Campus Connect
August 24, 2018
Objective: An important element in the development of UTRGV was consideration of and attention to how to best coalesce our campuses and develop a collective identity. Recognizing that there is still much work to be done in this area, we are launching a new Campus Connect initiative, which picks up on two separate initiatives that were started informally last year. Campus Connect will work to promote greater consistency in programs and services of all types for students, faculty, and staff across UTRGV’s multiple campuses. To do this, the committee will examine academic programs; recruitment, retention, and completion; campus life; and administrative services. Recognizing that operational efficiency and effectiveness can best be promoted by balancing centralization with autonomy, Campus Connect will work to ensure that UTRGV’s needs as a whole, as well as the distinct needs of each campus community, are equitably addressed.
Contact: If you are interested in serving on the Campus Connect committee, please email Dr. Mark Kaswan. The committee's chair is Dr. Nikkie Hodgson.
Updates
March 4, 2021
The Campus Connect Committee (C3) did not meet as planned during Spring 2020 due to COVID-19. However, the Campus Connect Steering Committee continues to meet on a regular basis. The meetings have focused on identifying strengths and attributes each UTRGV campus possesses and how those strengths and attributes could be used to enhance the identity of each campus.
The full committee will be meeting on March 11 to discuss the unique opportunities provided by COVID-19 regarding remote meetings and learning, and their impact on the C3 goal of campus equity.
The C3 Steering Committee has proposed to the President’s Office the establishment of an ad-hoc campus council to provide contextual information regarding the local impact of campus-specific and university-wide decisions. The ad hoc council will serve as context experts to provide relevant, campus-specific information to university decision-makers who will ensure fair and equitable treatment across campuses. Members will be those serving on the C3 at-large committee from each campus. They will act in both an advisory manner regarding issues brought forth by the administration, as well as in an advocacy manner to bring local concerns to the attention of administration.
Any comments should be sent to the C3 Chair, Nikkie.Hodgson@utrgv.edu.
April 13, 2020
The Campus Connect Committee (C3) met November 20, 2019 in Brownsville. The meeting focused on identifying strengths and attributes each UTRGV campus possesses and how those strengths and attributes could be used to enhance the identity of each campus.
Presentations were conducted by Janna Arney, Patricia McHatton, Walter Diaz, Jennifer McGehee and Nicole Englitsch, who shared information about progress that’s been made and plans for moving forward, updates about the academic program technical review and information on course completion, enrollment and commuter information reports, and the Employee Resources webpage.
The next Campus Connect Committee meeting will be scheduled as soon as conditions permit. Any comments should be sent to the C3 committee at Nikkie.Hodgson@utrgv.edu or Mark.Kaswan@utrgv.edu.
October 31, 2019
The Campus Connect Committee (C3) is excited to officially announce the new Employee Resources web page. The goal of C3 is to promote a high degree of consistency in programs and services of all types for students, faculty, and staff across the multiple campuses of UTRGV. The new Employee Resources web page is one more step in achieving this goal. Since its launch, the new site has already been visited 7,707 times with 5,433 unique visits.
Other current top areas of concern addressed by the C3 are leadership visibility and academic program alignment. These concerns were shared with administration and have resulted in an increase in town hall meetings and divisional electronic newsletters.
If you would like more information, please email Nikkie Hodgson at Nikkie.Hodgson@utrgv.edu or Mark Kaswan at Mark.Kaswan@utrgv.edu.
March 19, 2019
The Campus Connect Committee (C3) shared a summary report detailing three areas of focus: Communication, Academics, and Leadership Visibility and Presence. Included in the report were suggestions on how to address each of these areas:
- Communication - the Campus Connect co-chairs, in coordination with the President’s Office, are working to design a webpage to serve as a one-stop shop for faculty and staff resources.
- Academics - Academic Affairs has completed a technical review of all undergraduate academic programs to identify curricular roadblocks that may be impeding student retention and time-to-graduation. The primary focus of this work was to identify course and program inefficiencies as evidenced through an analysis of course scheduling, course enrollment patterns, program road maps, and similar sources of information. The colleges are now in the process of addressing findings in order to ensure transparency for UTRGV students. Furthermore, a database of course offerings over the past two years has been created to identify any gaps or issues. The database has been compiled and was shared at a retreat on March 6 with deans, associate deans, and chairs. The committee is conducting an analysis to determine action items. Included in this analysis will be recommendations for “Signature Programs” that are campus based. These efforts will provide the needed transparency in course and program offerings so students can make sound educational decisions. The committee will continue to share updates as they become available.
- Leadership Visibility and Presence - ensuring leadership at all levels is visible and available across all campus locations continues to be a priority. Specific recommendations will be forthcoming.
November 30, 2018
The Campus Connect Committee (C3) hosted a kick-off retreat on November 2. The purpose of the C3 is to promote greater consistency in programs and services of all types for students, faculty, and staff across UTRGV’s multiple campuses. The initial three-hour working retreat was facilitated by Dr. Nikkie Hodgson (C3 chair), Dr. Selma Yznaga, Dr. Mark Kaswan, and Michael Aldape. Approximately 60 faculty and staff members were invited to take part in the retreat. The meeting began with a welcome from Dr. Patricia McHatton. Dr. Kaswan provided an overview on strategic initiatives currently underway. Drs. Hodgson and Yznaga and Mr. Aldape provided an overview of the charge of the C3 and the purpose of the retreat. The group engaged in an affinity mapping exercise during which several opportunities and solutions were identified and discussed and possible champions for each opportunity area were identified. The next step for C3 is to compile results and submit a summary report to Dr. McHatton in the coming weeks. She will review results and reach out to individuals identified as champions for each opportunity in order to discuss further action. The next C3 meeting is scheduled for early spring.