The Dean of Students Office Is Organized Into Administrative Units and Central Operations
Office of the Dean of Students
The Dean of Students Office is organized into administrative units and central operations. Each of the units is composed of departments that share a common purpose in providing services and programs to the Vanderbilt community. The central operations are those that support the entire division or that must remain separate from the clusters in order to maintain independence. The following narrative describes these units, and more information is available on the websites indicated below.
Student Campus Events is responsible for major programming on campus. Central to the Student Activities Office is the Vanderbilt Programming Board (VPB) which is comprised of the 7 largest programming organizations on campus: Great Performances, Homecoming, Speakers Committee, Special Activities, The Music Group, The VenUe, and Vandy Fanatics. The purpose of VPB is to sponsor, integrate, and provide social, cultural, educational, recreational, and multicultural activities at Vanderbilt University.
Student Programs and Organizations includes co-curricular activities such as student governance and student organizations, and new student programs. This office is instrumental in working with the transition to the new Vanderbilt Student Government which merges the existing Student Government Association and Interhall, the residence life government.
Residential Life and Residential Education helps students live in an environment of diversity and develop social and living skills. It also encourages interaction between students and faculty, leading to greater course satisfaction and more time spent in group study. Programs developed and sustained though the Office of Residential Life and Residential Education include the living/learning residential halls, the faculty-in-residence, resident adviser and head resident training, and academic and social residential programming.
The Office of Housing Facilities, Operations, and Management handles such services as housing assignments and facilities maintenance. Over 83% of students live in residential housing (this number will be well over 90% in 2008). Additionally, conference services are managed through this area.
Information Technology and Student Centers works in conjunction with Vanderbilt’s Information Technology Services and supports the division’s networked desktop computing. Dean of Students ITS also designs and implements the main divisional website, assists with departmental websites, and, to a limited degree, supports network communication of student groups. The Student Centers provide meeting and office space for student organizations and administrative offices, while also providing space for students to study or socialize.
Community, Leadership, and Intercultural Programs and Services (CLIPS) helps foster the development of an inclusive campus environment. This office advises student organizations, assists with recruiting minority students, and coordinates the Chancellor’s scholarship program. Offices within CLIPS are International Student and Scholar Services, Leadership Development and Intercultural Affairs, Active Citizenship and Service, and Arts and Creative Engagement.
Student Health and Wellness incorporate the Student Health Center, the Psychological and Counseling Center (PCC), Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD), and Religious Life. The Student Health Center provides healthcare to all students in a nurturing environment along with alcohol and other drug prevention, and psychological counseling. PCC offers services to the University community that include individual, group, family and child, and couples psychotherapy; vocational testing; LD/ADHD assessment; community outreach; and organizational consulting. ATOD promotes, develops and supports opportunities for students to enhance existing knowledge and skills necessary to make healthy lifestyle choices regarding alcohol and other drugs. Religious Life functions in an educational capacity by raising ethical questions and issues of value and character among the student body at large.
The Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity addresses student misconduct allegations through procedures designed to provide a fair hearing and a just decision.
The Office of Special Initiatives and Assessment was formed in 2006 in response to a greater need to coordinate student affairs assessment efforts. The major initiatives of this office are to create a comprehensive outcome/assessment program and manage staff development initiatives. (Website under construction)
The Dean of Students Office provides qualified personnel to carry out the duties of each department. Each of the clusters is led by a full-time director with at least a Master’s degree or Ph.D. degree. All employees are evaluated annually by their direct supervisor. The evaluation process involves an opportunity for the supervisor and employee to meet face-to-face to develop a strategy for improvement along with continuing education. As part of the continuing education process, each department is provided with a training and travel budget. Directors are responsible for initially approving all travel and training with final approval given by the Dean of Students. Training of staff includes division-wide retreats, Human Resources training programs, and money budgeted for travel to international and national conferences.
The Dean of Students staff evaluates programs annually, mostly by student and staff evaluation forms. In August of 2006, a new Director of Special Initiatives and Assessment was hired and given responsibility for overseeing assessment and evaluation activities. Assessment activities are documented in the Focused Report response to 3.3.1 for the Dean of Students Office.