You are stressed to the max about that 8 a.m. math class that just isn’t making sense. Or maybe you are tired of being asked by your work program supervisor to go above and beyond your duty, despite showing unfair preference to other workers who are slacking off.
If either of these scenarios describe you, or if you have any other concerns regarding your experience at Blackburn, then there is a new resource on campus that you might want to check out.
The BC Cares Program is a new two-part initiative designed for student success and satisfaction. The BC Cares team—which consists of Blackburn staff members—designed short surveys that are distributed to students every two weeks for the duration of the semester. Surveys, which ask questions regarding students’ levels of satisfaction in academics, the work program and their social lives, are issued to first-year students through the FYT (First Year Transition) Cohort program, which is coordinated by Director of Orientation and Student Success Chelsea Dey as well as various Orientation Leaders on campus. Surveys for returning students are issued through the work program. The surveys are then reviewed by the BC Cares team.
The second part to the program is the BC Cares email account. Any student, faculty or staff member can send concerns, suggestions, kudos or anything else in an email to bccares@blackburn.edu. One of the BC Cares team members will follow-up with the email. “We won’t be changing any policies,” wrote one member through the BC Cares email account, “but if a student has a concern about, for example, an unfair grade, we would direct them to and provide guidance on how to make use of the grade appeal policy.”
One unique aspect about the program is its level of anonymity. Although a BC Cares staff member will see who is sending the initial emails and/or answering the surveys, the information provided will not be disclosed to anyone else on campus without permission. “We want to open a reliable line of communication that students can use in a setting that doesn’t contribute to stress levels, busy schedules or discomfort in approaching contentious issues,” the BC Cares team wrote. “We want students to make use of the resources on campus, but sometimes it can be daunting to see those out publicly.”
The initiative isn’t just for those who need help. “The first time I’ve used it was by emailing the team about someone who I believe needed some extra praise,” said junior environmental biology major Sam Scheid. If any students, faculty or staff wish to send kudos to any other members on campus, the BC Cares Team sends “shoutout cards” in the mail. Shoutout cards can be anonymous or signed, depending upon the sender’s request. “I have enjoyed the interaction with the program,” added Scheid. “It made me feel like I wasn’t just talking to a wall.”
If there is a concern or a complaint, the BC Cares Team also sends those out as well. “We send it and seek follow-up with the appropriate departmental contact,” the BC Cares team said. “Sometimes that’s a work department, sometimes it’s an academic department, sometimes it’s an office. We try to honor requests for anonymity in complaints and concerns as we can.”
“It’s great for telling someone who cares about what’s happening without the pressure of a formal meeting or sit down talk,” said Scheid. “I can sit in the comfort of my own room and express any concerns about the campus and community and know that the information I send will be handled with care.”
The program, which stems from the Early Alert Support Team on campus, has already been called a “success” despite it being the first semester of implementation. “We’ve seen some really good feedback through both the surveys and the email,” said the BC Cares team. “We’ve been able to address major transitional issues, significant disciplinary concerns and we’re continuing to provide feedback to multiple departments regarding ways to better improve the student/community experience overall.”
