BIO Strategic Plan Progress Report

1. BIO Strategic Plan Progress Report October, 2012

2. Undergraduate Experience Enhance the international undergraduate experience by supporting students’ distinct academic, personal, and social needs • Utilize survey data to implement workshops that enhance academic and personal success • 46 of 93 2011-2012 workshops focused on academic & personal success • Refined student workshops to be strategic in focus and timing • Initiate outreach activities and establish collaborative relationships with key campus service providers • 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 • 11 campus wide staff workshops between August ’11 – November’12 • 11 unit-specific trainings

3. Undergraduate Experience (cont’d) • Cultivate an advising approach inclusive of the total student experience • 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 • International Student Experience Course every Fall semester • New Student Outreach Strategy - Friday News, Webinars, YouTube Videos, Student Contributions to Friday News & Berkeley International Buddies • Population Specific Orientation Programs • Newly designed & reorganized check in presentation and materials • Developed First Year Experience Logo to begin marketing a cohort programming approach

4. Undergraduate Experience (cont’d) • Build a robust referral system to facilitate access to specialized services and resources  • Referred students of concern to CPS and informed SOC Committee • Re-aligned advisor liaisons with academic and student service units based on interests & needs • Expanded liaison relationships to be inclusive of the total student experience (campus life, academic support units, student government) • Developing resource tools for dissemination in office and online based on students needs • Create avenues for students to provide input into planning and activities • Cultivating a working relationship with International Student Advisory Committee through advisor participation • Seek input and collaborate with student groups and student leaders • Collaborate with student organizations and student leaders on targeted workshops and programs (social programs, accessing advising services, academic integrity, and utilizing health care)

5. 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 • 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 • Established J scholar advisor-department liaisons • Enhanced liaison relationships with key campus departments who work with Visiting Student Researchers • Implemented 41 campus-wide fsaATLAS eScholar trainings • Implemented 24 visa 101 trainings for dept admins • Implemented 3 fsaATLASeSCholar refresher courses • BIO participation on the UHS Medical Withdrawal Committee

6. 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 • Continued support for students and scholars for DMV, SSN, and USCIS related issues • Collaborated with Payroll to develop procedures during interim ITIN issuance period

7. Growing Populations (cont’d.) • Evaluate and implement various delivery methods for communication • Increased use of Facebook for new and continuing students • Webinar using Ustream for Spring 2012 new students • Formed a committee to evaluate and improve current and new communication tools • Month by month student workshop publicity • Initiated facebook for Visiting Student Researchers • Utilized webinars to deliver pre-arrival information, travel, and employment workshops • Expanded Friday news for new and continuing students to be specific to UG or Grad audience • Modified dissemination and format of pre-arrival information • Remodeling the new student check in process to improve student access and advisor delivery • 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 • 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

8. Growing Populations (cont’d.) • Provide programs & outreach support as needed • Increased total number of workshops with refined offerings: Sept workshop series, October workshop series. • Created and implemented 17 VSR social hour mixer • Updated SIM presentation based on feedback from the Visiting Student Researcher survey • Increased number of tutorials • Implemented 4 presentations for “Spring Scholar Lecture Series” • Provided 3 spousal orientations

9. Technology Utilize technology to streamline services and processes within a secure and reliable infrastructure. • Automate routine processes • 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 pre-arrival communications • Created online Orientation program for Summer LLM students. • Created online tutorials for Change of Status, Hiring and Paying Internationals, and OPT (not yet launched) • Implemented online request system for I-House room reservations using Google calendar- recently integrated into bCal. • Implemented and documented procedures for FSA user testing

10. Technology(2 / 3) • Develop an electronic request system for employment-based services • 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 • Export fsaATLAS records to fsaATLAS eScholar (for extensions, repeat visits, and change of status petitions) • All UC Berkeley departments and affiliates now using fsaATLASeScholarfor J-1 requests • Trained our largest departmental clients on eScholar for H-1B requests • Using fsaAtlas to print I-129 forms • Students with triple majors highlighted in fsaAtlas • New Custom Field for Preferred Advisor • Prepare for the transition to SEVIS II • BIO participation at Washington DC SEVIS II Conference

11. Technology(3 / 3) • Identify and implement new uses of technology to improve communication with clients • Utilizing screen capture technology for better tutorials. J‑1 Dept Admin’s tutorial 1st draft is complete. • Established protocol of Skype appointments and purchased video cameras for advisors • Created a new web page to explain and link to all student forms on BIO Web site • Working to redesign the Current Students website to focus on personal and academic success • Implemented Webinar software (GoToMeeting) for workshops and outreach to students. • Created print materials using new Adobe Creative Suite tools (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) – 1sttime • Complete online eScholar User’s Guide • Extend eScholar to process requests to export fsaAtlas records to eScholar • Added link to NIF Process Chart on the Cover Page • Improve the BIO web site based on the results of usability testing

12. High Performance CultureAchieve 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 • Identified BIO’s list of core values • Introduced new Financial Aid Committee process and procedure documentation • Standardize training procedures, materials, and resources • Collaborated with Academic Affairs and Faculty Welfare on new employment faculty guide • Expand professional development and cross-training opportunities for staff • Conducted training for advisors on identifying students with concerns with CPS staff • Review of journal articles • Attendance at various workshops/conferences • Presentation by OUA on the admissions process and Operational Excellence • Spring Retreat • Completed scholar advisor employment-based training and PR support training for case coordinator • Case coordinator Photoshop training • Cross-training of Student Case Coordinator and International Student Advisor document production duties • Weekly international student advisor trainings • 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

13. High Performance Culture (cont’d) • Develop a means to recognize outstanding performance for all staff • 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 • 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 • Outstanding orientation program • Introduction of Triage advising • Offered travel signature days in the auditorium • Joined the Students of Concern Committee • fsaATLAS eScholarrollout • Expanded H-1B workshop content to include other employment-based visas and PR options • Provide J campus-wide trainings and obtain feedback via survey and focus groups • Collaborated with an outside attorney to provide agile and high quality services

14. High Performance Culture (cont’d) • Examine and improve service delivery methods • 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 • 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 • Developed a standard student workshop evaluation & sign up form • Optimized survey monkey to implement assessments for programs and workshops