Standard IX - Students

Draft -6-2-97

9.1 Overview of Student Services

9.1.A. Goals and Assessment Guidelines

9.1.B. Composition, Policymaking, and Finance

9.1.C. General Responsibilities

9.2 Student Services: Areas, Current Issues, and Evaluation

9.2.A Admissions

9.2.B Registration Services

9.2.C Student Orientation

9.2.E Counseling and Testing Services

9.2.F Financial Aid

9.2.G Bookstore

9.2.H Residential Life, Housing, and Food Service

9.2.I Health Services

9.2.J Extracurricular Activities; Student Union; Child Care

9.2.K Student Media

9.2.L Intercollegiate Athletics

9.2.M Alumni Relations

9.3 Additional Student Issues

9.3.A Changing Demographics

9.3.B Civility

9.4 Recommendations

STANDARD IX: STUDENTS (draft 4A)

9.1 OVERVIEW OF STUDENT SERVICES

A. Goals and Assessment Guidelines. The 1988 accreditation report recommended that UNR develop a comprehensive plan to maximize student service efforts, in order to address the discrepancy between goals and resources. Subsequently, Student Services undertook a major reorganization in 1989, and adopted a second master plan in 1994, with a timeline for 1995-2000 (Appendix IX-A). The mission of UNR Student Services is to create and foster quality learning environments to assist students in defining and attaining academic and personal goals. Goals of the 1994 Student Services master plan include:

These goals are consistent with the University’s goal to "Provide an institutional environment supportive of the internal quality of campus life" (see Standard I) and reinforce Student Services commitment to the "education of the whole student."

Student Services supports the educational program by working to provide an environment that helps students define and attain academic as well as personal goals. These efforts are reflected in the availability of testing (MCAT, GRE, etc.) for students whose goals include graduate or professional school; the availability of career counseling; the provision of data to departments for use in recruitment, advisement, and retention activities; and the coordination of scholarship and grant money. The relatively new Academic Affairs/Student Services Council

(described below) is intended, in part, to strengthen the relationship between student services and the academic community. Programs administered by Student Services that are of a specifically academic nature (e.g., tutoring) are described in Standard V.

Each unit in Student Services assesses and evaluates its work in order to improve services offered to students. Progress towards accomplishing these goals has been measured against the Council for the Advancement of Standards for Student Services Development Programs Self Assessment Guides (CAS), the NACUBO Benchmarking Study, the College Student Experience Questionnaire, and the Cooperative Institutional Research project. Campus-based assessments are primary evaluation and planning tools. These assessments help guide the Directors Council and the Vice President for Student Services (see below) in addressing overall student-services programming, but also allocate available resources on the basis of need and priority.

2. Composition, Policymaking, and Finance. Student Services (hereafter SS) has 55 professional employees, 6 related professional positions, 11 graduate assistants. SS is organized into four administrative units: enrollment services, student development, student life, and a fourth unit comprised of two separate positions, namely, the executive board of the Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) and the Manager of Student Information Technology (see Appendix IX-B, Organization Chart). In addition to the units organized directly under SS, two elements of student services have separate administrative reporting lines: Intercollegiate Athletics, which reports to the President; and the Student Health Center, which reports via the Executive Director, School of Medicine, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Lastly, the Office of International Students provides services to international students, but reports to the office of Academic Affairs.

A Directors Council serves to strengthen collaboration and networking among the departments within SS. The Student Services Staff Development Committee and the Vice President for Student Services (VPSS) initiate general staff training on federal/state mandates as well as Board of Regents and institutional policy. SS staff with major legal responsibilities have access to system legal counsel, and policies and procedures are designed to limit liability exposure for the University and its personnel. The departments and divisions of SS draw their standards of professional conduct from their national associations published professional standards and ethics statements.

Creating the best possible academic environment for students requires that Student Services work with Academic Affairs, and that the specific offices within Student Services work collaboratively with the various academic units and faculty as appropriate. Efforts toward this goal have developed in recent years. In 1996, the Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Student Services and the Council of Deans created the Academic Affairs/Student Services Council. This group, which includes representatives from the academic colleges and the divisions of SS, participates in policy matters for college/school enrollment management (recruitment and retention), planning and evaluation of new student orientation, coordination of Type II school/college scholarships, implementation and utilization of the Student Information System (SIS) and the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS), processes for academic dishonesty, dismissal and disciplinary matters, academic advising, academic verification and transfer agreements, and K-16 articulation and communication projects. The creation of a University College (described in Standard V)--which should unite academic and student-services responsibilities for freshmen, students without declared majors, and other groups in the student population--will further enhance collaboration.

