Beyond Lockers and Lounges: Programs for commuter and off-campus students

B.T.E.O.T.W.U.W.B.A.T. Definition Practice based in theory Organizational structure Successful programs and

services Revenue and self sustaining Additional resources

Poll Question #1Poll Question #1At what type of institution are?

Community College (most students live off campus)

Community College (most students live on campus)

4 Year Public Institution (most students live off campus)

4 Year Public Institution (most students live on campus)

4 Year Private Institution (most students live off

campus)

4 Year Private Institution (most students live on

campus)

Poll Question #2Poll Question #2How do you define “commuter” on

your campus? Any student not living in University owned housing, i.e.

students commuting from home and students living just

off campus

Students who commute from their families’ or their own

home

Students who have never lived on campus

Only undergraduate students

Both undergraduate and graduate students

Just graduate students

Other (write in)

WHO IS A COMMUTER ???

“Traditional Age” student living in family’s home or off campus

Transfer studentVeteran studentAdult learnerStudent with dependantsPart time studentOnline learner (hybrid programs)

DEFINITIONS“All students who do not live

in institution-owned housing.”

ASU’s definition of COMMUTER Students◦ A student who lives at their permanent

address

◦ ALL Commuter Students are Off-Campus students

Elliptical Orbit Model – John Nonnamaker, Providence College, Rhode Island

Student

Academics

FamilyProfessional Development

Social Life/Work

Campus Activities/ Student Organizations

Tinto (1993)- Model of Institutional Departure

To persist, students need integration into: formal (academic performance) and informal (faculty/staff interactions)

academic systems (extracurricular activities) and informal (peer-group interactions) social systems.

ASU’s OFFICE STRUCTURE

Off-Campus Housing Services

Adult Learner Resources

Housing Guide On-line housing locator

service (ASU specific)◦ Roommate matching

Student Legal Services Moving Up – Moving

Out◦ off-campus transition

presentations

Individualized Success Coaching

Connections to tutoring, software training, and academic workshops

Partner with Veteran Services and Transfer Center

ASU Family Resources

Community Outreach & Partnerships

Provide university families with resources

Manage Child Care Center on campus

Advocate for students with dependants

Expand family responsive policies City partnerships

Safety Forums with campus and city police

Off-Campus Housing Fairs Community Service events Community Mentoring

program Behavior adjudication

Restorative Justice model

One of the challenges for a commuter student is finding a place on campus where they belong and can have substantive interactions with other students.

◦ Orlando in Jacoby, 2000

ENGAGEMENTHow do I provide students with the

resources, services and support so that they can be engaged?

How do I connect and engage our commuters with faculty, staff and students?

How do I provide transformative and seamless learning opportunities?

How do I show off-campus & commuter students they matter on this campus?

How can I translate what is happening in the Residence Halls for commuter students?

Especially for first year students

PEER MENTORS

“Close working relationships with other students not only provide emotional support but also powerfully strengthen educational gains from the formal curriculum.”

Chickering in Jacoby, 2000, p. 23

Community Mentoring

Community Liaisons

Collaborative effort

Provides students the

opportunity for career

exploration/development

Shadowing a city officials

Designed to strengthen

and broaden the Town

Gown relationship

Enhance academic

retention efforts

A student position embedded

within the Be A Good Neighbor

properties

◦ Engage & connect students

together through events,

programs, & services

◦ Assist in building stronger,

cooperative communities

and help to improve the

quality of life in the

community

Moving from Programming to an Engagement Model Willy Wonka’s Elevator

◦Tie the Change to Strategic Plans ◦Re-emphasize the importance of the

work we are doing◦Work to develop a more encompassing

peer mentorship model◦Explore ways to increase

student access and utilization of current programs on campus

Advocating for Your StudentsStudent Government RepresentativesEducating colleagues about the

commuter experienceInvolving and educating parents and

family members about their student’s collegiate experience

Using assessment data to demonstrate need

Going beyond the silo Looking beyond institutional image

Advocating for ResourcesInvolving Key Stakeholders

◦ Off-campus partnerships – neighborhoods, cities

◦ On-campus partnerships – Parents Association

Funding ◦ Potential obstacles in getting started

Student fees Student Government Operating Budgets

◦ Partnerships for start-up funds Student Government Town/Gown relationships VP of Student Affairs Development Office

Financial Resources – Creating Revenue Streams ASU’s Be A Good Neighbor program

◦Multiple tiers/levels to ‘buy in’ Fee for service concept Adjust each year ROI

Housing Fairs◦Pay to participate Different price points for vender

categories

QUESTIONS ???

National Resources

ACPA Commission for Commuter Students and Adult Learnershttp://www.myacpa.org/comm/commuter/

National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programshttp://nccp.nsuok.edu/

International Town-Gown Networkhttp://towngown.colostate.edu/faq.asp

THANK YOU!

Amy GoldenDirector for Strategic Initiatives

Arizona State Universityamy.golden@asu.edu

(480) 965-7661

Off-Campus & Commuter Student Serviceshttp://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/reslife/occss