Growing Pains
Growing pains are sharp, throbbing, intermittent pains that affect 25-40% of people during their developmental years. These pains often occur in the legs. Similarly, in Student Affairs, we are in a developmental period and are experiencing sharp, throbbing and intermittent pains. Our pains may sometimes occur in the neck or in the area just above the legs.
When we expect that growth and development should be smooth, easy and trouble-free, we set ourselves up for very painful growing pains. Negative emotional responses like frustration, anger and resentment are born from unmet unrealistic expectations. More realistic expectations, those which anticipate some intermittent pain and plan to cope with it, typically lead to more successful growth and change.
Realistic expectations for Student Affairs can include the following:
- MyCSN will get better and better. Like a new baseball or softball glove, it started out stiff and difficult to use, but we are “breaking it in” with every problem solved and training attended.
- New MyCSN features are coming online. Recently, the Counseling department had their module turned on. DRC is on the way.
- We have “done more with less.” A lot of it worked, some of it did not. Having learned this, we are now better informed to do what we have to do.
- Better communication takes effort and innovation. When the phone lines overloaded, SFS staff adopted a chat program to communicate quickly and efficiently. Counseling, SFS, the Office of the Registrar and the campus deans kept each other informed about urgent issues through email notifications. KC Brekken has helped many Student Affairs departments to better communicate with students via social media. Continuing in these efforts and innovations, we will soon have an Intranet that will add a new dimension to inter and intradepartmental communication.
- Customer service is getting better. Associate Dean Stephanie Hill continues to facilitate training for our employees, including our student employees.
It is realistic to appreciate that we are not done improving yet…and to beware of any department or employee who says they are! We do most of what we do quite well and the proof of that is in our results: our Division got over 40,000 students successfully enrolled! Think about your role in that accomplishment. What did you do very well? What was “good enough?” What could be improved? Are there processes in your area that create bottlenecks or barriers for students? Think about the common frustrations that are communicated to you and what can be done about them. Please, pass these thoughts on to your supervisors, managers, directors and deans.
Growing pains can be treated with stretching and exercising. Acknowledge the successes of your staff and co-workers, growing pains can be treated with massage. And don’t forget, a lot of times growing pains are gone the next morning.