Message from Gage E. Paine, Vice President for Student Affairs

“The pilot says: ‘You’re here to kiss the clouds.’….

“The bird says: ‘To sing your song.’…

“The dog: ‘I believe we’re here on earth in order to bark.  And sometimes to howl at the moon.’…

“The stone:  ‘You’re here simply to be.’…

“The blind man: ‘To trust.’”

The Big Question by Wolf Erlbruch, translated from the French by Michael Reynolds

We spend a lot of time, don’t we, looking for answers to questions big and small, strategic and routine.  Some answers come easily and some take a long time, but generally our goal is to find an answer.  It’s even better if we can find the answer.   Of course, as the excerpt above shows, sometime the answer depends on your perspective and experience.  But the answer also depends on the question.

Somewhere along the way, I was introduced to the idea that our questions define our answers.  Huh?  Our question is sitting there as a locked door and we are trying to find the key that opens it.  Right?  Questions are supposed to help us find the information we need.  So, how does the question define the answer?

I really came to understand this idea more fully when I worked in Services for Students with Disabilities.  The Americans with Disabilities Act was new and for many faculty members working with a person with a disability and needing to accommodate them was very new.  So they had a lot of questions.  Generally, while the details varied, the basic question was ‘How do I test this person in a way that is most like everyone else?’  It’s a reasonable question.  After all, being fair in testing and assigning grades is important.  But in the world of disabilities being treated just like everyone else is sometimes unfair.  This question makes some assumptions including the idea that everyone must have the same test.

But what if the question we ask is “How do I best assess what this person learned in my course.”  You can see right away that this creates opportunities for different answers.  It starts from a different place – not fairness in testing, but rather accuracy in assessing learning.  So of course you will get different answers. 

So it’s important that we think about the questions that we ask of ourselves and each other because the question itself will open some doors and shut others.  There are other examples all around us. 

• ‘What’s the most cost-effective way to run this program?’ leads to very different answers than ‘What’s the most effective way to be sure students get this information?’ 

• ‘Whose responsibility is this?’ leads to different answers than ‘How do we find the best way to respond to problem X?’

• ‘How do I find room 1.01.01’ may lead you to a very different place than ‘How do I find the Registrar’s office?’

We’ve all seen it happen, haven’t we?  Jean Troncale told me a story recently about someone complaining that he couldn’t register saying he’d tried to get on the computer several times.  She said she’s been down this road before and asked him if he’d been admitted to UTSA yet.  And he hadn’t, so of course computer registration wasn’t working for him.  If she’d answered his implied question, the referral would have been to the Registrar’s office when he really needed Admissions.

I share all this to say that it’s time for us to start moving forward on a number of our strategic initiatives in support of UTSA 2016.  We have a number of big ideas in our division strategic plan, and it will take a lot of discussion and good thinking to figure out how to move forward on all that we are doing.  And the quality of our thinking and the way we move forward in the coming weeks and months is dependent in large part on our ability to come up with good questions.  

So as you go about your work over the next few weeks, I encourage you to notice the questions you are being asked and that you are asking.  When you are responding in a customer service mode, are you answering the question being asked or are you missing the mark?  Can you find the time to be clear with the questioners about what they are really trying to achieve so that you are providing the best information to meet their needs?

And when you are working on the bigger issues are the ‘right questions’ being asked?   Are they the best questions possible?  Are they questions that open or limit the possibilities?  Are we getting enough perspectives?  Are we asking the ‘right’ people?  Questions and more questions – they are an important part of our work and it’s as necessary to spend time on them as it is on the answers.

So - heard any good questions lately?

Best wishes,

Gage

---

Announcements/Events

Staff Appreciation Celebration 2008 - Photos

 

More Photos....

 

---

 

Business Procedures

When routing entertainment contracts and services agreements, an invoice needs to be attached to the packet.  (Some of the details may already be listed in the contract/agreement, but for payment to be processed, an invoice must be attached.)

Previous Business Procedures Tips

---

 

Professional Development Survey Update

 

Dear Student Affairs Staff:

 

On behalf of Dr. Paine and the Professional Development Team, we would like to thank you for participating in the professional development survey.  We had an eighty (80) percent response rate and received many ideas and recommendations.  Please see the detailed information attached for a breakdown on staff participation.  We will be sharing more of the feedback in the coming weeks.

 

This is an exciting time in Student Affairs and we want to invite you to get involved and make a difference.

If you are interested, there is still time to contribute to one of the three sub-committees listed below. Contact one of the chairs via e-mail to express your interest.  

