Student_Affairs_Annual_Report_2021

STUDENT AFFAIRS 7 ANNUAL REPORT Student Affairs launched an ambitious effort to do three things this year: protect the community’s health, keep campus open, and help students connect and engage at Northern. Each effort presented new challenges for the Student Affairs team and required creativity, adaptability, and laser-like focus. Utilizing a collaborative approach aimed at keeping case numbers as low as possible, Student Affairs presented students the opportunity to be partners in the effort to protect their health. This was accomplished by hosting multiple mass test events, helping students quarantine and isolate when necessary, and communicating public health messages. A key to generating student cooperation was the use of a positive tone, absent of shame and blame. “Too often, institutions across the country developed a negative tone and threatened students with disciplinary action,” said Sean Blackburn, Dean of Students. “Treating students like adults and setting a positive tone served Northern well during this pandemic.” Student Affairs adopted an individualized approach to support students who were ill or in close contact with someone with COVID-19, putting the priority on caring for each individual student as a person. “Learning you have COVID-19 can be frightening and embarrassing; we wanted to take the time to speak with each student to help them through the process,” Blackburn said. As infection rates climbed from August until mid-November, Student Affairs worked with students and partners across campus to support students and work to prevent greater harm to student health and academic success. Blackburn noted, “We asked every student leaving quarantine or isolation how their classes were going and if they needed any further assistance. We tracked every student case, monitored for trends and found new ways to support students along the way.” Hundreds of student absence notices were sent to faculty who responded with compassion and support. A Year On The Frontlines Student Affairs adapts to challenging year of serving students during COVID-19 The Student Affairs team added this case management work to their already busy obligations during the fall semester. “We were so grateful to add Arlene Redler – a retired administrative assistant from Northern’s Presidents’ Office with 25 years of experience – to the team in January 2021,” Blackburn said. “We could not have sustained our efforts without Arlene.” Adapted to New Challenges Though the learning curve was significant, the team adapted best practices to meet these new challenges. “We are very grateful for the system of policies and protocols established by the COVID-19