UKnightedUKnightedThe divisional newsletter will be published throughout the year to provide information about SDES.

Student Development and Enrollment Services

Please submit your September newsletterarticles to jpardo@mail.ucf.edu by August 15th.Thank you.

Volume 3, No. 2 August, 2000

BUILDING EXCELLENCE …One Child At A Time

Recently, the McKnight Center of Excellence held it’s 10th

Annual Awards banquet at the Adam’s Mark Hotel of Orlando.260 students, parents, community leaders, corporate sponsors,and UCF faculty and staff attended this event. This year’s theme“Building Excellence…. One Child at A Time” was veryappropriate. The keynote speaker, Ms. Janet Balanoff of theUCF EEO Department, did a fantastic job. The McKnight Centerof Excellence honored 33 Thurgood Marshall Achieversgraduating from high school. Eight of those students earned anational Urban League Scholarship for achievement. The studentswill receive up to $10,000.00 over a four-year period. Thesestudents plan to further their education at the followinginstitutions:

Patti MacKown, Office of Student Rightsand Responsibilities, and Pete Wallace,Ericka Smith, and Nadine Hosni,Dispute Resolution Services, presented aninformational seminar on the topic ofmediation in higher education and theintegration of mediation within the student disciplinary process tothe administration of Florida Southern University in Lakeland on June28th. OSRR and DRS looks forward to further collaborative effortswith other institutions of higher education as they seek to promotethe use of alternative forms of dispute resolution on campuses withinthe State of Florida.

NAME HOMETOWN SCHOOL Lajuana Campbell Leesburg U. of Florida Ericka Dunlap Orlando U. Central Florida Micha Gilmer Maitland UNC Chapel Hill Wayne Hunte Orlando FAMU Kristal Long Daytona Beach FAMU Ava Rhodes Daytona Beach FAMU Travina Springer Oviedo Florida State U. Kimberly Wooten Oviedo U. of Florida

STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAMS

UCFs CROP staff would like to thank the SCEM counselors for their hard workand sacrifice during our summer program. CROP would also like to expressappreciation and gratitude to the following faculty coordinators for their continuedsupport and dedication to the educational and personal development of CROPparticipants: College of Arts and Sciences – Professor Tee Collins, College ofBusiness Administration – Dr. Ernest Gibbs, College of Education – Dr. RebekahMcCloud, College of Engineering – Ms. Jacqueline Smith, College of Healthand Public Affairs – Dr. Cheryl Green.

CROP Summer Component a Hit withCampersOn July 2nd through the 8th the Office of Student OutreachPrograms sponsored its annual Summer Career ExplorationModules (SCEM) program. Participants selected were rising 6th

through 12th grade College Reach-Out Program (CROP) studentsfrom our Central Florida Consortium, which consists of UCFand area community colleges. SCEM exposes participants to acollegiate residential experience and careers in the fields of theArts & Sciences, Business Administration, Education,Engineering, and Health & Public Affairs. The modulesemphasize career opportunities and the economic benefits of acollege education. The seven-day summer component offeredthe following workshops and activities:

FIELD TRIPS: St. Augustine(Castillo de San Marcos and ScenicBoat Cruise), University of Florida,Devil’s Millhopper, Orlando Science

Center, American AutomobileAssociation, Florida Museum

of Natural Historyand Orlando

InternationalAirport.

SESSIONS: Physical Therapy,HIV/AIDS: Hope and Help, DesignProject – “Engineer a Sneaker,” AirlinePilot Fatigue, You’re a Poet, andDon’t Know It: Poetry Writing,Computer Animation, TheGreek Experience andLiving On and OffCampus:T h eR e a lWorld

http://sdes.ucf.edu

“The greatestcontribution thatI can make to theOffice of StudentRights andResponsibilitiesis to be anadvocate forstudents makingsure they get afair shake.” -Patti

NEWS

OSRRfrom

How is OSRR helping students?Patti MacKown, Director of Office of Student Rights and

Responsibilities (OSRR), coordinatesand supervises three distinct offices:

Judicial Programs, Student LegalServices, and Dispute ResolutionServices. Student responsibilityis the one issue that all threeoffices have in common whether

the issues are internal or externalto UCF. OSRR is an administrative

office, a central clearinghouse ofinformation for the three offices.

Students are given the Golden Rulehandbook at Orientation but OSRR hastaken a step further to ensure theeducation of students’ rights andresponsibilities by producing brochureson selected topics. Some examples are:

• Parental Notification Policy - notificationof parents in select instances of violation ofuniversity alcohol or drug policies• Computer Use Policy - helpful guidelinesto keep in compliance with UCF computerpolicies• Confidentiality of Student Records -explanation of FERPA legislation, directoryinformation, right to access and amend studentrecords, and confidentiality of these records• Disciplinary Procedures - judicialflowchart displaying steps from allegedviolations reported to the Office of JudicialPrograms to accept/appeal from VP of SDES

OSRR’s goal is to educate students oftheir rights and responsibilities, assiststudents in addressing challenges thatmay interfere with their academicsuccess, and help students learn fromthese challenges.

UKnighted Articles

Look!New UKnightedDeadline Date.