Student input into planning and evaluation is provided through student interviews and focus groups conducted by the VPSS, as well as satisfaction and utilization surveys for SS departments. The units and departments also work directly with the ASUN and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and their committees. These two student governments have a strong voice in influencing policies related to students. The Faculty Senate also plays a role in making such policies (often through its Campus Affairs Committee), and SS administrators consistently seek Faculty Senate approval for changes in policy. The policies developed and implemented by SS are outlined in the UNR Catalogue, the Student Handbook, the Administrative Manual, the Student Bill of Rights, and the Faculty Handbook.

The legislative funding formula for student services, established in 1987, has yet to be fully funded at even the level at which the instructional formulas are funded. The SS budget experienced an 8.5% reduction in 1992-93, which resulted in a drop in some state operations and staffing levels below those of 1991-92. A student fee increase in 1995-97, earmarked for technology and support services, was specifically used to improve campus safety and implement the degree-audit system (described below). A second area of constraint, addressed throughout this chapter, is space: many areas within SS are cramped for space. The proposed new Student Services/parking structure, currently under legislative consideration, would greatly alleviate this pressure.

C. General Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities. UNR has developed a student handbook, which is provided to every student and outlines students rights and responsibilities. These are reinforced in the University Catalog, in sections on Regulations for Student Records and Student Conduct Information as well as in sections on grading policies, absences, and disciplinary sanctions. At orientation sessions (see below) the Director of Student Judicial Affairs presents a session on the Student Code and students rights and responsibilities. The Student Judicial Affairs office strives to implement policies fairly and consistently. In addition, the Board of Regents requires quarterly student disciplinary reports, which are reviewed (prior to submission) by the VPSS and the President to help insure equity and consistency.

Campus Safety. Since the 1988 accreditation, the University has increased its campus lighting, added to its police force, established an escort service, and provided perimeter security for all residence halls as well as front-desk staffing for the residence halls at night. However, the recent student survey (conducted by Noel Levitz consultants) indicated that campus safety remains a student concern. It is recommended that efforts be made to determine more clearly students specific safety concerns and develop appropriate recommendations and implementation strategies (see Standard III).

9.2. STUDENT SERVICES: AREAS, CURRENT ISSUES, AND EVALUATION

The missions and goals of the units within SS are consistent with UNR’s mission and goals; moreover, SS effectively responded to the 1988 accreditation recommendation to develop its own comprehensive plan. The 1993 interim accreditation report noted progress in areas such as residence halls, food services, and most recently the renovation of the student union. However, new challenges have arisen.

A. Admissions. Current data on student admissions are provided in (Table 1 Admissions Report). Admission policies, outlined in the UNR catalog, are intended to assure that all students, either upon entering the university, or upon admission to degree programs, have acquired basic verbal, oral, computational, analytical and computer skills (Mission and Goals). Since the 1988 accreditation, the Board of Regents has approved a 2.5 GPA requirement with the goal of moving incrementally to 2.75 (see below). Data from the registrar s office indicate that the admissions policies are generally followed. While special admits (students admitted despite GPA below the minimum required) are allowed, they typically represent less than 5% of annual admissions: 4.5% in 1992; 5.09% in 1993; 3.07% in 1994; 2.19% in 1995. Requirements and procedures for readmission are explained in the UNR catalog, as are policies on the confidentiality and release of student information (including access to and utilization of the on-line Student Information System).

The 1988 accreditation identified five areas of concern regarding admissions.

1. Raising undergraduate admission standards. The UCCSN Board of Regents approved a 2.5 GPA admission requirement (effective Fall, 1993). The University Academic Master Plan for 1997-2001 (p.31) calls for further increasing that requirement to a 2.75 GPA for Nevada students and a 3.00 GPA for out-of-state students. Realizing this goal could prove difficult. It requires approval by the Board of Regents at a time when the Board is emphasizing broadened access to higher education (Nevada lags far behind all other states in the percent of its high-schoolers continuing into higher education). In addition, the Board has traditionally required UNR and UNLV to have the same admissions standards, and UNLV has resisted raising GPA requirements.

Over the past few years, an increasing number of individual programs and majors (for instance, nursing, education, journalism, and business) have established program admission standards at the junior level. Before admission to these programs, students are considered "pre" majors. This practice may be these departments reaction to the perception that the university s admission standards are too low. It raises the question, however, of how the different sets of admission requirements--for UNR freshmen and departmental majors--are related to each other, and whether the discrepancy between them contributes to the drop-out rate between sophomore and junior years (see Standard V).

In fall 1996, Noel Levitz Consultants addressed the question of whether or not to raise admission standards in its study of UNR s recruitment and retention (see below). The consultants believed that focused recruitment could help attract students with higher ACT scores, while the University continues to address the long-range goal of raising admission standards. (The Noel Levitz report is available on file for accreditors.)

