Braga, DeBlois , Goetz & McCoy: A Case Study

1. Braga, DeBlois, Goetz & McCoy: A Case Study Arkansas Tech University

2. CampusProfile: • Founded in 1862 • Private, liberal arts University • Riverton Four Corners • Tuition $38, 780 • Number of Applicants 2012 – 2013: 18, 213 • Accepted: 1, 934 (10.62%) • 5, 300 Undergraduate Students • 1, 400 Graduate and Professional Students • All 50 States represented plus Washington D.C. and over 60 foreign countries • 93% Caucasian 3% African American 2% Hispanic 2% Other • Student to Faculty ratio 18 to 1 • 295 Faculty • 3,860 live on campus • Over 200 Registered Student Organizations • 26 Athletic teams

3. The Problem: (click to play videos) News Cast: Sunnyvale students cause a ruckus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnCBXEd1R8 Disturbance at Local Mall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9QhZUhFF1Q&feature=youtu.be

4. Emily McCoy – Riverton Four Corners, Deputy Mayor Sunnyvale University Relations • The town of Riverton Four Corners is having issues with Sunnyvale University for a few reasons: • -Riverton Four Corners was a quiet, quaint town that is losing it’s reputation as such. The town relies on tourism to help fuel the economy and with a poor reputation, tourists will not be as plentiful. • -The university, like some universities, does not pay taxes on the land that is being used by Sunnyvale, so Riverton Four Corners feels like they are not profiting as much as they could. • -The college students of Sunnyvale University want more chain retail stores and restaurants which is threatening small business owners in town. The business-owners don’t feel as though college students frequent their businesses enough already and large chain stores would surely run them out of business. • -The townspeople also see an opportunity with the community of Riverton Four Corners that Sunnyvale University is not properly taking advantage of. There are many local businesses and organizations that have community service opportunities that Sunnyvale students could take advantage of. • For example: • The Animal Hospital of Riverton Four Corners always needs people to help walk the rescued dogs and play with rescued cats. • Whispering Pines Nursing Home and Assisted Living needs people to assist residents with meal time, games, and to keep company during leisure time.

5. Emily McCoy – Riverton Four Corners, Deputy Mayor Sunnyvale University Relations • Proposed Solutions: • Sunnyvale University creates a department focused on Town and Gown relations. There are many other universities that have already done this or started programs where the two entities work together. • The University of Southern California, The University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern, Yale • Sunnyvale University seeks out the assistance of the International Town and Gown Association. • -Their mission is to provide resources and assist with creating a healthy and effective relationship between the town and university. • -There is a certificate program and conferences to attend which are both resources that Sunnyvale could take advantage of to get ideas about what other universities are doing.(The international town and gown association. (n.d.) • 3. Sunnyvale University starts giving back to Riverton Four Corners by providing community service. • -This would benefit both the university and the community and at no cost • either. Students could gain valuable life skills and the townspeople may change • their previously assumed ideas about the student body. • -It could be worked into the curriculum or it could be a requirement for some • extracurricular activities. • -Students would also gain a deeper respect for the town and it’s people and be • less likely to cause problems or vandalize property.

6. Hannah Goetz – Director of Student Activities, Sunnyvale University Problems from a Student Activities Perspective “Although the problem seems to be directly coming from ruckus in the community; I believe the problem starts here on campus with lack of student involvement. We have seen a huge decrease in attendance to university events.” – Goetz Current Issues: Sunnyvale has over 200 registered student organizations. With this number students are not as involved as they should be. Many organizations are on the verge of becoming inactive. – We need to engage students back into the campus environment and into community positively. Astin’s Involvement Theory: Involved students devotes energy and time to academics, time on campus and is an active member in student organizations and activities. Not to mention interacts and networks frequently with faculty and staff of the university. (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010) Students learn more the more they become involved. A lot of this theory is geared towards students being re-connected to their campus environment. In our case, Sunnyvale University and community are one in the same one. Essentially, since the community can be counted as part of our campus environment we need to not focus just on campus events and activities but also events that can engage students in civic engagement towards the community and township. (Williams,2009)

7. Hannah Goetz – Director of Student Activities, Sunnyvale University Solutions from a Student Activities Perspective Possible Campus & Community Engagement Events: • Career. Community. Connect.- Geared towards community appreciation. -Professionals from successful enterprises within the Sunnyvale community engage in training and mentoring currently enrolled Sunnyvale students. Willing community members will be matched with students interested in their profession. (Ties in with involvement theory-- Students will be more successful the more they are involved with university programs especially those that are academic. We as a collegiate community need to properly motivate our students to want to succeed. Encouraging relationships with professionals is a direct way to do so as well as redeem our relationship with our outstanding community) • L.I.O.N. Fair (Love-In' Our Neighbors) - Annual fair geared towards the connection of Sunnyvale students and community members. Top Sunnyvale student organizations are directly responsible for the organization, funding and putting-on of this annual fair. Students will be responsible for catering all carnival events for the community and their families. All university students are encouraged to attend and to volunteer at fair. University organizations will serve as "Big Brother/Sisters" to community student groups such as elementary and middle schoolers throughout the fair. Each fair would also serve as fundraiser for a select sponsored community renovation project voted on at a city council. Each university student group is required to be represented at said fair. Service Learning – “Service learning is anchored in values of community and civic society” (William., 2009). Successful learning occurs while students are still within their environment not necessarily flung out of it. Usually considered as programs that add value to curriculum not necessarily connected to specific course work. - In our case– We would connect with our community groups such as: businesses, elementary, middle and high schools, the elderly, renovations projects, park and recreation initiatives etc. The involvement much address or relate to an actual need of the community. Cannot be “fluff” work.