Special Programs, Special People

HighSchool

SOP ISSS NT SDSCSCVAMASS

The Unit of Special Programs (SP), directed by A. J. Range, is a strong, dynamic unit of theDivision of Student Development and Enrollment Services. There are seven departmentswithin SP: Multicultural Academic and Support Services (MASS), Student OutreachPrograms (SOP), International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), Non-Traditional and Evening/Weekend Student Services (NT), Veterans’ Affairs(VA), Creative School for Children (CSC), and Student Disability Services(SDS). The staff of SP are ‘special people’ who work with all the specialpopulations of the university: minorities, non-traditional students, internationalstudents, disabled students, and veterans. The Unit of Special Programs isinvolved in programs and services which introduce “at risk” high schoolstudents to the university environment and culture. The unit is also

linked with the care andeducation of the children ofstudents through the CreativeSchool for Children. The SPstaff provides leadership andadvocacy in programs andservices for students withspecial needs, recognizingindividual needs differ.This identification of eachindividual student’s personal needs and providing service to meet those needs is whySP staff are ‘special people.’

The Unit of Special Programs is primarily, though, not exclusively, connectedwith the academic support and multicultural/diversity aspects of the student population,which is a direct correlation to the president’s five major goals and the UCF StrategicPlan. A. J. Range summarizes:

Unit ofSpecial Programs

MISSION:Within the framework of the divisionalmission, the Unit of Special Programshas as its mission to provideleadership and advocacy in programsand services for students with specialneeds.

GOALS:• Provide quality service andpersonalized assistance to thestudents, faculty, staff, and communitypersons represented by the Unit ofSpecial Programs• Provide leadership and advocacy inthe enrollment and retention ofstudents with special needs• Serve as a model for divisionaldiversity and inclusiveness in supportof staff and staff development• Create, coordinate, and supportprograms, activities, and serviceswhich enhance retention andgraduation• Respond to student issues and/orconcern with accuracy, courtesy, andpromptness by all departments

“Our strength of the Unit of Special Programs is a unified effort andconcern for people with special needs whether it be a two-year old childin Creative School for Children or an eighty-year old student in Non-Traditional and Evening/Weekend Services. This strength brings the Unitof Special Programs together, and our service to these individuals maintainour relationship and reinforces of purpose. Consequently, this is both asummary and tribute to the Unit of Special Programs, a highly cohesive,specialized group of dedicated professionals, who are truly specialpeople!”

COMPUTERUSE

POLICY

A. J. Range,Assistant VicePresident of theUnit of SpecialPrograms withGloria Jimenez,AdministrativeAssistant

People in the News...Academic Development and Retention (ADR) is pleased to welcome two new members to their leadership team — Joe Ritchie, Director

of Orientation Center and Melanie Parker, Director of Career Resource Center. Both bring a wealth of experience and talent to our unit.

BEYONDABOVEand

JameerAbass

JameerAbass

The Unit ofS p e c i a lPrograms isproud andpleased to

cite Jameer Abass, Director,Non-Traditional and Evening/Weekend Student Services, asits ‘Above and Beyond’ staffmember! As a ten year veteranemployee, Jameer hasconsistently performed his

duties and responsibilities with pride and professionalism. His effortshave been noted and praised by colleagues, faculty, and students overthe years! In fact, Jameer’s reputation, performance, and dedicationdate back to his Division of Student Affairs days! As a highlyvalued member of the Unit of Special Programs staff, Jameer iscredited with building and organizing the Non-Traditional StudentServices Office; is recognized as having established the first nationalhonorary for non-traditional students; is acknowledged as the advisorto the first Non-Traditional Student Association; and is credited asbeing the first editor of the Non-Traditional Student newsletter! Mostrecently, Jameer has worked untiringly on a temporary Directorassignment in the International Student and Scholar Services Office.Jameer was instrumental in bringing continuity, leadership, andstability to the ISSS office during a period of staff shortage andtransition. He continues to serve in this capacity today! Jameer isalso a summer 2000 graduate of the prestigious LeadershipEnhancement Program, which is a Central Florida InstitutionalConsortium, whose mission is to provide development andenhancement of skills and knowledge for women and ethnic minoritiesas well as the opportunity for them to make increased contributionsto their institution and community. Therefore, Jameer’s efforts aredeeply appreciated and highly praised for his true service above andbeyond the call of duty!! Give it up for Jameer!! Hear, Hear!!Congratulations!!! -Submitted by A. J. Range

Points of Pride...

Mary McKinney and Judy Gallo attended the NationalAssociation of Student Financial Aid Administrators(NASFAA) conference in July and Vicky Keller attendeda Student Employment Conference. Student FinancialAssistance has finished the first phase of People Soft FitGap Sessions and are optimistic that the end result willmake life easier for everyone. The new phone system isworking well and they have a major drive encouragingstudents to use Polaris to access financial information, bothgeneral and personal. Information, forms, and awards areall available on-line. SFAs motto is “No Line On-Line!!!”

Dolores Burghard, Director of Creative School for Children,attended the Florida State Consortium for the Educational ResearchCenters for Child Development. The Consortium met at theUniversity of South Florida with eight ofthe ten universities represented. Mrs.Burghard presented a completedConsortium Survey 2000 with all schoolsreported and recorded. This project was overa year in process.

Jean McClellan-Holt, Program Coordinator in theOffice of Student Activities, successfully defended herdissertation on July 18. Jean will be awarded her Ed.D.and be hooded during the UCF CommencementCeremony on August 5. Congratulations to Dr. Holton her outstanding accomplishment!