2. Developing procedures to track and maintain communication with students who leave and later return to the university. In order to serve these populations better, SS has collected data on students who withdraw within a particular semester. Data from 1993-1995 indicate that 709 students withdrew. Reasons for withdrawals included personal (21%), medical (21%), financial (8%), or conflict between work and school (20%). Only 3% cited academic unpreparedness and 3% cited dissatisfaction with the institution. Admissions also provides to departments a list of non-returning students. However, data are not available on why students do not return. Nor are there data on students who return after a hiatus of more than one semester. Without these data, the picture of UNR's "drop-outs" is incomplete.

3. A computer tracking system for admission applications. With the implementation of SIS in 1991, this has been accomplished. However, SIS has significant deficiencies (described in Standard V and below).

4. An increase in admissions staff to handle the increasing applicant requests. This has been difficult because of the budget reduction noted above and the state s failure to fund the support services budgets fully.

5. Adequate staff to evaluate the new admission standards for applicants. Budgetary constraints have made realizing this objective impossible as well.

B. Registration Services. Policies and procedures related to registration services are outlined in the UNR catalog, course schedule, Student Handbook, new-student materials, Faculty Handbook, and Administrative Manual. Pertinent deadlines, changes in policy, training sessions, and the like are communicated by memorandum to faculty. Staff are available in person in the office and by telephone to answer faculty and student questions.

The Registrar’s office coordinates with Nevada high schools through (1) a full-time high-school coordinator for the five southern Nevada counties, who visits with each high school in those counties and provides admission and recruitment information; (2) a parallel officer for Washoe County (the Reno-Sparks area); and (3) an outreach office that services the other Nevada counties similarly. The Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Services and the VPSS personally visit each Nevada high school once every two years to enhance the University s relationship to those schools.

The Registrar’s office continues to strive towards the SS goal of efficient, effective organizational structures. At present, the Registrar's office uses both manual and computerized systems for student records, room scheduling, etc. The registrar's office maintains responsibility for SIS training. The use of the SIS has increased services available to faculty, particularly academic advisors. The recent implementation of DARS (in selected colleges as of spring 1997; scheduled for campus-wide use in 1998) will enable students to monitor their academic progress more easily. In addition, the Registrar's office has acquired a document-imaging system and is striving towards a paperless environment.

Enrollment data for 1992-1996 are presented in Appendix IX-C. These data do not include summer-term enrollment, because summer school is self-supporting, not state-supported, and is run by the Division of Continuing Education (and is therefore discussed in Standard VI). This omission is a problem: the fact that we report summer enrollment separately from academic-year enrollment means that we have incomplete knowledge of students patterns of progress toward their degrees. This problem will only worsen as more of our students take summer-school courses (see also Standard XI).

While the SIS system has provided more efficient, timely and relevant information to faculty and students than existed in 1988, several concerns remain: (1) To maintain a waiting list during enrollment periods, SIS requires the department to contact the students and register them as they move up the list. For many departments, this is too labor intensive. (2) Room scheduling is not yet automated, in large part because the current system cannot monitor room scheduling conflicts. (3) At peak periods of registration and enrollment, the current phone-registration system and the human resources and physical space of the Office of Admissions and Records are inadequate to meet student demands (See also discussion of SIS in Standard V).

The 1988 accreditation report recommended that, given the increased importance of recruitment and retention, the registrar's office examine its role in these student activities. Progress since then has included: establishing and monitoring enrollment goals, including those for minority and under-represented student populations; identifying and assisting at-risk and special-admissions students; providing pertinent data for retention and recruitment efforts to departments and colleges; establishing a Southern Nevada Development office in Las Vegas; making student orientation mandatory for new and transfer students; and providing recruitment information to the various statewide offices of Cooperative Extension. Particularly relevant is the % increase in minority students and the 199% increase in graduate student enrollment (data available on file).

However, several recruitment/retention issues remain: the problem of retention between the sophomore and junior years (see Standard V), and the financial restrictions on support services to students with special needs. The Nevada legislature establishes funds for K-12 to address the cost of special educational services, but does not extend adequate support to the University system for similar categories of students. For the 1996-97 academic year, the legislature funded a full-time accommodation specialist for the first time. Still, Nevada is among the lowest states in the nation in state-supported student financial aid, a circumstance that obviously limits UNR’s ability to recruit and retain students. The legislature provided UCCSN with $7 million in one-time-only financial-aid funds in 1995-97. A similar request has been submitted for the 1997-99 biennium.

