WHAT EXCITES AND ENERGIZES?

Alumni center concept

Warm, welcome center

Inform people

Welcome, friendly, mentoring

Information center is a good idea. How about 'Alumni House'. Seek funding on a contribution basis from alumni.

The center place can welcome alumni students back to SDSU. I like this idea of an alumni welcome/information center.

We do need an place to find limited parking (30min, 1 hr.?) on a major street (College, Montezuma, etc.) for an information center.

Excellent coordination of cultural elements, and excellent coordination of various resources.

More specific ideas on friendliness of campus. Do not need a building to improve the communication of campus. Need to develop attitudes not a building.

Friendliness makes a big difference. Even faculty can be friendly and yet maintain regorous academic standards.

Great!!! Visitors center can serve as a way of publicizing SDSU's academic strengths and accomplishments. Showcase the following:

Academic ranking, cultural influence, economic impact. Tremendous tool for outreach to k-14...

This on is perfect!! Center would be ideal for Communication of accomplishments mentioned in Academic Research and Excellence.

This connects all the others. Many of these reflect education the whole person. Time to synthesize these proposals!!!

The sharing of knowledge.

A lot of the goals of other committees are encompassed in this committee's work - the campus needs better communication. The campus could be a much friendlier place to visitors, new students, parents., etc.

Appears as a platform that supports the other 8 themes.

We do need a good friendly environment.

Very important dimension of overall success of the university.

To provide a more user-friendly campus. Possibility of an 'alumni house.'

We need this center to support all our other themes - to promote internal communication with the community at large for greater accessibility to SDSU.

To strengthen community this, we have to make ourselves accessible. This up front place to go would be helpful. I've not supported other proposals for new centers/spaces, but I do support this one.

That a directory can be established to inform campus and external community with the highlights of SDSU.

It is important for all departments and offices to work closely together.

Making the campus more visitor friendly.

Communicating the accomplishments of the university to the community is essential if the goals of several other task forces are to be met.

The subject is vital to improve image and services offered by this campus.

Establishment of centralized public information area.

This is linked to almost all other themes.

Very needed. A re-focus on customer service orientation.

Conference center is great and should encompass all student groups and centers to be developed.

Reaffirmation of the educating the whole person concept.

To promote a welcoming and friendly campus environment is an exciting goal and worth giving a great deal of energy to.

Goals are needed to move SDSU forward.

Some form of welcome or visitors center

The welcome and Information center is a great idea - long needed. Excellent proposal.

the tremendous need that this will address.

Proactive emphasis.

good job.

Good to have a center for visitors, prospective students, etc. to gain information and direction. Master calendar is a wonderful idea!

Goals to foster partnership with community.

If we could promote greater dissemination of information of all the good things SDSU does it would go a long way to foster loyalty and passion.

I like the idea that communication - a center will enable people to learn about SDSU in that it will ensure pride and loyalty and definitely increase the amount of alumni that return to support their school in the future.

It has the power to enable support for Campus.

We need more passion for the university - have more on-campus students.

Expand the idea of a welcome center make it more of an information resource center about the campus, programs, goals, activities as well as a one step service relating to stakeholder needs.

Insures that all stakeholders get the same message

Our campus is not a friendly place, we need a central information center and better maps. Many of the new maps of the campus are mounted upside down.

We really need to get communication and connectivity on the campus. Love it!

We must work together to bring activities together. I applaud the sentiments that inspire this presentation.

I would like #4 to be implemented ASAP and actually make it a reality for graduating students.

The vision of the center is an exciting possibility for university outreach, community alumni involvement.

Focus on creating a friendship and welcoming campus environment.

It's a start to join as many stakeholders in the community. It's a much needed center and there is so much need for information.

Open and friendly communication among all stakeholders

Like master calendar

Excite involvement by all in the life of the institution

Duplicate elimination

Initiative involved greatest number of stakeholders

Information center with correct information

External resources to support information center

Communication is the basis for creating connectivity

Promote lifelong commitment to SDSU

Whole idea of visible alumni house

Quality customer service (knowledgeable and friendly)

A more user friendly campus

A central location for welcoming visitors and alumni

Supports other themes

Facilitates campus communication (internal and external)

Current curricula: make current requirements more comprehensible

The Web site is the global "welcome center" for SDSU -- strengthen and expand to include all departments; points of excellence -- updated programs

Web use for outreach to community

A visitors center could be a target for fundraising -- alumni priority

Making the campus easily accessible (free visitor parking, informational booth)

Get alumni to connect with the campus

We support the encouragement of students to join student groups and associations

We support involving alumni in the welcome / info center in staffing, funding, etc.

Call it the Alumni Welcome and Information center

Support preparation, access, and retention of all students

Don't assume students, visitors, faculty/staff know what's going on

Respectful communications and welcoming attitude has big impact on SDSU's image

Important of developing "customer service" orientation

Mandatory orientation for all students

Expand Aztec Information booth to give information about entire campus

Expanded signage -- especially for visitors

Expand Web to give more information to potential visitors

Establish a centralized proactive public information center

Encourage "on campus" living. Get people involved

A physical "information center" is needed -- complements cyberspace -- need a central place to find out what's going on around campus

Support accessible visitors center with adequate parking

Center would promote and display academic achievements as well as economic, social, and cultural contributions to communities

Provision for conference center/student union

Alumni component

Easy access to information

Parking !

