g. summer and fall orientations) and length of the orientation programs conducive to the accomplishment of the purposes? * Do the current orientation programs allow for accurate course registration procedures? The ad hoc subcommittee of the Summer Orientation Committee in the Fall of 1986 completed a study of that program. This self- study committee thinks that that committee performed a valuable service to the University and supports the implementation of that subcommittee's recommendations, which are as follow: * Separate summer and fall orientation programs should be continued to preserve the unique purposes of each program. * Summer orientation should be scheduled as 15 one-day sessions to allow for the optimal use of faculty, space, and resources. * Daily sessions should be planned and organized to include presentations and participation by continuing students. * Batch registration should be continued for incoming freshman. * The University should examine the possibility of giving placement examinations during the orientation programs. * The University should not charge a fee for Summer Orien- tation. 7-4.7 Housing And Residence Life Mission And Purpose The purpose of the Office of Housing and Residence Life is to provide well-maintained physical facilities for on-campus housing, coupled with effective developmental, educational and social programming. Specific goals are to: * Provide well-maintained physical facilities. * Assign and manage residence space with optimal efficiency while accommodating student choice as much as possible. * Provide developmental, educational and social programming for residents * Supervise all resident student life. * Administer a just judicial-affairs process. * Provide informational and referral services for off-campus housing. * Ensure budget and personnel resources to accomplish the purposes. Functional Areas The Office of Housing and Residence Life has the responsibility for all matters involving the housing of approximately 8,600 students in 28 residence halls. Housing fees cover most of the costs for operations; general university funds are used to pay the salaries of some professional and clerical staff and part of the Resident Advisor (RA) Program. Housing has 104 full-time and 255 part-time employees. It is organized as a department with two divisions, Housing Division and Residence Life Division. Housing is responsible for the operation of the residence halls, which includes maintenance, housekeeping, furnishings, etc., and for special-purpose housing, conference housing, and on- and off-campus housing services. Residence Life is responsible for training and managing the Resident Advisor program, overseeing the Judicial System as it relates to housing and residence life, and supporting the residence life programming developed by the Residence Hall Federation (RHF), the student organization that represents on-campus residents. Recommendations Of The 1975-76 Self-Study "That VPI&SU determine the need for additional residence halls, apartments for married and graduate students, and a fraternity- sorority complex, and re-evaluate its position on future housing construction in light of such determination." Major Changes Since 1975 There have been changes in the leadership of and the services provided by the Office of Housing and Residence Life. The current director, hired in 1982, has summarized those changes in Annual Reports; these include increasing the level of educational programming in the residence halls, providing a variety of lifestyle options in the residence halls, supporting the develop- ment of special-purpose housing, emphasizing the importance of the role of the Resident Advisor Program, and reorganizing the staff to better accommodate the ongoing responsibilities of the Office of Housing and Residence Life. Discussion And Recommendations As a result of the study of the annual reports, the five-year plan, and interviews, the following key issues have been identi- fied. First, based on recent trends in the demand for on-campus housing, there is an expectation that the demand for on-campus housing will continue to increase in the future. Second, the cost of providing adequate staffing and maintenance for an effec- tive housing and residence life program will increase. Third, the demand for additional special-purpose housing will increase. Fourth, with no live-in professionals, it is clear that the Resident Advisor system does not provide the level of support and supervision needed in the residence halls to respond quickly and immediately to crisis situations. Finally, the social and educa- tional programming that occurs through the efforts of the RHF needs additional funding and direction. Quality of Life The Office of Housing and Residence Life has provided leadership to support student and staff initiatives and develop new policies and procedures to improve the quality of life in on-campus housing. Even with the progress that has been made, Housing and Residence Life professionals recognize that there are many problems that cannot be overcome without additional resources. First, there is a need for live-in staff professionals to support the Resident Advisor (RA) system and to allow for more timely attention both to routine and crisis situations. Second, there is a serious need for more adequate funding to support social and educational programs in the residence halls. Significantly, student representatives who serve on the Residence Hall Feder- ation are willing and capable of providing the leadership for such programming; the chief problem is that now the RHF relies on funds from the Student Budget Board, funds that permit limited problem-solving initiatives. Third, there is a need for more Resident