 

Awards and Recognition – Marlon Anderson and Cari Goodyear, Co-Chairs

Anne Speights, John White, Joyce Fox, Judy Moreno, Luisa Cantu, Michelle Montanio, Mike Zucker, Pat Graham

 

Continuing Education – Eric Cooper and Joe DeCristoforo, Co-Chairs

Anne Jimenez, Jackie Hobson, Claudia Giliberti, Shirley Rowe, Claudia Rodriguez Lilly, Elizabeth Wiseman, Kelsey Arnold, Anne Macintosh, Tammy Casas, Gabriel Mendiola, Tracy Hunt

 

Staff Networking – Jana Kennelly and Re’Shanda Bridges, Co-Chairs

Charlin Jones, Jennifer B. Ehlers, Yvonne Jones, Sally Crouser, Jim Sarra, Jeanette Francovich,

Julio Joey Ramos, Abbi Lane, Erik Stein, Jan Daniels, Misty Kelley

 

The Professional Development Team members are:  John Kaulfus (Chair), Cari Goodyear, Carol Gonzalez, Marlon Anderson, John White, Edna Dominguez, Bob Miller, Re’Shanda Bridges, Marlon Anderson, Jana Kennelly, Eric Cooper, and Joe DeCristoforo. 

Professional Development Survey - Student Affairs Staff Stats  (pdf)

---

 

Comes to Student Affairs

True Colors® is a simple model of personality identification … that improves communication through recognition of a person’s true character. [The model utilizes] the colors of orange, green, blue and gold to differentiate four basic personality types. True Colors’ lively and interactive programs [are a] way of discovering one’s strengths, and understanding human behavior. 

http://www.truecolors.org/whatistruecolors.html

All division staff (non-student) will participate in a True Colors® workshop in the coming months to explore their own “color” attributes, and to learn ways to value the need for different and complementary personality types in our work environment. The workshop will help provide knowledge on how to build effective relationships across offices and departments, and assist in creating a safe and trusting work environment to meet common goals.  Attendance at workshops is mandatory and will be arranged given the staff scheduling needs.

The division’s Education Team members were recently certified as True Colors® facilitators.  The education team members are: Donna Edmondson, Eric Cooper, Desiree Alva, Dee Kennedy, Susanna Driver and Michelle Montanio* and Keith Pilger*. (*We’re fortunate that Michelle and Keith were certified previously and are sharing their expertise to make this endeavor an enjoyable and successful experience.)

There will be more information regarding scheduling the workshops in the coming weeks.   Please contact  any of the team members listed above with questions.

True Colors (pdf)

Top

---

Departmental News

Athletics

Remaining Camps Schedule:

Baseball · July 21-24: Youth Summer Camp #3 (Full/Half) Baseball · Aug. 11-13: Youth Elite Summer Camp (Limit 50) Baseball · Aug. 23: High School Evaluation Camp Baseball · Sept. 28-Oct. 19 (Sundays): Fall Hitting Academy Baseball · Sept. 28-Oct. 19 (Sundays): Fall Pitching Academy Men's Basketball · June 27-28: Shooting Camp Men's Basketball · June 30-July 3: Day Camp Men's Basketball · July 16-19: Day Camp Softball · June 26: Pitching Camp (must bring own catcher) Women's Tennis · June 23-27 (9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 23-26/9 a.m.-12 June 27) Volleyball · July 14: Setter Camp Volleyball · July 15: Outside Hitter Camp Volleyball · July 16: Middle Hitter Camp Volleyball · July 17: Defensive/Libero Camp

UTSAToday Article - UTSA All-American finishes 10th in Olympic trials

www.goutsa.com   UTSA Athletics Website

---

Counseling Services

UTSA Counseling Services offers comprehensive program of crisis services to assist students

 

For students facing serious physical, emotional or mental health crises, UTSA Counseling Services offers a comprehensive program of crisis services aimed to assist students who are victims of sexual assault and students who are at risk of harm to themselves and others.

 

UTSAToday Article

 

---

 

Orientation and Transition Services 

Rowdy Ties – Fall Family Orientation continues through June and July at 1604 and downtown campuses

 Parents, family members, and guests are encouraged to attend new student orientation with their student, as a Rowdy Ties participant. Rowdy Ties is the orientation program for family members of new incoming students. It gives family members an introduction to UTSA by focusing on academic and social components which we believe are critical to student success. 

Family Orientation Website

 

Top

---

Thank You Rowdy Friends

Thank You Rowdy Story

Thank You Rowdy has a special mission in Student Affairs - to travel across UTSA recognizing the good work of staff members.

Most Recent 'Thank You Rowdy' Visit:

To: Priscilla Garcia

From: Barbara Reyes

Dearest Priscilla,

I am passing on the Thank You Rowdy to you as a “thanks” for your help during the May 15 and 16, 2008 NCHERM Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment Institute which was held here at UTSA.  Your demeanor, generosity and willingness to help out has impressed me and you were definitely one of the key elements in keeping the conference organized.  Moreover, you are a very nice person and I'm so glad to have met you!

Priscilla Garcia (L)  receives 'Thank You Rowdy' from Barbara Reyes (R)	Barbara reads 'Thank You Rowdy' message to Priscilla	(L) to (R) at the Rowdy Party: Elizabeth Stanczak, Priscilla, Shirley Pipes, Barbara

 

 

 

Previous 'Thank You Rowdy' Visits

  Top

---

Kudos and Congratulations

From: Alicin Hickman

To Career Services Staff

From Joe DeCristoforo: