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Section II: SACS Core Requirements

II-10.  The institution provides student support programs and services that promote student learning and enhance the total growth and development of its students.

 JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE 

Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

East Tennessee State University provides student support programs and services that promote student learning and enhance the total growth and development of its undergraduate and graduate students.  Student support program and services at ETSU are offered through a variety of administrative units on campus, but the purposes of all efforts are anchored in the university's mission, vision, and values (ETSU Mission, Vision, and Values).  These purposes are further supported by the university strategic goals (ETSU Strategic Plan 2000–2005), which commit the institution to providing:

• a student-centered learning environment;

• effective guidance for students through advising, counseling, and career development;

• expanded opportunities for internships and cooperative education;

• expanded growth in community-based learning opportunities; and

• a campus culture reflecting increased diversity.

Ongoing assessment and improvement, whether through unit-based evaluation or comprehensive university-wide assessments completed in response to governing mandates, are central to the operations of the diverse student support functions at ETSU.  For example, a continuous improvement task force with broad university representation evaluated the services of the enrollment management offices in (admissions, registrar, and financial aid) in 1999-2000 and made recommendations for improvement.  Changes in recruitment strategies, marketing, and scholarship administration are underway as a result (Enrollment Management Continuous Improvement Team Report).  Another example is provided by the comprehensive evaluation undertaken by the ETSU Division of Student Affairs of its services and operations that resulted in the use of a "work architecture" plan of integrated planning and ongoing assessment (Progress Report on the Work Architecture Project, ETSU Division of Student Affairs).

The ETSU Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs and the James H. Quillen College of Medicine Office of Student Affairs are primarily responsible for the many student support programs and services designed to promote learning and enhance the development of ETSU students.  Although the following narrative reflects these administrative divisions, efforts are coordinated within and among the various units and result in collaborative efforts in student services and programs that truly bridge across the university.

Student Support Services and Programs, ETSU Division of Student Affairs

The ETSU Division of Student Affairs considers both institutional goals and its internal strategic objectives as the standards for regular assessment of performance (Progress Report on the Work Architecture Project, ETSU-Division of Student Affairs).  As one component of the work architecture plan, student affairs staff identify desirable student learning and development outcomes (ETSU Division of Student Affairs, Student Learning & Development Outcomes) that form the basis for principles of good practice for staff (Principles of Good Practices for the Division of Student Affairs).  The mission of the ETSU Division of Student Affairs is to:

• connect intentionally academic work and out-of-class experiences;

• maximize student learning and development;

• motivate students to participate in educationally purposeful activities;

• provide facilities, services, programs and publications that establish a setting that enables learning to take place; and

• establish a diverse, interactive learning community at ETSU.

Regular assessments of student needs, satisfaction with the campus learning environment, and demographic characteristics are conducted using standardized instruments.  Results are compared to national norm data and used to assist campus decision-makers in refining and improving student services and academic programs.  Student survey results are published and disseminated across campus twice a year in The Real Student Affairs newsletter (ETSU Office of Student Affairs Research).

This division offers a diverse array of programs and services that promote academic success, serve special needs of distinctive student populations, assist in career development, develop cultural diversity awareness, provide for recreational activities, and support both residential students and student-generated activities.

Programs and Services that Promote Academic Success

Academic and Career Development Advising services at ETSU actuallyare provided concurrently by a number of programs offered by the divisions of student and academic affairs.  The programs are centrally located in theETSU Advisement, Resources, and Career Center (ARC).  The development of the ARC represented a combined effort across administration divisions to improve student access to all forms of advisement and related support services.  This state-of-the-art facility was designed in accordance with recommendations from the Advisement Improvement Task Force.   This center is easily accessible to students and allows for cross referrals among the following units:

• Office of Undergraduate Student Advisement, which monitors the university's comprehensive advisement system (SACS Standard IV-9).

• University Advisement Center, whichis targeted for students identified as "undeclared majors" and provides academic, career, and personal counseling and referrals.

• Center for Adult Programs and Services (see below);

• Office of Student Support Services (see below); and

• Career Development Programs and Services (see below).

