Student success, engagement and leadership. Physical and mental wellness. Residence life. Athletics and recreation. Diversity, equity and inclusion. Safety and administrative services.
Do they sound like “affairs”? Or more like the sum of a student’s non-academic experiences on campus?
For reasons both intuitive and strategic, the division of Student Affairs, which encompasses all the areas noted above, is changing its name to Student Experience. The new moniker will gradually be rolled out in print materials and on the ACPHS website throughout the semester.
John Felio, who holds the new title of vice president of Student Experience, said he hoped the new name would both better reflect the division’s mission and be more welcoming to students.
“Student Affairs sounds transactional. That doesn’t speak at all to what my teams do,” Felio said. “Student Experience is what we’ve always been about. The passion and commitment of my team is now reflected in the name.”
Dominick Lomonaco, president of the Student Government Association, thinks both current and potential ACPHS students will respond more positively to the new name.
“It’s more welcoming,” Lomonaco said of the new name. “‘Student experience’ gives the idea that the staff is here for us.”
The idea for renaming the division emerged from the 2024-2029 strategic planning process, which is currently underway. The new strategic plan will provide a blueprint of values to guide the College through the next five years. This effort is critical, as it informs where to focus institutional energies, to create a sustainable future for the College. The process has identified five key areas of focus, one being “quality student experiences.” The others are academic excellence, people and culture, engaging with communities, and fiscal health and sustainability.
ACPHS President Toyin Tofade said the name change is significant because it keeps the real work of the College at the forefront of minds for the campus community.
“The student experience determines our success,” President Tofade said. “That’s the center of our performance as a college.”
Staff from the departments that make up the division of Student Experience.