Referrals to existing services

Value to commuter students; connection to university enhanced

Welcome and information center is student and visitor oriented

With info center connects university resources

Echoes many of the positive goals that other groups have targeted

Helps the campus look more welcoming and not so formidable

Lifelong involvement generates more benefits in all areas (e.g.. philanthropy)

Students need more assistance in determining majors, getting the most out of their educational experience

Make use of technology to get information out

Consistency and regularity of communication important to having impact

Proactive emphasis

Accessible warm welcome provided to community and interested parties

Use of technology

Assists goals of other theme groups

MODIFICATIONS

Alumni center plan needs to be coordinated with the redevelopment project. A funding plan needs to be developed.

Include information center is key site points in the area.

Budget is out of line.

Retention is an academic function.

I cannot support use of state funds for center, but would hope alumni could contribute to construction and staffing center.

If alum and students do it. No state funds.

Welcome center? All buildings will have to play that role.

Revise the plan in light of other plans - duplication of other similar ideas. The plan excels at coordinating pre-existing resources, but seems to duplicate some.

The center should really be for reception and visitor direction - suggest the location of the parking box - with some dedicated parking available for visitors only. Once received, visitors are well-served by the current centralized location of student services, registrar, admin., etc. in the middle of the campus. The compact campus lends itself well to allowing visitors to walk through the campus to get there.

There is a disconnect between goals and the initiative. The building does not seem related to the goals.

We question the need for a central facility. We'd be more interested in seeing a distributed effort that includes increased use friendliness of campus to first-time visitors.

Concern about center - every contact should be friendly. The center is a double size info booth which is staffed w/friendly assistants.

This should be more of an attitude, than a place. Visitor access is critical, current info booth and visitor parking is not adequate to promote on campus activity.

Add k-14 as specific community. Centrally located w/adequate parking. promotional material and reference to SDMN's cultural impact on community.

Support accessible visitors center w/adequate parking. SDSU contribution to visitors of SD culture and community.

Include K-14 students, teachers and administrators in this welcome. Publicize SDSU's academic accomplishments and showcase.

Natural home for me - one stop shopping.

Any welcome center to be combined with a conference center.

A conference center as well?

Building & structure.

Share facility with whole person strategy initiative and perhaps social justice initiative. Envision intermediate steps so that welcoming function can begin to be enacted before building is built.

Take advantage of the overlap between themes - combine spaces, resources.

We don't need to spend money on new buildings to achieve this goal. A small area with a kiosk where you can select items which relate to the information people are seeking. Use technology to respond to goals not buildings.

This information center could be integrated with information and referral components of other initiatives.

Should not wait for building a structure, but begin improving communication and integration of efforts immediately.

Would endorse after evaluation of and consolidation of existing services.

Not necessarily need center. Just more centralization of services.

Mandatory student orientation. visitors center/parking. better signs. Info booth in Aztec center needs to include Univ.. events. Mast calendar on web, better referral. be proactive not reactive.

Too many 'centers for' will dilute the wished for end results.

Incorporated welcome center w/redevelopment project.

What about a commuter program to make students feel more supported.

Aren't other visitor center plan already on the books in the redevelopment area?

We don't need the new center. Redevelopment will have a visitor center.

I think 5 million is too much money, but we could benefit greatly by having a visitors center. We just need to find a less expensive way to do it. A visitor center should be a priority of fund raising.

Visitor center too expensive. Add Internet component.

Much too costly.

Do we really need to spend 5 mil? I endorse a visitors center that is less costly. Goal #4 is not met in this proposal.

Concerned about 5m. but endorse welcome center for 1st visit to campus: bilingual staff, SDSU ambassadors readily available, training students, existing information booth cleaned up - make sure people who work there know how to handle visitors.

Web is the global welcome - invest enough to keep up Web and home pages for other programs.

Again, the goals of this committee are okay to endorse but the initiative needs some re-working. We need to direct efforts at strengthening our existing office of communication, enhance web-based information. A visitor center could be used as a basis for fund-raising.

Study to determine what impact this center would have on existing programs and offices.

Combine existing resources like student advising, career services and others into one center.

Go beyond welcome center as facility.

Location?

For #5 modify language- change encourage to excite, entice, etc. Original language has no passion.

Feel needs more direct communication of what is happening on campus with this community.

Coordinating with other centers to make sure that accurate info is being given at the welcome and info center. Do not duplicate what already exists yet work in conjunction with the current info centers. There needs to be a central location on campus where you and others can get all the info you need. People need to know what SDSU offers in order to become loyal and passionate. This campus needs to be friendly and welcome this service.

Expand the welcome center theme to the whole campus. Do everything well and publicize what we do well. TV, etc. Keep needed facilities open on weekends.

Use web as master information resource.

Make it like a museum to some extend with exhibits and visitors hosts. Tie exhibits into SDSU web site.

Need to look at other university's welcome centers as part of needs assessment.

Communications office does some of this. I can endorse the general goals in each case, but not all of the ways these are played out.

I like the idea of a welcome center but am not convinced about the details of this plan.

Goals #4 and #5 do not fit with center...

I would put the welcome center behind #4 goal. #4 should be implemented first before the welcome center.

Goals 4 and 5 should be in academic excellence.

Careful consideration of any overlap with other them initiatives. Perhaps some goals more appropriate being with academic goals.

Suggested to move goals 4 and 5 into academic excellence initiative.

If it's combined with the other initiatives needing communications and focus. Also, the barriers between and offices and departments must be broken down.

(Dialog Group comments)

Suggestion: satellite SDSU information center around the county

We need to strengthen office of communications and make it more visible

Lots of resources exist but are underutilized due to lack of information; passive approach to engaging students, etc.

Under goal #2, add specifically K-14

How will we promote communication? Takes $$

Change from "feeling good" to passionate (about education and SDSU) -- knowing what others are doing

Need a public relations plan

How to distill the variety of information available

Role of facilities -- access on weekends

Integrate "info center" with existing facilities

Use the Web!