Advisors. Finally, there is a need for more resources to cover the costs of routine maintenance and to enhance the aesthetics of residence hall living. Students and staff know that the physical environment must be attractive and conducive to quality living. Meeting the needs of on-campus students will require serious consideration of an increase in the cost of housing. Recommendation 7-26: That the Vice President for Finance and the Vice President for Student Affairs recommend and the Board of Visitors approve an increase in housing fees to meet the critical needs of students who live on campus. Special-Purpose Housing Another issue long discussed at the University is the demand for special-purpose housing: Greek, married student, and graduate student housing. Previous self-study reports have recommended the study of this issue. The extent to which it has been studied is unclear. The committee has discovered no special housing studies. It is apparent that there is a high-profile lobbying effort on the part of Greek organizations to have on-campus housing. Such housing would enhance the sense of community and commitment to the University within those groups -- a positive result that the University should foster. It is also apparent, based on the trend in the demand for graduate student housing, that as the graduate student population continues to grow, there will be greater demand for on-campus graduate student housing. There is minimal evidence of a high demand for married student housing; there appears to be adequate off-campus housing for married students. This committee thinks that the University should support special-purpose housing for Greek organizations and for graduate students, but only if the University places higher priority on quality residence life for the majority of the students. Student Meals and The Department of Dining Services A final area of concern to students is the Department of Dining Services, which as part of University Services is under the Vice President for Administration and Operations. Over the past decade, the Department of Dining Services has become more respon- sive to this student concern. Flexible meal plans, improvement of menus to include salad bars, check-cashing privileges in dining halls, and all-you-can-eat fast-food bars are indicative of that responsiveness. The Department of Dining Services also has developed a coordinated effort involving students and staff to plan menus five weeks in advance. Finally, in recognition of the need to improve the ability of Dining Services to meet the needs of a larger student community, the University has constructed a new and modern food storage facility. Neverthe- less, the Department of Dining Services still lacks marketing expertise in communicating the variety of services it offers to its customers. Even though the Department of Dining Services has made major strides to respond to student concerns, there is a division of opinion over the effectiveness of the linkages between Dining Services and its student customers. Some still believe that Dining Services lacks a consumer orientation, but that the problem might be overcome if there were a closer and more direct relationship between Dining Services and the Division of Student Affairs. At the same time, there is a contrary body of opinion that questions whether the Division of Student Affairs has the capability and expertise to make astute decisions regarding meal preparation and catering. Recommendation 7-27: Given the division of opinion between the Division of Student Affairs and the Department of Dining Services on providing on-campus food services, it is recom- mended that a committee be appointed to study ways to provide students with the best-possible and least-expensive food service and to maximize the revenue-producing potential of the catering and meal preparation capabilities of the Depart- ment of Dining Services. Judicial System There is concern about the organization and procedures of the Judicial System. This committee received a memorandum from a member of the federal and Virginia bar associations that raises questions about the in-house review process, the non-reporting of criminal acts, and the denial of active participation by counsel. There is a need for a careful legal analysis of the Judicial System, especially in relation to the protection of the students' right to due process and right to legal counsel. 7-4.8 Student Activities And Squires Student Center Mission And Purpose The overall mission of the Department of Student Activities is to provide a physical and administrative focus for student life outside the classroom. This unit operates Squires Student Center, a facility that contributes to the quality of the student environment by offering diverse educational, cultural, and social programs. The Center serves not only students, but all members of the University community. Professional staff in Student Activities perform the following major functions: * management of the physical plant of Squires Student Center, including a versatile food service operation; * management of a wide range of revenue-producing business operations; * administration of programs to enrich and entertain the campus community and contribute to a well-rounded learning environ- ment; * support and administrative direction to student leaders and organizations. The philosophy that underlies these functions is that programs and services within student activities complement the academic development of students by offering opportunities to develop valuable life skills, broaden cultural tastes and acquire new interests, contribute to the academic community and their peers, and identify constructive ways to invest their leisure time. The