Your Voice Shapes the CVM Experience
At the Utah State University College of Veterinary Medicine, student feedback is essential to how we grow, improve, and support your success.
We are committed to:
- Listening with intention
- Responding with transparency
- Acting with intention and accountability
Your feedback may highlight a concern, share an idea, or recognize something or someone working incredibly well. All of it matters, and we offer several clear paths for your voice to be heard.
Choosing the Right Feedback Approach
We recognize that some situations feel sensitive or difficult to address. While anonymous feedback is always available, part of your development as a veterinary professional includes learning how to communicate directly, respectfully, and constructively, especially when concerns involve individual interactions.
When appropriate, we encourage you to:
- Speak directly with the individual involved (Professional Conduct Policy)
- Seek guidance from Student Services or a faculty mentor (SMART Program)
- Use established professional communication pathways (explained in this section)
Anonymous feedback remains an important option, particularly when:
- There may be power dynamics or concerns about repercussions
- The issue reflects a broader pattern or environment
- You prefer to share input without being identified.
Communication Channels
The USU College of Veterinary Medicine recognizes that meaningful student engagement requires more than collecting feedback through surveys or scheduled meetings. Students need multiple opportunities to share their experiences, express concerns, ask questions, and contribute ideas in ways that are accessible, comfortable, and responsive to their individual preferences.
To support this commitment, the College maintains a variety of formal and informal communication channels designed to encourage open dialogue, strengthen relationships, and ensure that student perspectives inform decisions affecting their educational experience.
I. Physical and Digital Feedback Boxes - The College provides both physical and digital feedback boxes as accessible channels for students to share suggestions, concerns, ideas, and observations about their educational experience. These options allow students to communicate at their convenience, without needing to schedule a meeting or initiate a direct conversation with faculty, staff, or administrators.
Whether identifying an issue with facilities, suggesting improvements to student services, or sharing an idea that could benefit the broader college community, students are encouraged to use these tools to contribute to the continuous improvement of the College.
Feedback is reviewed by appropriate college personnel and, when warranted, directed to the individuals or offices best positioned to respond. These mechanisms help the College identify emerging concerns, recognize opportunities for improvement, and maintain an ongoing connection with the student experience.
Anonymous submissions may limit our ability to follow up directly, ask clarifying questions, or provide individualized guidance. If you are seeking advice, support, or help navigating next steps, we encourage you to consider including your contact information or reaching out directly to Student Services. This allows us to better support you while still respecting your concerns.
II. Formal and Informal Drop-In Advising - Students are encouraged to connect directly with faculty, staff, and administrators whenever they have questions, concerns, or need guidance. The College promotes an approachable, open-door environment in which students can seek assistance without feeling that every conversation requires a formal appointment.
Informal drop-in interactions provide opportunities to ask questions, discuss challenges, explore available resources, or simply connect with someone who can offer guidance. These conversations often serve as an important first point of contact, allowing students to receive timely assistance and helping college personnel recognize concerns before they become more significant.
For students seeking more structured academic or professional guidance, the Student Mentoring, Advising, and Readiness Training (SMART) program provides individualized advising through scheduled appointments with designated faculty advisors. SMART complements informal advising by offering dedicated time for more comprehensive discussions about academic progress, professional development, and personal goals.
Together, formal and informal advising opportunities help ensure that students have access to guidance appropriate to their needs, whether through a brief conversation or a more intentional advising relationship.
III. USU CVM Discord Server - serves as a moderated, informal digital communication space that supports student engagement, information sharing, and community connection.
The server provides a centralized environment where students can access announcements, learn about upcoming events, ask questions, share resources, and participate in conversations related to their academic and social experiences. Dedicated channels for individual cohorts, student organizations, and shared interests help students connect with others who have similar needs or interests.
Discord also creates opportunities for interactive communication with the Office of Student Services, allowing students to ask questions, receive timely information, and participate in conversations outside traditional meetings or email correspondence.
By providing a familiar and accessible digital environment, the server complements the College’s more formal communication channels while helping students remain informed, connected, and engaged with the broader CVM community.
IV. Dean’s Town Hall - provides a structured opportunity for students to engage directly withthe dean and college leadership in an open forum dedicated to communication, transparency, and shared understanding.
These gatherings allow leadership to provide updates on college initiatives, institutional priorities, program developments, and matters affecting the student experience. Equally important, they provide students with opportunities to ask questions, raise concerns, offer suggestions, and share perspectives directly with those responsible for guiding the College.
Unlike individual advising or informal conversations, the Town Hall focuses on matters of broader interest to the student body and creates opportunities for collective discussion.
The Dean’s Town Hall reflects the College’s commitment to accessible leadership, open communication, and meaningful consideration of student perspectives in institutional decision-making.
V. Frankly Speaking Events - are an informal, topic-centered conversation series designed to bring students together with faculty, staff, and college leadership for open discussion in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
Each gathering typically focuses on a selected topic relevant to student life, academic experiences, professional development, wellbeing, or other matters of interest to the college community. Rather than relying on formal presentations or structured agendas, these events emphasize conversation, questions, shared experiences, and opportunities for students to express their perspectives.
The format encourages students to engage in discussions that might not otherwise occur in classrooms, advising appointments, or formal meetings. While a particular topic may provide the starting point, conversations can naturally expand to address related questions, concerns, and ideas.
Food or refreshments are generally provided to help create a comfortable, social atmosphere that encourages participation and connection.
Frankly Speaking events provide an additional avenue for the College to listen, share information, clarify misunderstandings, and strengthen relationships through genuine, two-way communication.
VI. Management by Walking Around (MBWA) - reflects the College’s commitment to proactive, visible, and approachable student engagement. Rather than relying exclusively on students to initiate contact, faculty, staff, and administrators intentionally spend time in the spaces where students learn, study, gather, and interact.
This approach emphasizes the importance of being present and accessible in the everyday student environment. Through informal conversations in hallways, classrooms, study areas, common spaces, and student activities, college personnel can develop a more immediate and authentic understanding of students’ experiences, perspectives, and needs.
Unlike formal advising or scheduled meetings, MBWA is generally unstructured and relationship-centered. A brief conversation between classes, an informal check-in during lunch, or a spontaneous discussion in a student gathering space can create opportunities for students to share observations, ask questions, celebrate successes, or raise concerns they might not otherwise bring forward.
These interactions serve several important purposes. They help reduce perceived barriers between students and college leadership, foster familiarity and trust, provide opportunities to recognize emerging issues, and allow personnel to observe the student environment firsthand.
Importantly, MBWA is not intended to replace formal advising, established reporting procedures, or structured feedback mechanisms. Instead, it complements those resources by creating additional opportunities for authentic engagement and early identification of student needs.
At its core, Management by Walking Around reflects a simple philosophy: Meaningful student support begins with being present, being approachable, and being willing to listen.