BIO STRATEGIC PLAN
PROGRESS REPORT
October, 2012
Undergraduate Experience
Enhance the international undergraduate experience by supporting students’ distinct academic, personal, and social needs
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Utilize survey data to implement workshops
that enhance academic and personal success
1. 46 of 93 2011-2012 workshops focused on academic & personal success
2. Refined student workshops to be strategic in focus and timing
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Initiate outreach activities and establish collaborative
relationships with key campus service providers
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Student Learning Center
Collaborate with all colleges to support undergraduate students on academic probation through outreach, one-on-one advising, and
support.
Academic Support & Enrichment Services
Housing & Academic Services in the dorms
Cal Corps Public Service Center
Campus Life and Leadership
Student Advocate Office
Billing & Payment Services
Campus-wide First Year Experience and International Student Task Forces
Joined hiring committee for the OE initiative’s “One Stop Student Center” Manager
Participated in design and execution of orientation and welcome events for international students across campus
Explored ESL services with College Writing Program
Participated in International Strategy Sub-committee meetings to improve services for international students
Develop targeted training for campus staff in both
academic and student services units
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11 campus wide staff workshops between August ’11 – November’12
11 unit-specific trainings
Undergraduate Experience (cont’d)
 Cultivate an advising approach inclusive of the total student experience
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Incorporating journal articles to cultivate a student affairs perspective
Student focused advising meetings
Pre-arrival, arrival and post-arrival orientation strategy
Reaching students through Facebook , YouTube and webinar
Initiated monthly iMix social programming beginning in Spring 2012
31 volunteer-led activities & social programs in August for new students with 445 sign ups
Expanded advisor participation on campus committees (ASES, Medical Withdrawal, Reg Task Force, Big Ideas)
 Provide support and guidance for the first year experience
including orientation, advising, and academic adjustment
1. International Student Experience Course every Fall semester
2. New Student Outreach Strategy - Friday News, Webinars, YouTube Videos, Student Contributions to Friday
News & Berkeley International Buddies
3. Population Specific Orientation Programs
4. Newly designed & reorganized check in presentation and materials
5. Developed First Year Experience Logo to begin marketing a cohort programming approach
Undergraduate Experience (cont’d)
 Build a robust referral system to facilitate access to specialized
services and resources
1. Referred students of concern to CPS and informed SOC Committee
2. Re-aligned advisor liaisons with academic and student service units based on interests & needs
3. Expanded liaison relationships to be inclusive of the total student experience (campus life, academic support
units, student government)
4. Developing resource tools for dissemination in office and online based on students needs
 Create avenues for students to provide input into planning and activities
1. Cultivating a working relationship with International Student Advisory Committee through advisor
participation
2. Seek input and collaborate with student groups and student leaders
3. Collaborate with student organizations and student leaders on targeted workshops and programs (social
programs, accessing advising services, academic integrity, and utilizing health care)
Growing Populations
Align programs and services to meet the needs of the growing international student and scholar populations.
Identify growth trends and understand the
distinct needs of each population
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Evaluated data for different J scholar populations, in particular, Visiting Student Researchers
Collected survey data from Visiting Student Researchers at the SIM to obtain their feedback
Collected survey data from Visiting Student Researchers via Survey Monkey
Conducted four (4) Fall orientations to address distinct needs of international student population
Changed the Summer Session model to better meet students’ needs and reduce office workload
Hosted 4 Summer Session Orientations to help students navigate the campus and adjust
Strengthen collaborative efforts with campus units
as well as external organizations
1. Established J scholar advisor-department liaisons
2. Enhanced liaison relationships with key campus departments who
work with Visiting Student Researchers
3. Implemented 41 campus-wide fsaATLAS eScholar trainings
4. Implemented 24 visa 101 trainings for dept admins
5. Implemented 3 fsaATLAS eSCholar refresher courses
6. BIO participation on the UHS Medical Withdrawal Committee
Growing Populations
Align programs and services to meet the needs of the growing international student and scholar populations.
Advocate on behalf of our clients and the university
1. Continued support for students and scholars for DMV, SSN, and USCIS related issues
2. Collaborated with Payroll to develop procedures during interim ITIN issuance period
Growing Populations (cont’d.)
Evaluate and implement various delivery methods for communication
1. Increased use of Facebook for new and continuing students
2. Webinar using Ustream for Spring 2012 new students
3. Formed a committee to evaluate and improve current and new communication tools
4. Month by month student workshop publicity
5. Initiated facebook for Visiting Student Researchers
6. Utilized webinars to deliver pre-arrival information, travel, and employment workshops
7. Expanded Friday news for new and continuing students to be specific to UG or Grad audience
8. Modified dissemination and format of pre-arrival information
9. Remodeling the new student check in process to improve student access and advisor delivery
10.Organized a focus group to learn more about the communication preferences of students
Ensure adequate space, staff and other resources to support programs and
services
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Utilized Great Hall for travel signature day
Improved coordination with I-House Events Office to better plan usage of I-House rooms
Implemented triage advising
Re-classified advising staff to reflect increasing complexity
Modified hiring criteria to require M.A. or M.S. degrees of all advisors, preferably in higher ed
Re-organized electronic and physical storage for employment-based and PR cases
Growing Populations (cont’d.)
 Provide programs & outreach support as needed
1. Increased total number of workshops with refined offerings: Sept workshop series,
October workshop series.
