Texas State University San Marcos, Texas

1. Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, Texas • Team Members: Eden Bunch Kristina Graves Grisell Perez (Team Leader) Student Affairs in Higher Education Master’s Program

2. Plan of Action • Focus Group • Students • Faculty and Staff • Town members • Short Term Solutions • Immediate Action • Long Term Solutions

3. Short Term Plan of Action • Immediate Action • Stakeholder Meeting • Increase in law enforcement • Increase in awareness via various communication outlets • Social media • Newsletter • Short Term Action • Communication via Newsletter • Committee meetings for various student activities • Fun Friday Festivities • A Day Out • Service Initiatives

4. Increased Law Enforcement Presence • An increased presence of university police at weekend events, around town and campus. • Students and citizens need to be held accountable for community disruptions.

5. Spreading the Word • Social Media - Promote campus run events to students through use of Facebookand Twitter. - Use email and newsletters for town and student body to promote positive changes. - Use Facebook and Twitter to announce events happening in town. -Create YouTube videos depicting the impact students have on the community

6. Importance of Social Media • Students today expect to be communicated with via social media, whether it be email, Facebook, Twitter or texting. “Technology offers students an array of options to socialize, network, stay informed and connected” (Ratliff, 2011, p.67).

7. Fun Friday Festivities • Objectives • Students entertained on campus & leadership opportunities for student event planning committees • Weekly student lead activities • On-campus interaction • Faculty and staff welcome • New themes and activities each week • Casino night, battle of the bands, movie night, sports tournaments

8. Developing Leaders • Students in organizations are more likely to develop leadership skills and behaviors • Leadership experiences should be gained beyond the formal college classroom • Traits developed through leading organizations include: • communication, adaptability, problem-identification, problem-solving, self-management, and teamwork • All desired skills of employers

9. A Day Out • Objectives • Build community among students and eliminate crowding in Sunnyvale • Off-campus outings • Two Saturdays per month • Planned by student committees • Multiple committees (e.g.: sports events and activities, museum site visits)

10. Service Initiatives • Objectives • Leadership, team and resumé building, positive interaction with community • Student Committees plan and implement three service projects within the community • Raking leaves, shoveling snow, planning a children’s day camp, grocery shopping, meal deliveries, • Members of community can make requests for assistance

11. Benefits of Service Initiatives • Students • Academic benefits • Strengthen thinking abilities • Reinforcement of citizenship attitudes and competences • Increases civic and social responsibility • Personal development • Community • Help for communities • Cooperation • Emotional support • Relationships, motivation, self esteem, and life quality improves

12. Long Term • Creation of UComm+ Program • Creation of Off Campus Student Services • Other Task Force Suggestions

13. UComm+ • Mission In efforts of building a greater community for all, Sunnyvale University and the city will work to promote common values and goals. Through communication, planning, and respectful efforts, this collaboration will advance community.

14. UComm+ • Membership • Vice President for Student Affairs • Dean of Students • Deputy Mayor • Campus Life Director • Residence Life Director • Off Campus Student Services Coordinator • Student Government President • Liaisons • District Attorney’s Office • Mayor’s office • Sunnyvale Police Department • Chair –Graduate Assistant • Supervisors: Off Campus Student Services Coordinator and Mayor’s office

15. UComm+ • Meetings • Monthly • Townhall • Office Hours • Offices will be located on both Sunnyvale campus as well as in the Mayor’s Office • Budget • Vice President for Student Affairs • Off Campus Student Services • City of Sunnyvale

16. Ucomm+ Community Socials • Socials • UComm+ Members and Community • Positive interaction among community as a whole • Locations will vary.

17. Other Suggestions from the Task Force • New Student Orientation • Include history of Sunnyvale • Curriculum: First Year Experience • Include history within First Year Experience programs and Residence Hall programs • Incorporate a community-wide enhancement project into First Year Experience • Construction • Student Housing • Academic Buildings • Student Life Center

18. Sources Inga, B., & Natalija, M. (2008). Benefits of service-learning: Evaluations from students and communities. SocialiniaiTyrimai, 11(1), 53-66. LBJ Student Center. (n.d.). ACT. In LBJ Student Center. Retrieved February 15, 2013, from http://www.lbjsc.txstate.edu/act. Patterson, B. (2012). Influences of student organizational leadership experiences in college students leadership behaviors. E Journal of Organizational Learning & Leadership, 10(1), 1-12. Ratliff, A. (2011). Are they listening? social media on campuses of higher education. Journal Of The Australian & New Zealand Student Services Association, (38), 65-69.