The Bridge

Message from Vice President James R. Kitchen

The fall 2008 semester is quickly coming to an end. Through careful evaluation and self-assessment, the Division of Student Affairs continued to evolve as we began the 2008/2009 academic year.

Personnel and departmental changes are highlighted within. However, the division also implemented some strategic programmatic changes to strengthen the first-year experience for our new freshman students, as well as make a more concerted effort to reach sophomore students, which is a critical year for retention.

When SDSU made the appropriate decision to implement enrollment management, we saw the beginning of a more academically qualified group of students enter the university. More and more of these applicants are from out of the service area, so we have seen SDSU slowly become more of residential campus and less of a commuter campus. We now have a large number of our students living either on campus or within a one-mile radius.

How does this affect Student Affairs? In so many ways, but the primary strategy we made was to pay more attention to the needs of our first-year freshmen. We developed programs and services under the framework of wellness, diversity, social issues, and transitioning into a college culture. We know that learning happens in social situations often as much as in the classroom.

Key among new features was Aztec Nights, which offered fun, substance-free activities for the first five weeks of the semester. The university continued to enhance education and enforcement of alcohol and other drug usage to create a safer environment.

I encourage you to read all of the articles in this semester’s The Bridge to find out what else we’ve been up to in Student Affairs. I wish everyone very happy and healthy holidays.

Sincerely,

James R. Kitchen