2. Created and implemented 17 VSR social hour mixer
3. Updated SIM presentation based on feedback from the Visiting Student Researcher
survey
4. Increased number of tutorials
5. Implemented 4 presentations for “Spring Scholar Lecture Series”
6. Provided 3 spousal orientations
Technology
Utilize technology to streamline services and processes within a secure and reliable infrastructure.
 Automate routine processes
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Collect emergency contact information with NIF and eScholar
Add dependent SEVIS ID's to NIF (for visa appointment)
Automated loading Summer Session enrollment info for graduating students
Automated printing of I-20 for transfer students (with SEVIS registration)
Automated entry & site of activity for J-1 students
Streamlined Summer Session document check with online check-in tutorial and quiz
Created online NIF tutorial to reduce phone and email inquiries; will be integrated into prearrival communications
8. Created online Orientation program for Summer LLM students.
9. Created online tutorials for Change of Status, Hiring and Paying Internationals, and OPT (not yet
launched)
10.Implemented online request system for I-House room reservations using Google calendarrecently integrated into bCal.
11.Implemented and documented procedures for FSA user testing
Technology (2 / 3)
 Develop an electronic request system for employment-based services
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Researched various case management options to handle our employment-based needs
Selected eScholar to develop an H-1B electronic request system
Optimized the use of fsa (store electronic documents, fsa forms, email reminders)
Implemented LCA email receipt acknowledgment and increased the use of scanned
documents
Modified fsaAtlas and eScholar to handle online H-1B requests
 Optimize the use of fsaATLAS eScholar
1. Export fsaATLAS records to fsaATLAS eScholar (for extensions, repeat visits, and change of
status petitions)
2. All UC Berkeley departments and affiliates now using fsaATLAS eScholar for J-1 requests
3. Trained our largest departmental clients on eScholar for H-1B requests
4. Using fsaAtlas to print I-129 forms
5. Students with triple majors highlighted in fsaAtlas
6. New Custom Field for Preferred Advisor
 Prepare for the transition to SEVIS II
1. BIO participation at Washington DC SEVIS II Conference
Technology (3 / 3)
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Identify and implement new uses of technology to improve communication with clients
1. Utilizing screen capture technology for better tutorials.
J-1 Dept Admin’s tutorial 1st draft is complete.
2. Established protocol of Skype appointments and purchased video cameras for advisors
3. Created a new web page to explain and link to all student forms on BIO Web site
4. Working to redesign the Current Students website to focus on personal and academic success
5. Implemented Webinar software (GoToMeeting) for workshops and outreach to students.
6. Created print materials using new Adobe Creative Suite tools (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) – 1st
time
7. Complete online eScholar User’s Guide
8. Extend eScholar to process requests to export fsaAtlas records to eScholar
9. Added link to NIF Process Chart on the Cover Page
 Improve the BIO web site based on the results of usability testing
High Performance Culture
Achieve and sustain a high performance culture.
 Identify a set of shared values that guides our work and
aligns with the University’s high performance culture
1. Identified BIO’s list of core values
2. Introduced new Financial Aid Committee process and procedure documentation
 Standardize training procedures, materials, and resources
1. Collaborated with Academic Affairs and Faculty Welfare on new employment faculty guide
 Expand professional development and cross-training
opportunities for staff
1. Conducted training for advisors on identifying students with concerns with CPS staff
2. Review of journal articles
3. Attendance at various workshops/conferences
4. Presentation by OUA on the admissions process and Operational Excellence
5. Spring Retreat
6. Completed scholar advisor employment-based training and PR support training for case coordinator
7. Case coordinator Photoshop training
8. Cross-training of Student Case Coordinator and International Student Advisor document production duties
9. Weekly international student advisor trainings
10. Invited Tang Center Health Education professional to attend staff meeting
 Develop performance assessment tools to receive feedback
as a unit and at the individual level
High Performance Culture (cont’d)
 Develop a means to recognize outstanding performance for all staff
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Sharing gifts provided by foreign guests with staff
Annual appreciation dinner/picnic
Take full advantage of campus programs that recognize staff –Spot Award and Chancellor’s
Outstanding Staff Award
 Promote efficient use of resources
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Offered travel signature days in Auditorium
Introduced a new tax software to better serve clients & meet their needs
Created three student advisor positions, 1 student & scholar advisor & eliminated vacated positions
Completed an employment-based organizational transition
Modified NIF process to improve quality assurance and re-align workloads
Re-organized employment-based distribution of work
Re-designed PR billing process
Re-assessing use of office space for maximum efficiency
 Provide the highest level of customer service
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Outstanding orientation program
Introduction of Triage advising
Offered travel signature days in the auditorium
Joined the Students of Concern Committee
fsaATLAS eScholar rollout
Expanded H-1B workshop content to include other employment-based visas and PR options
High Performance Culture (cont’d)
Examine and improve service delivery methods
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Implemented Triage advising
Introduced dedicated staffing of front counter
Added H1B advisor to icert - DOL online portal
Updated H-1B and PR request forms and processing
Reduced our average H-1B processing time from 22 days to 15 days
Hired a new IT analyst with management experience
Changed reporting line of the Communications Coordinator to the Information
Systems Analyst
8. Implemented a tracking mechanism and introduced a ticketing system to conduct
internal IT functions
Implement assessment tools as a standard component
of programs and services
1. Developed a standard student workshop evaluation & sign up form
2. Optimized survey monkey to implement assessments for programs and workshops