This case study describes a dilemma faced by Abigail, who is a coordinator in the Office of Student Engagement at Williamson State University. Jacob, who directly supervises Abigail, misappropriates resources due to lack of funds caused by an institutional fiscal halt that ceased all spending deemed nonessential. When a student organization is in need of ingredients for an annual campus event, Jacob approves the use of the resources within the campus food pantry. This causes dissonance for Abigail, who recently implemented a needs assessment that revealed approximately one in five students at the university experiences food insecurity. Abigail is hesitant to report Jacob’s behavior despite her discomfort, as the event fosters alumni and donor relationships and provides networking opportunities for forthcoming graduates at Williamson.
Keywords: supervisor dynamics, campus culture, budget reduction, fundraising, resource allocation
Character Descriptions
Office of Student Engagement Assistant Director, Jacob (he/him): Jacob has served as the assistant director of the Office of Student Engagement for three years. This position holds special meaning to Jacob, as Williamson is his alma mater. After gaining five years of experience at a small liberal arts college, Jacob returned to Williamson to oversee operations of the Office of Student Engagement and provide leadership to professional staff. Jacob is also the primary liaison with senior administration and has formed deep bonds with these stakeholders, as well as strong relationships with campus and community partners.
Office of Student Engagement Coordinator, Abigail (they/theirs): After completing their master’s degree at a different institution, Abigail joined the Office of Student Engagement as the coordinator. During Abigail’s 18 month tenure at Williamson, they have developed strong relationships with students in the organizations they advise. These relationships have further fostered a deep sense of empathy within Abigail, who is committed to serving the needs of students. Abigail has similarly developed a passion for advocating, as they oversee the daily operations of campus food pantry and interact with students who depend on the service.
Student, Carla (she/her): Carla is a senior at Williamson studying secondary education with a concentration in mathematics. Due to the requirements of her student teaching internship, Carla had to significantly reduce her hours at her job. While Carla shares expenses with her three roommates in an off campus apartment, she is barely making ends meet with her reduced pay. Although Carla learned about the food pantry from a friend who is a student leader on campus several weeks ago, she has been hesitant to utilize the resource due to feelings of shame surrounding not being able to provide for herself.
Context and Case
Williamson State University is a midsized public institution located in the Midwest, serving a diverse student population of approximately 14,000. The university has recently secured R2 Carnegie status. However, this year the state legislature has announced major reductions in its annual appropriations to public institutions of higher learning. As a result, Williamson’s leadership has adopted a conservative fiscal posture by limiting expenditures solely to those deemed essential to the university’s operation and success. All expenditures must be reviewed and approved by a panel of senior administrators, which includes the Provost and the Chief Financial Officer. Food insecurity has become a growing concern among students, with recent surveys indicating that nearly 20% of undergraduates report skipping meals due to financial constraints. The campus food pantry was established three years ago to address this issue, offering free basic groceries to any student in need. The pantry has seen modest success since its launch. However, the pantry is not widely known amongst the student body, despite several feature stories published by the campus newspaper, The Williamson Wire.
The Office of Student Engagement, responsible for managing student organizations, has been significantly impacted. No student organization has received funding approval since the budget changes two months ago. As a result, many student groups have had to reduce their activities, with some even pausing operations entirely. This lack of funding has curtailed traditional events and programs that foster community spirit and provide leadership experiences for students. The impact on student life has been noticeable, as opportunities for involvement, networking, and skill development have decreased, affecting both the social atmosphere on campus and the personal growth of students.
Abigail, a coordinator in the Office of Student Engagement, has been at Williamson for 18 months and is in their first position after completing their master’s degree. In their position, they advise student organizations and oversee the daily operation of the campus food pantry. The pantry, which is run by student volunteers, accepts donations to support members of the campus community in need. The pantry is regularly inventoried and restocked by these student volunteers and serves an opportunity for impactful service.
