Campus Environment & External Messaging
The university community’s desire to improve the campus environment, sense of community, and to convey what the university offers to students and the broader community (external authentic branding). A work group was identified by respective FSU governance groups to help develop the Campus Environment and External Messaging initiative in partnership with Educational Advisory Board (EAB).
In Dec. 2023, a workgroup comprised of individuals who were nominated by their respective FSU governance bodies was tasked with helping FSU develop its strategic initiative that focused on our campus environment and external messaging. The following individuals are the active members of the Bobcats Belong committee:
- Allen Flanagan
- Brian Lang
- Eric Moore
- Evan Offstein
- Kayla Mathew
- Larissa Allen
- Leanna Noon
- Melanie Moore
- Mia Cross
- Nicole Andrews
- Sean Morton
- Latisha Cooper
Dr. Sara-Beth Bittinger, Dr. Jenna Epstein and Katie Buehner serve as co-chairs of the committee (one representative from Faculty Senate, one from Staff Senate and one administrator).
The Bobcats Belong Committee has been charged with leading FSU's efforts as we focus on our Strategic Goal 2: Campus Environment and External Messaging. This group will provide insights and support for improving the campus culture and belongingness efforts and will help in the promotion of a campus that emphasizes student success and enhances the well-being of students, faculty and staff.
The Bobcats Belong Committee will report to the University Advisory Council and The Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness Committee.
HEDS Sense of Community Survey
The Bobcats Belong Committee has partnered with the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) to conduct the HEDS Sense of Community Survey. This survey is based on the four dimensions of McMillan & Chavis’s (1986) definition and theory of community and is an IRB Approved Survey. For more information on the instrument, you can visit the HEDS Survey site.
The survey was sent out to all Frostburg State University community members, faculty, staff, and students, on both the Frostburg campus, as well as the Hagerstown campus, and our online students on Oct. 23. The survey will close on Dec. 4. It authenticates by utilizing campus usernames, but to ensure anonymity, the Bobcats Belong committee will not be aware of who has and has not completed the survey.
FSU's Executive Cabinet is supportive of the survey and are striving for at least 50% survey participation. As an incentive to the community, at that participation level, the Executive Cabinet has pledged to make a personal contribution to the Student Affairs Crisis Emergency Fund through the Frostburg State University Foundation.
The University data from this survey will be provided back to Frostburg State University in January 2025, and the Bobcats Belong committee will utilize this data to work our next steps.