Reimagination Initiative

Background  

On January 2022, Dr. Viridiana Diaz joined CSUSM as the new Vice President for Student Affairs. Dr. Diaz spent her first year in the role meeting with various divisional constituents, including staff, managers, faculty, student employees, students, as well as campus partners, and community members, to learn about CSUSM and the overarching challenges and opportunities in the division. The process included structured listening sessions with all constituents as well as informal “VPSA Chats,” that occurred in fall 2022 and spring 2023.     

Guiding Principles 

The Student Affairs Reimagination Initiative was built on the following guiding principles:

• Ensure the division of Student Affairs thrives in a changing environment by remaining competent, competitive and relevant;    
• Respond to the ever-changing needs of students particularly post-pandemic, and meet students where they are;  
• Create opportunities for advancement by leverage existing talent and aligning expertise and strengths with divisional and institutional needs;
• Encourage creativity and innovation to improve processes, identify efficiencies, and establish realistic expectations;
• Align divisional goals, objectives and outcomes with budget and enrollment projections, the university’s new Strategic Plan, systemwide Graduation Initiative, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Inventory, as well as Minority Serving Institution (MSI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANIPISI) designations;
• Strenghten the division by adopting a growth-oriented mindset that empowers the division to embrace change and make the most of it. 

Timeline 

• August 2022 – November 2022
  • Student Affairs Senior Leadership Team (SALT) individually met with VP Diaz to discuss strengths and opportunities for their respective units. 

   
• November 2022
  • VP Diaz met with Student Affairs Leadership Team (SALT) to introduce the SA Reimagination Initiative, discuss guiding principles, process change, facilitate group discussions, and reviewed next steps and timeline.  

  
  

• December 2022
  • SALT was asked to engage their teams by facilitating the same group discussion conducted by VP Diaz in November's SALT meeting; were asked to gather feedback, recommendations and questions/concerns and share these with their AVP's.  
• January 2023
  • VP Diaz introduced the SA Reimagination Initiative at the Divisional SA Professional Development Conference; including the principles, the process and timeline.  
• January 2023 – February 2023

  Virtual and in-person open forum sessions were offered for Student Affairs staff and faculty, managers, students and student employees: 

  • Managers | January 31, 2023 | 10am – 11am | The Hub, Administrative Building 2302
  • Staff & Faculty | February 1, 2023 | 2pm – 3pm | The Hub, Administrative Building 2302 
  • Students and Student Employees | February 2, 2023 | 12pm – 1pm | The Hub, Administrative Building 2302

  Open comment period occurred simultaneously.  Comments were submitted online via a link.

• March 2023 – May 2023
  • SLT met continuously to discuss feedback, timeline, and continue conversations. 
• June 2023
  • SLT adjusted the timeline for SA Reimagination Initiative to allow for a communication plan to be developed and implemented.  

   
• July 2023 – November 2023
  • Draft of the SA Reimagination Initiative, Phase I was presented to SALT. Simultaneously, a Communication Plan (July-November) was rolled out to communicate changes to those directly and indirectly impacted prior to a public communication.
• August 2023
  • VP Diaz provided an update on the Reimagination Initiative at the divisional-wide meeting.

   
• December 2023
  • Reimagination Initiative, Phase I is announced to the division. 

   

Student Affairs Reimagination Update