Career Development Programs and Services offers ETSU students a comprehensive and integrated sequence of services beginning at enrollment and throughout the student's undergraduate career.  At ETSU, the connection between effective counseling in career development and academic success is recognized as substantial.  Career counseling services often assist students in finding direction and motivation for success in academics and later in life, and contribute significantly to their total growth.  Internship and cooperative education programsprovide students unique learning opportunities and experiences with local and national businesses.  The integration and location of these services in the ETSU ARC ensure that students are aware of career development services early in their academic careers.  Three major programs are central to career development opportunities offered to students:

• Peer Career Centeris located in the ARC and operates under the support of the counseling center.  Staffed by professional counselors and trained graduate assistants, the Peer Career Center assists students in career exploration and decision-making processes.  Services provided include individual career counseling, career resources (books, computer programs and web resource), personality and career interest assessments, and referrals.

• Cooperative Education/Internship Program provides learning and training opportunities for students outside the classroom as they work toward graduation and transition to the labor market.  Most ETSU academic departments offer internships and about 35% offer cooperative education options.  The benefits of this program include earning a salary, receiving academic credit, testing career interests, gaining valuable on-the-job experience, and developing employment contacts.  After graduation, students frequently gain employment with these same businesses (ETSU Office of Career Development).  Approximately 125 students enroll in these programs annually. 

• Career Placement & Internship Services provides a wide variety of placement services for students and alumni including seminars/workshops designed to help students develop job search skills; resume/cover letter critiques; mock interviews; credential file registration; a job vacancy bulletin; job/career fairs; video interviewing; graduate school information; and the BUC Connection, an international career network of ETSU alumni who provide information regarding their professions, insights concerning their geographical area, and opportunities for job shadowing.

• Student Affairs' Freshman Success Program is designed to improve the academic success and retention of freshman and employs three approaches.  The Early Semester Progress Report is a retention management strategy that provides at-risk students early feedback on their academic performance so they may seek assistance (SACS Standard IV-9).  First-year orientation courses, taught in various subjects, provide special guidance and discussion opportunities on college and life skills.  Academic Advantage offers first-year students an opportunity to join a cohort of twenty-five freshmen who enroll for two courses together, as part of their individual course schedules.  The two cohort courses include one in our general education program and a specially designed orientation course (Academic Advantage), which emphasizes improving skills for study, class (e.g., taking class notes), and time management, understanding personal differences, exploring careers, and learning about university resources and campus activities.  The Retention Management System© (Noel-Levitz USA Group) is a needs inventory designed to connect new students with appropriate support services early in their academic careers. 

• ETSU Student Support Services (SSS) are designed to promote student learning through satisfactory academic progress leading to retention and persistence to graduation. The ETSU Supplemental Instruction program provides peer-led group instruction to students enrolled in "high risk" general education courses (those with a history of ³35% final grades of D, W or F). The office of student support services offers tutoring or tutoring referrals and general advising to all students.  A special program (NEXUS) of advising, based on a mentoring model, is provided for first-time freshman who are first-generation, low-income, or disabled.  The program, supported by grant from the U.S. Department of Education, also provides counseling, tutoring, and weekly growth group meetings.

• Experiential Learning Programs (divisions of academic affairs, health affairs, and student affairs) include community-based learning opportunities offered across the curriculum and co-curriculum.  Local and rural community partnerships provide students with a rich menu of courses with a service component.  Rural community partnerships are supported by a W. K. Kellogg Foundation grant (ETSU Kellogg Program).  The ETSU Office of Student Life and Leadership (student affairs) organizes local community partnerships through its service-learning program.  Each semester, at least 325 students enroll in service-learning courses at ETSU.  East Tennessee State University is recognized across the state and region as a leader in service-learning program development, and has served as the lead institution in the East Tennessee Consortium for Service-Learning for the past six years (Benchmarks For An Engaged Campus, 1999-2000).  Additional programs, such as Alternative Spring Break, Volunteer ETSU, and other service-based student organizations, provide other opportunities for quality co-curricular, community-based experiences for ETSU students.

• Work-Study Programs provide hands-on learning opportunities through campus work-study positions where students work in a variety of campus offices learning appropriate work behaviors and skills (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Financial Aid and Scholarships). Students are also able to work off campus in service positions such as the America Reads tutoring program (Student Life and Leadership Program Areas, America Reads Challenge).

Programs for Distinctive Populations

The university attracts a diverse student body and strongly supports the need to provide appropriate services for student populations with special needs.  These programs are implemented, adjusted, or discontinued as the student population changes in composition.  These programs are in addition to those described above in the Student Affairs' Freshman Success Program and Student Support Services, which also target specific components of the student population.

