by Rachel Williams
The University of West Georgia was recently named one of the 30+ Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs. Schools were chosen based on factors such as salary, benefits, professional development opportunities and family friendliness. The list included schools such as Rutgers University, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, SUNY Cortland, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, University of Vermont and The College of William and Mary. The list was published March 27, 2014, in Diverse Magazine as well as on the American College Personnel Association website, and the latter can be found here.
"I believe that we got recognized because of the comprehensive nature of our division and the hard work that our staff put in every day to make UWG a best place to work," says Dr. Scot Lingrell, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at UWG. "This award gives us national attention, and will allow us to continue to attract high quality candidates to UWG and Student Affairs and Enrollment Management."
The Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs national study was a collaborative project between Diverse Magazine and the ACPA. The study was conducted by the Center for Inclusion, Diversity and Academic Success in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Dr. Terrell L. Strayhorn, director and associate professor at Ohio State, led the research efforts. Since fall 2011, the team examined the schools’ administrative structures, commitment to diversity and workplace or staffing practices. All institutions designated as PPWSA schools were featured prominently in the ACPA national convention, held March 29 - April 2, 2014, in Indianapolis.
The announcement that UWG had made the list came just a few months after the creation of EngageWest, an initiative to help UWG become the best place to work, learn and succeed. The first phase of EngageWest was an examination of the current state of UWG, including the strategic plan and an employee engagement survey. The survey was available from January 27, 2014, to February 14, 2014. The results are being used to develop a “roadmap” for employee engagement, which will be implemented in the fall semester.
"Making this list is an honor, and it recognizes the effort that is made by all staff to make this a great place to work,” adds Dr. Lingrell. “The award is further testament that UWG is a best place to learn, work and succeed."