C. Student Orientation. Orientation has been required of new undergraduates the past few years. In 1996, six New Student Orientation (NSO) workshops were held on campus in Reno (between May and mid-August) and one in Las Vegas. The program was available twice via video conference at locations in Elko, Las Vegas, Carson City, Winnemucca and Fallon, and a self-guided version was available on UNR’s internet website. Orientation sessions deal with academic expectations, advisement, and success; student responsibilities; campus health and safety; financial obligations and opportunities; student support services and activities; residential life and food service; commuter student services; and familiarity with the campus as a whole.

NSO is planned largely by the Academic Affairs/Student Services Council (described above), and is staffed by the Office of Prospective Students, representatives of academic units, and a volunteer Student Orientation Staff (SOS, a group created to work directly with new students). SOS consists of approximately 40 undergraduate students, selected and trained to assist new students in their transition to UNR campus life.

In recent years, student orientation has had persistent problems and has been in a state of constant flux (Indeed, NSO is the latest in a series of new orientation programs, and another transformation is likely for fall 1997). A central problem has been the attempt to include initial academic advising within the orientation sessions. UNR has tried without success to make academic advising mandatory before new students can register for classes. Such an objective requires faculty from all the colleges (and various academic programs in colleges as diverse as Arts and Science) to participate in orientation sessions. Participation has been uneven at best: some colleges rarely send representatives, leaving potential students unattended. Many faculty advisors on 10-month contracts resent or simply do not attend summer orientation sessions. The issue of academic advising for new students is part of the larger advisement issue described in Standard V.

The Office of International Students and Scholars provides orientation programs for international students which include the topics outlined above as well as immigration regulations, intercultural adjustment, and intercultural communications.

D. Placement and Transfer Services. The American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) are required for freshman admission and are used for evaluation, academic advising, and proper course placement. The English, foreign language, and mathematics placement tests are special examinations required prior to registration.

The Transfer Center is a centralized resource for prospective transfer students. It provides information on admission procedures, bachelor s degree requirements, transferability of course work, and system transfer agreements.

E. Counseling and Testing Services. Academic, career, and personal counseling services and programs are provided primarily through two recently reorganized departments: Academic and Career Services, and the Counseling and Testing Center.

Academic and Career Services is the culmination of the 1989 reorganization. The department's mission is to provide programs and activities to help students become autonomous and responsible members of the campus community and society at large.

The Counseling and Testing Center is the primary source of professional counseling and related services to UNR students. Its highest priority is to assist students to cope more effectively with a wide range of problems that interfere with their educational goals. The Center provides services in five areas: (1) counseling; (2) psychological and vocational testing in conjunction with counseling (and sometimes in conjunction with career counseling); (3) substance-abuse counseling and programs about substance abuse; (4) training for advanced clinical and counseling psychology interns for the university's academic departments; and (5) testing services for a wide variety of national and placement tests. The Center is also a first responder in the event of a campus-wide emergency.

Additionally, residence-hall staff may participate in support groups dealing with issues in human psychology and education. Crises are handled on a walk-in basis. Referrals, when needed, are made within the community and to other resources on campus, such as the Downing Clinic in the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department, the Psychological Services Center within the Clinical Psychology Department, the Student Health Center, and a psychiatrist from the University's Medical School.

Understaffing is the paramount difficulty of the Counseling and Testing Center. A collaborative arrangement has allowed Counseling and Testing to become a major training center for Clinical Psychology students, who partially alleviate the Center s staffing needs. This solution is not without its problems. Graduate clinical students are usually hired on a 10-month, rather than a 12-month, basis. Therefore, during the summer the clinical staff is reduced to those professionals on 12-month contracts. Moreover, the first and last six weeks of each graduate student contract are underutilized, because it takes time to establish a case load and because it is unwise for a student at the end of a contract to pick up clients who need extended services.

F. Financial Aid. (For sources of financial aid, see Standard II.7.) The Financial Aid Office includes the scholarship office; student employment; and state, federal, and institutional financial assistance programs. Its staff has grown from 11.5 to 17 since 1988, though its physical space has not grown. The Office directly administers all federal and state financial-aid programs of need-based loans, grants, and employment, which in 1995-1996 comprised 6300 awards totaling $21 million. Coordinated with departments on campus, the office is the disbursing agent and monitor for resources for students with federal aid for state grants-in-aid for academic areas, athletics, Native Americans, and other targeted eligible student groups (1500 awards for $1.6 million). The scholarship office selects (in some cases), disburses money to, and monitors the academic progress of approximately 3,000 student recipients for general university, departmental, and external awards annually. The scholarship program totals nearly $5 million/year. The student employment office manages the federal college work-study program and processes payroll for all students (nearly 2,100 annually) who work on campus. Institutional short-term loans are also administered by the Financial Aid Office. Thirteen hundred students took advantage of the work-study program and the institutional short-term loans program in 1995-96.

