Erin Grisham

Erin Grisham, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Student Success at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (UWO), is no stranger to change. Whether it’s helping first-year students transition into college life or guiding her Student Affairs teams through disruptions, Erin sees the challenges that often occur in Higher Education (HE) as opportunities.

In her third appearance, Erin spoke with Co-Host of The Interview, Max Webber, about the tough decisions and innovative solutions that have reshaped workflows at UWO, and how her teams have continued to improve student experience while overcoming administrative issues. 

Erin’s Journey

Max: It’s great to have you back, Erin. What’s been the standout moment at UWO since we last spoke? 

Like many of our sister institutions, we were facing significant financial challenges that we’ve had to tackle head-on in the past year. We’ve put plans in place, made some hard decisions, and taken the opportunity to reorganize the division and our processes, all of which has enabled us to close $15,000,000 of our $18,000,000 deficit. In my 30-year HE career, this year was by far the most challenging, but also the most rewarding. 

Max: What was the biggest takeaway from that challenge? 

For me, the most interesting takeaway is the importance of open and consistent communication. Though it wasn’t easy, solving our shared problems gave the teams in my division a chance to come together, evaluate the ‘why’ behind our tasks and aims, gain different perspectives, and increase buy-in. My colleagues are experts in their areas, bringing a huge amount of talent to the table for us to leverage, so I made a point of asking them what we should stop doing, what we should start doing, and what we should do differently. By getting folks together in that inclusive environment, we were able to solve problems and be creative in ways that we may not have been able to otherwise. 

‍Max: When faced with these hurdles, what fuels your continued passion for Student Affairs?

My dad always told me that we should try to leave a place better than we found it, and that’s become a personal mantra that I often share with my colleagues. Providing access and opportunities for students, and making sure that they have a path to and through their degrees will always fuel my passion, but I also thrive when I’m able to build things, develop services, and set up initiatives that will benefit our student body in the long term.

‍Max: How do you continue to create a sense of belonging among students at UWO in times of change?

We have to think holistically about the student experience on our campuses, taking into account our physical plant, including residence halls, classrooms, and meeting spaces, while also evaluating personal experiences with faculty, staff, and other students. Combining those areas leaves us with the question: how do we create environments where all students can be themselves, make friends, and find their place and passion? Our answer is to understand what’s working and not working from our students’ perspectives, and we need to actively listen to their voices to do that. Once we have that information, we can think critically about our initiatives, avoid making assumptions about our students, and bring down any barriers we unintentionally put in front of them. 

Max: What recent initiatives have had the most impact on student experience? 

Our campus had a practice of sending an email to students every time we needed to make an announcement. Last spring, we spoke to students about this and found that they received a shocking amount of messages, most of which they didn’t read. We changed how we handled student communications by moving the majority of announcements to the Involve app, where we can advertise engagement opportunities, and students can easily check the events calendar on their devices. As a result of that intentional decision, we’ve seen a significant increase in student engagement and participation this fall. Not only that, but students are reporting that they’re reading the emails they do receive because they’re personalized, timely, and focused. Though it may sound simple, that initiative was a massive win for us. 

‍Max: In such a tense political climate both in America and globally, how do you encourage students to speak across difference?

The University of Wisconsin administration developed a learning module on expressive activity that all of our incoming students are required to complete. We’re also obligated to supplement that learning on the Oshkosh campus, and we do so through our Center for Civic and Community Engagement. The director there has organized several events, often working with our students as co-hosts, to welcome competing voices to campus and facilitate constructive conversations for students to emulate. Additionally, our faculty have undertaken training on how to model and incorporate civil dialogue in classrooms, and we’ll be meeting soon to discuss what’s worked effectively in that area, and what we can improve going forward. Our student leaders, residence assistants, and community assistants also undertake similar training so that they’re comfortable managing difficult conversations when they arise, and can encourage respectful responses. Overall, we’re very fortunate to have a system that values speaking across difference, and provides us with the necessary resources to facilitate it, but we also have talented staff who work closely to foster open dialogue between students. 

‍Max: What’s one thing you wish you’d known at the start of your career?

I wish I’d known about the importance of change management in HE. In this sector, specifically in Student Affairs, change can occur quickly and be very disruptive. As administrators, we filter and manage that change for our students and colleagues, so understanding how to lead people through while staying patient, listening actively and inclusively, and keeping things running smoothly would’ve significantly impacted my career.