KKKKKUUUUUDDDDDOOOOOSSSSS

Ragda Kurdy, Coordinator of International Student and ScholarServices, wrote an article, Pilgrimage to the NAFSA Convention inSan Diego, about her last trip to the NAFSA convention in San Diegoin May 2000. The article will be published in the letter to the editorsection at the NAFSA’s newsletter. Portions of Ragda’s articlefollow:

“About 7000 attendees from every corner of the world, all came to theconvention with the common goal of ‘Developing a Creative Climatefor International Education.’ It keeps flashing in front of my eyes, thepicture of people running from workshop to workshop seeking as muchinformation as possible to help them in dealing with their career ofinternational education. Dr. Francis Fukuyama, put into prospectivethe issues relating to questions concerning democratization andinternational political economy. He also focused on the role of cultureand social capital in modern economic life, while helping the audienceto understand the role of the different cultures in the world. The exhibitswere astonishing in a way, proving that NAFSA is growing to assimilateall that is related to international education in the entire globe.”

FY Reaches Out to Students....Over the past four summers, one of the ways that First Year

Advising and Information Services (FY) ensures that freshmenare making contact with their academic advising office as soon aspossible is to call incoming FTICs during the summer. Summeradvisors call freshmen at home to find outtheir thoughts about college and college-levelcourses. They ask the student whatinfluenced their decision to choose aparticular major and how certain they are thiswill be the major they will keep. They askstudents if they will be living on or offcampus, if they will have to work during theirfirst semester, and if they are interested in participating in certainprograms at UCF. First Year has always received positivefeedback on this outreach program, both from the students andtheir parents. So far this summer, FY has made contact with justover 74% of the students called and have spoken to almost 1600new fall 2000 incoming freshmen.

Diplomas on Demand at FACRAO:University Registrar, Dr. Dennis Dulniak, Assistant University

Registrar’s Sandra Bulger and Dore Carter, and SeniorSecretary, Kelly Shilton, attended the Florida Association ofCollegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (FACRAO)conference in Tampa on June 4-7. Dore Carter and Kelly Shiltonco-presented a PowerPoint presentation on how UCF uses“Diplomas on Demand” software during the FACRAOconference. Dennis reports,

“Diplomas on Demand showcased the talent we have andthe forward thinking for which UCF has become noted.”

Joe RitchieDirector, Orientation Center

Joe Ritchie comes to UCF from Indiana University of Pennsylvania(IUP) where he was involved for seven

years in orientation activities serving asActing Director and AssistantDirector. While at IUP, he wasinstrumental in developing andteaching a three-creditparaprofessional counseling coursefor orientation staff during the

academic year. He also served asan instructor for a one-credit career

exploration course for undecidedmajors. Professional service has been an

important commitment for Joe. He has beenactive in the National Orientation Directors Association serving aseditor of the New Member Handbook and a member of thePublications Review Board. Joe received both a Master of Arts,Student Affairs in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Arts, MusicPerformance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

In Joe’s leisure time, he enjoys going to musicals, amusement parks,traveling, and collecting compact discs. He also plays the piano,organ, and clarinet. If you have not had an opportunity to meet Joe,ADR hopes that you will soon. His infectious smile and energeticstyle has already been an asset to the orientation program this summer.Look for Joe to lead orientation on a continuous positive path atUCF.

“Bureaucracy Buster”One of the lessons college students quickly learn during their academic careers is that bureaucracy existsat any large state university. While UCF is no exception, the Registrar’s Office can proudly lay claim tothe title of “Bureaucracy Buster” when it comes to finding better, more efficient ways to serve itsstudent population. Take the following case in point. Maintaining confidentiality and ensuring accuracyhave always been of paramount concern to the Registrar’s Office when working with student records.As a result, nearly any business transaction between students and the Registrar’s Office requiredsome form of photo identification for verification and security reasons. During periods of peak

activity, such as Late Registration, Add/Drop, Withdrawal Deadlines, etc., an unfortunate scenariokept repeating itself. After patiently standing in line, invariably some students would reach the front counter

Help Desk only to discover that they had forgotten their driver’s license or UCF Card. Unfortunately, no photo ID meant notransaction could take place. Understandably, these students were extremely frustrated and Registrar’s Office staff foundthemselves in the unenviable position of denying and delaying their requests. An answer to this predicament was sorelyneeded, and Charles Roller, Assistant Director of Information and Publication Services for the Registrar’s Office, hit upon anidea that proved to be deceptively simple. Since students posed for digital photos when they obtained their UCF Card, hereasoned that those same photos would be stored on a UCF Card database for retrieval. Working inpartnership with UCF Card Services, the Registrar’s Office, under the direction of the University Registrar,Dr. Dennis Dulniak, developed a way to access the digital photo database. Now when a student comesinto the Registrar’s Office without a photo ID, there’s still hope. All the student has to do is provide theirSocial Security Number (SSN) to the service representative at the front counter Help Desk. The student’sSSN is then entered into the Help Desk computer and a digital photo appears on screen for verification! Clearly,the new Digital Photo ID. Confirmation System, now in use at the UCF Registrar’s Office, really doestake a bite out of bureaucracy and at the same time raises the bar when it comes to customer service.