Recently, the pantry has faced challenges such as increased demand and occasional shortages of essential staples. These issues have been compounded by logistical hurdles, including limited storage capacity and irregular delivery schedules. Abigail has been working to address these concerns since they started to ensure that the pantry continues to meet the growing needs of the campus community.
One Thursday afternoon, a student named Carla visits Abigail’s office, looking worried. She quietly shares that she has been skipping some meals lately because her grocery budget just isn’t enough. Abigail offers to check the pantry with Carla and discuss additional support options.
Together, Abigail and Carla walk to the pantry to review what is available. While checking the shelves, Abigail notices that all the staple items, such as rice, canned beans, and pasta, are missing. Abigail apologizes for the shortages and explains that recent supply issues and budget restrictions have made it harder to keep the pantry fully stocked. Abigail reviews the inventory log and notices that the pantry was fully stocked with these items just yesterday. This discovery prompts Abigail to document the missing items and report the issue to her supervisor, Jacob.
Jacob, an assistant director in the Office of Student Engagement directly supervises Abigail. He oversees broader office operations, provides guidance to professional staff, and acts as the primary liaison with senior administration on student organization funding and support. Jacob’s role includes oversight and coordination of support services like the food pantry, ensuring compliance with university policies and community stakeholder relations.
When Abigail reports the missing pantry items, Jacob listens carefully and affirms Abigail’s concerns regarding the unanticipated shortages. After discussing potential community partners that Jacob may be able to reach out to that would be willing to fill the gap before the next scheduled restocking, Jacob mentions that he recently discussed the pantry with a student group and approved the use of its items to supplement the items needed for an upcoming event.
When Abigail asks Jacob about what event the items are needed for, Jacob reminds Abigail of the upcoming homecoming football game and the annual tailgate and luncheon the student group hosts for alumni. Abigail is aware that it is a beloved tradition for alumni to return to campus for this event and interact with upper-division student leaders. While serving as a networking opportunity for students soon to graduate and seek employment, there is additionally a silent auction fundraising component that supports institutional missions.
As the conversation turns to the event, Jacob expresses excitement. He reveals that the event’s new marketing strategy has been particularly well received by alumni. Although the event is traditionally catered, the students have approached the event with a fresh idea. Instead of upscale refreshments, the students will prepare and serve a buffet style spread themselves with the help of the Culinary Arts Department. Because the event was advertised as a student-led service project in collaboration with an academic department, the number of alumni that have already confirmed their anticipated attendance is historically high.
Although Abigail understands the significance of this event to alumni, students, and stakeholders, Jacob’s enthusiasm does not resonate with them. As Abigail returns to their office, their mind returns to Carla, who had left the pantry earlier without what she needed for dinner that night.
Abigail is unsure of what to do next. Her feelings do not improve two days later when Jacob is able to restock the pantry earlier than anticipated through a well established community partnership. As the event approaches and the office buzzes with eagerness since the anticipated attendance will be the highest of the last decade, Abigail cannot shake the look on Carla’s face when she left the pantry without a plan for the night.
Discussion Questions
- How might Abigail respond or act in this scenario?
- How could the supervisor and supervisee dynamic between Jacob and Abigail influence what Abigail may do?
- How could the relationships Jacob has fostered with senior administrators impact how Abigail may choose to respond or act?
- How might Abigail feel if the items were used for something other than alumni relations and fundraising?
- What offices or officials on campus could provide guidance to Abigail? Who else might Abigail turn to for help?
- What follow-up or additional support could be offered to Carla?
- How might Abigail respond if she were to receive a request for comment from The Williamson Wire about recent complaints/tips, they received from students?
Author Bios
Matthew Inman (he/him) and Jayme Snider (she/hers) are both students in the Master of Education program at Clemson University concentrating in Student Affairs.
Matthew is a student affairs educator who specializes in guiding student learning within residential life through a curricular approach and has a deep passion for educational philosophy.
Jayme is a K-20 educator, research-practitioner, leader, and lifelong learner with a passion for improving interdisciplinary curriculum design, experiential and contextual learning approaches, and rural education.