The ETSU Counseling Center provides an array of mental health, career, and educational services to a diverse student population.  Services include personal counseling for individuals, couples and groups; career counseling; psychiatric services; consultation; crisis intervention; psychological assessment; and outreach education.  The counseling center also is responsible for managing the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Abuse Prevention and Campus Advocates Against Sexual Violence (CAASV) programs.  Services are designed to foster mental health and personal development and to meet needs of the general student population and special populations (e.g., women, non-traditional students, students with psychological disabilities).  In 2000–2001 fiscal year, the ETSU Counseling Center provided 1,449 personal counseling contacts, 810 career service contacts, and 3,096 outreach contacts (ETSU Counseling Center, Key Performance Indicators).

ETSU Disability Services provides opportunities and accommodations to academically qualified students with disabilities.  The Learning Empowerment for Academic Performance Program (LEAP) serves learning disabled students who are also clients of Vocational Rehabilitation, and provides personal counseling, tutoring and mentoring, study skills, and custom-designed support services. 

ETSU Center for Adult Programs and Services (CAPS) serves adult, commuting, and transfer students with advising, counseling, and referral services.  This office has become a focal point on campus for information regarding university and community resources and services.

The ETSU Office of Multicultural Affairs promotes and fosters a culturally diverse and non-discriminatory campus community.  The office identifies and promotes formal and informal opportunities for students to learn about heritages and provides counseling, academic support services, and referrals.

The ETSU Intercollegiate Athletics Academic Services and Life Skills Program is offered by the ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and focused on the unique needs of student athletes.  Varsity athletes in all intercollegiate sports are provided individual advisement on academic, NCAA, and personal matters; tutors; dedicated study periods; and special presentations on academic and personal development modeled on the NCAA CHAMPS Life Skills Program.

Programs for Cultural Diversity Awareness

The ETSU Division of Student Affairs provides educational programs, services, and activities designed to promote student awareness and respect for cultural diversity.  These programs support the recommendations of the ETSU Cultural Diversity Task Force Report, which were approved by the campus community.  Special presentations and events are integrated into other campus programs.  For example, service-learning programs consider opportunities that expose students to people from various races, socio-economic levels, and backgrounds (Student Life and Leadership Program Areas).  Preview Weekend, which is designed to provide new students with an extended orientation program prior to fall classes, includes major presentations on valuing differences.  Special campus-wide programs that address tolerance, acceptance, and advocacy related to race, sexual orientation, and religious differences are offered each semester.  A Journey to a Hate-Free Millennium (Evaluation Report) was a very successful event sponsored last year.  The Safe Zone Program is cosponsored by the Lambda Society (a gay, lesbian, and transgendered student organization) and the ETSU Department of Human Development and Learning.  The program is designed to train students, faculty, and staff to become sounding boards and advocates for students who wish to discuss issues related to sexual identity (ETSU College of Education Annual Newsletter).

Programs that Support Residential Life

Resident students are an integral part of the ETSU campus life and the ETSU Office of Housing and Residential Life offers many educational opportunities for students to experience individual growth and development.  This office provides for management of all university residence halls and apartments (ETSU Campus Virtual Tour of Housing) and planning for future facilities to support residential and student service needs on the ETSU campus (Request for Proposal: Comprehensive Plan for Housing and Residence Life; Long Term Facility Report; Housing and Residential Life Five-Year Plan).  In addition, residential students benefit from the numerous activities and programs provided on health and safety issues, educational skills, cultural diversity, and career planning, many of which are coordinated with other student service offices on campus.  The office also provides financial support, training, and special development opportunities for students who serve as Resident Assistants in university dormitories.

Programs that Support Recreational Activities

The ETSU Department of Recreation provides a wide range of physical activities and recreational sports.  Five organized programs are available, including fitness, intramural sports, non-credit instruction, outdoor adventure, and sport clubs (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Campus Recreation: ETSU Graduate Catalog, Student Services and Resources).  The recently completed Basler Challenge Course is an alpine tower challenge course used to provide leadership and team-building activities for groups throughout the campus community.  Another project, currently under construction, serves to document the university's consideration of facility needs for student development.  The new ETSU Center for Physical Activities, a modern $14 million fitness facility for students, faculty, and staff, will open early in 2002.  The center was carefully planned over four years, included extensive input from students, and was endorsed by every major student organization on campus.  The facility was designed using some of the finest university fitness facilities in the region and nation as a model (Program Requirements Center for Physical Activity).