All programs are administered in accordance with federal and state program regulations and guidelines, which prescribe application policy and procedure documentation, eligibility, academic requirements, and renewal of awards. The policies and procedures have been set in writing for consistency and accuracy among staff and for use in communications with students.

The current loan default rate is 6%. The National Student Loan Data System, into which all outstanding federal loans have been reported through 1994, lists UNR's overall default rate at 5.4%. The office is subjected to a compliance audit, conducted in accordance with the federally mandated accounting procedures, that reviews both the financial-aid program and fiscal accounting. The UCCSN internal audit committee reviews any identified areas of concern. The UCCSN s internal audit staff conducts periodic internal audits, which typically address a legislative request or a problem that has surfaced systemwide. The office is also subject to scheduled program reviews conducted by the U.S. Department of Education.

G. Bookstore. The ASUN Bookstore is a self-supported retail operation, owned and operated by the students (through ASUN). Whereas service to the institution and its students is of primary importance, the quest for a reasonable return on investment is also a significant consideration. The bookstore's policies and procedures address both of these factors. The bookstore's membership in professional organizations such as the National Association of College Stores and Western College Bookstore Association enhances its buying power. The bookstore is subject to the same financial guidelines as all other university departments and auxiliary services.

H. Residential Life, Housing, and Food Service. For the 10% of UNR students who reside on campus, the Residential Life, Housing and Food Service Office provides a variety of living options, including six residence halls and 40 family housing apartments. The University also administers apartments in Stead, with preference given to students with children. A number of national fraternities and sororities also maintain chapter houses near campus.

Housing. Housing facilities are subdivided into those administered by the Residential Life, Housing and Food Service Office; those administered by Administrative Services; and those provided by fraternities and sororities.

Students housing options range from traditional halls (with two students per room, a community bathroom/shower facility, floor lounges and study lounges on each floor) to furnished apartment-style suites with ethernet hookups available in each student room, in addition to a computer lab. Canada Hall provides accommodations for disabled students in all suites. All residence halls have elevators. The Department of Residential Life, Housing and Food Service has committed to modify rooms as necessary to accommodate handicapped students.

All residence halls were keyed to the Best removable core locking system in 1990, which allows quick lock changes. Additionally, in 1990 a computerized Schlage Electronic Access Control System was installed on all perimeter doors in each residence hall. This system provides accurate records of use and data files. In addition, each residence area has a front desk that is staffed nearly 24 hours per day by full time and student staff persons.

The maximum occupancy in residence halls at the University of Nevada, Reno is 1158 single student spaces. Actual occupancy rates for the last three years are as follows: 91.0% as of 9/30/96; 94.4% as of 9/14/95; 98.4% as of 9/27/94. In addition, the current occupancy of the 40 one-bedroom apartments for married students is 100%.

Students report general satisfaction with the living conditions offered by the residence halls: (89.5%) feel that their resident advisors (RAs) are sufficiently available and most (87.4%) feel that their RAs are concerned for their welfare. Students express high satisfaction (88.7%) with the feeling of safety and security within their residence hall. RAs provide programs, serve as peer counselors and resources for what is available on campus, and help assure that policies are observed.

A comprehensive renewal and replacement schedule has been developed and is being implemented. SS plans to develop a comprehensive energy management program to provide better environmental controls and enhance comfort in all residence halls, and is committed to continually assess the technological needs of residence hall students. Finally, subject to appropriation of funds, increased housing for families and graduate students is a priority (see also Standard III).

Food Service. The University currently contracts its food services with the Marriott Corporation. Food service is provided in several dining areas including the Crossroads Cafe and Food Court, the Wolf's Den, Carl's Jr., Pizza-Hut Express, the Cellar, and the University Inn. There are also satellite snack bars in the Colleges of Business and Education. First-year students can choose one of four meal options. Students report general satisfaction with food service on campus. Future plans for food service include a new dining facility, possibly in conjunction with meeting space for student programs and summer conference use.

I. Health Services. The Student Health Center's mission is to provide students quality health care at a reasonable cost. The Center, located in the Nell J. Redfield Building in the School of Medicine, also acts as a first responder in the event of a campus-wide emergency.

During the mid-1980's, the Student Health Center changed from automatic to optional health coverage. This change was accompanied by administrative affiliation with the University of Nevada School of Medicine. When student health care became optional, the number of visits decreased (6-7%/year; 50% total decrease over five years). Only 50% of students chose Student Health Center coverage, and 86% of those utilized it. The 1988 self-study and accreditation team expressed concern about how the changes (from mandatory to voluntary health service, and in the administrative affiliation) would affect the general health of the campus, what student injuries and illnesses would be cared for, and whether general health education would be adequately addressed. The 1988 self-study also addressed: 1) whether the optional health fee was adequate to sustain a self-supporting student health center; 2) whether the affiliation with adjacent School of Medicine health-care facilities would be fully realized; 3) the need to computerize record keeping of medical data and statistics; and 4) the need to add a health educator (in conjunction with a comprehensive wellness program at the School of Medicine).