Charles Roller

Melanie ParkerDirector, Career Resource Center

Melanie Parker comes to UCF after serving 10 years at theUniversity of Florida (UF) where her last position was Director,Career Services, Warrington College of Business, MBA program.She also held positions of Assistant Director, Liberal Arts & Sciences

Career Planning and Placement and AssociateDirector, Experiential Education, Career

Resource Center. Additionally, sheserved overseas in the U.S. Army andreceived the Army CommendationMedal. Under her leadership in theWarrington College of Business atUF, Melanie was instrumental inintegrating career assessment toolsinto the course curriculum and

increasing on-campus recruitingschedules by 49%. She has made

numerous presentations at nationalconferences specifically the National

Association of Colleges and Employers and the National CareerDevelopment Association. She has a Master of Education degreefrom Mississippi State University and a Bachelor of Science inBusiness Administration from the University of Maryland.

In Melanie’s leisure time, she is active with her husband and theirfive adult children and their families. Additionally, she is veryinvolved with her church and enjoys cooking, travel, and music.Melanie looks forward to getting to know the UCF community andis eager to trade her orange and blue wardrobe for a black and goldone! Watch for Melanie and her Career Resource team to bring addedvalue to the UCF experience.

People in the News...Academic Development and Retention (ADR) is pleased to welcome two new members to their leadership team — Joe Ritchie, Director

of Orientation Center and Melanie Parker, Director of Career Resource Center. Both bring a wealth of experience and talent to our unit.

BEYONDABOVEand

JameerAbass

JameerAbass

The Unit ofS p e c i a lPrograms isproud andpleased to

cite Jameer Abass, Director,Non-Traditional and Evening/Weekend Student Services, asits ‘Above and Beyond’ staffmember! As a ten year veteranemployee, Jameer hasconsistently performed his

duties and responsibilities with pride and professionalism. His effortshave been noted and praised by colleagues, faculty, and students overthe years! In fact, Jameer’s reputation, performance, and dedicationdate back to his Division of Student Affairs days! As a highlyvalued member of the Unit of Special Programs staff, Jameer iscredited with building and organizing the Non-Traditional StudentServices Office; is recognized as having established the first nationalhonorary for non-traditional students; is acknowledged as the advisorto the first Non-Traditional Student Association; and is credited asbeing the first editor of the Non-Traditional Student newsletter! Mostrecently, Jameer has worked untiringly on a temporary Directorassignment in the International Student and Scholar Services Office.Jameer was instrumental in bringing continuity, leadership, andstability to the ISSS office during a period of staff shortage andtransition. He continues to serve in this capacity today! Jameer isalso a summer 2000 graduate of the prestigious LeadershipEnhancement Program, which is a Central Florida InstitutionalConsortium, whose mission is to provide development andenhancement of skills and knowledge for women and ethnic minoritiesas well as the opportunity for them to make increased contributionsto their institution and community. Therefore, Jameer’s efforts aredeeply appreciated and highly praised for his true service above andbeyond the call of duty!! Give it up for Jameer!! Hear, Hear!!Congratulations!!! -Submitted by A. J. Range

Points of Pride...

Mary McKinney and Judy Gallo attended the NationalAssociation of Student Financial Aid Administrators(NASFAA) conference in July and Vicky Keller attendeda Student Employment Conference. Student FinancialAssistance has finished the first phase of People Soft FitGap Sessions and are optimistic that the end result willmake life easier for everyone. The new phone system isworking well and they have a major drive encouragingstudents to use Polaris to access financial information, bothgeneral and personal. Information, forms, and awards areall available on-line. SFAs motto is “No Line On-Line!!!”

Dolores Burghard, Director of Creative School for Children,attended the Florida State Consortium for the Educational ResearchCenters for Child Development. The Consortium met at theUniversity of South Florida with eight ofthe ten universities represented. Mrs.Burghard presented a completedConsortium Survey 2000 with all schoolsreported and recorded. This project was overa year in process.

Jean McClellan-Holt, Program Coordinator in theOffice of Student Activities, successfully defended herdissertation on July 18. Jean will be awarded her Ed.D.and be hooded during the UCF CommencementCeremony on August 5. Congratulations to Dr. Holton her outstanding accomplishment!

KKKKKUUUUUDDDDDOOOOOSSSSS

Ragda Kurdy, Coordinator of International Student and ScholarServices, wrote an article, Pilgrimage to the NAFSA Convention inSan Diego, about her last trip to the NAFSA convention in San Diegoin May 2000. The article will be published in the letter to the editorsection at the NAFSA’s newsletter. Portions of Ragda’s articlefollow:

“About 7000 attendees from every corner of the world, all came to theconvention with the common goal of ‘Developing a Creative Climatefor International Education.’ It keeps flashing in front of my eyes, thepicture of people running from workshop to workshop seeking as muchinformation as possible to help them in dealing with their career ofinternational education. Dr. Francis Fukuyama, put into prospectivethe issues relating to questions concerning democratization andinternational political economy. He also focused on the role of cultureand social capital in modern economic life, while helping the audienceto understand the role of the different cultures in the world. The exhibitswere astonishing in a way, proving that NAFSA is growing to assimilateall that is related to international education in the entire globe.”

