Strategic Plan for University Counseling Center
Mission
To enhance the well-being of our diverse GVSU community through
mental health services, including prevention, education, and
counseling.
Vision
The University Counseling Center (UCC) strives to be viewed as an
essential resource for enhancing student mental health, well-being,
and academic success and recognized by the university community as
integral in achieving the university mission. Characterized as
dynamic, proactive, and innovative in responding to the needs of a
diverse university community, the Center cultivates a highly competent
staff and evolving service and training practices. The UCC staff
strengthens relationships within the Center, the University, and the
broader community through compassion and advocacy.
Values Statement
· We advocate for and promote a culture of inclusivity and equity through active engagement in social justice.
· We promote the importance of holistic wellness and self-care in maintaining mental health and emotional wellbeing.
· We are committed to providing individualized, evidenced-based services and creating culturally sensitive spaces for students to feel heard, accepted, and affirmed.
· We embrace a team-based approach to individual and organizational well-being, striving for collaborative decision-making and mutual support.
· We support ongoing professional development as a critical factor in enhancing staff competence, expertise, and the effectiveness of our service and training practices.
· We bring a specialized mental health perspective to the campus community through collaborative partnerships and interdependent relationships.
Planning Process
In the Winter of 2022 the staff of the University Counseling Center began the process of reviewing both its Mission, Vision, and Values statements and the current strategic plan. Both processes began with a group of 6 staff members volunteering to be part of a small work group to begin reviewing the current mission, vision, and values. This work group established a new document that was then sent to the full UCC staff for review. After allowing staff some time to prepare feedback, the full staff met to review the feedback for the new Mission, Vision, and Values statement. Feedback was gathered by the subcommittee and final edits were made to establish the final Mission, Vision and Values of the UCC.
After the Mission, Vision, and Values were modified, a new small committee was created to work on drafting current strategic plans for the UCC. This committee then presented the findings to the full UCC staff for edits and suggestions. These revisions were incorporated into revised and finalized versions of the strategic plans for the UCC.
Collaboration
The staff of the University Counseling Center works collaboratively
with campus partners to provide services for student support. These
collaborations are aimed toward enhancing the well-being of our
diverse GVSU community through mental health services, including
prevention, education, and counseling.
Building Capacity
The University Counseling Center consistently aims to collaborate with support services, both on and off the GVSU campus, to help provide consistent and quality care for GVSU students. Through these collaborations, trainings provided, and additional educational outreach services, we aim to empower GVSU faculty and staff to promote awareness and supportive referrals around mental health for GVSU students.