desired product is a well-rounded education for students, one that prepares them for a life of learning and contribution to society. Organization Student Activities is comprised of five functional areas: Business Affairs, Operations, Food Service, Student Organiza- tions, and Programs. The Director and Associate Director of Student Activities supervise the assistant directors and staff in each area. The basic lines of communication and authority in Student Activities were revised effective June 1986. Discussion And Recommendations Facilities The present building was expanded in 1970 when the University had a student body of 10,500 students. Now there is an extreme space deficit, which should be partially alleviated when the Squires Expansion Project is completed in 1989. Financial Support Squires Student Center receives its financial support from the Student Center Fee paid by each student and from the income generated from the services and activities available in Squires Student Center. (See table in report on the Student Budget Board.) Administration Members of the Student Development Office moved to Squires Student Center in 1983 and became the Student Activities Unit. Combining student development and student center administration is a nationwide trend and appears to be working well. Interviews with the administrative staff of Squires revealed that the staff works well together, that they are dedicated, and that their duties and responsibilities are clearly defined. The Student Activities Unit was established to serve the student body and, as such, is a service unit. Students do complain that the staff has a tendency to follow the letter rather than the spirit of Student Center policies. Recommendation 7-28: That the Vice President for Student Affairs inform all Student Affairs personnel that their chief responsibility is to serve the student community and estab- lish a responsive and effective means to incorporate students into Squires and divisional effectiveness evaluation programs. That process at minimum should include a complaint box in Squires Student Center and public display of Grievance Procedures for State Employees and Employee Standards of Conduct and Performance. Scheduling A total of 10,052 events were scheduled in Squires and Burruss Auditorium in 1985-86, an increase of 9 percent from the previous year. Satisfaction with the Scheduling Office seemed to increase greatly after the new scheduling manager was hired. Those inter- viewed for this study stated that a scheduling receptionist will be needed when the new Squires addition opens. The interviews also revealed that student organizations were critical of the limited number of hours per day that the Scheduling Office was available for their use. The Student Activities Unit should attend to these needs. Programming An issue of concern in this area is the lack of a relationship between programming in Squires and the Division of Student Affairs on the one hand and the University's academic mission on the other. According to the 1986-87 Catalog, "The Division of Student Affairs provides services and co-curricular activities which complement the intellectual growth and social development of the students." Also, according to the "Annual Report" of the Vice President for Student Affairs (1985-86), one of the goals of the Division of Student Affairs is to strengthen the relationship between student affairs programs and academic affairs. There are a variety of ways to achieve this goal. As recommended earlier in the report on the Virginia Tech Union, a major step would be to establish a free admission policy for students to campus- sponsored cultural programming so it could be incorporated into academic course work. Catering In-house catering will no longer be a function of the Squires Student Center when the remodeled building opens. Through its effectiveness evaluation program, the Division of Student Affairs should establish a process for student input into evaluating the catering service to ensure that caterers are responsive to consumer needs. Student Organizations Responsibility for the Office of Student Organizations was trans- ferred from the Associate Director to the Assistant Director of Student Activities. Currently, there are about 400 student organizations. A significant problem that surfaced during inter- views and that is reflected in a recent alumni study* concerns ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Office of Institutional Research and Planning Analysis, "Perceptions of Former Students," IRPA Vol. 87, No. 104, June 19, 1987. ----------------------------------------------------------------- the need for leadership training in all student organizations. This is a problem that needs to be addressed to improve the personal development of our students. Because leadership train- ing is severely lacking within all student organizations, train- ing for student leaders must be given a higher priority. To address the problem in Greek organizations, the Coordinator for Greek Affairs should be assigned the responsibility for leader- ship training for all Greek organizations. To address the problem in large and small student organizations will require workshops and a closer working relationship between staff and the officers of all student organizations. Recommendation 7-29: That the Division of Student Affairs in general, and the Student Affairs Unit in particular, place high priority on leadership training for students, and provide adequate staff time and funds for it. War Memorial Chapel The Chapel is an integral part of the University environment. During 1985-86, over 308,000 persons used the War Memorial Chapel for 2,384 functions. Access to the Chapel for so many people