Since 1988, the most significant change in the Student Health Center has been the replacement of optional coverage with a mandatory student health fee ($57/semester). All students registering for 6 or more credits are now covered by Student Health Center services and may enroll their spouses and/or dependents in a supplemental insurance plan. Student Health Center coverage is optional for students registering for fewer than 6 credits. The resultant increase in and stability of income for the Student Health Center has made possible increased staffing and services, extended office hours (including a night clinic and expanded walk-in appointment times), new equipment purchases, and decreased laboratory costs. The change from optional to mandatory coverage was not without opposition from some students and parents, but it was endorsed by both undergraduate and graduate student government (ASUN and GSA).

Clinic staff conduct evaluations of the Health Center clinic weekly. Monthly meetings of a campus-wide Student Health Advisory Committee provides opportunities for student input into the Center's policies and administrative procedures. The Student Health Center, ASUN, and the School of Medicine periodically survey patient satisfaction and the cost of the mandatory health fee. During the 1995-96 academic year, the Student Health Center recorded over 20,000 patient visits with an average of 120 patients per day. The results of a recent survey were overwhelmingly positive: only one of 141 respondents indicated a strong dissatisfaction with the health center.

J. Extracurricular Activities; Student Union. Student fees administered by ASUN and/or GSA are used to fund extracurricular activities and services which include: the Child and Family Research Center, which provides limited campus child care; concerts; security escort service; lectures; the student newspaper The Sagebrush; legal referral service; Homecoming, Winter Carnival and Mackay Week activities; National Student Exchange; theater support; and campus recreation, which includes intramural sports and the Campus Wellness Center and its satellite operations.

Campus Recreation (UNR s term for co-curricular activities), centered in the Health, Wellness and Exercise Science department, offers students, faculty, and staff an array of inexpensive sports programs and fitness, wellness, and leisure activities. ASUN s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Committee (CRWCC) works with the Campus Recreation Director to oversee and evaluate the programs. The intramurals program for 1995 included 18 sports with over 8,000 participants. Whenever possible, men and women compete in co-ed leagues and teams. Living groups (such as independents, residence halls, and fraternities and sororities) and educational status (graduate students, faculty) provide the basis for team organization. In some sports, fraternities compete in a fraternity league. Efforts are made to involve special-need populations in both recreation and intramural programs. The CRWCC has identified special-need populations as a high priority for future program development (next two years). ASUN funds the intramural program s equipment and student wages; there is no fee for participation. The Wellness Center, which currently serves 2000 members a semester, receives a small allocation from ASUN for student salaries, and members pay a small fee each semester ($25 for students, $35 for faculty and staff).

The Jot Travis Student Union has continued to expand over the years, most recently with the enlargement of the snack bar and the lounge areas and the addition of space (including a large meeting room that provides seating for 625 banquet-style and 1,000 lecture-style) that can be rented to university and non-university groups for dinners, dances, and other events. Despite continued growth of the Union, the Activities Office staff remains essentially the same size as it was ten years ago: 2 full time employees, 1.5 custodians, 7 work-study students, and the Union director. The Union fee of approximately $.543 per credit hour has remained the same since 1973. Facilities rent and income from electronic game machines provide additional revenue.

K. Student Media. Examples of student media (Sagebrush, Artemesia, etc.) are on file as supplements to this report. The guidelines for the various publications are part of the ASUN constitution.

L. Intercollegiate Athletics. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics developed a mission and goal statement (1986, amended 1994) committing itself to provide an atmosphere where athletes find success both on and off the playing field. Strict adherence to NCAA, Big West Conference, and institutional rules is foremost in its efforts along with sponsoring athletic programs that strive to bring national recognition to the institution. In 1996 the Intercollegiate Athletics program was fully accredited by the NCAA.

The issue of gender equity is the most significant change to affect the department since 1988. The mandate to provide increased funding to existing women's sports programs and add additional women s sports programs in the next few years resulted in a 1994 action plan that UNR has followed precisely (indeed, must follow precisely or risk legal challenge). This plan required the controversial elimination of men's track and field. Future plans call for remodeling and expansion of women’s athletic facilities. Effective Fall 1997 the University will add two major women’s sports (soccer and softball) and one minor sport (golf).