FY Reaches Out to Students....Over the past four summers, one of the ways that First Year

Advising and Information Services (FY) ensures that freshmenare making contact with their academic advising office as soon aspossible is to call incoming FTICs during the summer. Summeradvisors call freshmen at home to find outtheir thoughts about college and college-levelcourses. They ask the student whatinfluenced their decision to choose aparticular major and how certain they are thiswill be the major they will keep. They askstudents if they will be living on or offcampus, if they will have to work during theirfirst semester, and if they are interested in participating in certainprograms at UCF. First Year has always received positivefeedback on this outreach program, both from the students andtheir parents. So far this summer, FY has made contact with justover 74% of the students called and have spoken to almost 1600new fall 2000 incoming freshmen.

Diplomas on Demand at FACRAO:University Registrar, Dr. Dennis Dulniak, Assistant University

Registrar’s Sandra Bulger and Dore Carter, and SeniorSecretary, Kelly Shilton, attended the Florida Association ofCollegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (FACRAO)conference in Tampa on June 4-7. Dore Carter and Kelly Shiltonco-presented a PowerPoint presentation on how UCF uses“Diplomas on Demand” software during the FACRAOconference. Dennis reports,

“Diplomas on Demand showcased the talent we have andthe forward thinking for which UCF has become noted.”

Joe RitchieDirector, Orientation Center

Joe Ritchie comes to UCF from Indiana University of Pennsylvania(IUP) where he was involved for seven

years in orientation activities serving asActing Director and AssistantDirector. While at IUP, he wasinstrumental in developing andteaching a three-creditparaprofessional counseling coursefor orientation staff during the

academic year. He also served asan instructor for a one-credit career

exploration course for undecidedmajors. Professional service has been an

important commitment for Joe. He has beenactive in the National Orientation Directors Association serving aseditor of the New Member Handbook and a member of thePublications Review Board. Joe received both a Master of Arts,Student Affairs in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Arts, MusicPerformance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

In Joe’s leisure time, he enjoys going to musicals, amusement parks,traveling, and collecting compact discs. He also plays the piano,organ, and clarinet. If you have not had an opportunity to meet Joe,ADR hopes that you will soon. His infectious smile and energeticstyle has already been an asset to the orientation program this summer.Look for Joe to lead orientation on a continuous positive path atUCF.

“Bureaucracy Buster”One of the lessons college students quickly learn during their academic careers is that bureaucracy existsat any large state university. While UCF is no exception, the Registrar’s Office can proudly lay claim tothe title of “Bureaucracy Buster” when it comes to finding better, more efficient ways to serve itsstudent population. Take the following case in point. Maintaining confidentiality and ensuring accuracyhave always been of paramount concern to the Registrar’s Office when working with student records.As a result, nearly any business transaction between students and the Registrar’s Office requiredsome form of photo identification for verification and security reasons. During periods of peak

activity, such as Late Registration, Add/Drop, Withdrawal Deadlines, etc., an unfortunate scenariokept repeating itself. After patiently standing in line, invariably some students would reach the front counter

Help Desk only to discover that they had forgotten their driver’s license or UCF Card. Unfortunately, no photo ID meant notransaction could take place. Understandably, these students were extremely frustrated and Registrar’s Office staff foundthemselves in the unenviable position of denying and delaying their requests. An answer to this predicament was sorelyneeded, and Charles Roller, Assistant Director of Information and Publication Services for the Registrar’s Office, hit upon anidea that proved to be deceptively simple. Since students posed for digital photos when they obtained their UCF Card, hereasoned that those same photos would be stored on a UCF Card database for retrieval. Working inpartnership with UCF Card Services, the Registrar’s Office, under the direction of the University Registrar,Dr. Dennis Dulniak, developed a way to access the digital photo database. Now when a student comesinto the Registrar’s Office without a photo ID, there’s still hope. All the student has to do is provide theirSocial Security Number (SSN) to the service representative at the front counter Help Desk. The student’sSSN is then entered into the Help Desk computer and a digital photo appears on screen for verification! Clearly,the new Digital Photo ID. Confirmation System, now in use at the UCF Registrar’s Office, really doestake a bite out of bureaucracy and at the same time raises the bar when it comes to customer service.

Charles Roller

Melanie ParkerDirector, Career Resource Center

Melanie Parker comes to UCF after serving 10 years at theUniversity of Florida (UF) where her last position was Director,Career Services, Warrington College of Business, MBA program.She also held positions of Assistant Director, Liberal Arts & Sciences

Career Planning and Placement and AssociateDirector, Experiential Education, Career

Resource Center. Additionally, sheserved overseas in the U.S. Army andreceived the Army CommendationMedal. Under her leadership in theWarrington College of Business atUF, Melanie was instrumental inintegrating career assessment toolsinto the course curriculum and

increasing on-campus recruitingschedules by 49%. She has made

numerous presentations at nationalconferences specifically the National

Association of Colleges and Employers and the National CareerDevelopment Association. She has a Master of Education degreefrom Mississippi State University and a Bachelor of Science inBusiness Administration from the University of Maryland.

In Melanie’s leisure time, she is active with her husband and theirfive adult children and their families. Additionally, she is veryinvolved with her church and enjoys cooking, travel, and music.Melanie looks forward to getting to know the UCF community andis eager to trade her orange and blue wardrobe for a black and goldone! Watch for Melanie and her Career Resource team to bring addedvalue to the UCF experience.

UKnightedUKnightedThe divisional newsletter will be published throughout the year to provide information about SDES.

Student Development and Enrollment Services

Please submit your September newsletterarticles to jpardo@mail.ucf.edu by August 15th.Thank you.

