Behavioral Commitments (The Actions)
The Working Group identifies specific behaviors that staff are expected to engage in to foster a caring environment. These commitments include:
Ten-Foot Rule: This is practiced daily, especially during high-traffic times. Staff will actively perform this function, sometimes integrating it as a "caring campus break". Staff are encouraged to use open-ended questions and not wait to be approached. For online students, this involves intentional outreach, phone calls, and texts to ensure they are aware of events/deadlines.
Enrollment/Registration Outreach: Contacting each student and employee shortly after enrollment or hire (e.g., via text message) to answer questions and connect them with appropriate services. Examples include Welcome Fest and other interdepartmental collaborations, such as Career Fair and Transfer Fair. The goal is to be proactive in assisting prospective students, such as advising them on getting a student ID, even if they have no obligation to attend.
First Week Greetings: Structured programming, such as Welcome Fest and the Help Hut (the first two days of school), involves interdepartmental collaboration. Staff may use A-Frames that say, 鈥淎sk Us Anything!鈥� and provide tours and FAQs. It is essential to include explicit statements such as 鈥淯ndocumented students/LGBTQIA+ students welcome.鈥� For employees, participation in the New Employee Orientation.
Cross-Departmental Knowledge: Making sure everyone knows about the available resources to direct students. This involves mixers, Student Services Monthly Meetings, sharing information with faculty via SharePoint, and keeping the employee directory up to date.
Warm Referrals: Staff are encouraged to connect with the students and walk them over to the location or service needed. This also includes providing maps and training on completing CARE referrals.
Nametags: Utilizing nametags for staff and temporary stickers for student workers. Nametags should include optional ribbons indicating affiliations (e.g., first-generation status, years of service) and whether the staff member speaks another language.
Two-Week Check-Ins: Following up with new and continuing students using communication channels like email, text, social media, or pop-ups/banners in Canvas/SURF.