Programs that Support Student Generated Activities

In addition to state funds, a portion of student activity fees are distributed through the Student Activities Allocation Committee.  The committee is responsible for recommending the allocation of approximately $365,000 annually to major student organizations and academic departments that sponsor campus-wide programs (Student Activities Allocations Process).   The other portion of student activity fees is made available to student organizations through the 606 Fund, which is managed and allocated by the ETSU Student Government Association.

Student Support Services and Programs, ETSU Division of Academic Affairs

The ETSU Division of Academic Affairs supports offices that provide services to potential students and assist students with admissions, financial aid, and registration.  In addition to these services and the coordinated programs offered with the division of student affairs, academic affairs supports a number of special programs designed to promote student academic success and achievement.

Student Support Services

The offices of undergraduate admissions, financial aid, and the registrar are student support services in the division of academic affairs.  Operations of these offices are designed for close interaction in order to serve the best interests of both prospective and enrolled students.  Each office also depends on the others for accurate data and complete enrollment management.  The collaborative nature of these offices, with oversight by the vice provost for academic affairs, ensures that student enrollment is coordinated and that, from the vantage point of the student, services are offered in a seamless manner. For prospective and enrolled graduate students, the ETSU School of Graduate Studies is primarily responsible for recruitment and admission (SACS Standard IV-19), but also coordinates its activities with the other offices, as needed.

Undergraduate Admissions.  The ETSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions conducts a comprehensive program designed to complete five major tasks---1) identify prospective students; 2) provide pre-enrollment counseling; 3) manage all aspects of processing undergraduate applications; 4) serve as the initial data entry point; and 5) communicate all matters pertaining to admission to appropriate constituencies.  Technological advances in recent years have led to the development of many online services in admissions, including application, correspondence, fee payment, application status, and course transferability.  Many student services are provided prior to enrollment, but additional services are available to enrolled students (e.g., evaluation of residency status for fee payment, evaluation of transfer credit, scholarship availability, and academic common market opportunities (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Admissions and Academic Common Market).

Financial Aid.  The ETSU Office of Financial Aid is an integral part of the ETSU enrollment management team.  Its mission is to enable students to attend ETSU who would not otherwise have the financial resources to enroll, and thereby to encourage growth of a student population which is culturally, economically, socially, and geographically diverse (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Financial Aid and Scholarships; ETSU Graduate Catalog, Financial Aid).  Approximately 70% of ETSU students receive some form of financial aid (ETSU Financial Aid Summary).  This office administers over $45 million per year in federal, state, institutional, and external programs.  Federal programs available include Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Perkins Loans, Family Education Loans (Stafford and PLUS), and Work Study grants (including one of the largest and most active America Reads programs in this region).  The financial aid office also is responsible for administering state grants, teacher loans and scholarships, institutional work programs and scholarships, external scholarships, and third-party support for students.  The staff regularly reviews office policies and procedures for service improvement opportunities (SACS Standard VI-6).  In addition, a web site is maintained that provides students with pertinent information; links to useful web sites; entrance counseling through the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, Mapping Your Future; and easy e-mail link to request individualized financial aid counseling.  Computers are made available in the office to ensure that all students have access to web-based assistance and electronic applications for federal aid.  

Office of the Registrar.  The ETSU Office of the Registrar provides student support services including course registration, course and room scheduling, centralized graduation check-out services, veterans' benefit services, transcripts, and other services related to maintaining student academic records.  In addition, the office provides significant support for academic advisement and serves as editor for the university undergraduate and graduate catalogs.   Registration, student grade reports, catalogs, term class schedules, and other information and services are made available to students through voice response telephone and internet-based systems (ETSU Schedule of Classes).

Programs that Promote Academic Success

Mathematics Laboratory.  The mathematics laboratory was established initially for both testing and tutoring in mathematics, but now places greater emphasis on tutoring.  Staff members assist students in developmental mathematics and freshman mathematics courses.  Graduate and undergraduate students provide peer tutoring.  Records of student use are kept by course, and the lab coordinator adjusts the tutoring schedule on a semester-by-semester basis, based upon student academic needs.  Analyses of records are conducted yearly and recommendations for improvements are made to the mathematics faculty at the first fall faculty meeting (Math Lab Planning).