Volume 3, No. 2 August, 2000

BUILDING EXCELLENCE …One Child At A Time

Recently, the McKnight Center of Excellence held it’s 10th

Annual Awards banquet at the Adam’s Mark Hotel of Orlando.260 students, parents, community leaders, corporate sponsors,and UCF faculty and staff attended this event. This year’s theme“Building Excellence…. One Child at A Time” was veryappropriate. The keynote speaker, Ms. Janet Balanoff of theUCF EEO Department, did a fantastic job. The McKnight Centerof Excellence honored 33 Thurgood Marshall Achieversgraduating from high school. Eight of those students earned anational Urban League Scholarship for achievement. The studentswill receive up to $10,000.00 over a four-year period. Thesestudents plan to further their education at the followinginstitutions:

Patti MacKown, Office of Student Rightsand Responsibilities, and Pete Wallace,Ericka Smith, and Nadine Hosni,Dispute Resolution Services, presented aninformational seminar on the topic ofmediation in higher education and theintegration of mediation within the student disciplinary process tothe administration of Florida Southern University in Lakeland on June28th. OSRR and DRS looks forward to further collaborative effortswith other institutions of higher education as they seek to promotethe use of alternative forms of dispute resolution on campuses withinthe State of Florida.

NAME HOMETOWN SCHOOL Lajuana Campbell Leesburg U. of Florida Ericka Dunlap Orlando U. Central Florida Micha Gilmer Maitland UNC Chapel Hill Wayne Hunte Orlando FAMU Kristal Long Daytona Beach FAMU Ava Rhodes Daytona Beach FAMU Travina Springer Oviedo Florida State U. Kimberly Wooten Oviedo U. of Florida

STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAMS

UCFs CROP staff would like to thank the SCEM counselors for their hard workand sacrifice during our summer program. CROP would also like to expressappreciation and gratitude to the following faculty coordinators for their continuedsupport and dedication to the educational and personal development of CROPparticipants: College of Arts and Sciences – Professor Tee Collins, College ofBusiness Administration – Dr. Ernest Gibbs, College of Education – Dr. RebekahMcCloud, College of Engineering – Ms. Jacqueline Smith, College of Healthand Public Affairs – Dr. Cheryl Green.

CROP Summer Component a Hit withCampersOn July 2nd through the 8th the Office of Student OutreachPrograms sponsored its annual Summer Career ExplorationModules (SCEM) program. Participants selected were rising 6th

through 12th grade College Reach-Out Program (CROP) studentsfrom our Central Florida Consortium, which consists of UCFand area community colleges. SCEM exposes participants to acollegiate residential experience and careers in the fields of theArts & Sciences, Business Administration, Education,Engineering, and Health & Public Affairs. The modulesemphasize career opportunities and the economic benefits of acollege education. The seven-day summer component offeredthe following workshops and activities:

FIELD TRIPS: St. Augustine(Castillo de San Marcos and ScenicBoat Cruise), University of Florida,Devil’s Millhopper, Orlando Science

Center, American AutomobileAssociation, Florida Museum

of Natural Historyand Orlando

InternationalAirport.

SESSIONS: Physical Therapy,HIV/AIDS: Hope and Help, DesignProject – “Engineer a Sneaker,” AirlinePilot Fatigue, You’re a Poet, andDon’t Know It: Poetry Writing,Computer Animation, TheGreek Experience andLiving On and OffCampus:T h eR e a lWorld

http://sdes.ucf.edu

“The greatestcontribution thatI can make to theOffice of StudentRights andResponsibilitiesis to be anadvocate forstudents makingsure they get afair shake.” -Patti

NEWS

OSRRfrom

How is OSRR helping students?Patti MacKown, Director of Office of Student Rights and

Responsibilities (OSRR), coordinatesand supervises three distinct offices:

Judicial Programs, Student LegalServices, and Dispute ResolutionServices. Student responsibilityis the one issue that all threeoffices have in common whether

the issues are internal or externalto UCF. OSRR is an administrative

office, a central clearinghouse ofinformation for the three offices.

Students are given the Golden Rulehandbook at Orientation but OSRR hastaken a step further to ensure theeducation of students’ rights andresponsibilities by producing brochureson selected topics. Some examples are:

• Parental Notification Policy - notificationof parents in select instances of violation ofuniversity alcohol or drug policies• Computer Use Policy - helpful guidelinesto keep in compliance with UCF computerpolicies• Confidentiality of Student Records -explanation of FERPA legislation, directoryinformation, right to access and amend studentrecords, and confidentiality of these records• Disciplinary Procedures - judicialflowchart displaying steps from allegedviolations reported to the Office of JudicialPrograms to accept/appeal from VP of SDES

OSRR’s goal is to educate students oftheir rights and responsibilities, assiststudents in addressing challenges thatmay interfere with their academicsuccess, and help students learn fromthese challenges.

UKnighted Articles

Look!New UKnightedDeadline Date.