Intercollegiate Athletics uses the existing services available to the general student body: counseling, personal assistance, and crisis management. Student athletes are advised to take advantage of existing programs offered through SS; the separation of these services from Athletics is advantageous because it maintains confidentiality. NCAA eligibility rules require monitoring student athletes' academic performance and progress towards graduation. Three individuals--the Director of Academic Compliance and two academic monitors--provide an academic advising program and the increased level of contact with student athletes that NCAA rules require. The Faculty Athletic Representative oversees these officers operations, assumes responsibility and accountability for their actions, and assumes final responsibility for eligibility certifications. The Director of Academic Compliance reviews all student athletes academic records to ensure initial eligibility and progress towards graduation, and meets regularly with all athletes and their faculty advisors to confirm that applicable NCAA rules and regulations are followed. The academic monitors complete the process, ensuring that athletes maintain their eligibility by going to class and by maintaining their required credit hours and grade point averages. The department provides a LifeSkills Program, specific to student athletes, that consists of a series of courses in college study skills, career development, and drug and alcohol education. These courses are designed primarily for freshman and sophomore students. For junior and senior students, the program provides mentoring, internship, and peer advisor opportunities.

Intercollegiate Athletics reports directly to the University President's office. The president is advised by the Intercollegiate Athletics Board. The UCCSN provides final approval for many program and policy changes. This layering of internal and external reviews provide a solid basis for the programs' responsibility and accountability in all phases of operation. The administrative structure is evaluated through a variety of processes: (a) the programs are audited internally on an annual basis; (b) the financial procedures and statements are audited annually by a non-institutional review; (c) the Intercollegiate Athletics Board conducts an annual formal review with recommendations to the president in the form of a five-year plan; (d) the Vice President for Finance and Administration conducts NCAA mandatory internal reviews regarding institutional structure and support; (e) the Faculty Senate reviews the department's structural organization on a regular basis; and (f) the department conducts regular evaluation of its programs and policies for effectiveness.

The Policy Manual for Intercollegiate Athletics outlines various policies and procedures, including mission and goals of the department, budgets, disciplinary procedures, drug usage and testing, athletic eligibility, financial aid, hiring procedures, injuries, and accountability of coaching staff (duties and authority). This policy manual is shared with all staff in Intercollegiate Athletics and is reviewed annually. The head coaches must consider the academic calendar when scheduling athletic events, and the athletic director reviews the master schedule.

The budgeting process for the state-appropriated portion of Intercollegiate Athletics is identical to the process used for all university state appropriations. Intercollegiate Athletics receives a specific appropriation from the legislature which is separate from the appropriation which funds the basic academic and academic support units of the university. The legislative appropriation establishes the limit of state funds which may be expended for Intercollegiate Athletics. In addition, each year the Intercollegiate Athletics department also prepares self-supporting budgets for that portion of its operation which is funded from non-state appropriated revenue sources. The self-supporting component of the Intercollegiate Athletics budget represents approximately 60% of its total annual expenditures.

The Board of Regents requires any self-supporting activity that funds an annualized position of 0.50 FTE (or more) to prepare self-supporting budgets. These are reviewed by Planning, Budget, and Analysis, approved by the president or his designee, and submitted to the Board of Regents for approval. Revenues for the support of Intercollegiate Athletics are generated from state funds, self-supporting sources, and student fees. Expenditures from the Intercollegiate Athletic budgets are processed consistently with procedures used throughout the institution. All expenditures, including payrolls, operating supplies, and travel expenses, are authorized, evaluated and audited by the same guidelines and by the same offices that serve the entire university.

Accountability of Intercollegiate Athletics has generally been good. The Intercollegiate Athletics Board has been reorganized since the 1988 accreditation, to provide more guidance and oversight than previously. The Faculty Senate s review of athletics has been irregular at best. The Director of Intercollegiate Athletics should be among the administrators who make formal, annual reports to the Senate (see Standard VIII); and the Senate has repeatedly and unsuccessfully called for a process by which athletics faculty can evaluate the Director. However, central administration and Intercollegiate Athletics did seek and receive Faculty Senate approval for UNR s move to the Big West conference in 1991, and the Senate subsequently reviewed the effects of the move at several intervals, culminating in a final review (which was entirely favorable) in 1996. Exit interviews are completed annually with graduating seniors, athletes who have exhausted their eligibility, and other athletes who have chosen to leave the program. The report for 1995-96 was not available at the writing of this report.

M. Alumni Relations (see also Standard VIII). Two components of UNR are devoted to alumni and alumni relations. The University of Nevada, Reno Alumni Association, organized in 1895, encourages a lifelong relationship between alumni and the university, and works to promote the welfare of the institution. The Association sponsors a number of programs, including the annual Donald J. Tibbitts Memorial Distinguished Teaching Award (in conjunction with the Vice President for Academic Affairs). The Alumni Relations Office works closely with the Alumni Association to represent more than 35,000 alumni and friends who maintain contact with the University. This office includes a Director and Assistant Director, an alumni program coordinator, an alumni program manager, and a management assistant. The Director of Alumni Relations serves as the liaison between the Association and the University.