Writing and Communication Center (WCC).  The center, open 41 hours per week, was established to support the goals of the university's general education program (SACS Standard IV-16).  The WCC promotes student success by providing a student-centered learning environment where peer consultants assist students, usually on an individual basis, who are engaged in writing and oral communication projects for courses across the curriculum.  Assistance is available from off-campus locations through the center's web site and an e-mail consulting service  (WCC Helpline).  Instructors may request in-class writing and oral communication workshops by WCC staff to supplement instruction in intensive courses; approximately 80-100 classes receive these special workshops each year.  The WCC also provides workshops for ETSU faculty who teach intensive courses (SACS Standard IV-25).  All services of the WCC are evaluated and results are used to improve services (WCC Student Evaluations and Improvements).

Division of Developmental Studies program is designed to identify and help students address basic skill deficiencies (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Division of Developmental Studies).  This program provides skills assessment for entering students, placement in appropriate courses, continued advising and tutoring, and a suite of developmental courses to strengthen basic skills in math, reading, writing, and study skills. For students identified, completion of this program is required.

University Honors Programs offer special opportunities and challenging curricula to academically talented students.  Programs are designed to enhance the quality of the ETSU tradition by fostering and recognizing academic excellence in students and in undergraduate education.  The University Honors Scholars Program is a four-year, full-scholarship program that provides a suite of interdisciplinary general education courses to 20 incoming freshmen each year.  A diversity of Honors-in-Discipline programs are focused in certain academic disciplines, available to new or current ETSU students and transfer students, and offer out-of-state tuition and in-state fee scholarships.  Admission to these programs is by special application, and determined in competitive selection processes in the appropriate unit.  The ETSU Honors Advisory Committee, composed of faculty, administrators, and honors students, approves all honors programs and policies and is responsible for selection of university honors scholars.  All services and activities of honors programs and students are coordinated through the university honors programs office (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Academic Honors Programs).

Information Technology Student Support Services are offered primarily through the ETSU Office of Information Technology, ETSU Libraries, and ETSU School of Continuing Studies (SACS Standard IV-2, IV-13, IV-32).  In addition, a significant portion of technology instruction at ETSU is integrated into and available from our general education curriculum (SACS Standards II-9, IV-16).

Student Support Services and Programs
ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine

The Office of Student Affairs in the James H. Quillen College of Medicine (COM) includes admissions and records, financial aid, and student support services (Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Office of Student Affairs; SACS Standard IV-19).  Medical students serve as voting members on both the medical admissions and financial aid committees.  A variety of student support services and programs are designed to promote the growth and development of enrolled medical students and facilitate the timely completion of their curriculum.  Examples of these programs and services include new student orientation, peer tutoring, medical board preparation assistance, counseling referral, general advising, and housing information.  This office also oversees the Rehabilitation of Impaired Medical Students (RIMS) program and the Pathway Evaluation Program (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Student Handbook), which provides workshops to assist students in the process of choosing a specialty.

In addition to the services outlined above, the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Office of Student Affairs provides both undergraduate and graduate students opportunities for personal and professional enrichment.  At the undergraduate level, the Tennessee Pre-professional Fellowship Program (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Tennessee Pre-Law and Pre-Health Sciences Fellowship Program; ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Pre-professional Studies) and the Pre-Health Reinforcement and Enrichment Program provide opportunities for students to explore their interest in and aptitude for careers in research and the health professions (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Pre-Health Reinforcement and Enrichment Program; ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Pre-Health Reinforcement and Enrichment Program).   Summer components of both programs include activities to help students improve their testing, research, presentation, and writing skills and opportunities for self-exploration of personality traits, values, and goals.  For medical and graduate students, the program offers opportunities to promote personal and professional development.   The COM also offers the Ronald McNair Program, designed to encourage and facilitate doctoral studies in the life sciences by low income, first-generation college students and students from groups traditionally under represented in graduate education who have career interests in research and college teaching. The program prepares students for graduate school admission and the rigors of graduate education through four separate program components: a research experience, enrichment activities, career and academic counseling, and participation in professional conferences.

Students may receive financial support to attend conferences and workshop as representatives of the COM at national and regional meetings.  Students also may serve as peer tutors and/or receive peer tutoring, and further develop their teaching skills by serving as instructors for summer outreach programs operated by student affairs.  Participation in student organizations and sponsored community initiatives enable students to develop and enhance leadership and interpersonal communication skills while also providing valuable community services.  The career-advising program provides medical students with tools to plan for their post-medical school careers.

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