Special Programs, Special People

HighSchool

SOP ISSS NT SDSCSCVAMASS

The Unit of Special Programs (SP), directed by A. J. Range, is a strong, dynamic unit of theDivision of Student Development and Enrollment Services. There are seven departmentswithin SP: Multicultural Academic and Support Services (MASS), Student OutreachPrograms (SOP), International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), Non-Traditional and Evening/Weekend Student Services (NT), Veterans’ Affairs(VA), Creative School for Children (CSC), and Student Disability Services(SDS). The staff of SP are ‘special people’ who work with all the specialpopulations of the university: minorities, non-traditional students, internationalstudents, disabled students, and veterans. The Unit of Special Programs isinvolved in programs and services which introduce “at risk” high schoolstudents to the university environment and culture. The unit is also

linked with the care andeducation of the children ofstudents through the CreativeSchool for Children. The SPstaff provides leadership andadvocacy in programs andservices for students withspecial needs, recognizingindividual needs differ.This identification of eachindividual student’s personal needs and providing service to meet those needs is whySP staff are ‘special people.’

The Unit of Special Programs is primarily, though, not exclusively, connectedwith the academic support and multicultural/diversity aspects of the student population,which is a direct correlation to the president’s five major goals and the UCF StrategicPlan. A. J. Range summarizes:

Unit ofSpecial Programs

MISSION:Within the framework of the divisionalmission, the Unit of Special Programshas as its mission to provideleadership and advocacy in programsand services for students with specialneeds.

GOALS:• Provide quality service andpersonalized assistance to thestudents, faculty, staff, and communitypersons represented by the Unit ofSpecial Programs• Provide leadership and advocacy inthe enrollment and retention ofstudents with special needs• Serve as a model for divisionaldiversity and inclusiveness in supportof staff and staff development• Create, coordinate, and supportprograms, activities, and serviceswhich enhance retention andgraduation• Respond to student issues and/orconcern with accuracy, courtesy, andpromptness by all departments

“Our strength of the Unit of Special Programs is a unified effort andconcern for people with special needs whether it be a two-year old childin Creative School for Children or an eighty-year old student in Non-Traditional and Evening/Weekend Services. This strength brings the Unitof Special Programs together, and our service to these individuals maintainour relationship and reinforces of purpose. Consequently, this is both asummary and tribute to the Unit of Special Programs, a highly cohesive,specialized group of dedicated professionals, who are truly specialpeople!”

COMPUTERUSE

POLICY

A. J. Range,Assistant VicePresident of theUnit of SpecialPrograms withGloria Jimenez,AdministrativeAssistant

UKnightedUKnighted August, 2000has more to say!has more to say!

SELF-DISCOVE

RY

KN IGH TS

Coming this fall, the Counseling and TestingCenter will sponsor an outreach series

entitled “Self-Discovery Knights”which will be conducted for tenconsecutive Monday eveningsbeginning September 18th and

concluding on November 20th. Theseries will explore a variety of student

development concerns and self-improvement topics such as:romantic relationships, assertiveness, self-esteem, choosing amajor, stress management, sexual harassment, and more. Allpresentations are FREE and run from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00p.m. in the Student Union Key West Room (218C). Formore information, contact the series coordinator, Dr. RichMcLaughlin, at 3-2811 or check out the Counseling and TestingCenter web site (http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~counstst/) for moredetailed descriptions of each program. Don’t miss out on thisopportunity to hear some great presentations, learn some newand useful information, and have some fun, too!

Collaboration at work...

❖❖❖❖❖ Student DisabilityServices (SDS) has beenvery busy conductingintake interviews withnew students who havedisabilities. At theseinterviews, the staffdetermines the nature ofthe disability based ondocumentation provided by the student. The documentation andthe student’s own report of their individual needs enables staff todetermine reasonable accommodations for course work and/orexaminations. These accommodations are tools to be used by thestudent to gain appropriate access to the courses they are pursuing.❖❖❖❖❖ SDS staff just returned from the Association on HigherEducation and Disability Convention in Kansas City. While there,they attended a symposium on Universal Design. Universal Design

focuses onstrategies to makeinformational ,instructional, andp h y s i c a le n v i r o n m e n t saccessible foreveryone in orderto foster equity inour institutions.

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Helping Students BeSuccessful

The Americans with Disabilities Act is now tenyears old. This important civil rights legislationprovides a comprehensive national mandate forthe elimination of discrimination againstindividuals with disabilities. Many statesincluding our own great state of Florida arehaving celebration ceremonies to commemoratethe anniversary. UCF has recognized thisanniversary by reminding the universitycommunity of its accomplishments in this regardand by reaffirming its commitment to equalaccess for students with disabilities.

WOW!

“Welcome Expo 2000”New students at UCF will have an opportunity to showtheir UCF pride, learn more about campus academicsupport and student life services and win great prizeswhen they participate in “Welcome Expo 2000.”Sponsored by Academic Support and AdvisingPrograms, Academic Development and Retention(ADR), the Orientation Center, and Transfer Services,“Welcome Expo 2000” will be held on August 22ndfrom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tables. This will be a greatopportunity for students to reconnect with their first-year academic advisor, make an appointment to meetwith their academic advisor, and learn about the manysupport offices on campus.

OCSRCWhere will the Off-Campus Student Resource Center(OCSRC) be during the “Knight WOW” festivities of August17-23? Why, Off-Campus, of course! During Welcome Week,staff members from the Off-Campus Student Resource Centerwill be visiting each of the off-campus student apartmentcommunities. Staff members will be set up in the clubhousesof each property to greet and welcome new students to theUCF off-campus community. They’ll be promoting andanswering questions regarding the off-campus community aswell as questions about the services and activities provided forstudents on campus. Promotional items donated from off-campus businesses will be given out to students as well as oncampus information. If any UCF on campus departmentswould like to participate in the OCSRC scheduled WelcomeWeek activities by supplying campusinformation or other items for students,please contact the office at 823-6505.

