News Flash from Dean Bandas
During the months of November and December, focus groups were held to give staff members the opportunity to assess DOS News, telling us what they liked about DOS News and suggesting improvements to the monthly newsletter.
Communication has been a point of discussion this year and the focus groups’ conversations expanded quickly and organically to include broader issues of communication. We have been told the conversations were candid and energetic. For those who did participate, we want to thank you for your feedback. You should know that your thoughts and ideas are influential and helpful as we focus on ways to improve communication within the division.
As a result of our conversations with the focus groups, we have implemented a number of changes to the DOS News. Focus group participants suggested that we increase the frequency of the newsletter; information a month old often feels stale. As a consequence, we have increased the frequency of the newsletter to twice a month. The newsletter also sports a new design based upon feedback about how staff members typically read it.
As a result of other focus group comments and suggestions, work has already begun on creating a new Dean of Students staff photo directory that will serve as a valuable resource to connect employees outside of their own offices. Also, focus group participants expressed interest in having more opportunities to interact with each other both within and outside of a professional setting. We will be giving department-wide events such as our holiday parties, professional development series, and other events a fresh look as we attempt to make those events meaningful, engaging, and unifying. We will also look for other opportunities throughout the year to bring the division together, while being mindful of our busy schedules.
Again, let us express our gratitude to those of you that took the time out of your busy schedules to participate in these focus groups. We can assure you that we found your observations and recommendations helpful and will include these considerations in our discussions as we work to increase transparency and communication throughout our division.