Presently, "lost alumni" represent 22% of the total number of alumni. In the last year (fiscal year 1995-96), alumni pledged $1.2 million; of this amount, $1 million has actually been donated. Alumni contributions account for approximately 6% of contributions to the Century Campaign (see Standard VIII).

14. International Students. The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) provides the infrastructure and services necessary to bring international students and scholars to the university. The OISS serves over 800 international students and scholars from over 80 nations. The OISS is responsible for advising international students and scholars concerning immigration, cultural and personal issues; advising university departments on issues that pertain to international students and scholars (such as immigration requirements, I-9 document verification, and work authorization); processing admissions applications for all international students and conducting the international credential evaluation for graduate international students; generating all immigration documents (used to procure the F-1, J-1 and H-1 visas); administering international exchange programs (such as Fulbright, the Academy for Educational Development (AED), and the Institute for International Education – IIE); and providing a wide array of programs. The programs of OISS include the international student orientation; workshops intercultural adjustment, immigration law, international taxation, and re-entry; and community outreach efforts such as the Visits Program, Interpreter Language Bank, Friendship Family Program, and International Women’s Network.

A. Changing Demographics. UNR’s student profile includes an increasing number of older, often returning students, who face significant work as well as school demands. It also includes an increasing number of students who require special services. It is critical that the University identify ways to enhance the academic efforts of these students (see also Standard V). Several issues clearly need further consideration:

B. Civility. Information from the campus Mediation Center, anecdotal reports, and nationwide evidence all suggest that the university faces and will increasingly face a decline in civility: between faculty and students, and between students and students. In conjunction with faculty and staff, Student Services needs to help students understand appropriate academic behavior, to develop mechanisms for conflict resolution and mediation when appropriate, and to develop policies for addressing intractable student situations. As described in Standard VIII, the university should explore creating an Ombudsman and/or bolster support to the current Mediation Center. Efforts in this direction began in fall 1996, when the VPSS formed a Conflict Prevention and Mediation Team comprised of four SS faculty with specific training in racial/ gender issues and mediation. The Academic Affairs/Student Affairs Council can also work to improve communications and relations among students and between students and faculty. The results of these efforts need to be evaluated, in order to determine their effectiveness and the possible need for other efforts.

• ADMISSIONS: As proposed by Noel Levitz Consultants, target recruitment efforts toward Nevada students whose ACT scores promise academic success, while continuing to pursue raising admission standards.

• ORIENTATION: Continue to work toward an orientation process that ensures academic advising for entering students.

• REGISTRATION SERVICES: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of SIS, through a process that involves faculty and academic units as well as Student Services.

• RETENTION: In collaboration with the University Assessment Office, determine the characteristics of those students who fail to return to school, particularly at the end of the sophomore year. Also, survey students who return to school after a hiatus of two semesters or longer, to ascertain why they left and why they have returned.

• CAMPUS SAFETY: Determine specific students specific safety concerns, and develop appropriate recommendations and implementation strategies.

• CHILD CARE: Conduct the assessment of the Child Care Referral Center, as mandated by the Faculty Senate, and follow up if necessary with continued discussion of possible child-care alternatives.

• CIVILITY: Engage the academic community in helping students understand appropriate academic behaviors. Develop mechanisms for conflict resolution and mediation as appropriate. Explore creating an Ombudsman and/or bolster support to the current Mediation Center. Assess the results of these efforts to determine their effectiveness.

• NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS: Conduct campus-wide discussion on non-traditional students and the University, to understand better what populations this category includes, what their needs are, and how we can meet them.

• STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: Pursue with legislative extension to K-16 of public funds that currently support K-12 special education needs.

• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE: In the process of discussing University College (see Standard v), determine what elements currently within Student Services might belong in that new entity. The university has recognized a persistent issue related to academic advisement; in addition, retention issues have recently surfaced. These significant issues call for the creation of an improved academic climate that provides students with services, programs, and support networks to enter, integrate into and successfully navigate the academic experience. This is particularly true of the freshman and sophomore years. The University College model adopted by some universities to provide such a student centered climate. Discussion of whether some version of a University College would be appropriate for the University of Nevada, Reno should take place.

• PLANNING: Continue and enhance collaboration between Student Services and Academic Affairs, academic units, and faculty whenever possible. Involve academic faculty in Student Services strategic planning, programming, and implementation of policy and services.

• FUNDING: Continue to emphasize in legislative budget requests the need to increase personnel support for student services.