8. Barbara Braga – Director of University Housing Problems from a Housing Perspective • In Residence life we have an occupancy issue. There are too many students with the need to be housed on-campus and we are struggling to find room for these students. In turn, students have to resort to trying to find living spaces in town, encroaching on the town’s properties. • -Students do not feel like they have enough space on campus (their environment), and in turn, seek other areas within the community. • Lewin’s Interactionist Perspective states that students behavior is a function of their environment and the interactions they have with people. (Evans et al. 2010). • A recent Twitter post from a Sunny Vale student: “There is nothing to do in this place #SVProbs” Students feel that college is a temporary thing, and do not take ownership of the town they are living in. This causes students to do things out in the town that they would not normally do.

9. Barbara Braga – Director of University Housing Solutions from a Housing Perspective • One potential solution would be to build a new residence hall to help with the occupancy issues. • -More appealing living arrangements with interesting common spaces, complete with entertainment options, would make students want to live on campus. • -A new building would help students from encroaching into the town by having students live on-campus, and wanting to spend time in their residence halls common spaces. (North Georgia, n.d.) (Thomas Jefferson University, n.d.) (Rhode Island College, n.d.)

10. Morgan DeBlois – Dean of Students, Sunnyvale University Problems from the Dean’s Perspective “The issues with the Sunnyvale University students and the Riverton Four Corners Community are critical and need to be addressed in a timely and efficient manner” – Dean DeBlois Issue: Destruction and ruckus in the community • Causes: • Limited and out dated housing space • Lack of student involvement and leadership • Lack of quality involvement opportunities • Community disconnect • Challenges: • Population growth was faster than funds • Student leadership motivation • Feedback from students • Town politics and history We have met as a task force for three weeks now and have tossed around a lot of different ideas. We have looked at many different aspects to what our solution to the issue could potentially be. Before we decided on anything our initial initiative was to get candid quotes from our students themselves about their view of this issue and what solutions they think would help and would like to see.

11. Morgan DeBlois – Dean of Students, Sunnyvale University Student Interviews Lisa Smith “I feel as though it is immature and rude what these students are doing in the community. I for one wish there were more opportunities to get involved with Riverton. I was in Key Club in high school and did a lot of volunteer work in my home town. I wish I had the same opportunities now that I’m in college.” Carl Wong “I see how the town can see what we’ve been up to as “ruckus”, but in reality we’re just trying to find stuff to do. My dorm room I share with my roommate is the size of my friends single at his college. Also I’m not interested in any of the activities put on. Therefore me and my friends try to find things in town to do. Since there really isn’t anything to do we just mess around.” After getting our feed back from now the students we came to a conclusion on what our focus to the solution will be to mend Sunnyvale’s relationship with our dear community, Riverton Four Corners.

12. Morgan DeBlois – Dean of Students, Sunnyvale University Solutions Final Proposed Solution Timeline to the Board • Civic Engagement opportunities (Ready by Fall 2013) • We will create a program through Student Activities and in collaboration with the new upcoming student group, L.I.O.N (Love- In’ Our Neighbors). L.I.O.N is headed by Sophomore Lisa Smith, one of the students we interviewed. She will also be working with Ms. Goetz, Director of Student Activities, on her proposed idea of L.I.O.N. Fair (described above). The purpose of these programs is to mend the disconnect between Sunnyvale and the community. • Town and Gown Initiative (started Summer 2013) • We will be taking Ms. McCoy ‘s, Deputy Mayor, suggestion on joining the International Town and Gown Association. We feel as though working toward obtaining the certificate they offer will be beneficial to Sunnyvale’s relationship with Riverton Four Corners. We believe this because it will show a concrete form of commitment. • Residence Hall (breaking ground Fall 2016) • We will be taking Ms. Braga’s, Director of Housing, suggestion of creating a more modern Residence Hall which would entice student’s to feel comfortable and at home in their place of residence on campus. The style of rooms will be quads and apartment style living. This hall will also incorporate a wide variety of facilities such as: game room, study room, computer lab, lounges, café, and conference rooms.

13. REFERENCES Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 0787974 Focus Initiative. (2013) Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement. Retrieved from http://focus.illiniosstate.edu/modules/what/involvement_theory.shtml North Georgia. (n.d.) http://www.northgeorgia.edu/uploadedImages/Student_Support/Residential_Life/ Residence_Halls/suite%20style.jpg The international town and gown association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.itgau.org/content.aspx?ContentID=1438 Thomas Jefferson University. (n.d.) http://www.tju.edu/content/tju/housing/options /martin_hall/_jcr_content/par/textimage/image.img.jpg/1359391865162.jpg Rhode Island College.(n.d.).Retrieved from http://www.ric.edu/virtualtour /images/pano_newHall_ 450px.jpg Williams, J. W. (2009). Service Learning: Practical Guidance from Theory. Conference Papers -- American Political Science Association -- Teaching & Learning, 1.