2008 Woodie Awards
Committee aims to improve URI visitors' experience
Chloe Thompson
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: Campus
03/04/08 - A committee dedicated to improving the school through a visitor's eyes emerged as part of the University of Rhode Island's new branding initiative, which focuses on maintaining and improving the image of the campus.
The Campus Visitors Task Force, which began at the start of this semester, aims to assess the experience of anyone who visits URI and improve it by bringing problems to the attention of administrators. It will work alongside the Branding Initiative Committee to be sure the image of the university is flush with what the committee is promoting.
Chairperson of the Visitors Task Force and Associate Vice President of Development Paul Witham said last week, "We want to ask ourselves, is the information true? Does it match up with our publications?"
The committee, composed of 10 staff and students from various departments at the university, will present a report of their findings to URI President Robert L. Carothers, his senior management team and the Joint Strategic Planning Committee by the end of the school year.
The committee includes representatives from admissions, Student and Faculty Senate, athletics, Career Services, alumni association, security, the conference office and Business Administration.
In reference to choosing the committee members, Witham said "We felt we needed representatives from different key areas from people with whom visitors are important."
Key aspects of a visitor's typical day are evaluated by what Witham referred to as "mystery shopping" the campus. Members of the committee go through areas of URI that visitors would come across, such as the Memorial Union, residence halls, admissions and the Visitors Center.
These include parking, the aesthetics of campus, signage, staff and greetings.
"We talked about the challenges and what opportunities we have to change it," Witham said.
Witham referred to "million dollar days" as key times that the university must "be on its best behavior," and said this is a large focus of the Task Force.
The Campus Visitors Task Force, which began at the start of this semester, aims to assess the experience of anyone who visits URI and improve it by bringing problems to the attention of administrators. It will work alongside the Branding Initiative Committee to be sure the image of the university is flush with what the committee is promoting.
Chairperson of the Visitors Task Force and Associate Vice President of Development Paul Witham said last week, "We want to ask ourselves, is the information true? Does it match up with our publications?"
The committee, composed of 10 staff and students from various departments at the university, will present a report of their findings to URI President Robert L. Carothers, his senior management team and the Joint Strategic Planning Committee by the end of the school year.
The committee includes representatives from admissions, Student and Faculty Senate, athletics, Career Services, alumni association, security, the conference office and Business Administration.
In reference to choosing the committee members, Witham said "We felt we needed representatives from different key areas from people with whom visitors are important."
Key aspects of a visitor's typical day are evaluated by what Witham referred to as "mystery shopping" the campus. Members of the committee go through areas of URI that visitors would come across, such as the Memorial Union, residence halls, admissions and the Visitors Center.
These include parking, the aesthetics of campus, signage, staff and greetings.
"We talked about the challenges and what opportunities we have to change it," Witham said.
Witham referred to "million dollar days" as key times that the university must "be on its best behavior," and said this is a large focus of the Task Force.