and functions is only possible because of the devotion of the staff. The Chapel budget is minimal and fees are not charged for its use. The piano needs to be replaced, and the organ needs exten- sive work. There is no custodial support, and additional staff is needed. The University administration needs to pay attention to this vital part of the University. Recommendation 7-30: That a committee study questions such as which office should be responsible for the chapel and how should the chapel be staffed and funded. Student Perceptions Discussions with student leaders revealed that they felt they had no input into Squires Student Center policies until after decisions were made by the staff. The presence of the Student Activities Advisory Committee has not successfully resolved this problem. The Student Development Committee thinks that students should be incorporated into all decision-making processes that affect the quality of student life on campus. Students, after all, are fully involved in the shared governance system; they should also be fully incorporated into the decision-making process in the student center, that unit of the University that their student fees finance. Recommendation 7-31: That the Commission on Student Affairs study the role and responsibilities of the Student Activities Advisory Committee and evaluate the alternative of establish- ing a Student Activities Board to coordinate the development and implementation of Squires Student Center policies and to participate in the effectiveness evaluation program for the Student Affairs Unit. 7-4.9 Coordinator for Greek Affairs Mission And Purpose The Coordinator for Greek Affairs oversees and coordinates the activities of the social fraternities and sororities at the University. That office reports to an Assistant Director of Student Activities in the Squires Student Center. The Greek Affairs office may withhold or withdraw recognition of a Greek organization if the chapter fails to make a reasonable effort to conduct its affairs in accordance with the mission and purpose of the University. It is generally expected that such efforts will include quality programming of chapter activities and acceptable methods to implement these programs. Greek organizations seek to provide both a forum for leadership and self-government and a context within which lasting friendships can be created and sustained. Sororities and fraternities were established at the University to enhance and enrich the college experience. All undergraduate social fraternities and sororities belong to either the Interfra- ternity Council or Panhellenic Council, which serve as the governing bodies for their respective constituencies. The IFC and Panhellenic Council have exerted leadership in cultivating responsible drinking patterns among the student members. Major Changes Since 1975 The University officially recognized 25 sororities and fraterni- ties during the 1973-74 academic year. These organizations encourage excellence in academic studies among their members, as well as participation in national and local fund raising, service projects, and intergroup competition. No student can pledge either a fraternity or sorority until 12 quarter hours of academic credit are earned, with at least a 2.0 QCA. Since the 1975-76 self-study, the number of Greek organizations has increased from 25 fraternities to 30 national and two local fraternities, and from eight to 14 national sororities, with one additional national sorority colonized in April 1987. Average fraternity membership ranges from 45-55, and sorority membership ranges from 120-130. The Office of the Counselors for Student Programs/Greek Affairs provides a liaison between the University and recognized frater- nities and sororities. All social fraternities belong to the Interfraternity Council, which was chartered in 1971 and coordi- nates the activities of these Greek organizations. The same function is performed for sororities by the Panhellenic Council, which was chartered in 1972. Discussion And Recommendations At VPI&SU, the Greek system has become strong, well-organized, and self-regulating. Fraternities, through the Interfraternity Council, and sororities, through the Panhellenic Council, have a judicial board to handle problems, such as noise, rush infractions, hazing, and ABC violations. The IFC was an early adopter of the "dry rush movement," which has spread across many campuses. The Panhellenic Council has always adhered to dry rush policies. One of the major issues of concern to Greek Affairs is the need for housing in the Greek community. As relative newcomers to the University and Blacksburg, Greek organizations have had to find housing located in residential neighborhoods. This has often led to a community perception of poor town-University relations. There are a number of universities with a much older Greek tradi- tion that do have on-campus Greek houses. Several campuses have recently built or are currently considering building Greek housing on campus. Some administrators feel this is a way to maintain greater control over the Greek system. More impor- tantly, alumni surveys show that Greek alumni who lived in on-campus facilities have exhibited greater loyalty to the University in the form of financial support. National trends are beginning to suggest an increased interest in on-campus living. Coupled with the steady growth in the number of fraternities and sororities, it appears there will be a continued demand for Greek housing. At present, there is a $7.7 million authorization to construct additional special-purpose housing, which will house an additional seven groups of 36 students. Even with such new on-campus special-purpose housing, town-University relations will continue to be a point of contention. Currently, there is little communication, much less cooperation, between the Greek Affairs office, which is most familiar with the range of problems and issues, and the Office of the Vice President for Development and University Relations, which meets with community officials to address town-University relationships. The absence of coordination, communication, and cooperation is counterproductive in the University and Blacksburg communities. Recommendation 7-32: That the University increase its support for on-campus Greek housing. Recommendation 7-33: That the President must establish guide- lines for a more cogent approach to address town-University issues and relations. 