Beyond Lockers and Lounges: Programs for commuter and off-campus students

B.T.E.O.T.W.U.W.B.A.T. Definition Practice based in theory Organizational structure Successful programs and services Revenue and self sustaining Additional resources By The End Of This Webinar U Will Be Able To…

Poll Question #1 At what type of institution are? Community College (most students live off campus) Community College (most students live on campus) 4 Year Public Institution (most students live off campus) 4 Year Public Institution (most students live on campus) 4 Year Private Institution (most students live off campus) 4 Year Private Institution (most students live on campus)

Poll Question #2 How do you define “commuter” on your campus? Any student not living in University owned housing, i.e. students commuting from home and students living just off campus Students who commute from their families’ or their own home Students who have never lived on campus Only undergraduate students Both undergraduate and graduate students Just graduate students Other (write in)

Who is a Commuter ??? “Traditional Age” student living in family’s home or off campus Transfer student Veteran student Adult learner Student with dependants Part time student Online learner (hybrid programs)

DEFINITIONS “All students who do not live in institution-owned housing.” ASU’s definition of COMMUTER Students A student who lives at their permanent address ALL Commuter Students are Off-Campus students (Barbara Jacoby, 2000, Involving Commuter Students In Learning) At ASU…all students fall into one of two categories: on or off-campus… if you are an off-campus student you may also be a Commuter.

Elliptical Orbit Model – John Nonnamaker, Providence College, Rhode Island Family Professional Development Student Campus Activities/ Student Organizations Academics Social Life/Work

Tinto (1993)- Model of Institutional Departure To persist, students need integration into: formal (academic performance) and informal (faculty/staff interactions) academic systems (extracurricular activities) and informal (peer-group interactions) social systems.

ASU’s OFFICE STRUCTURE Off-Campus Housing Services Adult Learner Resources Housing Guide On-line housing locator service (ASU specific) Roommate matching Student Legal Services Moving Up – Moving Out off-campus transition presentations Individualized Success Coaching Connections to tutoring, software training, and academic workshops Partner with Veteran Services and Transfer Center

Community Outreach & Partnerships ASU Family Resources Provide university families with resources Manage Child Care Center on campus Advocate for students with dependants Expand family responsive policies Community Outreach & Partnerships City partnerships Safety Forums with campus and city police Off-Campus Housing Fairs Community Service events Community Mentoring program Behavior adjudication Restorative Justice model

One of the challenges for a commuter student is finding a place on campus where they belong and can have substantive interactions with other students. Orlando in Jacoby, 2000

ENGAGEMENT How do I provide students with the resources, services and support so that they can be engaged? How do I connect and engage our commuters with faculty, staff and students? How do I provide transformative and seamless learning opportunities? How do I show off-campus & commuter students they matter on this campus? How can I translate what is happening in the Residence Halls for commuter students? Especially for first year students

PEER MENTORS “Close working relationships with other students not only provide emotional support but also powerfully strengthen educational gains from the formal curriculum.” Chickering in Jacoby, 2000, p. 23

Community Liaisons Community Mentoring Collaborative effort Provides students the opportunity for career exploration/development Shadowing a city officials Designed to strengthen and broaden the Town Gown relationship Enhance academic retention efforts A student position embedded within the Be A Good Neighbor properties Engage & connect students together through events, programs, & services Assist in building stronger, cooperative communities and help to improve the quality of life in the community

Moving from Programming to an Engagement Model Willy Wonka’s Elevator Tie the Change to Strategic Plans Re-emphasize the importance of the work we are doing Work to develop a more encompassing peer mentorship model Explore ways to increase student access and utilization of current programs on campus Willy Wonka’s Elevator – In this glass elevator you can see where you have been and where you need to go – however you can go up down and around before getting to your destination – here are a few ways we are navigating our elevator journey Tie the change to Strategic Plans – Student Life Fosters Learning and Development, Focusing now on access and utilization, effective communication, holistic learning, and enhance students experience of community – moving from an involved student to an engaged student. Re- emphasize the importance of the work we are doing Work to develop a more encompassing peer mentorship model take a new look at how we engage and retain commuter students…We have been talking about how to “commuterize” or “transferize” an event to show that our students’ experiences matter and are valued on campus.

Advocating for Your Students Student Government Representatives Educating colleagues about the commuter experience Involving and educating parents and family members about their student’s collegiate experience Using assessment data to demonstrate need Going beyond the silo Looking beyond institutional image bring the voice of commuter students to the table for the on-campus community

Advocating for Resources Involving Key Stakeholders Off-campus partnerships – neighborhoods, cities On-campus partnerships – Parents Association Funding Potential obstacles in getting started Student fees Student Government Operating Budgets Partnerships for start-up funds Town/Gown relationships VP of Student Affairs Development Office

Financial Resources – Creating Revenue Streams ASU’s Be A Good Neighbor program Multiple tiers/levels to ‘buy in’ Fee for service concept Adjust each year ROI Housing Fairs Pay to participate Different price points for vender categories

QUESTIONS ???

National Resources ACPA Commission for Commuter Students and Adult Learners http://www.myacpa.org/comm/commuter/ National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs http://nccp.nsuok.edu/ International Town-Gown Network http://towngown.colostate.edu/faq.asp

THANK YOU! Amy Golden Director for Strategic Initiatives Arizona State University amy.golden@asu.edu (480) 965-7661 Off-Campus & Commuter Student Services http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/reslife/occss