Goal #2: Improve the appeal of the campus

1. 
   Improve the academic technology infrastructure of the university
   

1. 
   Distance education and instructional technology (DEIT)
   

1. 
   Dr. Tonya Amankwatia, director of DEIT and chair of the ad hoc academic technology committee, has been working with appropriate committees and groups to identify a viable replacement for the ANGEL learning management system. She has held vendor demonstrations, checked references, and designed summer pilot projects.
   
2. 
   The DEIT team designed and implemented high-tech smart classrooms for the new DSU Lansdale campus which includes short-throw projectors and smart boards. They conducted technology workshops on site to our Lansdale faculty.
   

3. 
   DEIT has worked with Dr. Carol Mest, director of the M.S.N. program, to design and implement course modules for the new doctor of nursing practice (D.N.P.) program.
   

The registrar’s office will complete document imaging of all Allentown College/DeSales University gradated-students’ files by the end of the summer of 2012. They also plan to implement document imaging for current students through workflow technology in cooperation with Computer Aid as other DSU offices (e.g., nursing department, financial aid office) come on board to utilize this technology.

c. Trexler Library

1. 
   The library has upgraded the computers and software in the media resource lab on the second floor. Students now have a wide variety of software to enable them to organize, edit, and publish photos, videos, and music, as well as design websites. In addition to traditional DVD, VCR, and television viewing stations, the lab now has six new iMac computers with integrated web cameras, a digital scanner, a printer, and a long list of creative software.
   

2. 
   The library’s total circulation was down 10% this year compared to last year. The decline was mostly due to 2,048 fewer checkouts by undergraduate students. On the positive side, we had 947 more circulations to graduate students and an increase in use of ebooks of 9,947 uses or 319%. The number of people entering the library was down in 2011-2012 by 13,795 or 11%. Use of circulating laptops dropped a dramatic 39% compared to last year. We assume that more students are using their own laptops and other mobile devices. This year saw a 3.8% increase in the total number of documents our users viewed from our databases. SAGE and Criminal Justice Abstracts saw substantial increases, but JStor use fell by 6,057 documents or 32%. This year we had 50,507 hits on our LibGuides, which is 8,828 or 18% more than last year. We now have 48 published LibGuides, which is four more than in 2010-2011. Most of the usage increase was in our online databases guide that was up by 7,474 hits this year. With respect to interlibrary loan, we remained net lenders again this year by about 2.05 to 1, which is approximately the same as last year. Both our borrowing and our lending decreased.
   

1. 
   Healthy and Safe Residence Life
   

Residence life housing is at capacity for the retention of upperclassmen. A male waiting list has been established for upperclassmen. The appeal of our residence hall serves as an excellent marketing strategy for attracting students.

This year we began conceptualizing and planning additional housing for upperclassmen and possibly graduate students. We met with master planner Ken Brooks to assess the need for developing additional campus housing, determining possible locations for it, and discussing design ideas. It was important to plan a design that will accommodate students who will need apartment style housing. These units could be built in small clusters to allow for an increase in bed space over time as needed. The current plan is for occupancy in fall 2014.

The director of residence life and her staff contributed to the mission of DeSales University through regular assessment of how the departmental programs and services meet the standards outlined in “Principles of Good Practice in Students Affairs,” through increased involvement in prayer and reflection programs offered through campus ministry, and through increased volunteer involvement in local parishes and Catholic schools. The staff also helped to foster a multicultural campus community within residence life by developing a baseline assessment for RAs to understand their residents’ level of diversity awareness (completed August 2011), developing a community standards implementation guide, including oversight of community contracts administered by each RA in each living area (completed August 2011), reviewing departmental mission for inclusive language (September 2011), engaging in LVAIC diversity training (November 2011), and engaging in review of campus policies related to intolerance with the director of student conduct began in the spring of 2012.

The director developed a four-day comprehensive training for the current hall director staff to better understand their responsibilities related to active hall management, effective staff supervision, emergency on-call response, and intentional residence. The development of this training was in preparation for staff turnover and the onboarding of new live-in professionals in August 2012. The director developed and facilitated a training session for hall directors and returning RAs to better understand their role as educators and the influence of a vibrant residence hall community on students, including tools to assess and understand students’ developmental needs, a reflection on the university, student affairs, and residence life missions, and the implementation of a programming model focused on student learning.

Finally, the director has continued to explore possible avenues for integration of faculty/academic life into residence life. She partnered with the director of counseling to develop an integration of PACE and RAs for 2012-2013. The framework will support the wellness/substance-free housing areas, and provide additional resources to RAs for programming and peer-counseling. The director of student engagement and leadership has also explored possible development of leadership-based living-learning community for fall 2013.