7-4.10 General Discussion And Recommendations The purpose of this concluding section is to offer guidance to implement recommendations. First, administrative restructuring is addressed in the reports on the CO-OP program, Counseling services, the intramural program, and Squires. In regard to the CO-OP program and the tutoring programs under the University Counseling Services, both programs are inherently tied to the academic mission of the University and both were initially part of the academic community (CO-OP/Engineering; tutoring/Math and perhaps other departments). Recommendation 7-34: The Office of the Provost oversee both the CO-OP program and academic tutoring programs. With regard to Intramurals and the Squires recreation programs, responsiveness to the student and University community recre- ational activities can best be enhanced if those activities are coordinated and linked in a coherent and cogent fashion. Recommendation 7-35: That a committee be appointed to define communication linkages and policy guidelines that will regulate the relationship between Squires, recreation facili- ties, and all recreation programs. Finally, many of the Student Affairs units reports make recommen- dations that will require the allocation of new financial resources. This self-study committee did not delve into sensi- tive budgetary matters and it lacked the expertise to conduct program audits that might identify more efficient, effective, and responsive means of using the financial and personnel resources of the Division and its units. Recommendation 7-36: That the Vice President of Student Affairs should request Internal Audit to conduct a program audit of the Division and its subordinate units before additional resources are allocated. 7-5.0 Conclusion After a year of research and writing, there are a few concluding comments this committee believes should be communicated to the University community. These are given with the utmost sincerity and with an effort to break through bureaucratic barriers to touch on issues that will be of paramount importance in the decade to come. Presently, one must conclude that there is a need for more creative leadership and a broader recognition of the problems that have arisen from the scarcity of resources. Unfortunately, there are no cogent plans to overcome the scarcity of resources; there is no coherent recreation program; there is no rational administrative structure for the academic tutoring and cooperative education programs; there is no rational approach to integrating student activities and academics; and there is no comprehensive incorporation of students into the effectiveness evaluation programs in the Division of Student Affairs. During the research for this report, this committee also realized how many student services, activities, and issues were outside its purview. For whatever reasons, this committee did not look into minority recruitment and retention, the problems and issues in the growing international student population, the problems and issues concerning student athletes, the problems faced by disabled students, or the relationship between student life and undergraduate graduation rates. It is important, therefore, to look at these areas and in the future develop cogent solutions to many underlying problems. To study the unaddressed issues and to review progress toward solving the problems identified in this report, it would be wise for the University and the Division of Student Affairs to under- take open and constructively critical self-studies on a more frequent basis. An accreditation self-study is not the ideal time for identifying and coming to grips with administrative and fiscal problems. It is also important that internal self-studies are conducted by disinterested committees to overcome the bureau- cratic empires and vested self interests common in a university. Disinterested committees can identify problems frankly and offer creative solutions that will contribute to a more integrated University community, one in which the creative leadership of students, staff, faculty, and administrators can envision new goals, affirm mutual values, motivate the community, manage day-to-day and year-to-year routine business, communicate new policies and procedures, and represent the best interests of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. In this manner, this University will become a symbol of excellence in higher education. Self-study is only possible with freedom for creative thinking and projection. It has been the goal of this committee to identify issues and problems and recommend approaches to address issues and solve problems, approaches that will, in the words of John Stuart Mill, lead to "The greatest good for the greatest number." It is the preference of this committee that the Univer- sity re-evaluate the progress made on the recommendations of this report before the next accreditation self-study committees convene in 1996-97. Our students deserve that attention and care.