Knight WOW- Weeks Of Welcome -

A new tradition is being built at UCF! Knight WOW events,coordinated by Student Leadership Programs, will begin onAugust 17 and continue through September 9. The eventshave been planned in a collaborative effort between SDESdepartments and the university to welcome new and continuingstudents back to campus for the fall 2000 semester. Brochureslisting all the events will be distributed to students as they beginarriving on campus. The information will also be available onthe web by accessing the Events Calendar on the UCF homepage at www.ucf.edu.

MASS Celebrates 20 Yearsof the SOAR Program!Multicultural Academic and Support Services (MASS) issponsoring the 20th year celebration of its Seizing Opportunities forAchievement and Retention (SOAR) Program, formerly known asthe Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). The theme of thecelebration event is, “Celebrating the Achievements of 20 SOARGenerations: SOARING into the New Millennium.” It will beheld in the Pegasus Ballroom of the UCF Student Union on August19th. MASS is expecting many former graduates, faculty and staff tobe in attendance, including Dr. Robert Belle who helped initiate theprogram. SOAR is an academic summer freshman program for“academically borderline students.” Originally, it was targeted atminority students; today, the SOAR program has expanded to includeall students regardless of race or ethnicity. Since 1980, more than1200 students have participated in EOP/SOAR Program. JustinaGonzalez-Marti has served as the SOAR coordinator for the pastseven years. Congratulations to all of the past graduates, and to thefaculty, staff, and students who have made this program a success!

B-Ball CampJim Wilkening, Associate Director ofRecreational Services, assisted in the hosting,and was an instructor of a five dayBasketball Officiating Camp as part of hisEducational Leave. The camp was heldin early July at Embry RiddleAeronautical University in Daytona.Five current UCF students attended thecamp, with fifteen others who have atone time participated in the Recreational Services program.These camps are designed to fully develop and enhance theofficiating skills of the individual, and will be a great benefit tothe intramural sports program at Recreational Services. Mr.Wilkening will also be hosting a camp this fall at UCF. Youcan contact Jim at jwilkeni@mail.ucf.edu for more information.

Assistantship ProgramDo you or someone you know need assistance in your office andwould like to mentor a LEAD Scholar? LEAD has the program foryou! Applications for the LEAD Scholar’s Assistantship Programwill be available August 7 - 11, 2000. Please complete theapplication and the office will match a student according to mutualinterests between you and the student. In addition, the LEAD ScholarsProgram Office will pay the student an hourly wage while he or shelearns hands on experience and gains a valuable mentoring experienceby professional, caring individuals working in the student’s area ofinterest. We will provide a workshop for faculty/administrators whoare matched with students to learn about this program and tips onproviding the best experience possible. LEAD Scholars will contactall faculty/administrators who are matched with students in the nearfuture with regard to the date, time, and location of the workshop. Ifyou have not received an application, please call LEADs office todayat 823-2223.

**Student R**Student R**Student R**Student R**Student Recoecoecoecoecognition**gnition**gnition**gnition**gnition**Ivette Vignau, Creative School for Children Student Assistant,has been serving as Fiscal Officer for the last year. She hasworked diligently to bring our financial accounting processinto a complete computerized program and upheld the financialpolicies of the school. She has worked after-hours and weekendhours to assist the school to initiate the first pre-registrationprogram for fall 2000. As a result of her very hard work, theschool attained full enrollment for fall by June 20, 2000! Acommitment was required through a non-refundableregistration fee and the first week’s tuition to secure placementfor fall. She worked tirelessly compiling registration packets,which were mailed out as soon as the commitment depositwas received. She has updated record files on each child andis preparing new files for children newly enrolled. She has putour registration and enrollment process in order through herdedication and willingness to work long hours. She has endlessenergy and never complains! Ms. Ivette, as fondly referred toby the children, is a native of Mexico and has two children,Carlos and Ivette, Jr. She is a senior majoring in ForeignLanguages (French & German) and possibly minoring inAnthropology (influenced by a professor who has a child atCreative School). It is interesting how our lives are intertwined! -Submitted by Dolores Burghard

Six Steps in HandlingComplaints• Listen carefully and with interest

to what the student has to say.• Put yourself in the student’s place.

Make responses that show you careand you are listening.

• Ask questions in a caring, concernedmanner and listen carefully to thestudent’s answers.

• Suggest one or more alternatives toanswer their concerns.

• Apologize without blaming.• Solve the problem or find someone

who can solve it.

Four Methods toDefuse a DifficultSituation• Give the student a warm, sincere

hello with a smile.• Anticipate the student’s complaint

and head it off with a sincere,concerned comment.

• Apologize and assumeresponsibility.

• Solve the problem promptly.

1993 Service QualityInstitute Produced forNoel-Levitz Centers, Inc.

Dispute Resolution Services......will be providing their First Timer’s Mediation Training duringthe second week of September. This intensive two day training is8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and provides an overview of mediationand conflict resolution skills and techniques. This training is freeto all faculty, staff, and students. If you are interested in attendingor have any questions, please contactPete Wallace at 823-3477 or e-mail,pwallace@mail.ucf.edu.